. If you caught my earlier post, you'll know I'm just $20 shy of my self-imposed $180 monthly grocery bill limit. You see, I'm trying to lower my #2 expense, and I can see from my records that I averaged $220 a month for food (not including eating out) in 2010. Seems like a lot for a single person.
Spending just $180 a month would represent an 18% decrease in my food bill, so that's what I aim to do. Problem is, I've nearly reached that point now, so I figured I would take stock of what's on hand to see if I can stretch it through month's end. Like a lot of you, I always have stuff that just sits there, takes up space and never seems to get used. So this is a good opportunity to try to use up stuff, especially since I've been known to consume food on the verge of going bad because I hate to waste food.
I like to make cheap meals based around things like eggs (hard-boiled in a salad, fried, etc.) or chicken liver (divine with sauteed onion, mushroom and tomatoes). But here's what I've got in the house:
1. Frozen package of imitation crab meat (pollock), which is yum-e-licious sauteed with onion and carrot over linguine.
2. Frozen 1/2 bag of breaded tilapia (getting sick of this, but i can eat it)
3. half a package of nitrite-free hot dogs (also kind of boring)
4. my neighbor is saving a frozen container of lentil soup for me; in turn, I'm giving her about 15 gourmet herbal teas i don't drink
5. plenty of pasta
6. plenty of rice, dried beans (I can make a white bean soup with the frozen spinach and leftover beef broth i have)
7. A portion of a frozen bag of vegetarian Chinese dumplings.
8. Lots of frozen tomatoes and zucchini from last year's garden taking up way too much rooom in the freezer. I want to give the zucchini to my mother as the it just doesn't appeal to me.
9. I bought an orange so i could make bran/raisin muffins today with orange zest.
10. i think i have some frozen peanut chicken i made. I often have a craving for peanutty anything, just like i do for pesto sauce,but i can only eat so much of it and then I'm really sick of it; that's why i froze it.
So it would seem i have plenty to get by on without any more grocery store stops. What happens is i hit the store for 1 or 2 things i need for something I'm planning on making, and i end up spending $35. The only thing I really plan on getting for the rest of the month is milk, which is really the only thing i drink besides tea and water. I do really like Tropicana now and then but i think I'm giving it up because it's so high in sugars and I'm trying to lose weight.
Getting through January without spending any more on food
January 17th, 2011 at 02:45 pm
January 17th, 2011 at 03:08 pm 1295276894
January 17th, 2011 at 03:14 pm 1295277266
January 17th, 2011 at 04:06 pm 1295280401
If you are overloaded with zucchini try making a mock lasagna. All you need is zucchini, Italian blend cheese and tomato sauce (or canned tomatoes/fresh tomatoes or spaghetti sauce) and spices to taste. I use marjoram, garlic and basil.
Slice zucchini into 1/2" or so pieces. Line bottom of casserole dish with zucchini. Add sauce and then cheese and repeat (can be 2 or three layers depending on the size of the casserole and amount of zucchini. Add the last layer of cheese 10 minutes before the dish is done. Bake at 375 for approx 30-40 min.
YUM!
January 17th, 2011 at 04:17 pm 1295281029
't look at prices. Sometimes it's like I'm the only one sacrificing.
January 17th, 2011 at 04:32 pm 1295281937
We spend quite a bit on food because we buy lots of fruit and vegetables. We figured being healthier makes up for the extra cost.
There are some recipe sites that you can type in ingredients you have and it will give you some suggested recipes...that might help you as you plan on using what you have.
Aleta, maybe you could talk your husband into baking his own bread which would save you money on the fresh bread...I make quite a bit of bread and it is pennies compared to dollars.
January 17th, 2011 at 05:48 pm 1295286506
January 18th, 2011 at 02:09 am 1295316573
January 18th, 2011 at 03:53 am 1295322807
January 18th, 2011 at 04:43 am 1295325827