Weekly Menu Retrospective #117

Welcome to my weekly roundup of the past week's eats. I prefer to report what we ate in the last week, rather than what we're planning to eat in the coming week. Why? The reason is pretty simple: although I usually have a general idea of what we're going to eat in the next week or so, life often unfolds a little differently than planned, and I adjust my menu plan on a near-daily basis to accommodate leftovers and other not-possible-to-plan-ahead circumstances. I find this is the easiest way to ensure that I minimize our family's food waste. I'm also willing to admit that I'm a rather spontaneous cook, given to preparing foods that strike me as the most appealing thing to eat right here and now!

If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes, check out my book, Cheap Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible) on Amazon (Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and Amazon UK) and Barnes and Noble.  It's gotten multiple 5 star reviews!! I've included page references to recipes that are in the book in my menu plans so you can locate them quickly. For more details about the book, go here.     

Breakfasts:
Granola (p. 92), Zucchini Raisin Bran Muffins (variation of the recipe on p. 102), Baked Oatmeal (p. 91)

Lunches: 
leftovers, sandwiches, pizza

Dinners:

Monday:  Pork Chops with Spicy Rub, Macaroni and Cheese (p. 174), green beans

Tuesday: Black Bean Chili (p. 160), cornbread (p. 212)

Wednesday: Potato, Cheddar and Bacon Soup (p. 165), tossed salad

Thursday: Thai-Style Peanutty Pasta (p. 147)

Friday: Kale and Mozzarella Egg Puff (variation of the recipe on p. 181), hash brown potatoes
  
Saturday: Everything-But-the-Kitchen-Sink Lentil Soup (p. 162), cornbread (p. 212)

Sunday: Tacos, Mexican Rice, tossed salad, Raspberry Cheesecake (my younger ds's birthday dinner -he turned 14!)

In keeping with my local and organic challenge, I'd also like to note the local and/or organic items on this week's menu:

Organic: coconut (in granola), coconut oil (in granola), raisins, sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax seeds, lemons, coffee (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), cornstarch, mustard, tamari, cinnamon, oregano, black pepper, parsley, Fairytale tea, peppermint tea, lemon balm, oatstraw

Local: potatoes, onions, red peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, apples, salsa (home-canned), ground beef (from VG Meats), honey (unpasteurized), milk

Local AND organic: sesame seeds (used to top bread loaves), oats, milk (used to make yogurt), eggs (not "certified organic", but real free range and fed organic feed), apple cider vinegar,  popcorn, whole wheat flour, *fresh herbs (parsley, basil, chives, oregano), *kale *green onions, *green beans,  *cherry tomatoes *jalapeno peppers

*from our backyard veggie garden or produce cooperative

Want to know more about the specific food products I use and where I buy them? Check out my "What's In My Pantry" board on Pinterest.  I will keep this board updated with current information on what products we use, where we're buying them, and how much we're paying. It's a work-in-progress, and you can find it HERE.

For more great meal ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com.  

SOUTHERN ONTARIO READERS: Tired of figuring out what to make for dinner? Want ALL the best weekly deals, plus menu plans and grocery lists based on what's on sale and in season? I just launched a new weekly budget menu plan service, featuring the best weekly deals and seasonal foods in Southern Ontario. I have a free sample available that you can read here! It's super-affordably priced, too - more details are here.

Love what you read here? Find out how you can help support this blog. 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

Click HERE to like Abundance on a Dime on Facebook and get updates and tips on living frugally

Click HERE to like Cheap Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking

A Tale of Two Price Points: One Example of The True Cost of Convenience Foods

All photos in this post courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Anyone who's been to one of my presentations or workshops (or read my book) knows that I'm always harping on about calculating per-pound (or per kilogram, depending on your preference) costs for food items. For many types of foods, it's a big eye-opener to see just how much more you're paying for a convenience-type product versus buying the whole, unprocessed food.

There was a good illustration of this recently in the sales flyers, so I thought I'd share it here as an example of why you shouldn't buy into the convenience product paradigm.

This example is for a really basic food that is a staple in most frugal households: carrots. On the same week, there were two different "deals" available:

 
At first glance, store #2's offering seems like a pretty good deal to a busy mom who has to pack school lunches: single-serving bags of precut "baby" carrots - no effort required, just drop a bag of carrots in the lunchbox and you're done - and only 25 cents per individual serving package! Processed food manufacturers are clever, and they price point items so they *seem* like a good deal - just $1 to save the trouble of having to do it yourself!

Let's take a closer look, though, and calculate out the per-pound cost for each deal:

 Suddenly, things aren't looking so great for deal number 2: It's over NINE times the cost of deal #1! But it's SO convenient, right?

Well, let's see :)

I went into my kitchen and weighed out a pound of carrots on my digital scale. I then got my husband to time me while I peeled them and cut them into sticks. Total time? A whopping 4 minutes!

With this information, we can easily calculate the "hourly wage" of slicing our own carrots. We're saving $1.59 per pound doing it ourselves, and the task takes 4 minutes, which means you could complete it 15 times in an hour. That works out to an hourly wage of $23.85 ($1.59 x 15).

That's a pretty good return on your time investment, considering that that is $23.85 an hour with no taxes or deductions (if you've ever calculated what you actually earn per hour from a "real job", you'll know that's a pretty decent rate of pay).

This type of return for time invested on food-related activities is typical. In fact one reader of my book calculated that she saved $300 on groceries in one month by spending 5 hours using some of my techniques and strategies - an hourly return of $60 an hour! I don't know about you, but I've never earned close to $60 an hour after taxes and deductions from a "real job" and I have a Masters degree :)

What this clearly demonstrates is another point I always try to drive home: Most people considerably OVERESTIMATE how much time convenience foods are saving them, and severely UNDERESTIMATE how much extra they are paying for that little bit of convenience.

Those little bags of prepackaged carrots also spoil very quickly (since they're peeled and have a lot of exposed, unprotected surface area). Not to mention the fact that they have a horrendous amount of packaging per total volume of carrots (outer bag plus 4 inner bags). The 10 lb bags of carrots keep very well in my experience (we often buy 3 or 4 of them in the fall when they go on sale and keep them in our second fridge in the basement). If you don't have a lot of storage space, you can split a bag between 2 or 3 families to create very manageable amounts.

The moral of the story? Investing little bits of time here and there on he right types of food-related activities has a HUGE payoff. It really is worth it to do it yourself! 

SOME EXCITING NEWS: I have a brand new website at cookwithkaren.com! Don't worry, the blog will still be here and I will still post on it regularly. If you're looking for more information on my book, menu planning service or classes & events, this will be the place for you to go. And I'll be starting to send out a Cooking with Karen newsletter once or twice a month as well (you can sign up for that on my homepage or just go HERE).

Love what you read here? Find out how you can help support this blog. 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

Click HERE to like Abundance on a Dime on Facebook and get updates and tips on living frugally

Click HERE to like Cheap Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking

Weekly Menu Retrospective #116

Welcome to my weekly roundup of the past week's eats. I prefer to report what we ate in the last week, rather than what we're planning to eat in the coming week. Why? The reason is pretty simple: although I usually have a general idea of what we're going to eat in the next week or so, life often unfolds a little differently than planned, and I adjust my menu plan on a near-daily basis to accommodate leftovers and other not-possible-to-plan-ahead circumstances. I find this is the easiest way to ensure that I minimize our family's food waste. I'm also willing to admit that I'm a rather spontaneous cook, given to preparing foods that strike me as the most appealing thing to eat right here and now!

If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes, check out my book, Cheap Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible) on Amazon (Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and Amazon UK) and Barnes and Noble.  It's gotten multiple 5 star reviews!! I've included page references to recipes that are in the book in my menu plans so you can locate them quickly. For more details about the book, go here.     

Breakfasts:
Granola (p. 92), Rhubarb Streusel Muffins (p.97), Baked Oatmeal (p. 91)

Lunches: 
leftovers, sandwiches, pizza

Dinners:

Monday:  Broccoli and Bacon Alfredo (recipe coming soon!)

Tuesday: Taco Platters

Wednesday: Skillet chicken (season with salt, pepper and paprika), Corn and Tomato Salad, tossed salad

Thursday: Sausage and potato skillet (improvised meal on the fly with what was in the fridge and garden!)

Friday: Pork and Apple Stew (p. 156 - family favourite!)
  
Saturday: Sausage, Swiss Chard and Mozzarella Egg Puff (variation of the recipe on p. 181)

Sunday: Classic Beef Burgers (p. 125), corn on the cob

In keeping with my local and organic challenge, I'd also like to note the local and/or organic items on this week's menu:

Organic: coconut (in granola), coconut oil (in granola), raisins, sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax seeds, lemons, coffee (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), cornstarch, cane sugar,  mustard, tamari, cinnamon, oregano, black pepper, parsley, Fairytale tea, peppermint tea, lemon balm, oatstraw

Local: potatoes, onions, red peppers, cucumbers, corn, salsa (home-canned), ground beef (from VG Meats), honey (unpasteurized), milk

Local AND organic: sesame seeds (used to top bread loaves), oats, milk (used to make yogurt), eggs (not "certified organic", but real free range and fed organic feed), apple cider vinegar,  popcorn, whole wheat flour, *fresh herbs (parsley, basil, chives, oregano), *Swiss chard *green onions, *green beans, *pears, *cherry tomatoes *jalapeno peppers

*from our backyard veggie garden or produce cooperative

Want to know more about the specific food products I use and where I buy them? Check out my "What's In My Pantry" board on Pinterest.  I will keep this board updated with current information on what products we use, where we're buying them, and how much we're paying. It's a work-in-progress, and you can find it HERE.

For more great meal ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com.  

SOUTHERN ONTARIO READERS: Tired of figuring out what to make for dinner? Want ALL the best weekly deals, plus menu plans and grocery lists based on what's on sale and in season? I just launched a new weekly budget menu plan service, featuring the best weekly deals and seasonal foods in Southern Ontario. I have a free sample available that you can read here! It's super-affordably priced, too - more details are here.

Love what you read here? Find out how you can help support this blog. 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

Click HERE to like Abundance on a Dime on Facebook and get updates and tips on living frugally

Click HERE to like Cheap Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking

RECIPE: End-of-Summer Corn and Tomato Salad

Yes, the kids are back in school - but technically summer doesn't end for another week and a half. And because fresh, local summer produce is only here for such a brief season, I want to make the most of it before I begin the long fall and winter sojourn of endless root vegetable dishes. I don't have anything again root vegetables (in fact I'm fond of many of them), their season is just a much longer one here in Southern Ontario!

So, always looking for more ways to incorporate the sacred, short-seasoned corn and tomatoes into our lives, I came up with this salad. It was a hit with my family and also when I prepared it for a Cooking at the Market demo a week and a half ago.

I admit that cooking and cooling, then stripping the kernels off, several cobs of corn is a bit time consuming, but the taste of fresh corn in this salad is so worth it! The corn can be cooked and chilled ahead of time; and the whole salad can be made in advance if you have company coming or just want to have less work to do at mealtime.

This salad lends itself well to improvisation, so feel free to add whatever other embellishments you feel inspired to include. Diced avocado or sweet peppers play nicely with these flavours, and cubed or crumbled cheese is another nice addition (mozzarella or feta work well). If you want to make this into a heartier main dish salad, toss in about 1 1/2 cups of cooked black beans, or some leftover shredded chicken or pork. You could also add some cooked quinoa or barley to the mix! See, the options are nearly endless :)

Ingredients:
6 cobs corn, cooked and cooled
2 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (I used a combination of red cherry and yellow pear tomatoes)
6-8 green onions, sliced

Lime & Cumin Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest and juice of 1 lime
1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions:
-In a medium serving dish, combine the corn, tomatoes and green onions.

-In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients until well-blended. Pour over corn mixture and stir gently to coat evenly. 

Serves 6 as a side dish. 

For more simple, tasty and family-friendly recipes like this one, check out my book: Cheap Appétit: The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible)

Love what you read here? Find out how you can help support this blog. 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

Click HERE to like Abundance on a Dime on Facebook and get updates and tips on living frugally

Click HERE to like Cheap Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking

Weekly Menu Retrospective #115

Welcome to my weekly roundup of the past week's eats. I prefer to report what we ate in the last week, rather than what we're planning to eat in the coming week. Why? The reason is pretty simple: although I usually have a general idea of what we're going to eat in the next week or so, life often unfolds a little differently than planned, and I adjust my menu plan on a near-daily basis to accommodate leftovers and other not-possible-to-plan-ahead circumstances. I find this is the easiest way to ensure that I minimize our family's food waste. I'm also willing to admit that I'm a rather spontaneous cook, given to preparing foods that strike me as the most appealing thing to eat right here and now!

If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes, check out my book, Cheap Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible) on Amazon (Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and Amazon UK) and Barnes and Noble.  It's gotten multiple 5 star reviews!! I've included page references to recipes that are in the book in my menu plans so you can locate them quickly. For more details about the book, go here.     

Breakfasts:
Granola (p. 92), Banana Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins (subbed bleberries for choc chips in this recipe on p. 96), scrambled eggs and toast, Blueberry Clafouti (p. 223)

Lunches: 
leftovers, sandwiches, omelettes  

Dinners:

Monday: Classic Beef Burgers (p. 125) and potato salad

Tuesday: Moroccan Chicken and Quinoa Salad

Wednesday: Everything-But-the-Kitchen-Sink Lentil Soup (p. 162)

Thursday: Cheesy Macaroni and Beef Skillet (p. 148), corn on the cob

Friday: Swiss Chard, Mozzarella and Bacon Egg Puff (variation of the recipe on p.181), tossed salad
  
Saturday: Make-it-Your-Way Potato Hash (with sausage, peppers, eggs and green beans, p. 140)

Sunday: Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, honey-roasted carrots, Easy Stuffed Jalapenos, Old-Fashioned Butterscotch Pudding (p.233)

In keeping with my local and organic challenge, I'd also like to note the local and/or organic items on this week's menu:

Organic: coconut (in granola), coconut oil (in granola), raisins, sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax seeds, lemons, coffee (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), cornstarch, cane sugar,  mustard, tamari, cinnamon, oregano, black pepper, parsley, Fairytale tea, peppermint tea, lemon balm, oatstraw

Local: potatoes, onions, red peppers, cucumbers, corn, salsa (home-canned), ground beef (from VG Meats), honey (unpasteurized), milk

Local AND organic: sesame seeds (used to top bread loaves), oats, milk (used to make yogurt), eggs (not "certified organic", but real free range and fed organic feed), apple cider vinegar,  popcorn, whole wheat flour, *fresh herbs (parsley, basil, chives, oregano), *Swiss chard *green onions, *green beans, *pears, *cherry tomatoes *jalapeno peppers

*from our backyard veggie garden or produce cooperative

Want to know more about the specific food products I use and where I buy them? Check out my "What's In My Pantry" board on Pinterest.  I will keep this board updated with current information on what products we use, where we're buying them, and how much we're paying. It's a work-in-progress, and you can find it HERE.

For more great meal ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com.  

SOUTHERN ONTARIO READERS: Tired of figuring out what to make for dinner? Want ALL the best weekly deals, plus menu plans and grocery lists based on what's on sale and in season? I just launched a new weekly budget menu plan service, featuring the best weekly deals and seasonal foods in Southern Ontario. I have a free sample available that you can read here! It's super-affordably priced, too - more details are here.

Love what you read here? Find out how you can help support this blog. 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

Click HERE to like Abundance on a Dime on Facebook and get updates and tips on living frugally

Click HERE to like Cheap Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking