When BLANK is high, what do you buy ?

[shoiji]

Int'l mom, I have made creamed chicken and then baked biscuits separately. Then I just put the two together. If the creamed veggies are already heated I don't see why you can't just pot the biscuit mixture on top and bake.

About two years ago I had to change my diet since I realized I was allergic to nightshades. This basically meant that processed foods were out of the picture and I had to make most of what I eat. I basically buy produce when it is in season. Bananas, celery, and carrots are the only produce that I purchase year round. During the winter frozen veggies and canned fruit and veggies make up most of my shopping. And only when on sale, so I stock up as much as possible. Meat is mostly purchased when on managers special or a really good sale. I have stopped buying mangos and avocados because of the expense. If they go on sale and seem "cheap" then I will splurge.

So I have started using more beans, rice, and oatmeal in my diet. Just made a really good garbanzo bean salad with lemon juice, olive oil, dash of corriander powder, salt, pepper, sliced green onion, and two cans of garbanzo beans. Turned out really good. You can add more veggies such as tomato and peppers.

[shortstack]

Use this one instead. I use it for my pot pies. I make a double batch and put half on the bottom and the other half on top (for the top part you will have to pat it out flat with your hands and lay it on top) :


Easy Pie Crust
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place all ingredients in 9 inch pie pan. Stir together with fork. Pat mixture into bottom and up the sides of the pan. Poke holes in bottom and side of crust.
Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light brown. Use as directed in favorite pie recipe.

do you think I could drop these biscuts on top of a veg pot pie instead of a crust???

[frugalwarrior2]

When other fruit is high we eat bananas

When pop is high we drink water

when cartons of juice are not on sale I buy frozen concentrate and add extra water

When dog treats are high,dogs get stale bread
When bread is high I stockpile @ the bread outlet store

We stockpile/coupon so nothing is usually missing.
I am big on alternate sources.
Kroger went to Boars head meat over their own. $10 plus a #.
So we went w/o until I found GFS Brickman sliced meats $9.99/2# I stockpile and freeze w/ $5/$50. coupon. (yesterday actually).

[MsMarieH]

Make your own syrup! It's super easy. Combine equal parts brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes til thickened. I often add some spices as well (cinnamon stick, allspice, etc.).

Use over pancakes, waffles, french toast, etc.

You can add 1/4 tsp of maple extract if you wish, but it's delicious without it. Extra can be stored in the fridge for a week or so (if not slightly longer).

Also delicious simmered with apple peels (yes, peels!) to add an apple flavor to the syrup.

[Ramona]

I'll substitute different kinds of greens and veggies but when meat is high, I don't buy, with the exception of hamburg. Then I buy the most inexpensive and put it into a Cheeseburger Pie or tacos.

I do regularly shop the Manager's discounted meat and veggies and plan my meals around them.

When our favorite Italian sausage is not on sale, they can keep it

[frugalfranny]

I guess, lucky for me and my full freezer, that I haven't had to change 'that much'.......but am always watching at what is going up.

I will eat 'just bananas' for fresh fruit if it gets too high. But usually just before something 'comes on in the fresh market' they will put the frozen stuff on sale.........I watch for those.

I was lucky enough and stocked up on meat last fall......so that should hold me for awhile. I don't eat a lot of it anyway.

I will sub. another fruit in any fruit salad......and any meat in a meat dish. I am always experimenting and using what I have.

[laura-n-sasha]

Use turmeric (super cheap) in place of saffron (crazy expensive) in most recipes.

- and turmeric is good for you too! I think it helps mostly for women but also used as a brain food too.

I will have to try out extracts. DH uses hot chocolate for his coffee, and if he used a peppermint or chocolate extract, that might be a better way to go. But he still wants some sugar in the coffee. I might have to revisit this idea when I get to a store.

We have pretty much stopped eating meat. We occasionally go for deli meats like turkey or ham but they are used only at lunchtime, not dinner. We store pepperoni and other dried meats and have some canned meats like tuna and chicken, which we use for the taste only. Sort of like a condiment.

We still splurge on the fruits and veggies, but I am always looking for apples and oranges that are less than $1 a lb. If those fruits are more than that, then we don't get them. We hadn't had grapes in SO long (because of that reasoning) that I almost forgot how good they are when frozen. We used to eat them all the time. Avocado and mangos are usually not bought, except when they are on sale.

[peanut]

I've used a baking powder replacement. Majic baking powder is now almost $4 for the small can!

I've also learned to make bagels instead of buy them. I prefer to bake my own bread, but have been short time to do so lately. I told DH we need to go to the Bakery Thrift Store for bread. I can get 10 loaves at .99 each!

I've been doing a lot more substituting than I used to. And some creative recipe concoctions. Last night we had a cross between hamburger alfredo and beef stroganoff. I used up leftover stuff in the fridge and added the remains of an alfredo mix I'd made up earlier this spring. Served over noodles a friend gave us.

I make a lot of mixes for things - cajun seasoning, seasoning salt, italian seasoning, pumpkin pie spice, etc. Plus the alfredo mix and others.

I've also been buying the 'limit of 2' or whatever sales. So I have a bit of food ahead. I'm dating everything as it comes in. The one thing I didn't buy was the 'limit of 4' on cheese. I find the texture of frozen cheese unpleasant, and we'd have to freeze some to use it all before it went bad.

We've also decided to eat more vegetarian meals. This weekend it's Mint and Pea Flan.

Instead of shopping according to a menu plan/grocery list, I now go through the kitchen looking for things we're out of that we normally use, and then at the grocery store I look for things on sale. I cruise the produce aisle looking for vegetables under $1.00/lb. That's netted some interesting veggies. Right now it's rutabaga, beets, broccoli and kale. Could be some interesting meals! I'm thinking stew, borscht, and some side dishes with broccoli, and cabbage and kale.

Other than groceries...

I just shelled out $230CDN for a Back-to-Life machine. It's supposed to help my back. It replaces physio and massage therapy. To go back to physio was going to cost me $70 for the initial assessment and $36 for every visit thereafter. And I'd be booked in for 10 visits. That's over $400. This machine comes recommended by my contractor who used it to fix his back, and he had exactly the same problem I have. So I figure it's worth a try. I've even tried acupuncture before...for $700 per month!!! Won't do that again!

Other things? I'm trying to use up what's in the house. I'm a crafter and I have lots of supplies laying around. I am spinning up some fibre for a friend. And knitting leftover yarn from other projects. And sewing fabric I've had for years.

I am also using the library more - both the public library and the church library.

Plus I'm utilizing the Internet more for news and entertainment (podcasts, fav TV shows, etc.). I'm a little slow getting into this. I've been watching my kids and DH do it for years. But I'm just discovering it.