My Wednesday Pantry-The $3 Meal Results

      As background, I did an under $9 shop last Tuesday night and with my haul, attempted to make three full dinners that would feed  myself and DH with leftovers, a family of four perhaps, with two adults and two children, or one person, with options to tuck away for future meals-basically-four portions. I'll start out saying, all three meals would easily fit into our life on a regular basis. I'll make some tweaks as the sodium needs to come down. To read about my full shop and initial plan, go to My Wednesday Pantry-$3.00 Meal Planning post. For the most part, I only used items I bought in the $8.81 shop, but allowed a bit of oil and seasonings I had in the house. Most of my seasonings are the $1 versions bought in Dollar Tree, Aldi, or Walmart and I used very little, but if you had none of these items,  these meals could still be made. 

     I'll reiterate that this was for fun, a self imposed budget challenge, meant to stretch my creativity while harnessing in the over indulgent spending I have done on meals out of the house for the last two weeks. As you'll see from my summary of the overall  nutritional details, there are many faults. Had I allowed the use of milk, eggs, flour, and butter, I could have cut the flaws considerably. As for meal prep, for things that were individual items (toastie dogs and grilled cheese), I only made what DH and I would eat, so have  the ingredients for the other two portions uncooked. With that out of the way, let's get going.

Meal one:

• Toastie Dogs- we each had two, made with a slice of bread, one hotdog, and three cheese cubes. While the package says a serving is 1 hot dog, I don't think that is realistic so I converted 1 serving=two hot dogs. 
• Roasted potatoes-8 potatoes per tin, 2 tins, 4 potatoes per serving
• Steamed carrots-peeled and sliced 4 large carrots, which made 4, 1/2 cup servings

Toastie dogs were my favorite school lunch as a child, and none of my kids really liked them.It was nostalgic for me to bring into this plan as I never have reason to make them, even though hotdog's were not my first choice to buy. DH loved the potatoes! I rinsed them before tossing them in a touch of olive oil, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. We should have had 4/4 potatoes servings but DH devoured them! He also ate all the carrots. 

Meal two:

• Cheesy Pasta Bake- mac and cheese according to package, but used a bit of pasta water instead of milk, no butter or margarine, and stirred in the can of cream of chicken soup, 1 tsp each of pepper, garlic and onion powder.,14 cheese cubes (2 ounces), topped with bread crumbs made with 4 slices bread. 
• Steamed carrots-same as meal one
• Canned Pork and beans
  
  
  

DH loved the pasta bake. He said it tasted like  restaurant mac and cheese and was surprised the base was from a box. He ate two portions of it, but we both only had one serving of carrots and beans. I was not impressed with the Aldi beans. Way too much liquid, and all the flavor was in the liquid. Chef Owing had an idea to cook hotdog slices in the beans. I could have done that and cooked down some of the sauce and they might have had a heartier taste. Even had I pan fried the beans to cook down liquid they might have been better, but I just zapped them in the microwave. 

Meal Three 

• Chili (more like Chili soup)-sauteed two carrots, In small pieces with a bit of vegetable oil, garlic, onion powder, paprika, and  cumin, added two cans of undrained chili beans to build all the flavor Added one large can crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, and probably at least a tablespoon of chili powder! Added more pepper to taste and let this simmer for half an hour. I let it get cold, then reheated it later. I think chili tastes better if it cools down and then is reheated. 
• Grilled cheese sandwiches-4 cubes of cheese melted between two slices of bread per sandwich.

DH could eat grilled cheese sandwiches everyday if he allowed himself, and he ate two so if we had been feeding four people, someone would have not had one. (My butt sure could have passed!). The chili was more like a chili flavored tomato bean soup than a true chili, but tasted good. The carrots sort of acted as a bit of sweetener to cut the acidity of the canned tomatoes, but wasn't really noticed in the  bowl. I suppose they added a few more vitamins as well. The chili made enough for four + hearty bowls. I'm freezing two generous portions.

     What would I have leftover, assuming four portions were made of everything? Two small carrots and two slices of bread. That's it. Yes, four people could be fed easily, but likely no seconds for bigger eaters. This was actually good for me, as I sometimes eat more before my stomach has told me I've had enough. I honestly can say, I had plenty with limiting my plate to a single portion of each. I converted all serving sizes to fit four servings-some smaller, some larger. For a household with two adults and two younger children, this seems like it would work well.  Since only feeding two of us and with DH eating more than one portion of somethings, there are four hotdogs,  8 slices of bread, 16 cheese cubes, 1/2 can pork and beans, 1 cup of cooked carrots, 1 portion of pasta bake, and at least three cups of chili. 

     The chart above shows the nutritional break down in total of each meal in terms of calories, protein, sodium and fat. The biggest offenders to sodium was the soup and hotdogs. I could have easily made a white sauce instead of the soup, and had I found turkey hot dogs, or a lower sodium version, that might have helped there. It was a fun challenge and the number nerd in me got to do some math equations to  figure out the mix of all the ingredients. I'd be happy to try something like this again. Let me know in the comments if this would be of interest to you.

Saturday Schmattering-A Month of Thrifty Challenges

     

     It is the month to up my thrifty game. I thought I would spend this first Saturday of the new month listing possible challenges for the month. I guess they could be my September goals, but I'm competitive, even with myself. Hence the goal line photo. I think I'll have more success gaming myself. Like my thrifty Thursdays. I'm going to give myself  challenges in three areas where I want to maximize my life, how I spend my time, I am stewards of resources, and how I maximize our money. This list might look long and overwhelming, but many things double up in different categories, so accomplishing in one area is a win in others. 

Time

• Instead of weekend meals out, take advantage of the cooler evenings and intentionally set the outside table at least twice this month.
• Have a Sunday football day at the cabin with friends or family, bringing food from home. We can drink up leftovers left there after labor day weekend. 
• Play Trivia at least twice this month. I'll need to budget this into the money goal below because I won't skimp on ordering or tipping. 
• Go apple picking. This fits in with my buy at least 50% of my produce locally., but picking apples is expensive. The taste can't be beat.  
• Schedule at least one four way video call with my kids
• Have DS's mom over for dinner. I am guilty of not being planful and intentional about this. DHS see's her during the week, but I rarely do. To be fair to myself, she has a more active social life than I do. 
• Meet up with friends at least twice. Trivia is with friends but this would be either my mom's group, or the soup sister moms or if I can be really organized, my good friend from a former job who lives in St Paul. . 
• Go to Veg Fest with my daughter-again, need to budget for this. 
• Purge and reorganize the extra bedroom. This is the minimum for room by room attention, but I hope to get even more done with te four weekends and evenings of September. 

Resources

• Ensure food waste is minimal-track everything that has a shelf life in the fridge, freezer, and pantry when, drum roll, meal planning. 
• Purge a minimum of 6-12 items due to my three item thrift purchase last month, and an additional 2-4 items for the new swimsuit I just bought on clearance. 
• Reduce paper towel consumption and cut up two old bath rowels and consider using first before reaching for paper. I know this is old hat for many of you, but I know I rely on paper towels too much. 
• To go along with the goal of buying less household items, inventory all my cleaning products, and use up what I have, and use more natural  items like salt, vinegar, baking soda and lemon justice for cleaning. 
• Buy at least 50% of our produce locally at the farmers market or roadside stands-helping in a tiny way to reduce the carbon foot print. 

Money

• Reduce average grocery bill (food purchased for cooking in the home or packed lunches to $300) for the month. My yearly target is $5,000 or $400 per month with room for holiday shopping. Do this while still getting nutrition's and not "cheap" food. Wit my September buys, including this morning, I am at $124. leaving me to try and average $58.66 a week. We're only two people and I restocked so this should be a breeze-emphasis on should.
• With my grocery challenge, I'd like to do a couple sub set challenges. Maybe I'll get bolder than this, but I've wanted to see what I could come up with since those YouTube gals do so well feeding an entire family on these and I just have the two of us. 
• $5 meal with Dollar Tree exclusive items Edit: I've been watching a few of these, and I will need to really be careful withthe sodium content as there is little fresh stuff, and wha this there seems sodium full)
• 3 meals for $3 ($9.00 spend)
• 2 meals for $4 ($8 spend) or 4 meals at $4 ($16 spend)
• Reduce household purchases, paper, cleaning supplies, miscellaneous stuff that just end sup in my shopping carts. This includes pup's food, and I did have to buy a new 16 pound bag, and his wet food that gets mixed in, so am already into this budget a lot. Considering that, my goal is to reduce by25% from $100 to $75. I've spent $37, with a $38 balance and we will need laundry soap, dishwasher and dish soap and TP.
• Reduce eating out and entertainment budget, combined at $200 on paper, to $150 total. This will be a real stretch as with no kids at home, it is so easy to say, let's go our to eat or pick up take out. This will require discipline in our meet-ups with friends, and think creatively about the activities. We've spent $24 for the month so far and it's only the 4th. Plus, I have a lot of challenges for myself in the time area. I won't count DH's runs for lunch as I don't expect him to be part of the challenge, but hope he's in the spirit of cooperating. 
• Get a list of all the gift giving occasions between now and December 31st. Set a budget, and then see if I can beat my budget by 15% on any with my eyes open in September. Though, I hope to not be in stores unless necessary, so this is more a whim than a challenge, although I did find a something for DH, and a couple things for DH's brother's January birthday that would be perfect- at 75% clearance. 

     I think that is it for now. Talk about a mind dump onto a computer screen. I've already started tackling things on the list and setting myself up for success in others. As I am trying to rein in spending, I want to be pretty tight with anything spending related, but don't want to be time or resource foolish by passing on something that in the long run will work in our lives. I'll call them strict guidelines rather than challenge rules. What about you? Do you do better calling things challenges rather than goals? Do you give your self tight rules or more guidelines? 

Bold February Household and Grocery Challenge

      February starts Monday and it is a nice neat tidy four week month with no lingering days since not leap a year. I decided this was a good month for a very bold Household and Grocery (H&G) budget challenge-aiming for under $350. I'm further challenging myself by deducting $22 for  the cost of two pizza's I ordered and were delivered yesterday, from my great nieces for their dance booster club. These are 26 ounce pizzas so more than enough even with DH's pizza appetite, for a meal each. If you are not familiar with this brand, they started as a company that  sold to  bars and pubs, quick food items where no kitchen was needed and baked in pizza ovens I remember before they were available in stores, people would specifically plan a night out to include a stop at a bar that carried Heggie's. 

     DH did a large household shop three weeks ago, so I'm stretched to think if we need anything related to house or people care, but pup will need dog food, both his canned that we mix, and his jumbo bag of kibble, so this will eat up close to $40. Perhaps we'll need more kitchen wrap, and I do think I am low on my toothpaste and mouth wash, so assume another $10 for all of that. As my self decided rules, if I find a good stock-up price, I'll do so. I'm at liberty to only include the cost of what I buy for the month, and deduct surplus from future monthly budgets. I don't though split the cost of things that last multiple months, like pups dry dog food, or  the mega bottles of shampoo and laundry soap DH bought last month. Oh-TP, I do want to add two multi-packs this month. We opened the  last multi-pack last week, and I want to have a spare. 

     Right from the get go then, I am probably  aiming towards a grocery spend of $260, or on average $65 per week, for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for two people, and  I'd like to add pantry items back to my stores as well. I don't want to deplete the freezer or pantry, even though I could be even lower if I do not restock. But I want to do both-low spend and restock. Take out meals will be separate, towards the combined entertainment and meals out budget. Regardless, I hope to whittle $250 from my on paper February budget. 

Strategies:

• Meal planning
• Maximizing leftovers
• Increase plant based meals
• Stretch meat (I firmly believe American meat portions sizes are too large)
• Bake snacks-but don't over do this (I'm telling myself)
• Limit junk food/snacks (for my health goals as much as the budget)
• Portion control (for me-DH can eat as he wants)
• Add variety with new recipes/twists on the same old

     What I don't plan is overdoing starchy meals and skimping on fruit and vegetables. I'm also not going to run to multiple stores to chase loss leaders either-likely this will be one large Aldi shop, and supplement only for fresh food, quick in and out. DH will want good football foods for the Super Bowl on February 7th and one of the pizza's will do for that, but will keep an eye to other affordable pub substitutes like haloumi grilled cheese (still have two blocks I'm rationing and they have fall best by dates), and homemade buffalo chicken strips. The Super Bowl is an event to put on the calendars in the dreary month of February and I'm taking advantage of it! I'm debating putting beer and seltzer on the H&G budget as we have neither in the house right now, or putting in the entertainment budget. We have plenty of other liquor though, several bottles of wine, prosecco, vodka, whiskey, and rum, so nobody fear I won't have my occasional indulgence. I'll figure out the alcohol rule as we go along.  

     Your thoughts? Is this more than enough or do you have visions of DH and I eating beans and rice every day or eating every crumb from the pantry? For reference, I  converted the $65 to Canadian, UK, and Euro conversion rates as of  1/29/2021. I have a lovely smattering of readers in other places so would love to her your conversation and if you feel this is an adequate budget.

• Canada-Dollar 83.02
• UK-Pound 47.40
• Euro  53.55

Wow-Another Bloggaversary!

Last year I had a drawing to mark the one year mark to my blog. On May 30th, a second year milestone was reached and it escaped my attention completely.  I guess that means blogging has become such a part of my routine, I don't even think about it any more. The first year brought wide sweeping changes to my life, but the last 12 months have kind of fallen into the same pattern as blogging-pretty routine. DD#2 starting high school and being in all things possible sure has kept me busy. We got our Washington DC vacation in, but other than that, I've been a side line player to much of the activity around me. My children, family, and friends traveled, took on new jobs and social outlets, and I was an onlooker.

I suppose there is comfort in stability, and the fact that things are not in surprise and turmoil, except maybe in my own brain, is what I needed for a year. However, I don't do complacency well.  I tend to get lazy when I get complacent, and I feel a bit that is what year two was like. I road the coat tails of others. I'm not looking to immerse myself in excitement, but I'd like to enhance this creative outlet. I don't have any elaborate goals for the following 12 months blogging wise, but have subscribed to or signed up to have a YouTube channel  to potentially get some video up of cooking in the kitchen, bargain hunting, and my out and about trips. If I could persuade a few people to join me, perhaps some coffee talks about books or movies could be posted. I've been exploring the world of more mature vloggers, and there are not many of us out there. Why should we let the millennials have all the fun? 

First is to get a half decent camera with video capabilities. I have been hoarding a $100 and a $40 target card for going on two years now to put towards one, and I don't want to learn a new profession so it must be simple to use.  I've played on YouTube with an old video from DD#2's Middle School finale taken on my little camera. She'll be behind a music stand, up from the piano, down from a tall boy in a tie, wearing a white vest. Don't let her small mouth movement fool you. The boy playing the piano is an incredible musician. I hope this works and hope you enjoy-you're my test subjects.

In the mean time, I'll keep plugging at the other social media that I have taken baby steps in.Feel free to find me at these places, and as always, your feedback positive or negative, if coming from a place of good, is appreciated.

Twitter
@samandcoffee65

Instagram (good luck there-nothing posted at all)
@samandcoffee65

and my Facebook page
Sam, Coffee, Money, and Thyme