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RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 2:54:57 PM

ThatDamnedPanda

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Something I used to do when I lived in Hawaii might help you guys, too. We had 3 grocery stores in town. I'd make a list of everything I needed, and go to the first store. Everything that was on my list that they had on special, I'd buy it and scratch it off the list. Then I'd go to the second store, and everything they had on special that was on my list, I'd buy it there. Then I'd go to the third store, and just buy whatever was left on the list. It worked well there because the stores were really competitive, and always ran a lot of specials. I'm not sure whether that would work as well in California, but it's an idea to keep in mind.

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RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 2:58:44 PM

WyldHrt

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Angel is right, buying in bulk and stocking up on sale items will help stretch your grocery dollar. Also, clip coupons. There are actually some websites that have coupons that you can print out. They may not look like much, but $.55 here and $1 there does add up. Speaking of dollars, also be sure to check out your local Dollar or $.99 stores. Many of them carry name brand grocery items, and you can save a ton of money getting things for $1 that cost $3-$4 at the grocery store.

quote:

Also, learn to cook in bulk and freeze left overs. For example, when you make spaghetti with lots of veggies sauce, always make more than you are planning on eating and freeze the rest.

This works well for meat, too. Get the "family pack" of chicken when you see it for $.99/lb or less and cook it all at once. Strip the meat from the bones (if it has bones) and toss the skin, then divide the meat up into meal sized portions and freeze. Doing it this way saves room in the freezer and makes meal prep a lot faster and easier, as the meat is already done. Thaw out a packet, prep some veggies, and you can have chicken fajitas, chicken salad, chicken and pasta or rice, and lots of other meals on the table in about 15 minutes.

Oh, and if you want to get really healthy and frugal, you can boil the bones from the above chicken with some celery, carrot, and a bit of spice (long simmer) to make chicken broth for use in soups and other recipes. I always leave just a bit of meat on the bones if I'm going to make broth, and it comes out very well. Definitely better for you than store bought, which is usually very high in sodium, and mega cheap. You can use it right away, or freeze it for later.

Also- 2 words, "crock pot". If you don't have one, get one (you can find them at Big Lots for $15- $20) that is at least 4 quarts, 5 is better. The thing about slow cookers is that you can use the cheapest cuts of meat, and it will still come out falling-apart tender. They are also good for making large batches of pasta sauce and soups/ stews/ chili that freeze very well. IIRC, cooking isn't your favourite thing, and crocks are really easy. Lots of recipes are as simple as "cut up a, b, c, and d, put all of it in the crock, add water or broth, and turn it on low for 8 hours".

Good luck!

ETA- I need to learn to type faster, LMAO!

< Message edited by WyldHrt -- 10/24/2009 3:04:38 PM >

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RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 2:59:16 PM

Toppingfrmbottom

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Yeah a 24 pack of Aquafina is 4 dollars, and even if you get sales, it's still something you don't really need, not when you could spend 4 dollars on something else .

quote:

ORIGINAL: barelynangel

YOu may want to switch from cans to 2liters on the pop. I hate to tell you this but tap water or even a britta thing for your faucet will cost you a lot less than bottled water. If you seriously have only $100 for two people this may be one of your enjoyments you will have to forgo as well .

Maybe since Christmas is coming you may be able to ask for a britta or such thing for your faucet and simply deal with the faucet for now.

And hell yes, if you have access to FRESH veggies and stuff for Free take FULL advantage, start making stuff and freezing it etc utilize it like you are buying in bulk. Fresh is always better than frozen.

angel

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RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 3:00:50 PM

Toppingfrmbottom

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You'd probably spend more in gas than you saved on food lol. We do on ocasion go to seperate stores specially since safeway is right by his job location, and they often have good deals , and then raleys has good deals.

quote:

ORIGINAL: ThatDamnedPanda
. I'm not sure whether that would work as well in California, but it's an idea to keep in mind.

(in reply to ThatDamnedPanda)

Post #: 24

RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 3:08:22 PM

frazzle

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Not sure about conversion from pounds to dollars, but if its about the same, it should be easy.

As others have said, buy a whole chicken and portion it, cheaper than buying it portioned, mince (hamburger meat i think you call it), makes lasagne, bolognaise, meatballs etc, will stretch further with add veg.

left overs from just about any main meal are curryable. Left over rice or pasta, i tend to add tomatoes, lettuce etc add curry powder then mayo or salad cream youve got salad. ok i also add poloni or something for meat content.

i have a 1001 recipes so feel free to cmail me on the other side.

editted for bad typing

< Message edited by frazzle -- 10/24/2009 3:09:51 PM >

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RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 3:13:37 PM

Toppingfrmbottom

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We always just threw the bones and stuff away, but this sounds like a really tasty idea!

quote:

ORIGINAL: DomKen

. Once you've got the bones of a whole chicken or two its time to make chicken stock. Good homemade stock is yummy and can be used to flavor all sorts of things that are otherwise fairly bland, rice for instance. I even make mashed potatoes with chicken stock in place of the milk/cream.

Buy staples in the biggest quantity you can. rice, beans, potatoes etc. all get subtsantially cheaper the bigger the amount goes but make sure to double check there will be an occasional exception.

Hope that helps.

(in reply to DomKen)

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RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 3:18:09 PM

HandSolo

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I have to echo rice and beans! You can practically live on nothing but unbleached rice and beans, and you can buy them in enormous bags for cheap, they store dry, and are easy to prepare. Supplement them with the sale-price poultry, frozen, canned or garden vegetables, bulk rate beef, do some fishing, etc. When I last visited Texas, I met a guy who had subsisted throughout his college years almost entirely on catfish. $20-30 worth of tackle, and earthworms are free, if you can outwit them. Owners of local Chinese take-out places are usually happy to barter for fresh fish as well, so you can work in a break from the monotony from time to time.

Don't buy empty items. Soda, bottled water, candy, even {gasp} coffee, are just a drain on a tight budget.

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RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 3:24:01 PM

Toppingfrmbottom

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There's one caveat, people who're diabetic or pre diabetic rice can shoot their blood sugars very very high. So people with that concern need to be very careful, and of course not all pre and diabetic people will have problems with rice:)

quote:

ORIGINAL: HandSolo

I have to echo rice and beans! You can practically live on nothing but unbleached rice and beans, and you can buy them in enormous bags for cheap, they store dry, and are easy to prepare.

(in reply to HandSolo)

Post #: 28

RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 3:26:52 PM

angelikaJ

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Toppingfrmbottom

There's one caveat, people who're diabetic or pre diabetic rice can shoot their blood sugars very very high. So people with that concern need to be very careful, and of course not all pre and diabetic people will have problems with rice:)
quote:

ORIGINAL: HandSolo

I have to echo rice and beans! You can practically live on nothing but unbleached rice and beans, and you can buy them in enormous bags for cheap, they store dry, and are easy to prepare.

You can use brown rice. The fiber helps with the bloodsugar issue. Beans are high in carbs as well but the fiber helps regulate bloodsugar. Add extra veggies and you get extra fiber.

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RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 3:26:56 PM

Intentions4u

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A very tight budget must start with a very tight plan. Since earning more is not a realistic option, you are going to need to learn to cut the fat and stretch what you do have. Make plans to get to a library and get You’re Broke Because You Want To Be~How to Stop Getting By and Start Getting Ahead~~Larry Winget ISBN 978-1-592-40334-9 (hard cover) 978-1-592-40429-2 (paperback)

There are a lot of self-help books on the market by people who were never broke. Larry grew up poor, then made and lost fortune, then worked his way back from rock-bottom to become a multimillionaire. I my opinion, best book on the market of its kind, for just $14.00.

(in reply to Toppingfrmbottom)

Post #: 30

RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 3:27:15 PM

DemonKia

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Well, that's the brown rice part. Whole grains have a relatively low glycemic index as compared to their refined (white) variants . . .. .

quote:

ORIGINAL: Toppingfrmbottom

There's one caveat, people who're diabetic or pre diabetic rice can shoot their blood sugars very very high. So people with that concern need to be very careful, and of course not all pre and diabetic people will have problems with rice:)

Cooking tip: brown rice usually likes a little extra water & a smidge longer cooking time . . . . . & get a rice cooker if you're gonna cook rice very much, it'll make your life much easier . . . .

& I'm a big fan of looking for things like crock pots & rice cookers on freecycle or in thrift stores ... ..

< Message edited by DemonKia -- 10/24/2009 3:28:14 PM >

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RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 3:29:25 PM

Toppingfrmbottom

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Yup yup demonkia, and anjelikaJ, that's true.

quote:

ORIGINAL: DemonKia

Well, that's the brown rice part. Whole grains have a relatively low glycemic index as compared to their refined (white) variants . . .. .

[

(in reply to DemonKia)

Post #: 32

RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 3:31:40 PM

Toppingfrmbottom

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I've seen that book at the library, I think I may have even rented it once, but didn't read it.

If I had my way we'd be down to a bare bones budget, I'm talking like bills and that's it, with maybe a 20 dollar splurge amount built in a month lol.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Intentions4u

A very tight budget must start with a very tight plan. Since earning more is not a realistic option, you are going to need to learn to cut the fat and stretch what you do have. Make plans to get to a library and get You’re Broke Because You Want To Be~How to Stop Getting By and Start Getting Ahead~~Larry Winget ISBN 978-1-592-40334-9 (hard cover) 978-1-592-40429-2 (paperback)

There are a lot of self-help books on the market by people who were never broke. Larry grew up poor, then made and lost fortune, then worked his way back from rock-bottom to become a multimillionaire. I my opinion, best book on the market of its kind, for just $14.00.

(in reply to Intentions4u)

Post #: 33

RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 3:34:03 PM

Toppingfrmbottom

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When Daddy lived in a trailer with no kitchen and there for no way to cook we bought a gorgeous crock pot at walmart, and now we live at home, we have access to two because my mom has a huge one tool. You could even get them going together lol. one meal in one crock pot and one in the other.

quote:

ORIGINAL: WyldHrt

Also- 2 words, "crock pot". If you don't have one, get one (you can find them at Big Lots for $15- $20) that is at least 4 quarts, 5 is better.

Good luck!

ETA- I need to learn to type faster, LMAO!

(in reply to WyldHrt)

Post #: 34

RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 3:39:04 PM

Toppingfrmbottom

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I wonder how pears strait from the tree but pureed up into a mash like apple sauce would taste over some chicken?

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RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 3:53:03 PM

Musicmystery

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Once you add a few spices, just fine.

So would baked pear.

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RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 4:00:53 PM

Toppingfrmbottom

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what kind of spices?

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RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 4:08:09 PM

Musicmystery

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Whatever you'd use with apple would be worth trying--cinnamon, perhaps, or lemon.

Remember that the dominant flavor is going to be chicken, so you can get away with a lot of crimes to the pear.

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RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 4:10:53 PM

Toppingfrmbottom

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My dad had a basket of like 50, and he cut most them up to freeze but there's still shit loads left hehehe, so maybe we'll try a bunch of different things.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

Whatever you'd use with apple would be worth trying--cinnamon, perhaps, or lemon.

Remember that the dominant flavor is going to be chicken, so you can get away with a lot of crimes to the pear.

(in reply to Musicmystery)

Post #: 39

RE: Healthy grocery shopping on a budget of 100 dollars... - 10/24/2009 4:23:15 PM

WyldHrt

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quote:

You could even get them going together lol. one meal in one crock pot and one in the other.

I used to work in a place where we had "crock potlucks" every couple of months. Everyone would bring their crock pot full of whatever they were making and plug it in first thing in the morning (picture 10-15 crock pots simmering away all over the building). By lunchtime, the place smelled SO good, it's a wonder we got any work done!

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"MotherFUCKER!" is NOT a safeword!!"- Steel
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Post #: 40

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