One Week Down! How Much Food Do I Have Left? | $100 Grocery Budget to Last a Month!
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
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When I find bags of coleslaw on clearance I freeze the leftovers for stirfry or to add to soups. You can always delete, hide, ignore the negative comments. You arent required to be abused just because you are on youtube. I find your videos to be fun, informative and helpful
Agreed, some people need a life if they are that hard up to comment. For a bag of cole slaw, add ground meat , veggies you have and make a deconstructed egg roll, filling , fast and tasty, I add ground ginger, terriaki , or soy sauce ... Very easy and forgiving on content!
People warning me that green potatoes could make someone ill, I don't consider that to be negative. it's simply information sharing, and it's important to distinguish the difference between intentions :)
The marked down cabbage/coleslaw is great- I throw a hand full in with potatoes and onions, put a egg on top, or scramble it in after they are cooked - almost every morning, a table spoon of blended up rotel or the store brand tomatos and peppers on the top almost every morning -
@@tomr3422Sounds good!
@@DollarTreeDinnersAgree ! And I just want to add that if you can store them very very dark that the green shouldn't happen. And I was always taught there are vitamins in the skins. In some countries, like sweden, they are stored very very dark even at the store. They respect their potatoes 😅
This series has been so amazing. Thank you for doing this. We use our scrap bag for stock and make a huge batch. One gallon ziploc ends up making about 5 quarts of stock. We use the stock for everything! Keep one in the fridge for immediate use and the rest go in the freezer and get thawed as needed. Keeping that freezer stocked is key!
Our recipe:
-Scrap bag (veggie scraps, bones, and fresh herb stems)
-salt and pepper (we do course salt and whole peppercorns)
-bay leaves
-any dried herbs we have around the house
Big stock pot, fill with water, bring to a boil and then put on low for several hours. I know it’s hot and having the stove on for hours sucks during the summer, but it is so worth it to have months worth of stock!
I know your video doesn’t have certain items (ie bay leaves and fresh herbs) but I think your garlic and herb seasoning with salt and pepper would make for a really yummy stock combined with the veggies and bones. Good luck and can’t wait to see what you do next!! ❤
Yayyyy!!! I’m so glad you posted today!! I’m on the way to hot GA to see my grandson graduate the first leg of basic training and now I have something great to watch!! My daughter is driving so I’m free to watch all the goodness!!!!❤❤❤
Safe Travels!!! Enjoy the family time. I'm Canadian but my dad fought in World War II. Thank you to your family for your service. ♥
Congratulations to ur graduate. Prayers sent for safe travels and many Blessings!
Congratulations on the graduation, bet you are a proud grandmama!
Use for cabbage - brown a chopped onion, chop one of those dollar tree smoked sausages, give the sausage a little brown, throw in chopped cabbage, a bit of water, salt and pepper, put a lid on and cook the cabbage down. Stir and serve.
Another cabbage tip - core the thawed cabbage with a knife and peel the leaves from the thick end.
Grating carrots - leave the end ON, it gives you a bigger handle to protect those fingers. I grate pointy end first for the same reason.
For the burrito bowl, what about a Taco / Southwest vinaigrette? Oil, vinegar (or lemon juice), mustard (optional) and taco seasoning (or mix of seasonings from pantry - cumin, oregano, chili powder, onion powder, pepper flakes)?
Tip #1 for beans: You can soak all your beans (one or two pounds) at once. Drain and dry with a paper towel, then put in a ziplock and pop in the freezer. When you want beans, you have pre-soaked beans that cook in about 20 minutes. Super easy and convenient!
Tip #2 for cabbage: Cabbage freezes really well. Cut it up, put it in a ziplock, and put it in the freezer. It is great for stir fry and soups. Cuts down on food waste.
My mom always shredded the rest of the cabbage and put it under and over the rolls. My recipe also calls for sourkraut
You can just go to a gas station to get any condiments or packets lol. You can get lots of free shit asking at the deli counter or like, coffee shops as well.
What if you don't buy food at the gas station? If I got gas & went into the store just to scoop up packets I would feel like I was shoplifting.
My grandma used tomato juice our v 8 .for the cabbage rolls never soup. Because my grandma said juice helps at the end make like more broth and she always took the leftover cabbage and chopped it up and put it inside. She had five kids a dog and a husband to feed so she used all her scraps and if you do it in the crockpot on high, it only takes a hour and a half, I really like all the recipes that you’ve been doing. Thanks for sharing and have a good week.🥰
You can use a lime , sour cream , water to make a lime crema , grate lime for lime zest , squeeze lime and lime zest , lime juice to sour cream mix use water to thin out if you want to
I make cabbage, carrots, and potatoes with smoked sausage and cornbread my Granny would make it in the pressure cooker. Also I use a bag of coleslaw in my unstuffed cabbage after cooking my ground beef with spaghetti sauce, (I like the one with green bell peppers and onions) and adding my cooked rice I put the coleslaw cabbage on top and cover it to let it steam as the sauce and rice mixture thickens and simmers with the ground beef. Stir everything together and serve. One pound of ground beef does go a long way in this recipe. As for the scrap bag I think making chicken and rice soup would be good and you could finely dice some carrot for color and extra nutrition. With the pork loin obviously BBQ would be good and there's a recipe for sweet and sour slaw you could make to use up the little bit you have in the freezer. You could make some trail mix with the oats and a couple of items from Dollar Tree or possibly granola bars/protein bites with some chocolate chips from Dollar Tree and some peanut butter. Also goulash is an economical recipe using ground beef and macaroni and tomato or there's cowboy beans that are baked beans with ground beef in it. Pinterest is a great source for recipes and inspiration for frugal food. You're doing a great job.👍💕
I really appreciate that you’re skipping the Walmart options for this, I personally do not have a Walmart within an hour drive in either direction, so it’s really frustrating when people always tell me to “just shop at Walmart”.
Walmart is the most expensive grocery store option around me lol. I shop at Aldi and harps and only go to target or Walmart if I need a specialty item. Target brand is often cheaper and better than Walmart store brand
We drove 45min to get to WMs. Either way was that far.
Worth every mile to live far out.
One of my favorite inexpensive sauce hacks for burrito bowls is to get a small container of greek yogurt (normal under a dollar) and a packet of taco seasoning OR leftover packets from Taco Bell. I add enough seasoning or sauce to the yogurt to flavor it, then I thin it out with water. Makes a really nice crema sauce!
To avoid the potatoes turning green, store potatoes in the dark.
regarding green potatoes, if its only the outside that's green, its fine, peel it off and eat as normal, if the inside has changed at all, I don't eat. But the green on the outside is usually just chlorophyll which is what causes the green pigment. I also saw a recipe on tiktok, someone made a grilled cheese with potatoes instead of bread, boil, cut in half, and use something to press it down onto the cheese as its cooking.
I slice up the cabbage small and put it in stirfrys, soups, and stews. I also sort of steam it in the microwave with a little margarine as a side. Fast and easy. Cabbage keeps a long time in the fridge, too, so you can use it gradually over time.
First time watching your channel. Very nicely done. I'm guessing that what I'd do with your scrape bag. I'd make a soup stock and after removing the scrapes*, I'd add a bouillon cube. I'd then toss in that frozen burrito bowl and season the pot with one of the set -side salsa sauce. That will provide about four servings of a hearty soup.
* Mix hot scrapes with dry dog food and a bit of hot water, stir until well blended. See if doggo likes it. Mine used to love that sort of thing. Although it's been years since I had a dog. I think he mostly liked the attention, so I'm not sure. He ate it anyway.
The preseasoned black beans is really smart!! Beans and rice is so satisfying, having some cheese and tomatoes on top is bonus points!!!
My abuela never used butter in her tortillas. She actually used lard (traditional) but later in life changed to olive oil for a healthier version. Another hint she would say is to start in the center and roll outwards. Yours turned out VERY nice! Excellent job! A quesadilla on a homemade tortilla brings back warm, happy memories of my grandma ❤
Your favorite breakfast is my favorite breakfast too - but I would add hot sauce instead of ketchup and use one of your homemade tortillas or a corn tortilla - 😋 yum!
i will say that slow cooker cabbage rolls are top tier. if you were planning to use the extra cabbage for something asian and could budget soy sauce, it also is a great seasoning addition to the cabbage rolls. my family uses worstershire sauce, but i know that it can be a hard ingredient to budget in or fined multiple uses for.
I hav ate green potatoes my entire life im 73 n im fine.!!! i didnt kno about green potatoes till recently. Same with kidney beans never knew anything was special about them. Lov the herdez poblano sauce wish i had seen such a sale and it is not hot or spicy. Edit: if you dont use that herdez up with in a week you might want to freeze the leftover of it as i find it gets moldy really fast once opened!!!!
When i make cabbage rolls i use a large can of diced or stewed tomatoes, strain them and add the tomato pieces to the meat mixture, then use the juice over the top. Also i add diced onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic or any combo of aromatics i have.
One idea is making slow cooker dump bags. It’s great for days you don’t want to cook. Make up a few bags with a cheap meat cut, some veg and a sauce. Take it out of the freezer the night before and straight into the slow cooker in the morning for a delicious dinner with minimal effort.
During the summer, I use a slow cooker to make a more concentrated form of stock or broth without heating up my kitchen.
Yes, I do this, too. Summers are very hot in Texas.
For those of us that don't have little condiment holders you can also just put there sauce in Ziploc bags and cut the tip and pour it over. It also fits right in the container.
It seems I remember some women down south used to stack the rolled cabbage rolls down in a big stock pot of sorts and let them cook that way? Unless I’m thinking of tamales? I’m not sure. I knew some ladies when I lived in Tennessee and they would all get together and make the cabbage rolls and tamales every year and shared them and froze them
With having lots of severe mental health issue, unfortunately mostly I don't have the energy to do cooking and live off of mostly boxed and frozen meals. I'm in Therapy and getting treatment and getting better, so I'm looking forward to being able to use your recipes and ideas soon. You are so appreciated for showing millions of people a kind and inclusive way of nourishing themselves, we are so lucky to have content creators like you. Thank you for everything you do! 💜
You can use beans thinned with a lot of water and your garlic herbs seasoning to make a sauce. I sometimes do this when I do the Daniel Fast.
You should try mexican chorizo, a good protein and adds lots of flv to potatoes, eggs, etc. A tube is usually less then $2, where im from
Halushki...shredded cabbage, sliced onion, egg noodles (if you have bacon add some) Sautee all together with butter!
(TLDR -- just skip if you're not looking for knives)
I have the same knife set and they're pretty great. I found them at a Belk Outlet in Parkersburg West Virginia for $25; it was only a couple months ago and they had tons in stock. It's a set of 6 and includes the sheaths so you can safely store them in a utensil drawer. So far they're a great intersection of value and quality. My best guess is they're unpopular because they only come in saturated pastel colors, not because of a functional issue. Mine are purple. I feel like I'm writing an advertisement, lol, but i just want others to get good bargains too!
I love the series as well. Even with my kids grown and at 53 I'm learnings new ways to cook. 😊 So even though we know it. Ww really don't because all the rules changed.
Prices, available produce and meat, and we are willing to try new flavors. It's like getting a new job but you didnt physically leave the one you already have.
Excited to see what's happening next! 🎉😅❤
I use leftover cabbage for pepper slaw, cream slaw, egg rolls, stir fry, kitchen sink saute ( I take all leftovers and fry them to make a "one skillet wonder".), freeze it for winter stew or soup, make halushki, and finally, I shred it and put it in a ground veggie salad.
The ranch packet idea is great!!
You cam make Pico decisions Gallo that cam last a week according to some sources. I say best 5 days. Roma tomatoes, onion, bell pepper (or cam jalapenos) and dried herb mix if cilantro is too expensive. The herbs will last longer than month. Pico decisions Gallo can be extra veggie, nutrition to your burrito bowls to your potatoes and eggs meals, and compliments much more.
You're doing such a great job! Back in 2016ish ny husband and I only had $20 a week for groceries- including for stuff like toilet paper and soap. We couldn't get food stamps because we didn't have kids and lived in an area that didn't have a food bank until we were right at the end of us being in that situation. Some of our favorite meals now came from back then and working with what we had. You are fantastic at not making this into a "challenge" and still making food that looks great and is different than budget meals. We did the freezing portions thing too and it saved us so many times!
Instead of canned black beans you may want to try dry lentils, they are cheaper and lentils are quicker to cook than beans if time is an issue. :)
Thanks for the interesting video. I’m very curious about your month long experiment. I’ll add a note about green potatoes. Solanine is the poison found in green potatoes, and is found mostly in the outer layer of the potato. In slightly affected potatoes, it’s possible to peel the potatoes, removing all of the green portion, but never eat a bitter tasting potato. They used to believe that cooking destroys solanine, but it has been proven that all cooking methods used in a home kitchen destroy very little solanine. Some folks deep fry potato skins, so it’s extremely important to only use skins from non-green potatoes for that purpose.
I’m loving this series 😁👍👏
A meal that I make that’s cheap & easy for anyone that wants to try something new is kielbasa sausage potatoes green pepper and onion. Start by adding a little oil to the pan add cubed potatoes about 1 inch let them brown then cover pot with the lid cook for 15-20 minutes low-med heat then add the diced onion & green pepper then you can add the sausage (sliced) and season cook a few minutes to your preference but I personally cook my sausage separately in a little oil so it’s brown but it cooks fast so don’t burn them. My husband loves this it’s so easy he adds a little drizzle of ranch on top 👍😁 I also do beef stew meat with potatoes & green beans with butter in my instant pot so easy.
Make a chicken stock with all the trimmings & leftovers!! Then you can use that to make a chicken noodle soup, or to help add flavor to other recipes by boiling it down, putting in into an ice cube tray and using one cube at a time to add flavor to other dishes!!
You might be able to sub in coriander for cilantro if you have it in your cupboard. Coriander comes from the cilantro plant. It is the seeds-so basically the same thing.
A way to flavor rice is to add a packet of chili mix. A great base for a tex mex rice bowl.
Omg I truly love your videos ty so much ❤
Glad you like them!
avocado salsa for burrito bowls and the breakfast potato’s would be really good
I have always baked my cabbage rolls for only one hour at 350 and they always turn out fine. When using raw pork, you can temp the rolls to make sure they have reached the safe limit for pork and you will know when they are done. Hope this helps.
Buy the cilantro, bring it home, wash it. Dry it, and chop it. And shove it in the freezer. Works beautifully added to meals. The same applies to spring onions, I think in the USA you call them shallots.
I like cabbage steaks, you roast it in the oven. There are a lot of varieties also. What about growing your own herbs in a window garden? You can buy cilantro seeds for under $1 at Menards. Just an idea for those who want herbs without the cost at the store.
Thank you for taking the time to talk about yourself/likes/dislikes in your videos. It feels like I’m cooking with a friend, rather than just another stranger on the internet. This really sets you apart from others, and is exactly why I keep coming back to watch!! Thank you for sharing ❤
Enjoying this series! I'm a disabled widow, no children in the home, residing in my RV full time & living on SS alone. Groceries are insane & this gives me hope. I'm going to try this next month! 😊 Thank you!
What kinds of cooking appliances do you have available in the RV?
Depending on what cooking methods you have access to, budget eating can be harder than it should. For those of us who are disabled, cooking itself can be a chore. I cannot stand for any length of time but fortunately I now have a perch stool that lives in my kitchen. I was blessed to have social services adapt my kitchen so it was safe for me. That meant no stove as I was at too much risk of falling over whilst using it. I live on a tight budget and do all of my cooking in an instapot, my slow cooker, my mini grill, my microwave and my electric pot. Of all those I would recommend the electric pot, they use very little power, offer instant heat, cool quickly, can be used for any type of pot cooking and it takes up the same amount of space as a pot, the steamer that came with it doubles as a collindar too.
@@DollarTreeDinners and THIS ⬆is why you are such an amazing caring individual !! we all know full well you will be trying to come up with meals using exactly the kind of appliances available to her !!! wish you were my neighbor 💕
Can you get meals on wheels delivery?
Can't wait to hear how you do on your plan, Lonniekellyhawkins!
My depression era grandma would save her cuttings and bones to make a broth base then chop up every bit of leftover meat, veggies and potato from the dinners she made all week even if it was a tablespoon or two of this and that and make what she called "garbage soup". This was the Friday night tradition for years and it was my favorite nite of the week!!
your grandmother was the original “girl dinner” cook :) - i bet she has some good recipes
Same my grand morther used the scraps for a stock, then anything left over from the week went in on friday night- it was always an adventure and as a small kid, I would get a spoon full and say "hmmm chicken, we had that monday" trying to figure out what each spoon full was and when it was left over from.
That’s awesome ❤us women are amazing!! My daughter always said my mom can make a million meals from one chicken ❤
My grandma did the same, she called it icebox soup. I still make it occasionally. It's kind of fun and nostalgic even if I don't "need" to. I hate wasting food.
My mom called it freezer stew because anything in the freezer went in the stew
Girl, I say eat the ketchup! In reality, most of us have a bottle of ketchup in the fridge and if not, you can get one at dollar tree I think? 🤷🏼♀️
I know several people who have a drawer where they stash unused condiment packets from restaurants too, and use those on demand. So like you said, I feel like pretty much everyone has ketchup around one way or another.
Or people can stop at a gas station and pick up some condiment packets. My am/pm has a whole little hotdog bar with various packets to put on ur hot dogs.
@@evilvampireduck The only problem with this idea is that they come with a purchase of something. You can't usually buy them, and taking them if you don't buy a hotdog or something would be stealing.
@@heatherangel9700agreed
@@maryangel4974it’s really not stealing to take a couple packets of ketchup. If it was as why would they have the packets out in the open where you can get them whenever you want? Same as napkins. You really think it’s stealing to take a couple napkins and 2-4 ketchup packets? You can also pick up a cheap piece of candy for less than a dollar at many places , so there… you made a purchase. You don’t have to buy a hotdog or something similar to use the packets. Theyre free.
When my joints are painful. Slapping the chopper like that hurts too. So, tip for others, I bought a small electric chopper for about 10 dollars. And it works like a dream. A small food processor would be great as well and you get a much finer chop. Hope this was helpful. I also keep a small Italian dressing on hand as a sub. for sandwiches in place of sub oil. Also, in summer my mom often used her electric frying pan to cook, sometimes putting it outside on a small table to keep the extra heat out of the house. My husband used to often talk about making me a summer kitchen, if only we lived where we had our own yard. It would be open on 2 sides, on the closed side electric for an oven and plumbing for a sink. I never got it, but it sounded lovely.
Ty for the suggestion on a electric chopper! I have RA and yes both can hurt. Ty ! ❤
When the arthritis in my hand is bad, instead of smacking it with my arm, I use my arm and put my weight on it
Well, if you have a Emersion Blender it has an electric chopper attachment that comes with it! Also, if you have a blender, it does have a chopper and grater mode! 42:21 I lived in a house with a summer kitchen attached, we would walk through either the back door and there was the summer kitchen before entering the kitchen! But, mostly my summer kitchen was a huge pantry! I mean we had central air in that house so, it was all just fine and, whether it was winter or summer, I love cooking so, back in those days when,I had a bigger kitchen, I spent the majority of my time in the kitchen! 42:21
I have a condiment packet basket. A lot of folks keep them! Definitely not cheating.
Yes! I keep mine in a small container in my fridge door and use them in all kinds of recipes.
I just put 56 packets into my ketchup bottle that accumulated since January
I call it Packet-tory. It's where packets go while they await their fate.
@@samsbadateverything omg that's so cute lol!
@@samsbadateverythingi have a packatory as well
My mama ALWAYS chopped the cabbage finely and added it to the meat/rice mixture! It helped bulk it up for the 8 mouths she had to feed! She also diluted the tomato sauce with water!
Great tip! Cabbage-ception
If you find tomato juice on sale it works great for cabbage rolls.
I always add more than one cabbage layer
I highly recommend picking up a head of celery. They tend to be cheap, and in my area they go on sale frequently. However, the main reason I try to always pick some up is that it freezes beautifully and adds loads of flavor because of it's naturally high levels of glutamic acid. I like to dice or slice up most of the head of celery, and freeze them flat on a baking sheet so they don't stick together in a giant clump in the bag. I also chop up the leaves, too and use them just like I would parsley, but the flavor will be a little stronger.
TL;DR: One head of celery, portioned into quarters, chopped and frozen, could last this entire month and add loads of flavor for very little cost.
Great idea!
Celery soup is divine also
And can't you regrow it from the root end?
@@hannahbanana732 didnt know that, will try
@hannahbanana732 YES you can, we do that with several produce items like: romaine lettuce, green onions, beets, sweet potatoes, carrot 🥕, cabbage, pineapple top, etc.
When I have leftover potatoes and I have corn tortillas, being latina, there's a dish called taco de papas. (Potato tacos) crisp the tortillas in a little oil, not much needed. Fill with the potatoes and top with fixings like a meat taco. No lettuce, cabbage works great. Very inexpensive. These tacos can also be mae with mashed beans.....same fixings.
YUM!
❤
I love potato tacos, yum! Great suggestion!❤
@heatherj3030 I used to buy them because in my area they're so inexpensive, BUT they're so easy to make. When I buy cilantro, so many times it would go to waste. But now I chop most of it and freeze in ice trays and have ready for cooking, and the rest I've been dehydrating which I do with lots of my herbs and veggies 😋
I make these all the time you can also do the same with some cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken my husband loves them
I think you should count the applesauce and brownie mix. It’s real life, they made a mistake and then made it right. Someone who actually only has the $100 would use them and thank the stars that the store error worked in their favor. You’re not cheating. At least give yourself back the money they over charged you into your budget.
Just an idea, Dollar tree has dried cilantro in their spice section. I use it all the time when I don’t have fresh cilantro . I really like your apron it’s pretty. 😊
I love cilantro and it can sometimes be expensive so I love this idea just to have in my spices as a just in case. I didn't know they carried dry cilantro but Thank You for the tip.
If you can find freeze-dried cilantro it's even better. Freeze drying keeps more nutrition and flavor -- I've found I need to use less.
yes i'm using it right now but I don't think it has any flavor. I usually like their spices
You can also find it dried for a super good price in the Mexican/international aisle in the grocery store! Like .99 cents at my expensive store
If you have a dehydrator, you can dry your own herbs and put them in in a jar! 42:21
I hope it's ok to suggest some ideas for your leftovers:
Oats: cookies, oatmilk, adding to ground meat to bulk it out (I also add it to my bread before baking when the dough is too wet), granola, cold cereal/muesli
Tortillas - cinnamon fried tortilla chips, quesadillas
Cabbage - colcannon (potatoes and cabbage), sautéed cabbage
Thanks for the ideas!
Colcannon is great, and the tradition is put whatever you have in it along with tatties and cabbage. Ham, meat, fowl, turnips, and cream if you have it. I like to use up grated bread heels, tossed with melted butter, and use it as a topping. Don't forget the pinch of grated nutmeg. I wish you had been around when I was raising 3 kids on no money...!
My Babci (polish grandmother) made something called lazy mans perogies with the leftover cabbage after making cabbage rolls. You slice up the cabbage into strips with some sliced onions and cook them in a skillet with lots of butter, salt and pepper. Then you mix in cooked egg noodles...IT IS MY FAVORITE THING!! Also goes great with some grilled kielbasa (Polish smoked sausage) on the side. Hope you enjoy!!
Also please don’t pay attention to negative comments please
Unless it's just plain mean, it might be just constructive criticism. We need to learn the difference.
Because they will always be there.
Exactly haters are always gonna hate, look at it on the bright side, the algorithm doesn't know if their comments are good or bad just that your getting comments so their still helping your channel regardless... ❤
she’s so sweet - i’m a new viewer and i can’t imagine someone leaving mean comments. some people have no home training :(
like she’s literally giving cooking ideas/tips to people who may be financially struggling, is concientious of maybe having an elderly/disabled audience that need special tools, and is helping people to learn to budget and buy smart - why would anyone have anything negative to say?
@@irenez7439there are ways to be constructive without being mean, people need to do better at communicating
I hope it's okay that mention some ideas 🧡
regarding food waste:
- save the starchy water from rinsing your rice. it can be added to soups or (cooked) sauces for an easy thickening agent.
- same goes for the liquid from draining canned beans. if the beans are seasoned, you'd want to use them in a flavor appropriate dish (obviously). This can also be used to make vegan meringue (its not just from chickpeas! you can use any canned bean liquid)
- banana peels can be saved + (the outsides) washed + used for banana syrup if sugar is in the budget and you want an alternative to the strawberry jam. great for any sort of bready breakfast (baked oats, French toast, pancakes, etc)
- same goes for any citrus peels
- ^ both of those can also go into the freezer to be made at any time
meal/side/snack ideas:
- colcannon. mashed potatoes w cabbage. it usually has bacon too, or bacon fat. but if that's not an option it's perfectly good with just the potato/cabbage mix
- vegetarian chili. beans (canned + seasoned, or dry) and tomatoes, either romas if on sale or canned, are both usually fairly cheap, a bell peppers and/or onion if possible + either a packet seasoning mix or just the basic chili powder (if I remember correctly, food lion has their own brand and it's about $2 or less (I'm also in the south lol)). can also add the the garlic seasoning mix you bought at the beginning for more flavor. I think that could pair well. can be eaten over some rice to make it more filling and/or stretch to a couple meals. top with shredded cheese + use a tortilla or two, cut into strips, and either fried or baked until crispy if you like the added crunch of Fritos but can't swing the extra price for them.
- quesadillas, self explanatory. if you prefer a dip, but can't budget for an additional, individual product, you could make a couple eggs and dip in the runny yolks. this could also work as a breakfast dish if that's your vibe
- stir fry w rice or ramen, that cabbage in the freezer, an egg or two if available, and any extra veg that can be spared (carrots, onion, etc). if you use ramen, cook the noodles with the seasoning packet added to the cooking water, and for only about a minute and a half so they're still fairly firm. rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside. this way they don't become overcooked when you add them to the egg + veg later. cook down the broth until it's hopefully a bit thicker bc of the starches from the noodles (alternatively, you can make a rue + add the broth to it in place of milk to make a loose gravy), could add some pb to make more of a peanut sauce if you like that sort of thing, then use that in place of soy sauce/other seasoning to coat everything.
- potato tacos. basically just replace the meat in tacos with chopped, diced potatoes that have been cooked + seasoned. any toppings you want. could also dice some of the cabbage and add it to the cooking potatoes.
- along the same lines as the citrus syrup noted above, candied citrus peels can make for a fun sweet snack
- casserole with rice or chopped potato + any veg to spare (another use for the cabbage) + meat if available. cook everything down onto the stove until nearly done, then combine with some of that alfredo sauce (maybe 1/3 of the jar? Really depends on how much you make) it basically works in place of a cream of whatever soup. Then into the oven at 350° for 20-30 mins, let cool another 5-10 before serving. potential to top with cheese.
- twice baked potatoes stuffed with the pork + bean soup. basically make like you would a typical baked potato, then cut in half, scoop out the insides, mix it w some of the soup + seasoning of choice, then mound it back over the potato half, and twice bake. I have done this with homemade pork + bean soup and it was way better than it had any right to be lmao
I really enjoy all the different budget series you've done on this channel. I agree that I think this is your best one yet!
What I use as a substitute for sour cream is greek yogurt. it’s really easy to make into a sauce with lime or seasonings, and then you can eat the yogurt the rest of the week
I do this as well! Great way to add protein to a meal. After it was suggested, I started adding it to my scrambled eggs and omelets. Gives a good flavor and extra protein
It’s way healthier too because of the protein! Great tip!
Perhaps not in this series, but could you try a week of vegetarian meals and explore alternate ways of protein?
I am including a lot of vegetarian options in this series, coincidentally. I've only been having meat with dinner but everything else I've been cooking has been meatless :)
Looking for healthy options - such as beans and lentils, maybe tofu?
yes! Would love a vegan week like this!
Sauteed cabbage as a vegetable side dish! Chop it into bite sized pieces and saute it with some butter or oil, salt, pepper and your garlic herb seasoning.
My favorite way to eat cabbage.
I remember my mom making what she called a boiled dinner, it was usually ham and cabbage, and i'm sure some other stuff. as a kid I wasn't a fan of cabbage particularly but my tastes have changed so drastically as an adult. I'm sure I would love it today
@@DollarTreeDinners another take is bubble and squeak. You literally can add anything to it as originally it was made with left over cabbage, potato and if wealthy enough meat from the Sunday roast. If making it as a stand alone side, par boil and sauté your potatoes, boil your cabbage as you normally would, with a teaspoon of sugar and a dash of salt. Just before the cabbage is cooked, strain it and add it to the sauté potatoes to finish cooking.
Yes, this is yummy way to use cabbage.
@@juliehowman3912 It's nice for breakfast, too. Make patties with the bubble & squeak & fry them in a pan until golden. Top with an egg.
For the left over cabbage. Cabbage and Noodles -- brown some bacon then toss in cut up cabbage dash of vinegar and some Hungarian Papprika. Finally toss in cooked egg noodles
Haluski! Yes!!!!❤
I LOVE Haluski. It's a favorite of mine for sure.
Haluski is a great idea!
It translates well to a vegetarian diet as well. I just omit the bacon
Thanks for sharing this delicious dish with everyone.
I've made it. Still have the recipe bookmarked. It's delicious.
I worked at Bonanza and this is what we learned. You can take the cheapest cut of meat. Take it home, seperate it and put meat tendrizer on it, then freeze it. As it thaws, the meat tenderizer activates and you can do whatever you want to it and it will be tender!
As a 20 year old who never learned to cook or budget, thank you! You've helped me so much! You seriously are helping so many people with all the work you do.
My grandmother used frozen peas in her cabbage rolls in place of the second pound of meat. They add protein and fiber and they’re pretty cheap. The carrots are a great addition
Do you think cooked lentils would work as well? My husband doesn’t like peas but I really like the idea of extending the meat with another high protein and fiber item.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
@@FurBabyGrandma Used lentils mixed in with beef taco filling to make it stretch and it was awesome. I have done this with quinoa also.
@@FurBabyGrandma I used lentils instead of meat for cabbage rolls. The brown or green remain intact while red melt down. I precook mine. Also add grated carrots, chopped celery & diced peppers. My mom(Polish immigrant) was a purist- 1lb beef mince, 1lb pork mince, diced onion, rice & eggs seasoned with S&P. That's it. We would dilute tomato soup for sauce. Also cabbage leaves would go on the bottom & top. 😊
Yum. Love peas
I add red lentils to every meal with minced beef i cook @@FurBabyGrandma (like bolognese chilli or lasgne)
My partner doesnt eat nearly enough fiber as he doesnt love brown carbs beans or fruit
He has only noticed recently becuse i left the pavket out
You can make cabbage soup with the leftover cabbage. I use hamburger in it, but it is farmer type food and flexible to what you have on hand. Excellent with mashed potato, rice or just bread.
Great idea! Especially with the scrap bag, I could make broth and add cabbage and veggies and basically have a free meal
@@DollarTreeDinners Ham steak is pretty inexpensive and some of it chopped would be a nice addition to a cabbage soup.
That sounds nice! If celery does make it on the grocery list, it would be really nice in a cabbage soup! Maybe some carrot shreds/slices, too!
Beans , whatever leftover veggies you have , the cabbage , is a very tasty soup. My mom used to call it stone soup 😊
A good thing about spreading the money out over the month instead of spending most of it at the beginning, aside from buying fresh items, is that you can catch deals throughout the month, especially if there’s a holiday coming up where some things will go on sale. Like with the 4th of July coming up, grilling items like hot dogs and burgers and other stuff go on sale. In November and December turkey and ham go on sale. And then there’s seasonal produce on sale. And if one can swing it in a budget, stick up and stash in the freezer or pantry. Like around thanksgiving or Christmas get the cans of cream of whatever soups or spices.
I’ve always wanted to make cabbage rolls but between alone in my house and having had bariatric surgery I don’t eat much. I know I can freeze them but not sure if I’d get bored of them before going bad.
You could always 1/2 the recipe. Instead of 11 get 5-6. Can’t see why they wouldn’t last 4 weeks after eating one the same night.
If you ain't snatchin' condiment packs of every variety, every chance you get, then you don'r need these videos. Of course it's not cheating! Folks that I run with have whole drawers that are dedicated to condiments, salt and pepper packs, red pepper flakes, dippin' sauces and single serve salad dressings. Not to mention plastic utensils. You're just crazy if you don't!
Bless the pizza places that include parmesan packets! And Asian fast food with all the little sauces.
Thing is...those condiment packets come from fast food restaurants. Not everyone goes to those, or often enough to build up a stash. It's cheaper to make meals at home, condiments included. 😋
I wish I wasn’t allergic to most of them. Love salt packets though they come in handy! Ohh and relish (when I can find it!)
If a place gives me extra things I'll happily use them. But I'm not trying to fill my purse with things I'm not using while I'm at a place. Ethics still has a role in frugality.
@@wryterzblock I figure that if they can dump perfectly good food in the trash after a given time period because they produced more in advance than they could sell, rather than give it to a homeless guy sitting on the curb outside their restaurant, they can endure the lose of a few packets of mustard to an already overcharged customer. I sleep fine at night.
A simple cheap sauce for your burrito bowls is a copy cat Taco Bell mild sauce. I always have this stuff in my pantry.
3 cups water
1 6oz can tomato paste
3 Tbsp vinegar
4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp salt
2 tsp corn starch
Mix and boil 5 minutes. Lasts a long time in the fridge and makes a lot!
I make that, too, minus the corn starch. I don't mind it being a little thin. For extra spice, I add a little chipotle in adobo puree.
How long can you use it?? I love the Taco Bell :)). Thank you. Vinegar probably helps with/stability??
@@HeavenWithouttheE put it in ANYTHING you add hot sauce to
@@HeavenWithouttheE couple of months
Dollar Tree has a delicious taco sauce
I use Hunt's garlic herb spaghetti sauce for my cabbage rolls instead of tomato sauce or soup
Do you use all of the spaghetti sauce with that big can?
@Caitlin1928 yes. I mix some of it in the filling as well
Go ahead and eat the brownies and apple sauce. Sometimes things like that happen and you end up with more money than expected. I once found a $20 bill in the middle of the road and bought myself a pizza! 😀
Once I found $5 twice in one day. One was on the floor in a supermarket, the other was on the road. I'll never forget that.
HELLO, Second time viewer. I have been a cook for 48 years. I have tons of help for your Budget. 1st the cost if one loaf of bread =5 frozen bread loafs. You can make bread, cinnamon rolls, rolls, hamburger buns, hot dog buns. I use one loaf for hamburger n hotdog buns n freeze them. I wrap them in a paper towel so they don't get freezer burnt. Buy a bigger bag of rice. There are so many things to make from savory to sweet. Buy a new spice every month, you will build up a great variety. Herb box in your kitchen window. Seeds are cheap. Growing one tomato plant can give you up to twenty pounds of tomatoes; than you can freeze your excess. Same with a green, chili or banana pepper plant. Again seeds are cheap and these will grow in a pot. Farmers markets have fruit and veggies that aren't full of chemicals and there cheaper. I could go on all day. But I have always made big meals and freeze left overs. Your scrap bag is good for making broth, which u can make gravy with dumplings, noodles or even rice. You can make fry bread, biscuits, dumplings, noodles, pie crust out of the flour. (Buy a bigger bag of flour some things are essentials and make a meal in themselves if need be.) Flour is even a thickener for your scrap broth. I eat tortillas with ,grated cheese warmed up. Or with cinnamon sugar or jelly or peanut butter. Stuff em n bake em, breakfast. On n on. Thanks hope I added at least one idea. Dollar general has cheap veggies n canned soup. Campbell's select is .99¢ bean with ham, chicken noodle or beef barley. Bean with ham over home baked bread with touch of sugar, chicken noodle thicken it, put in baking dish top with chuncks of bread dough or biscuits n beef with barley is good over noodles.
I love all these ideas and a lot of it my grandma taught me yrs ago! Definitely need more spices!! Different spices help so much
Frozen bread loaf? I'm gonna check that out.
I microwave my potatoes the night before, whole, then I throw them in the refrigerator. In the morning I grate them cold, the peels come right off as I grate, and then I fry them, so good.
How long do you microwave them? Until they are soft like a baked potato?
Maybe make some coleslaw with your leftover cabbage, as a side dish just some hot dogs or something? An inexpensive summer meal for your budget.
The frozen and thawed cabbage might be a bit floppy for a decent slaw… a slimy coleslaw won’t be great.
I was thinking it would be better in a cooked dish eg. added to fried rice perhaps
Next time you might want to freeze half the cabbage or the number of leaves you’ll need. A frozen cabbage can only be used in cooked dishes.
I have never heard of cabbage dishes - even with uncooked rice - needing more than an hours time in the oven at 350. Way too much time. It will be overcooked or burned.
Yes ! Cole slaw in the summer would be refreshing and light. I vote for that !
@@maggie2936-q1m I thought the same thing, but I wonder if removing the cabbage leaves before freezing would actually make them pliable enough? Diane
Rouge packets of sauces are bonus extra fun! Everyone keeps them on hand!! Except if I get ketchup ones there are never any leftover
I agree anytime we eat out ibtry to get all the sauce packets we can. Or meeting someone at a fast food or coffee place I grab any packets. I love meeting my one friend at Starbucks they have nice raw sugar in packets.
that freeze and thaw for cabbage leaves is a brilliant idea...dts/usa
just cut the triangle out and that is good enough...dts/usa
leftover cabbage: make Japanese okonomiyaki: cabbage/egg pancake--delicious: recipes online...dts/usa
scraps--that is for soup base...best use...dts/usa
It really is! I don't know if I'd make cabbage rolls if I had to boil a big pot of water. this worked just as well and so easy
Did freezing and thawing the cabbage affect the texture or taste once cooked?? Just curious 🤔
I have a great burrito bowl sauce recipe! Actually two versions: blend a can of chipotle peppers with one of two options: mayo for creamy, and Italian dressing for tangy. The adobe/chipotle peppers and Italian dressing blend is a Chipotle (the restaurant) dressing knockoff and my kiddos love it! It makes a large amount for under $3!
Can I just use the sauce because my family doesn't like spicy
@@KaronWoods-vv7gu we just put it on our individual bowls, salads, or tacos because we like different amounts. The mayo version is great for fish tacos, and I love the Italian dressing one for salad.
The green is fine, it’s potatoes that have been exposed to air, it’s chlorophyll, and can sometimes mean potatoes develop solanine which is toxic, if they’ve been stored improperly or damaged. Usually peeling the green off is good enough!
*exposed to light (not air)
I completely agree. Diane
@@jimmiepatrumthank you for the info.
Do you have bulk food bins in your area? They can be life savers when you just need a “bit” of something- and cheaper! Popcorn!
This is probably random, but you give off major Bob Ross meets Emmymade vibes. Very calming and respectful. 💜 such a joy to watch, and super informative.
That’s a lovely compliment and not a word of it is a lie.
I asked the meat manager when they put out the marked down meat and early is not always the best time. He said that his store puts out the marked down meat at 10 AM so I would ask the meat department. Great job, I would consider soup with the cabbage rice carrots string beans a potatoes and the stock bag and make some crusty bread to go with it. Perhaps some noodles and part of your meat to go into it. Love this series.
Food chopper would be great for dehydrator food prep
Two recipes for freezer veggie scraps. One is making stock -- simmer away and strain out the veg and bones -- homemade is _so_ much better! The other way I use veg scraps is to make slow cooker dried beans -- I call it glop since I cook everything down to near mush and use the results like refried beans -- this is much healthier than canned! I love the dried 15 bean mixes which are much better nutrition due to lentils and split peas.
You’re so right about cheap vs easy. I’m disabled with a tremor so I buy a lot that is pre-chopped. I find Target has the best deals for that where I am. I also use a crinkle cutter that’s just a pushing motion and sometimes a small food processor that is easy to clean. I’ve also bought gloves that keep you from cutting yourself. Of course, I also have people that can often help with the cutting. But I might try that chopper! Thankfully, A lot of your dinner ideas are versatile enough that I can make it accessible for me. But you are so kind to even be thoughtful about it!
Ps. I use yogurt as a way to make a small bit of creamy sauce. And I’ve used a jalapeño and lime with cabbage to make a slaw for slow cooked beef tacos.
Im loving this series. Im so curious how that $44ish dollars you have left are going to last another 3 weeks!
I am too but having watched this channel I think the $44 should be afraid of Rebecca not the other way around. 🤣
Haha I love that!
By the grace of God!
She's got almost a weeks worth of squirrel account in the freezer, pluss food left over. She's going to do it.
@@connieblack5276 oh i know she does. But there are weeks inbetween:)
I come from a community that makes cabbage rolls for holidays. 1 pound meat to 2 cups rice is great. Leftover cabbage is great for bubble and squeak!
The meals looked so good ❤ Growing up, my grandmother made tortillas, using cold, leftover mashed potatoes and flour. My version of Spanish rice is simply equal measures of tomato soup to water and instant rice. Cook that. Add cooked hamburger or ground sausage and season to taste. I put that onto the homemade tortillas.
I am glad that you don't cut out the "oopsies" I feel better knowing I'm not the only one. ❤❤❤❤❤
The tortillas made with mashed potatoes are called lefse among Scandinavians. I make it at Christmas.
@@gailruuhela5627 My grandfather was Norwegian. Thank you for sharing your information 😊
This has been a great series since day one, but I’m really looking forward to week four. That’s when it gets challenging.
Such an interesting cabbage roll recipe. Like meatloaf everyone has their unique take.
Coriander (cilantro) costs like $3.50 for a bunch in Australia supermarkets 😢
You need to see if a boxdivvy is in your area. I just signed up. Huge savings. The food lasts weeks, and the money goes directly to the farmer. Hint go to your local asian grocer for the herbs. Literally half price compared to the supermarket.
I have to say the no-name strawberry jam from Dollar Tree is a sleeper. it's cheaper than Walmart brand and I think I like it better. You are helping so many people!!!
You’re the second person I’ve seen say that. 👀now I want to try it.
Diced it up in the shreds, put a little bit of butter in the pan frying pan and make fried cabbage is best with bacon grease
I like colcannon. It’s just mashed potatoes with cooked cabbage mixed in with bacon or ham, lots of butter.
I like the squirreling food in the freezer idea. I typically use my leftovers for lunches but this is a great idea and will look to incorporate it into my meal planning in the future! 😉👍🏽
I love watching your videos!!!
I just wanted to comment of the cabbage rolls. We make them in Ukraine and we just roll up empty leaves and cook them with the rest. Since I’m in the US now, I like to like the sheet with the leaves and then put the rolls on them and cover with more leaves.
There is also a recipe for lazy cabbage rolls. You will make the meat just like you did and then add finely chopped cabbage to it and it has all the flavor of the rolls and a lot less work! Hope you will try it one day.
Again, thank you for all your hard work! 😊
Herdz green salsa has mild version it has nice lime taste.
Thank you I LOVE limey everything
I save all condiment packets when I get extras. No way it could be considered cheating. It's a smart move! ❤
I’ve been binging your videos. I’m a college student and I’m trying to get better at cooking. It helps seeing you cook for one or two people!
You can make lazy cabbage rolls in a crock pot or skillet. Cabbage is chopped, no rolling. Easy & cool for summer.😊