Ask Sara: "My Husband Won't Eat Meatless Meals!:

Ask Sara:

"Hi. My name is Heather, and I've been trying to cut my grocery bill, but my husband won't eat a meal unless it's full of meat. I get so discouraged with money saving meal ideas that only include meatless meals and beans and rice. Help!" 

Hi Heather. First of all, good for you in trying to balance your grocery bill with your husband's preference for meat in every meal. I'm sure it gets frustrating seeing the cost of meat rising while you're trying to get your grocery budget down.

Here are a few ideas for keeping meat in meals while keeping your grocery budget down:

1. Let Him Know the Situation
Most men, when faced with a problem, want to fix it. And in any budget there has to be sacrifice. So, present the issue to your husband--meat is expensive, and you need to keep the grocery budget down. Find a compromise he can live with, and your budget can handle. Working together to solve the problem will hopefully keep some of the tension and stress out.

2. Learn How to Stretch Meat
If you want some specific tips on learning to stretch meat, I have a post here on the 5 S's of Stretching Meat. But, you can turn one pound of meat into two-plus meals with a little creativity. Adding meat to soups, pastas, salads, and stir-fries will really stretch.

3. Use the Freezer
When you find a good deal on meat, pick up a bunch, wrap or bag it well, taking care to get the air out so you avoid freezer burn, and stick it in the freezer. Stocking up on meat when you have some extra wiggle room in the budget or find a good deal will help the grocery budget.

Here are some ideas for some meals that help stretch meat. They're some of my husband's favorites, so they're husband approved! I can easily turn 1.5 lbs of meat into two dinners and one or two lunches for our family of 4 by shredding or cutting it into chunks and adding a hearty side.

Main Dishes
-Beef Stew 
-BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
-Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
-BBQ Chicken Pizza
-Buffalo Chicken Pizza 
-Hamburgers or Sliders
-Sesame Beef Stir Fry
-Chicken Fried Rice
-Beef Enchiladas
-Beef Burritos
-Chicken Tacos
-Carnitas Tacos
-Chicken/Beef/Carnitas Tostadas
-Chili
-Spaghetti and Meatballs
-Meatball Soup
-Pasta with Meat Sauce
-Pasta with sliced Sausage
-BBQ Chicken Ranch Salad
-Greek Chicken Gyros
-Chicken, Rice, Broccoli Casserole

Hearty Sides
-Cornbread
-Black Beans
-Refried Beans
-Rice Salad
-Caesar Salad
-Roasted Vegetables
-Twice Baked Potatoes
-Baked French Fries
-Macaroni and Cheese
-Baked Potatoes
-Broccoli Casserole
-French Bread with Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil Dipping Sauce

These are just some ideas, but you can still have meat in every meal without breaking the bank. What are some of your favorite ways to please a meat-eater without using too much meat?

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7 Options for Menu Planning...What's Your Type?

One of the first tips you'll see on money saving sites is "plan a menu". I've received enough comments and messages asking how to go about actually planning a menu, that I'm presenting you with not one, not two, but seven different options for planning a menu. We all have different personalities, and different systems that work for our family.

Which type of menu planner are you? Let us know your Menu Planning Personality Type! (I'm all of them on any given week depending on my mood :-) )

I. Plan Around Ads and Sales
-This is a popular way of menu planning. You look at the weekly ads of your favorite stores, and plan your meals based on sale and coupon items. This is a very cost effective method, but you're at the mercy of what's on sale.

II. Plan Around the Freezer and Pantry
-This is a good option when you're trying to stay away from the store (or plan to only pick up produce or perishables for the week.) When your freezer and pantry are well-stocked, this is a very good, inexpensive option, but it requires some creativity and planning ahead to make sure you defrost what you need before you need it. (I'm notoriously bad at remembering to defrost meat before I start cooking!)

III. Plan A Different Cuisine For Each Day
-There are two ways to do this. First, you could have every day of the week be a certain type of meal (Meatless Mondays, Taco Tuesdays, etc.), then fill in your menu with different recipes for each day. This is best for people who dislike meal planning, or don't have much time to devote to it. Each week will have a similar theme.
You could also add a little variety by picking 7 different cuisines (Italian, Soups, Mexican, Pizza, etc.) and assigning a different meal to each day. Monday may be Italian one week and Salad and Sandwiches the next week. Tuesday may be Soup one week and Asian the following week. This is for those who like variety but don't have a ton of time to plan their menus.

IV. Plan A Menu Based On What Sounds Good
-This is probably the least cost effective menu planning method, but if you have picky eaters or are new to menu planning, this may be a decent option to help get you used to the process. Try a different method if you're looking to really save money.

V. Plan Based On Rotating Favorites
-For many busy families, this is a safe favorite. Pick 15 different meals you know your family likes, then rotate them every two weeks. If you don't like or have time to try new recipes, or have picky eaters, this may help alleviate some of the stress of menu planning. Added bonus...you can make a double batch of each meal and freeze one to use for the next time the meal comes around.

VI. Plan Based On Leftovers
-This is also one of the cheaper methods of menu planning, and it doesn't require too much cooking time during the week. Each week, pick a couple different proteins (let's just say for example, one big roast, and one whole chicken.) You'd plan three meals around the roast (enchiladas, french dip sandwiches, beef and vegetable soup), and three meals around the chicken (chicken pot pie, chicken stir fry, BBQ chicken pizza). One night you'd go meatless. This is a fun way to pinch pennies without feeling restricted that you can't afford to eat much meat.      

VII. Plan Based On Schedule
-This is another common planning method for busy families. Especially where both parents work outside the home and the kids are in sports and activities. This tactic relies on quick or slow cooker meals on days when you'll be home late, and uses time on the weekends to plan and prep for the week.

I'd love to hear YOUR planning style. Let me know in the comments!

Browse All My Family Favorite Recipes HERE 

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Frugal Ingredients I Always Have on Hand and Recipes

Inspired by an old post "10 Non-Perishables I Always Have In My Pantry", I decided to share the perishables I purchase almost every week in order to make frugal meals. These are my staples, and things I can use to whip up a meal at a moment's notice.

*Lettuce
-Make a quick salad for a side or main dish, or use in sandwiches.

*Eggs
-6 Meal Ideas for Eggs

*Potatoes
-Add to soups or stews to stretch your meat, have a baked potato bar using leftover veggies or chili from the week, make oven fries for a quick side, or twice baked potatoes.

*Milk
-Use in smoothies using leftover or frozen fruit, make breakfast for dinner with waffles or pancakes or simple french toast.

*Garlic and Onions
-This is my favorite frugal ingredient combination there is. Use as a starter for soups, or pasta sauces, or whip up a batch of slow cooker black beans or refried beans.

*Tortillas
-We go through a lot of tortillas, mostly because leftovers always seem to find their way into one. Quesadillas, burritos, soft tacos, enchiladas, lettuce wraps, and breakfast burritos are some of my family's favorite ways to use up these little round holders of culinary joy.

*Cheese
-You can use cheese in just about everything, and while it's not a cheap ingredient, per se, a little cheese makes a big difference in a frugal meal. Top chili, baked potatoes, or omelets with cheese, make homemade pizza using english muffins or homemade pizza dough

*Carrots and Celery
-Along with garlic and onions, carrots and celery make up the base of any combination of soups you can imagine including minestrone, meatball, and chicken noodle. 

What foods do you always have on hand? I'd love to hear your family favorites as well!!

Browse all my Family Favorite recipes here

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Saving Money...Eating Organic

With the official start of summer coming up later this week, many people are looking forward to eating lighter, healthier meals full of fresh produce that remind us of warm weather and summer nights.

One of the most popular healthy trends right now is eating organically. Organic foods are free of typical pesticides and genetically modified organisms, but are often significantly more expensive than their conventionally grown counterparts. Is it possible to eat organically without breaking the bank?

1. Prioritize
-Research foods that are most likely to contain pesticides or be genetically modified. Consider purchasing organic for the major offenders, while purchasing conventionally for other foods. For example, I rarely purchase organic bananas, because the peel protects the fruit itself from pesticides. Eating organically doesn't have to be all or nothing. Save in some areas, while splurging in others.

2. Consider Homegrown
-Even if you have a small yard (like us), you can still grow your own food. We grow strawberries in pots, and have dwarf citrus trees that require little space. Our dwarf tangerine tree is about 3 feet tall and a foot wide at the base, but yields around 100 tangerines a year!

-However, homegrown doesn't have to mean you grow something yourself. Research local organic farms and sign up for a CSA basket. You are at the mercy of what's in season, but you'll probably get a great selection of organic produce for much less than purchasing at the grocery store.

3. Stretch Meat
-As with conventionally grown items, you'll get more bang for your buck if you use meat as a side with produce as the star of the meal. Read my top 5 tips for stretching meat here. I have found the best deals in my area for organic chicken and ground beef at Costco, but if you have local farms, you could buy a side of beef and split with a friend or store in the freezer.

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My Favorite Things at Trader Joes: Refrigerated

Trader Joe's is one of my favorite stores to shop at. I do the bulk of my shopping here. For starters, they claim to not use foods that are GMO (genetically modified), plus they offer many high quality or novelty items at very reasonable prices.

I am often asked about my favorite items when shopping at Trader Joe's, so I thought it would be fun to compile my favorite (and possibly not so favorite) things at Trader Joe's. What are your favorite things to purchase here?

First up are my top 5 Refrigerated Items:

Trader Joe's Uncured Apple Smoked Bacon
Who doesn't like bacon? My late mother-in-law was allergic to it, but other than allergies, there are no excuses. TJs bacon is uncured (read: nitrate free), and cooks up crisp and flavorful. While it's not super thick, it's also not a paper thin pathetic excuse for bacon that some stores sell.
The only downside is that there are about 8 slices in a pack, which is enough for one meal. Stinker, my 4 year old, once commented about a meal I had prepared that "I can't eat this. It doesn't have bacon."
Better buy two packs :)  

Trader Joe's Jumbo Cinnamon Rolls

I buy these about once a month as a treat for breakfast, and we look forward to them all month! They're sweet but not overly so, with a perfect balance of cinnamon and sugar. Plus, the frosting is fabulous. I cook these a little longer than noted, just because I don't like undercooked, soggy dough, and the result is a firm exterior and soft, fluffy interior, dripping with just enough frosting to satisfy an early morning sweet tooth.

Trader Joe's Peeled Garlic

Okay, I don't normally buy produce at TJs, but these peeled garlic packets are ingenious. Each packet contains several cloves of peeled garlic, vacuum sealed for freshness. Brilliant!

Trader Joe's Mirepoix

Again, not normally a produce shopper at TJs, (it's shipped in, and not always as fresh as can be), but this combination of pre-cut carrots, onions, and celery make my life so much easier when I need to throw together a quick soup or stew. Cutting veggies takes me forever, so this pack of pre-cut veggies literally shaves 25 minutes off my prep time. If you can chop veggies like a whiz, skip this, but if you like convenience or need a quick prep meal, this is wonderful.

Trader Joe's Cilantro Salad Dressing

I struggle finding salad dressings I love, but this dressing is so versatile, I always have it on hand. Delicious on a salad sprinkled with tortilla strips, I also use it as a sauce for fish tacos, and it is the ultimate dipping sauce for these amazing Southwestern Egg Rolls.

Runners Up:

• Pizza Dough-The plain is great. I can't say the same for the whole wheat or herb. I'd still rather make my own dough, but in a pinch this is good.
• Cheese-Trader Joe's cheese is priced pretty well compared to the grocery store. They also have a wonderful selection.
• Biscuits and Croissants-These refrigerated gems taste just like, scratch that, better than Pillsbury without all the preservatives.
• Pre-Cut Veggies-These can be hit-or-miss. Pick them up if convenience is necessary.
• Deli Meat-I don't really buy meat at TJs, haven't had the best experiences, but the lunch meat is nitrate free and preservative free and actually pretty good quality. I like to buy pepperoni here for our homemade pizza.

Join us next time to see which Snack Foods made the list of my favorite things at Trader Joe's!

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When a Good Deal Isn't a Good Deal...

I have a confession to make:
I throw away way too much food. I'm ashamed to say, but sometimes I'll purchase food because it's a great deal and end up never using it. Past it's expiration date, I often end up chucking it.

I have another confession to make:
I just donated a bunch of unused "clearance" toys that were a great deal, but I never had anyone in mind to give them to. So they sat...and sat...until they were given away.

Last confession:
I have 14 tubes of toothpaste that will expire in the next few months...all picked up because they were on sale, yet will need to be given away because no human being brushes their teeth 34 times a day!

It's not a good deal if you never use it!

Here are some tips for getting the most of your money:

1. When buying food, have a plan for using it.
Try to work it into your weekly menu plan. If it is a pantry item that you're stocking up on, make sure it's versatile enough to use often. Here are my favorite pantry items with ideas for using them.

2. When buying a gift, have a recipient in mind.
I don't know very many 8-year olds. I haven't had to purchase anything for an 8-year old in years. So why did I spend $10 on a clearance toy that's geared for 8-12 year old boys? Because it was marked down 75%. Yep, said toy was recently donated. I didn't save 75%; I wasted $10. Having a recipient in mind will keep you from buying for the sake of buying.

3. Give Yourself Limits
You don't need 50 bottles of mouth wash. Five bottles bought on sale will last you just fine before the expiration date. We were cleaning out my husband's late-grandmother's kitchen cabinets several months ago. We found 6 unopened jars of almond and vanilla extracts that expired in the 1980s. We won't discuss what was in the freezer...

4. Know the Difference Between Stocking Up and Buying for the Sake of Buying
Stocking up is purchasing items you know you will use within a set time period. Buying for the sake of buying is picking something up you may not use, just because it's cheap. The latter option often costs you money, as the "good deals" turn into an unused heap of donated or trash items.I love stocking up on items we use...I've saved a great deal of money doing this! Unfortunately it is sometimes offset by purchasing items I don't need just because it's a good deal. 


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5 Ways to Stretch Meat and Save Money

Meat can be very expensive, so I like to stretch my meat for as many meals as possible. I routinely get 4+ servings from one pound of meat using the "5-S's of Stretching Meat"

1. Soup/Stew

2. Salad

3. Sandwich

4. Stir Fry

5. Shred


Soups and Stews are one of my favorite things to make. Not only can I use a little meat to make a lot of servings, but soups are also a great way to use small amounts of veggies leftover from the week. Try my Meatball Soup or Chili if you want to stretch your ground beef. Chicken soup is simple...requiring only carrots, onions, celery, chicken broth, some spices and a couple chicken breasts. Soups are wonderful freezer meals as well. I make large batches of soups and freeze them in one-meal increments for easy dinners or lunches.

Salads don't have to be greens, throw some leftover ham or chicken in a pasta salad along with some veggies and serve as a main course. But, my husband and I happen to love greens, and when we have leftover meat I'll top some lettuce with a few slices of meat and dressing and serve with crusty bread. Put a little chicken atop Caesar Salad or Strawberry Balsamic Salad. If you have a sweet tooth for salads, try Asian Chicken Salad. My husband's favorite salad is BBQ Chicken Ranch Salad, and you could swap in some leftover steak for the chicken. Salads with leftover meat from the evening before make for a wonderful lunch as well.

Sandwiches are another great way to stretch your budget. Cheesesteaks happen to be my favorite sandwich and require just a small amount of meat because it is so thinly sliced. My family can't get enough Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches, and Chicken Caesar Salad wraps are perfect for that little bit of leftover chicken.  

Stir Fries are so versatile. Sometimes I pick up some stir fry sauce at Trader Joes (General Tsao's is delicious with a little bit of a kick), and sometimes I make my own using soy sauce mixed with a little sugar and garlic. Small pieces of meat and veggies go a long way when served over rice or noodles!

Shredding meat is another way to ensure you get the most out of your meat. Shredded Chicken Tacos are simple and delicious. Shredded beef can be served with gravy over noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice.

By using the 5-S's of Stretching Meat, I spend significantly less on meat than if I were to serve a steak or chicken breast with every meal. And, I try to do at least one meatless meal a week to bring the meat consumption down even more. And, despite the lack of a large chunk of meat on each plate, all these meals are husband and kid approved in my house! 

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Freezer Cleanout Week

Every once in a while I put a hold on the grocery budget (except for purchasing fresh produce), and do a freezer and pantry cleanout week. I like to clean things out pretty frequently to ensure I don't lose anything (hello twice baked potatoes from 2009!), and free up space to stock up on more when I see great deals. This time I seemed to have a lot of Italian food in the freezer. Not complaining though! Here's our menu for the week:

Sunday:Minestrone Soup and Garlic Bread
-This is our favorite soup to make, freeze, and eat. I make a ton in the summer with fresh veggies so we have some on hand all winter long.

Monday: Pasta and Meat Sauce, Green Beans, Garlic Bread
-When I make meatballs I like to freeze them in increments of 6. Last time I had 2 meatballs leftover, so I chopped them up, added them to marinara, and made meat sauce. See my 10 ideas for leftover meatballs here.

Tuesday: Breakfast Burritos, Fruit Salad
-I have a pack of bacon and some eggs that expire soon...as well as some bell peppers from the garden that are starting to get soft. I scramble up some eggs, cook up the bacon, saute bell peppers, and stuff in a tortilla with cheese, salsa, and sour cream.

Wednesday: Baked Salmon, Quinoa Pilaf, Steamed Broccoli
-I purchase the big bags of frozen salmon from Costco, as well as their frozen veggies. (Organic veggies fresh frozen for a great price.) I'm due to use the last of the frozen salmon with this meal.

Thursday: Hawaiian Chicken, Grilled Pineapple, Herbed Rice, Green Beans
-Lots of chicken in the freezer...and using one of my favorite canned items: pineapple.

Friday: Stuffed Shells, Green Beans
-I told you there was a lot of Italian food in the freezer! Stuffed shells are kind of a pain to make, so I always make a huge batch so I won't have to make them again for a while.

Saturday: We usually eat out on Saturdays for a late lunch, so Saturday nights are typically leftovers, or something simple like fruit and sandwiches.

Browse all my Family Favorite Recipes Here

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