Do you ever look at the lovely pile of groceries you have amassed from shopping the bargains and wonder "now what am I supposed to do with this?" If so here are some menu ideas for those shopping Schnucks this week
Shopping list
Catfish nuggets
Sweet corn
Summer squash
Pork butt
Italian, french or other substantial bread rolls
Potato chips
Broccoli
Tomatoes
Chicken breast
Potatoes
Bratwurst
Buns
Pork flavor ramen noodles
BBQ sauce
Fried cat fish nuggets (on sale for $1.99 lb); fresh sweet corn (.25 an ear); summer squash
Pulled pork sandwiches ( put pork butt, .99 a lb this week in crock pot, season w/ your choice of rosemary, garlic, onion, pepper flakes and 1 c of liquid--water, broth, beer, apple juice are all good choices depending on your taste and cook until it is falling off the bone; save "left overs" for another meal because you will see this as an ingredient later on) Serve w/ chips ($1.88 a bag of Lays) and fresh veggie platter (broccoli crowns $1.29 lb, tomatoes $1.79 lb, anything else that sounds appealing)
Chicken Parmesan (skinless boneless breast of chicken, cook extra for another day); baked potatoes ($3.88 for 10 lbs--bake extra); steamed broccoli ($1.29 lb)
Grilled brats w/ your choice of toppings; potato salad;
Pasta and sauce (Hunts sauce $1 a can, if you can afford an extra can or 2 this is not a bad price; Schnucks pasta .88 a box--if you want to cook extra it freezes well for quick prep later--throw in leftover chicken or sliced brats if you'd like)
Pork Lo Mein cook pork flavor Lo Mein noodles (abt 1 pkg per 2 adults eating) and add abt 1/2 c cooked pork; 3/4 c steamed broccoli and 1/2 T soy sauce per adult serving.
BBQ Chicken w/ potatoes Dice 1 cooked potato per person, lightly brown in a greased skillet (season w/ onion and garlic as desired); add abt 3/4 c of diced chicken per person and mix thoroughly w/ 1/4 c bbq sauce per serving.
How to stock pile
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You might want to start "stock piling" great sales because the stock pile is truly the way to get a varied and inexpensive diet!
People ask me "how much" they should stock pile and unfortunately I don't have a really good answer for that because it is going to vary SO much based on your individual circumstances! but there are several factors to take into consideration
--How much can you afford? You do not want to put yourself in the position of not having enough to cover other needs later in the week or in the month. Set yourself a realistic budget for the week or 2 weeks or the month and STICK WITH IT. There are advantages and disadvantages to budgeting on each of the time frames, most people find that they tend to learn to use the one that meets with their income schedule most effectively regardless of what the income schedule is. Many people find the envelope method (where they put all the money available for the particular expenditure available in one envelope and quit spending when the envelope is empty) to be the most effective choice!
--How much is your household likely to consume before there is another sale and before the food goes out of date? I have been known to buy non-perishables at 75% off at a store going out of business sale and turn down 90% off sales at the same store because I doubted we could finish enough of the item before it went out of date to make it truly a good bargain!
--How much can you reasonably store? There is no point to buying an entire steer even for a really, really good price if all you have is the top freezer in an apartment size refrigerator. You also do not want to "have to" store granola bars in your sock drawer and cereal under the bed!
People ask me "how much" they should stock pile and unfortunately I don't have a really good answer for that because it is going to vary SO much based on your individual circumstances! but there are several factors to take into consideration
--How much can you afford? You do not want to put yourself in the position of not having enough to cover other needs later in the week or in the month. Set yourself a realistic budget for the week or 2 weeks or the month and STICK WITH IT. There are advantages and disadvantages to budgeting on each of the time frames, most people find that they tend to learn to use the one that meets with their income schedule most effectively regardless of what the income schedule is. Many people find the envelope method (where they put all the money available for the particular expenditure available in one envelope and quit spending when the envelope is empty) to be the most effective choice!
--How much is your household likely to consume before there is another sale and before the food goes out of date? I have been known to buy non-perishables at 75% off at a store going out of business sale and turn down 90% off sales at the same store because I doubted we could finish enough of the item before it went out of date to make it truly a good bargain!
--How much can you reasonably store? There is no point to buying an entire steer even for a really, really good price if all you have is the top freezer in an apartment size refrigerator. You also do not want to "have to" store granola bars in your sock drawer and cereal under the bed!
More coupons!
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I am excited to be in Champaign (temporarily--still working on relocation) AND I've found out that you can get a full copy of the Sunday Chicago Tribune from the Barnes and Noble at Marketplace. What this means for avid couponers is that you can get more coupons from the larger city papers! Barnes and noble will allow you to pre-pay to reserve a copy if you aren't sure you can get there in time to pick up on Sunday.
This week's paper should have both Smart Source and Red Plum inserts!
This week's paper should have both Smart Source and Red Plum inserts!
CVS Coupon match ups 7/4 - 7/10
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I am hoping to move to IL next month and then I'll be able to give you better match ups with ALL of the inserts but since the Proctor and Gamble one differs very little from location to location this should be a good start so get your newspaper and start clipping!
Always pads 2 for $6; $1 P&G; $1 ECB on 2
Bounty paper towels 6 roll pack $6.99; .25 P&G; $1 ECB
Cascade 2/$5; .50 P&G; $1 ECB on 2
Cover girl Select products $6, $7 and $8; $1 off any Cover Girl; Buy $15 of select products $5 ECB
Crest toothpaste 2/$4.98; $.75 P&G; $1 ECB on 2;
Dawn .99; .25 P&G
Duracell batteries $2.99; $.75 P&G; $1 ECB
Gilette body wash 2/$7; $2 P&G
Gilette fusion proglide razor $9.97; $2 P&G; $5 ECB
Pampers swaddlers $19.99; $2 P&G; $3 ECB
Pantene shampoo and conditioner $5.99; $1 off 2 P&G; $2 ECB, limit 2 (several people have gotten a $2 store q for Pantene, CVS allows for stacking of store and manufacturers q/s
Prilosec OTC $24.99; $1 P&G; $7 ECB
Tide detergent $1 P&G; $1 ECB
Non coupon deal BioTrue 2 oz contact lens solution $2.99; $2.99 ECB
Note: If your store is out of a product they will give you a non-expiring Raincheck for your ECB's!
Always pads 2 for $6; $1 P&G; $1 ECB on 2
Bounty paper towels 6 roll pack $6.99; .25 P&G; $1 ECB
Cascade 2/$5; .50 P&G; $1 ECB on 2
Cover girl Select products $6, $7 and $8; $1 off any Cover Girl; Buy $15 of select products $5 ECB
Crest toothpaste 2/$4.98; $.75 P&G; $1 ECB on 2;
Dawn .99; .25 P&G
Duracell batteries $2.99; $.75 P&G; $1 ECB
Gilette body wash 2/$7; $2 P&G
Gilette fusion proglide razor $9.97; $2 P&G; $5 ECB
Pampers swaddlers $19.99; $2 P&G; $3 ECB
Pantene shampoo and conditioner $5.99; $1 off 2 P&G; $2 ECB, limit 2 (several people have gotten a $2 store q for Pantene, CVS allows for stacking of store and manufacturers q/s
Prilosec OTC $24.99; $1 P&G; $7 ECB
Tide detergent $1 P&G; $1 ECB
Non coupon deal BioTrue 2 oz contact lens solution $2.99; $2.99 ECB
Note: If your store is out of a product they will give you a non-expiring Raincheck for your ECB's!
CVS and P&G coupons
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Just a little heads up, there is to be a new P&G insert this week and I hear that there will be some ECB deals using those q's.
Also if you got one of the Pantene coupons that printed at the register this week on some CVS ExtraCare accounts (I got one, my daughter didn't) hold onto it until next week because you might want to stack it w/ a Proctor and Gamble one AND get the ECB's
Also if you got one of the Pantene coupons that printed at the register this week on some CVS ExtraCare accounts (I got one, my daughter didn't) hold onto it until next week because you might want to stack it w/ a Proctor and Gamble one AND get the ECB's
1st week menu
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If anyone is interested in playing along, here is what I have planned for our family for this week. Personally I enjoy reading others' ideas and seldom follow them exactly, it tends to get my creativity going, maybe I can do the same for you.
Breakfast and Lunch at our house is are very much "free range fridge" meals. With an all adult household each on their own schedule this is just more practical. I add to the stockpile when things are on sale that I have coupons for and bake easy to heat things as needed.
SO starting out this week stockpiled items available for breakfast, lunch and snacks: Milk, yogurt, cheese (Parmesan, American, cheddar, cream), eggs, lunch meat, peanut butter, roasted almonds, tuna, strawberries, raspberries, apples, canned fruit (mandarin oranges, pineapple), broccoli florets, tomatoes, potatoes, frozen muffins (will be baking some more this week, almost out), cold cereal, oatmeal, waffles, pita pockets, tortillas, bagels, granola bars, crackers, popcorn.
And suppers
Pork roast (save left overs for Tuesday), mashed potatoes, gravy, steamed brocolli
Grilled chicken (save left overs for other meals); Yellow rice; Tomatoes, green pepper, sweet onions in raspberry vinaigrette dressing
Pork fried rice (I'm using rice cooked last week because the secret to good fried rice is to start w/ cold rice will use up left over roast, any leftover veggies, add additional veggies as needed)
Italian beef (make extra for the the freezer) on crusty bread w/ coleslaw
Tuna melt in pita pockets, grilled tomatoes w/ parmasaen cheese
Macaroni and cheese, smoked sausage, green beans
Breakfast and Lunch at our house is are very much "free range fridge" meals. With an all adult household each on their own schedule this is just more practical. I add to the stockpile when things are on sale that I have coupons for and bake easy to heat things as needed.
SO starting out this week stockpiled items available for breakfast, lunch and snacks: Milk, yogurt, cheese (Parmesan, American, cheddar, cream), eggs, lunch meat, peanut butter, roasted almonds, tuna, strawberries, raspberries, apples, canned fruit (mandarin oranges, pineapple), broccoli florets, tomatoes, potatoes, frozen muffins (will be baking some more this week, almost out), cold cereal, oatmeal, waffles, pita pockets, tortillas, bagels, granola bars, crackers, popcorn.
And suppers
Pork roast (save left overs for Tuesday), mashed potatoes, gravy, steamed brocolli
Grilled chicken (save left overs for other meals); Yellow rice; Tomatoes, green pepper, sweet onions in raspberry vinaigrette dressing
Pork fried rice (I'm using rice cooked last week because the secret to good fried rice is to start w/ cold rice will use up left over roast, any leftover veggies, add additional veggies as needed)
Italian beef (make extra for the the freezer) on crusty bread w/ coleslaw
Tuna melt in pita pockets, grilled tomatoes w/ parmasaen cheese
Macaroni and cheese, smoked sausage, green beans
Eating on $25 per person a week, is it possible?
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The short answer is "Yes it is" and I know that because I have been doing it for years for the four adults living in our home.
The big key to being able to serve varied, nutritious meals on a small budget lies in pre-planning! At the beginning of the week (for me this happens on Wednesday because that is when the majority of grocery ads come out in my area) plan the menu based on what is in your stock pile (if you haven't got a stock pile yet that is fine, you can begin building one) and on what is on sale in your local stores. The goal is to avoid paying full price for anything! Once you have planned what you are going to serve, write your shopping list--for me it helps to put a "c" beside every item I want to use a coupon for so I don't forget while I'm at the store. I also start with a list for each possible store all on one piece of paper along with prices. That way I can decide which store would be the better place for me to shop or if it would be wiser to shop multiple stores. All of that will depend on the amount of saving potential, the amount of time it would take (your time IS worth money) and any extra transportation cost. When you get to the store be aware of "what" you are planning to do with the items on your list and be prepared to substitute if you see something that would be equally good and is at a better price. For example, if you had planned on serving steamed green beans as a vegetable and fresh broccoli were on sale for less than the beans and your family would be equally happy with steamed broccoli it would probably be a good choice to change up the menu.
The big key to being able to serve varied, nutritious meals on a small budget lies in pre-planning! At the beginning of the week (for me this happens on Wednesday because that is when the majority of grocery ads come out in my area) plan the menu based on what is in your stock pile (if you haven't got a stock pile yet that is fine, you can begin building one) and on what is on sale in your local stores. The goal is to avoid paying full price for anything! Once you have planned what you are going to serve, write your shopping list--for me it helps to put a "c" beside every item I want to use a coupon for so I don't forget while I'm at the store. I also start with a list for each possible store all on one piece of paper along with prices. That way I can decide which store would be the better place for me to shop or if it would be wiser to shop multiple stores. All of that will depend on the amount of saving potential, the amount of time it would take (your time IS worth money) and any extra transportation cost. When you get to the store be aware of "what" you are planning to do with the items on your list and be prepared to substitute if you see something that would be equally good and is at a better price. For example, if you had planned on serving steamed green beans as a vegetable and fresh broccoli were on sale for less than the beans and your family would be equally happy with steamed broccoli it would probably be a good choice to change up the menu.
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