For a super quick and inexpensive meal, boil some pasta. Meanwhile, heat some olive oil with minced garlic (preferably fresh), diced tomatoes (preferably fresh) or halved cherry tomatoes, basil (preferably fresh), salt, and pepper. Heat until the tomatoes start to soften and are warmed through. Stir in cooked and drained pasta. Serve with grated parmesan. Feel free to include some thinly sliced zucchini with the tomatoes if you have extra from your garden.
I live alone and work alot. I make a whole box of pasta or rice and cook it plain. Then during the week I can add tuna, sauce, meatballs, chicken or just olive oil or butter. Cook once but have a different dinner or lunch every day.
Something that works for us is to cook a bunch of non seasoned chicken (or other meat) at the start of the week, shred it, and take portions of it out of the container as needed for our meals. This way, I can season that portion of meat the night of our meal, and the remaining meat can be seasoned however for the next meal. My usual grocery shopping day is Thursday morning before the kids are up. The day before, I scour the grocery ads and pick what loss leaders I’ll get and at which store (there are 3 store reasonably close by). Also, regarding veggies, at the end of the week, I round up & chop all uneaten veggies & throw them in a stir fry. Super easy and everyone eats it with whatever sauce or flavoring they want. 😊
I live by myself and I buy lots of frozen veggies as it is the most convenient for me , I always buy fresh fruit as I eat it daily and I feed the resident possum that lives in the yard behind my unit , I make most things from scratch and make a family size and portion it for the freezer .
I make homemade mixes(bisquick, cake mixes, cookies mixes, pancake mixes). Homemade Cream of … soup takes very little time to prepare for casseroles. My favorite thing is the “Planned Leftovers” recipes that I got from the Taste of Home magazine. These things tend to be my go-tos.
Same! We were prompted to do this because of food allergies, but the unexpected benefit was cost savings! I do a once-a-month food prep to make sure we never run out of mixes we use.
I was watching your video and you were talking about K cups and how you can’t give them up… I am a coffee snob. A frugal coffee snob. Though I don’t usually shop at Walmart they have their dark roast or French roast brand that is absolutely amazing. I take one pod and I run it through at 11 or 12 ounces of water and then I put it through at 6 ounces of water again I run it through the same pod twice And it is one of the best cups of coffee I’ve ever had. There is a box of 48 for like $14. It comes out to be $.31 per pod. you get a gigantic cup of coffee that is sublime. With no gut, wrenching heartburn or upset stomach due to the high acid content of the coffee. My stomach loves it and so do I tastebuds. I like your style… My grandmother taught me to turn a dime into a dollar from childhood. it’s an art form and I appreciate your videos
I do something similar. I purchased metal k cups and use a paper filter. I fill with it my favorite freshly grind coffee beans and run water thru my keurig 2 twice per k cup. Winco has whole coffee beans for $7.99 lb. There are some really good ones.
We all have something we just want and it's important to us. I percolate coffee on the stove top. My first percolator really was just too big for one person. The minimum amount you can make is 4 cups (24 oz) of coffee. I found a smaller percolator online that makes 2 8 oz cups. I buy organic coffee beans at our warehouse store and grind right before percolating. Just right for me. The percolator was $35. The manual coffee grinder was $69. The coffee is $6.80/lb. I use 3 Tbsp (about 1/2 oz by weight) so about 22 cents for a 16 oz cup of black coffee, not including electricity use.
The best book I ever read about shopping and adapting to sales was the Tighwad Gazette. I realize times have changed a great deal, but her whole idea of buying at the lowest price-point, and adapting menus to sales is still solid advice. Kroger is the expensive shopping place here, except for loss leaders. We do have SIX Aldis, two within walking distance. After Aldi, it's Woodman's and Meijer, then Festival. Woodman's has great closeout, reduced meat, manager's specials. Meijer sends me both paper coupons and ecoupons. Woodman's app isn't as good as Meijer's, but they do have ecoupons, but paper coupons are hung throughout the store and there is a coupon printer.
My go-to convince meals are grilled cheese and tomato soup and rotisserie chicken and a side like mashed potatoes and green beans. I use the leftover chicken in quessadillas the next day.
@@kelliezimmerman9621 my father used to buy a rotisserie chicken every week. He'd remove all the meat, then boil up the carcass and make soup. He'd use the chicken in other dishes. Breakfast was normally peanut butter and sugar. Lunch was a ham sandwich with pickles. He was 91 before he was no longer able to live on his own.
Took your suggestion about always having something with you. I packed a small lunch bag with waterbottles and some snacks to keep in my car. Thanks for the idea.
Hi ❤ I'm a Sale gal too I'm in MOUNT VERNON,In I buy sales veggies an I flash freeze my own . An beets fresh frozen are much better.Not smootchue I love salad An I watch for .99 cent or end caps sales !
We love fried mushrooms and onions with bbq sauce.... make that for a filling as part of grilled cheese sandwiches. Pair it with a soup or salad and it's golden
I usually meal plan after I shop. I already have in my head what I have on hand but use the loss leaders and discount foods into the meal planning. When things are on a great deal, I stock up as much as I can use before it expires. I also go through my food at home once a week and see what needs to be used up 1st. I also have a garden and shop there too :)
I recently learned that stouffers Alfredo pasta taste similar to the Pizza Hut Alfredo pasta. I just stir in some olive oil,some adobo powder and top with mozzerella cheese. So good! And we make more than one meal off of one container. I know it’s not healthy or homemade but maybe it will prevent us from eating out
I find that a rotisserie chicken cost about the same as an uncooked chicken, so I go for that and save myself time and money. The leftovers, like you say, can be used in so many different things. I like to use it and leftover veggies with some teriyaki sauce and white rice for a yummy, easy meal.
I buy 4 Rotisserie chickens per month and freeze. I use 1 per week either as a meal or cut up and put in to salads. Very economical and being single one will last me at least 3 or 4 meals Sam's Club has very big ones at $4.98. I don't eat beef so this is a good choice for me. Anna In Ohio
Great video Sara! K cup TIP...If there is a Lidl or Aldi near you they both do their own version of K cups that are a lot cheaper than the brands. Hope this helps! 😊.... Recipe Cornbeef hash (Serves 4) ... One glass oven dish, fill with 1 can corn beef, microwaved (frozen chopped) onion with either oil or butter, 1 can beans in tomato sauce, top with (frozen mash or sliced tinned or fresh cooked) potato cover with grated cheese either microwave for approx 10 mins or oven bake for 45 mins ... the quick part is that it can be made up to a day in advance then cooked or reheated the next day! it's lovely!!😋
My easy go to meal template is rice or beans or legumes, a can of whatever vegetables especially if they are no salt added, whatever meat you have even canned tuna, and whatever seasoning or dressing you have and enjoy with the flavors in a rice cooker. It's also dump and go and done in 20-45 minutes with a little water. Chicken normally I have to cook separately and add to what is inside the rice cooker. I like how it is not specific on buying new items but more using what you have and can use up.
I love hard boiled eggs- quick breakfast on the go or you can make egg salad for lunch with a toast. Its saved me many times when I was in a rush. While I cannot eat nuts due to allergies they are a great snack pick. I also cook ( prepare meals for 3 days in advance) saves time and money especially when its too hot to cook or you dont get home until late.
I learned so much from this video! Thank you, I have a question I hope you (or others) can answer. I’m single and I don’t go weekly shopping. I tend to freeze a lot and admittedly don’t have the best diet. The reason is because whenever I’m in the grocery store, I find it relaxing (I go off hours)so I wind up impulse buying and spending more money. My question is how can I buy lettuce, fresh spinach and produce (so I can start making smoothies to eat healthier)even fish without doing this? I’ve tried going into the store to buy only what I need, but so far I’ve been unsuccessful. How many times do you suggest going to the grocery stores?
I have 2 loyalty cards under different names with different emails for the same programme (Flybuys in Australia) because I realised my SIL wasn't receiving the same offers as me. Sneaky, yes, illegal, no, and I'm finding that they try to entice me back with juicy offers when I don't use one card for a while. The offer I can't resist is $50 in points or $50 off your next shop when you spend $50/week for 4 weeks, so effectively 25% discount on your total shop. Not hard to spend that on essentials and picking out specials to top up the pantry! If membership is free it can be worth considering getting a second card. Quick meals - for me, usually the hard part is thinking of what to cook so I have a list of my favourite quickies taped inside my pantry door and it typically get's me going. I do things like veg/mushroom omelettes/toast/baked beans, steamed assorted veg and potato with cheese sauce and tuna (great way to clean out the veggie drawer), dumplings from the freezer with soup or salad.. As long as it's tasty and reasonably healthy, I no longer stress if every meal isn't a gourmet's delight! Love your cheerful videos Sara! Cheers from Oz!
The last few years I've bought peaches at a local fruit stand and sliced/frozen some of them. It's wonderful to have them in my freezer come December and January when I want to make a peach crisp. A taste of summer in the cold frozen months of the Northeast! One of my errands to run today, hoping they still have some. I had to laugh at the "leave the husband at home" comment, that's one of the reasons I started shopping during the week LOL!
I'm surprised u don't purchase the kcups refill cups 😳. No judgment here just surprised- I recently started this and buying my coffee taste so much better and cheaper then the cups themselves ☕️ yum
I like to get shelf-stable tortellini or mini raviolis for my pantry. They make an easy pasta meal, or you can add to broth, canned tomatoes, and veggies to make tortellini soup. I always have canned beans around, too. They're also great in soups, and they can be used in burritos, enchiladas, and quesadillas.
My go-to protein is tofu, and my go to meal is scrambled tofu flavoured with a homemade spice blend and homefries. (I cook and dice the potatoes the day before so they're ready to be sauteed.) I'll eat this meal with toast as a weekend breakfast or for dinner with a green vegetable. Speaking of spice blends, I no longer buy pre-made spice mixes such as Italian, pumpkin, poultry, or taco, as you can find recipes for these blends online and in cookbooks. It's both cheaper and far less wasteful to use the herbs and spices you already have on hand.
A meal i made that the whole family loved was baked potatoes with taco meat and cheddar cheese on it. I have 3 boys and this was a crowd pleaser! Of course more things could be added but that is what we did
I found recently that pasta, sauted onion & garlic added to cooked veggies (what ever you like) works for me. Meat, tofu or other non meat protein for added flavor.
For two of us, I like dinner recipes that serve 4 to 6, so we have leftovers. Cook once and just reheat. Maybe change the side dishes. For dessert recipes, we just don't finish a whole pan of brownies so I've been looking for recipes for one or two servings of any dessert: brownies, pie, crisps, cobblers, etc, to make once or twice a week. There are some websites and cookbooks for cooking for one or cooking for two.
My quick, easy meal: stone soup, especially if I’ve got bits and pieces of leftovers. Say, if I have some leftover veggies in the fridge and a bit of 2 different meats in the freezer, I just need to cook some noodles or rice to have a full meal in a pot in 20-30 minutes. Last week, I turned some leftover chicken curry and rice into a soup by adding some chicken broth and a bit of cheese. It works with almost anything. 👌
I keep a bag of frozen broccoli in my freezer. As it steams in the microwave, I can mix together canned or leftover chicken & Alfredo sauce (with or without pasta). Add in the broccoli & it's dinner! Or a can of cream of chicken & mushroom soup, chicken, and brown rice (additional mushrooms optional). Yummy!
Depends on my mood but generally I love Italian stuff. Hummus and Naan Triscuits and cheese Celery and blue cheese Naan pizza Garlic olive oil butter pasta Beef Franks and chips (well not always healthy lol) Insta rice and skillet chops Beans and onions Natural PB buttered toast Fruit & cool whip Chicken Caesar wraps Bowl of cereal & milk Toasted cheese and can of soup or chili Multi use meat prep Clearance shredded carnita meat pre cooked One cool new thing I do now is grab some lettuce leaves and roll it up and use dressing as a dip sometimes instead of having to chop up and prep a traditional salad.
Go to meal, cook spaghetti noodles drain. Put butter, powdered garlic in a pan add what ever veggies you have and dump it in your cooked noodles while noodles are still hot. Sometimes I use bacon grease, leftover pieces of meat. Anything that is in the fridge that needs using up. Marconi salad is one that I use when it's to hot to cook we don't have air conditioning. I never buy frozen veggies, they don't last a long time in the freezer without getting ice all over them and they taste bad and old. Since I by in bulk when items are on sale, I know when I'm running low on something then start watching the ads. I go to the store every two weeks and purchase fresh veggies, however, with several cases of can veggies now that money is tight I have stopped doing this. My budget was 20.00 a week for groceries now I have nothing left so it's total pantry cooking. I know that some people will be so upset over the way I cook. However, we are grateful to have food. Our local town is back again having long lines of people at the food pantry.
cook penne pasta, coat with butter, toss with grated Parmesan & some Italian herbs & garlic powder. Open & wash some organic salad greens and eat alongside the pasta..
I like to throw about an ounce of walnuts in the pasta to add protein. Sometimes, I chop up olives and toss them with the pasta, too. A hot hard boiled egg on the side also adds protein.
I rarely buy staples at regular price. I have a small pantry and buy several when on sale. I find that making a meal plan, building the grocery list from the plan and then sticking to the list really works for me and it has for three decades
I only shop at Aldi and shop twice a week. One day I shop with my list and the second day, usually Wednesday when I simply scan the store for discounted meat, dairy and produce. I almost always find a bargain or two😁
I've seen at least 2 RUclipsrs can frozen produce to make room in their freezers. There are also RUclipsrs who show you how to can fresh meats. You could buy in bulk and get the lower prices. Canned meats are always ready to eat so if your electricity goes out in bad weather, you can still make a meal with canned foods.
Thanks! These are my everyday glasses that I forgot to take off. I normally wear my older ones when I film, as these have blue light blocking and terrible glare. I got them at Googles 4 U, but I can't recommend them and don't really care for them. My hair is constantly getting stuck in them!
It is not always priorities - some of us who don't like leftovers are texture-affected, are sensitive to the accumulated histamines in long-cooked foods and/or have been picky eaters since toddlerhood. There are a few things I've grown (took decades) to not mind as leftovers - mostly ground beef dishes since they are cooked through even in the freshly made batch and the flavors sometimes improve. Also, if you only eat one meal a day such that you are having 2 to 3 servings it is much easier to estimate what you need to make and finish it while still not slaving as much in the kitchen. Well done meat, soft noodles, separated sauces however slight, vegetables without some crispness, dulled flavors, lost fluffiness, melted cheese that reset are all unfortunately anathema - not the concept - the actual food. It just takes even more planning like when breaking down bigger pieces of meat to freeze. Accepting leftovers is simultaneously planning to not cook some other meal, planning to cook extra and accepting of NOT being able to accurately plan how much is needed at the present meal since you are cooking for others. The non-leftover folks can spend the time on different food prep, like making condiments, refrigerator pickles, freezer jam, Ninja Creami "ice cream"-like stuff and low carb baking - just not meal prep.
A vegan salad: can of chickpeas or frozen edamame, diced fresh tomato, sliced cucumber, seasoned croutons, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, fresh or dried basil, sea salt, chopped onions or not. Toss with olive oil and glazed balsamic vinegar.
Easy meal for me is browned rice with chicken and broccoli. Heat 2 tbsp oil in large frying pan. Add 2/3 cups of regular rice, chopped onion and celery. Stir while cooking. Cook until rice is brown. Stir in 2 cups of cooked chicken, 1 can chicken broth or water and 1-2 tbsp of soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for about 10 minutes or so. Add 1 (12 oz?) bag of frozen broccoli florets. Stir in. Cook an additional 10 minutes until all the water is absorbed into the rice and the broccoli is hot. If you use water instead of broth, and don't add the chicken, it's something you can feed to a vegetarian/vegan. Just eat the chicken on the side.
Don’t bother asking your grocery store what days they get their fresh vegetables and meats in. I have never once gotten a straight answer. They always just say that they never know when trucks are coming in and that’s probably true.
I wish wish they still do coupons I ditgal coupons and I buy the sale mark downs ! I saved the most 60.00 bucks ! I'm trying to teach friends too stop buying for name brands !
For a super quick and inexpensive meal, boil some pasta. Meanwhile, heat some olive oil with minced garlic (preferably fresh), diced tomatoes (preferably fresh) or halved cherry tomatoes, basil (preferably fresh), salt, and pepper. Heat until the tomatoes start to soften and are warmed through. Stir in cooked and drained pasta. Serve with grated parmesan. Feel free to include some thinly sliced zucchini with the tomatoes if you have extra from your garden.
This sounds so amazing!!!
I live alone and work alot. I make a whole box of pasta or rice and cook it plain. Then during the week I can add tuna, sauce, meatballs, chicken or just olive oil or butter. Cook once but have a different dinner or lunch every day.
I lived in Italy for 3 years. That's how the Italians do it
Too many carbs, where's the protein? Although inexpensive, this isn't a healthy meal.
I do the same but I add kalamata olives or black olives when I get a great deal on them.
Something that works for us is to cook a bunch of non seasoned chicken (or other meat) at the start of the week, shred it, and take portions of it out of the container as needed for our meals. This way, I can season that portion of meat the night of our meal, and the remaining meat can be seasoned however for the next meal.
My usual grocery shopping day is Thursday morning before the kids are up. The day before, I scour the grocery ads and pick what loss leaders I’ll get and at which store (there are 3 store reasonably close by).
Also, regarding veggies, at the end of the week, I round up & chop all uneaten veggies & throw them in a stir fry. Super easy and everyone eats it with whatever sauce or flavoring they want. 😊
I live by myself and I buy lots of frozen veggies as it is the most convenient for me , I always buy fresh fruit as I eat it daily and I feed the resident possum that lives in the yard behind my unit , I make most things from scratch and make a family size and portion it for the freezer .
I make homemade mixes(bisquick, cake mixes, cookies mixes, pancake mixes). Homemade Cream of … soup takes very little time to prepare for casseroles. My favorite thing is the “Planned Leftovers” recipes that I got from the Taste of Home magazine. These things tend to be my go-tos.
Same! We were prompted to do this because of food allergies, but the unexpected benefit was cost savings!
I do a once-a-month food prep to make sure we never run out of mixes we use.
I was watching your video and you were talking about K cups and how you can’t give them up…
I am a coffee snob. A frugal coffee snob. Though I don’t usually shop at Walmart they have their dark roast or French roast brand that is absolutely amazing. I take one pod and I run it through at 11 or 12 ounces of water and then I put it through at 6 ounces of water again I run it through the same pod twice And it is one of the best cups of coffee I’ve ever had. There is a box of 48 for like $14. It comes out to be $.31 per pod. you get a gigantic cup of coffee that is sublime. With no gut, wrenching heartburn or upset stomach due to the high acid content of the coffee. My stomach loves it and so do I tastebuds.
I like your style… My grandmother taught me to turn a dime into a dollar from childhood. it’s an art form and I appreciate your videos
I do something similar. I purchased metal k cups and use a paper filter. I fill with it my favorite freshly grind coffee beans and run water thru my keurig 2 twice per k cup.
Winco has whole coffee beans for $7.99 lb. There are some really good ones.
We all have something we just want and it's important to us. I percolate coffee on the stove top. My first percolator really was just too big for one person. The minimum amount you can make is 4 cups (24 oz) of coffee. I found a smaller percolator online that makes 2 8 oz cups. I buy organic coffee beans at our warehouse store and grind right before percolating. Just right for me. The percolator was $35. The manual coffee grinder was $69. The coffee is $6.80/lb. I use 3 Tbsp (about 1/2 oz by weight) so about 22 cents for a 16 oz cup of black coffee, not including electricity use.
The best book I ever read about shopping and adapting to sales was the Tighwad Gazette. I realize times have changed a great deal, but her whole idea of buying at the lowest price-point, and adapting menus to sales is still solid advice.
Kroger is the expensive shopping place here, except for loss leaders. We do have SIX Aldis, two within walking distance. After Aldi, it's Woodman's and Meijer, then Festival. Woodman's has great closeout, reduced meat, manager's specials. Meijer sends me both paper coupons and ecoupons. Woodman's app isn't as good as Meijer's, but they do have ecoupons, but paper coupons are hung throughout the store and there is a coupon printer.
In my area Kroger is my best option for sale prices, we don’t have anything but Walmart and Aldi
YES, a fellow Tightwad Gazette fan here! Great information for stretching a budget. Amy was the queen.
My go-to convince meals are grilled cheese and tomato soup and rotisserie chicken and a side like mashed potatoes and green beans. I use the leftover chicken in quessadillas the next day.
@@kelliezimmerman9621 my father used to buy a rotisserie chicken every week. He'd remove all the meat, then boil up the carcass and make soup. He'd use the chicken in other dishes.
Breakfast was normally peanut butter and sugar.
Lunch was a ham sandwich with pickles.
He was 91 before he was no longer able to live on his own.
Took your suggestion about always having something with you. I packed a small lunch bag with waterbottles and some snacks to keep in my car. Thanks for the idea.
Hi ❤ I'm a Sale gal too I'm in MOUNT VERNON,In I buy sales veggies an I flash freeze my own . An beets fresh frozen are much better.Not smootchue I love salad
An I watch for .99 cent or end caps sales !
We love fried mushrooms and onions with bbq sauce.... make that for a filling as part of grilled cheese sandwiches. Pair it with a soup or salad and it's golden
I never would have thought of adding mushrooms and onions to bbq sauce! Sounds so good!
I usually meal plan after I shop. I already have in my head what I have on hand but use the loss leaders and discount foods into the meal planning. When things are on a great deal, I stock up as much as I can use before it expires. I also go through my food at home once a week and see what needs to be used up 1st. I also have a garden and shop there too :)
I recently learned that stouffers Alfredo pasta taste similar to the Pizza Hut Alfredo pasta. I just stir in some olive oil,some adobo powder and top with mozzerella cheese. So good! And we make more than one meal off of one container. I know it’s not healthy or homemade but maybe it will prevent us from eating out
I find that a rotisserie chicken cost about the same as an uncooked chicken, so I go for that and save myself time and money. The leftovers, like you say, can be used in so many different things. I like to use it and leftover veggies with some teriyaki sauce and white rice for a yummy, easy meal.
I buy 4 Rotisserie chickens per month and freeze. I use 1 per week either as a meal or cut up and put in to salads. Very economical and being single one will last me at least 3 or 4 meals Sam's Club has very big ones at $4.98. I don't eat beef so this is a good choice for me. Anna In Ohio
Great video Sara! K cup TIP...If there is a Lidl or Aldi near you they both do their own version of K cups that are a lot cheaper than the brands. Hope this helps! 😊.... Recipe Cornbeef hash (Serves 4) ... One glass oven dish, fill with 1 can corn beef, microwaved (frozen chopped) onion with either oil or butter, 1 can beans in tomato sauce, top with (frozen mash or sliced tinned or fresh cooked) potato cover with grated cheese either microwave for approx 10 mins or oven bake for 45 mins ... the quick part is that it can be made up to a day in advance then cooked or reheated the next day! it's lovely!!😋
My easy go to meal template is rice or beans or legumes, a can of whatever vegetables especially if they are no salt added, whatever meat you have even canned tuna, and whatever seasoning or dressing you have and enjoy with the flavors in a rice cooker. It's also dump and go and done in 20-45 minutes with a little water. Chicken normally I have to cook separately and add to what is inside the rice cooker. I like how it is not specific on buying new items but more using what you have and can use up.
I love hard boiled eggs- quick breakfast on the go or you can make egg salad for lunch with a toast. Its saved me many times when I was in a rush. While I cannot eat nuts due to allergies they are a great snack pick. I also cook ( prepare meals for 3 days in advance) saves time and money especially when its too hot to cook or you dont get home until late.
I learned so much from this video! Thank you, I have a question I hope you (or others) can answer. I’m single and I don’t go weekly shopping. I tend to freeze a lot and admittedly don’t have the best diet. The reason is because whenever I’m in the grocery store, I find it relaxing (I go off hours)so I wind up impulse buying and spending more money. My question is how can I buy lettuce, fresh spinach and produce (so I can start making smoothies to eat healthier)even fish without doing this? I’ve tried going into the store to buy only what I need, but so far I’ve been unsuccessful. How many times do you suggest going to the grocery stores?
I have 2 loyalty cards under different names with different emails for the same programme (Flybuys in Australia) because I realised my SIL wasn't receiving the same offers as me. Sneaky, yes, illegal, no, and I'm finding that they try to entice me back with juicy offers when I don't use one card for a while. The offer I can't resist is $50 in points or $50 off your next shop when you spend $50/week for 4 weeks, so effectively 25% discount on your total shop. Not hard to spend that on essentials and picking out specials to top up the pantry! If membership is free it can be worth considering getting a second card. Quick meals - for me, usually the hard part is thinking of what to cook so I have a list of my favourite quickies taped inside my pantry door and it typically get's me going. I do things like veg/mushroom omelettes/toast/baked beans, steamed assorted veg and potato with cheese sauce and tuna (great way to clean out the veggie drawer), dumplings from the freezer with soup or salad.. As long as it's tasty and reasonably healthy, I no longer stress if every meal isn't a gourmet's delight! Love your cheerful videos Sara! Cheers from Oz!
Like your new glasses 😊
The last few years I've bought peaches at a local fruit stand and sliced/frozen some of them. It's wonderful to have them in my freezer come December and January when I want to make a peach crisp. A taste of summer in the cold frozen months of the Northeast! One of my errands to run today, hoping they still have some. I had to laugh at the "leave the husband at home" comment, that's one of the reasons I started shopping during the week LOL!
Awesome video!! I make pizzas using tortillas, pepperoni, spaghetti sauce(use rest of jar for spaghetti) and whatever cheese.
Hi Sara, thank you for all the great idea's in this episode! Never knew about reusable beeswax wraps, neat stuff.
I'm surprised u don't purchase the kcups refill cups 😳. No judgment here just surprised- I recently started this and buying my coffee taste so much better and cheaper then the cups themselves ☕️ yum
P
I like to get shelf-stable tortellini or mini raviolis for my pantry. They make an easy pasta meal, or you can add to broth, canned tomatoes, and veggies to make tortellini soup. I always have canned beans around, too. They're also great in soups, and they can be used in burritos, enchiladas, and quesadillas.
My go-to protein is tofu, and my go to meal is scrambled tofu flavoured with a homemade spice blend and homefries. (I cook and dice the potatoes the day before so they're ready to be sauteed.) I'll eat this meal with toast as a weekend breakfast or for dinner with a green vegetable.
Speaking of spice blends, I no longer buy pre-made spice mixes such as Italian, pumpkin, poultry, or taco, as you can find recipes for these blends online and in cookbooks. It's both cheaper and far less wasteful to use the herbs and spices you already have on hand.
I LOVE your glasses!
Thanks!!
A meal i made that the whole family loved was baked potatoes with taco meat and cheddar cheese on it. I have 3 boys and this was a crowd pleaser! Of course more things could be added but that is what we did
I found recently that pasta, sauted onion & garlic added to cooked veggies (what ever you like) works for me. Meat, tofu or other non meat protein for added flavor.
For two of us, I like dinner recipes that serve 4 to 6, so we have leftovers. Cook once and just reheat. Maybe change the side dishes. For dessert recipes, we just don't finish a whole pan of brownies so I've been looking for recipes for one or two servings of any dessert: brownies, pie, crisps, cobblers, etc, to make once or twice a week. There are some websites and cookbooks for cooking for one or cooking for two.
My quick, easy meal: stone soup, especially if I’ve got bits and pieces of leftovers. Say, if I have some leftover veggies in the fridge and a bit of 2 different meats in the freezer, I just need to cook some noodles or rice to have a full meal in a pot in 20-30 minutes. Last week, I turned some leftover chicken curry and rice into a soup by adding some chicken broth and a bit of cheese. It works with almost anything. 👌
I keep a bag of frozen broccoli in my freezer. As it steams in the microwave, I can mix together canned or leftover chicken & Alfredo sauce (with or without pasta). Add in the broccoli & it's dinner!
Or a can of cream of chicken & mushroom soup, chicken, and brown rice (additional mushrooms optional). Yummy!
Depends on my mood but generally I love Italian stuff.
Hummus and Naan
Triscuits and cheese
Celery and blue cheese
Naan pizza
Garlic olive oil butter pasta
Beef Franks
and chips (well not always healthy lol)
Insta rice and skillet chops
Beans and onions
Natural PB buttered toast
Fruit & cool whip
Chicken Caesar wraps
Bowl of cereal & milk
Toasted cheese and can of soup or chili
Multi use meat prep
Clearance shredded carnita meat pre cooked
One cool new thing I do now is grab some lettuce leaves and roll it up and use dressing as a dip sometimes instead of having to chop up and prep a traditional salad.
Go to meal, cook spaghetti noodles drain. Put butter, powdered garlic in a pan add what ever veggies you have and dump it in your cooked noodles while noodles are still hot. Sometimes I use bacon grease, leftover pieces of meat. Anything that is in the fridge that needs using up. Marconi salad is one that I use when it's to hot to cook we don't have air conditioning. I never buy frozen veggies, they don't last a long time in the freezer without getting ice all over them and they taste bad and old. Since I by in bulk when items are on sale, I know when I'm running low on something then start watching the ads. I go to the store every two weeks and purchase fresh veggies, however, with several cases of can veggies now that money is tight I have stopped doing this. My budget was 20.00 a week for groceries now I have nothing left so it's total pantry cooking. I know that some people will be so upset over the way I cook. However, we are grateful to have food. Our local town is back again having long lines of people at the food pantry.
cook penne pasta, coat with butter, toss with grated Parmesan & some Italian herbs & garlic powder. Open & wash some organic salad greens and eat alongside the pasta..
I like to throw about an ounce of walnuts in the pasta to add protein. Sometimes, I chop up olives and toss them with the pasta, too. A hot hard boiled egg on the side also adds protein.
Ciao Sarah, bellissimo video come sempre ❤
I rarely buy staples at regular price. I have a small pantry and buy several when on sale. I find that making a meal plan, building the grocery list from the plan and then sticking to the list really works for me and it has for three decades
Nothing wrong with canned vegetables! I love Green Giant peas, corn niblets, and yellow beans :)
I only shop at Aldi and shop twice a week. One day I shop with my list and the second day, usually Wednesday when I simply scan the store for discounted meat, dairy and produce. I almost always find a bargain or two😁
Great video, thanks
I've seen at least 2 RUclipsrs can frozen produce to make room in their freezers. There are also RUclipsrs who show you how to can fresh meats. You could buy in bulk and get the lower prices. Canned meats are always ready to eat so if your electricity goes out in bad weather, you can still make a meal with canned foods.
Love your new eyewear! May I ask where you found them?
Thanks! These are my everyday glasses that I forgot to take off. I normally wear my older ones when I film, as these have blue light blocking and terrible glare. I got them at Googles 4 U, but I can't recommend them and don't really care for them. My hair is constantly getting stuck in them!
That was a great video.
It is not always priorities - some of us who don't like leftovers are texture-affected, are sensitive to the accumulated histamines in long-cooked foods and/or have been picky eaters since toddlerhood. There are a few things I've grown (took decades) to not mind as leftovers - mostly ground beef dishes since they are cooked through even in the freshly made batch and the flavors sometimes improve. Also, if you only eat one meal a day such that you are having 2 to 3 servings it is much easier to estimate what you need to make and finish it while still not slaving as much in the kitchen. Well done meat, soft noodles, separated sauces however slight, vegetables without some crispness, dulled flavors, lost fluffiness, melted cheese that reset are all unfortunately anathema - not the concept - the actual food. It just takes even more planning like when breaking down bigger pieces of meat to freeze. Accepting leftovers is simultaneously planning to not cook some other meal, planning to cook extra and accepting of NOT being able to accurately plan how much is needed at the present meal since you are cooking for others. The non-leftover folks can spend the time on different food prep, like making condiments, refrigerator pickles, freezer jam, Ninja Creami "ice cream"-like stuff and low carb baking - just not meal prep.
Simple quick meal. Zucchini frittata and homemade biscuits.
A vegan salad: can of chickpeas or frozen edamame, diced fresh tomato, sliced cucumber, seasoned croutons, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, fresh or dried basil, sea salt, chopped onions or not. Toss with olive oil and glazed balsamic vinegar.
Am learning to shop in Wednesday once a week now
Easy meal for me is browned rice with chicken and broccoli.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in large frying pan. Add 2/3 cups of regular rice, chopped onion and celery. Stir while cooking. Cook until rice is brown.
Stir in 2 cups of cooked chicken, 1 can chicken broth or water and 1-2 tbsp of soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for about 10 minutes or so.
Add 1 (12 oz?) bag of frozen broccoli florets. Stir in.
Cook an additional 10 minutes until all the water is absorbed into the rice and the broccoli is hot.
If you use water instead of broth, and don't add the chicken, it's something you can feed to a vegetarian/vegan. Just eat the chicken on the side.
Saving this recipe.
Hi love your videos...please share your Smoothie recipe😊
Thanks for the ideas. Already follow some, need to integrate the others. ❤
Don’t bother asking your grocery store what days they get their fresh vegetables and meats in. I have never once gotten a straight answer. They always just say that they never know when trucks are coming in and that’s probably true.
Every 3 months go to Restaurant depot and buy meat and vegetables and some fruit
I wish wish they still do coupons I ditgal coupons and I buy the sale mark downs !
I saved the most 60.00 bucks ! I'm trying to teach friends too stop buying for name brands !
You can come over here and cook!!!
Hi Sara ❤❤❤😮😮😮😊😊😊
Hey there!!! 👋
Cant buy frozen lettuce
Chocolate crossing sandwich sakkatas milk drink fruit snacks and mealmorep
What is y'all's favorite financial pay off app ?
Not the right forum for that.
leftover my grandparents didn’t like them.