Stretching It Out

One of the important aspects of saving money is cooking something that can be made into multiple meals. The classic answer? A whole chicken. You roast it, eat that...use leftover meats for a pot pie or sandwiches and then the carcass goes into a pot for soup.

But this is difficult, or more so, when you live alone, like I do. Or, if you feel like you don't have the time to roast an entire chicken (doesn't take that long, if you do it fast--an hour or so).

My local store has a 5 for $19.99 value--packs of meat in about double serving portions sold or $4 each. It's a great deal, and I partake about once every couple of months. I usually stock up on steak and chicken breast.

When I use these meats I generally apply the chicken roast theory to them. This last time I did this:

Sauteed garlic in oil and then sliced up the chicken breast and browned then in the garlic oil. ($4.10, including oil/garlic)

Removed from pan.

Added 1/2 slice of red pepper ($0.40) and sauteed until just starting tender. Removed from pan and placed with chicken (in an oven safe pan in the oven on warm).

Chopped up 1/2 of a bunch of kale ($0.25) and sauteed quickly until just tender.

Placed chicken, peppers and kale all in same pan and tossed together, then seasoned with salt and pepper ($0.05--if that much, but we'll just add that in for fun).

Total? $5.05

Over rice, this could serve two, if not four, fairly well. But I eat alone, mostly.

So the first night I added about $0.50 worth of additions--four corn tortillas ($0.32), a dollop of plain yogurt, splashes of hot sauce, cumin, dash of chili powder, and chopped up fresh cilantro.

For lunch I cooked some brown rice ($0.25) and added bean sprouts ($0.25) and another $0.50 or so of condiments--hot sauce, splash of fish sauce, fresh ginger.

That evening I cooked up some whole wheat pasta ($0.25) and the remainder of the kale with more garlic ($0.25) and a splash more olive oil ($0.10).

And I had another round of tacos the next day: $0.50.

So the grand total: $7.65 for four meals. Four very hearty meals, averaging $1.91 per meal--and that's a guess on my calculations, for the most part.

Much easier to go by my weekly grocery store bill; of which, today is a shopping day.

The point to this, though, is it's smart to make a 'base', especially out of protein. We eat, generally, more than we need to when it comes to protein. Most people would look at my small $4 portion of protein and think that's what they need, personally, for their one meal. Perhaps, if you're an extreme athlete. For the rest of us? Nope. And when combined with whole grains and certain vegetables, we're getting more protein from those sources.

Next time? Budget Gourmet; Sharing a work recipe.

The First Blog

Like most people, I’m on a budget. I also happen to be a chef—but as anyone who has worked in the food industry knows that doesn’t mean big paychecks, your own TV show, or lots of great food that you get to stock in your own fridge.

Working in the food industry is very exciting and fun, and allows for some creative cooking. My speciality? Cooking on the cheap—both at work and at home.

I’ve always been frugal, but with recent times I’ve had to scale it back more than a couple of notches. So I’m starting a blog to track my progress. My goal? $2 a day for my food—of course there will be times when I eat out and pay more, or treat myself to something—but my overall goal will remain the same.

On this blog I’ll share some of my ‘eating cheap’ tips, as well as recipes that I particularly enjoy. Every time I go shopping I’ll share my purchases and costs. 

To date? I spent about $30 for food on Wednesday the 29th, and ten days later i still have food left! 

One thing to consider is that I do have a fairly well stocked pantry of spices—but I even have tips on where to purchase those. In fact, I’ll share some of my favorite tips—this may seem self-explanatory, however, i’m always surprised how many people forget these tips or don’t follow them, period.

Here are my top ten tips:

1. Buy bulk. This either means going to a big box store like Costco to buy items in bulk or finding a store with bulk bins. 
2. Alternative grocery stores. I love shopping at Asian markets, Euro Markets (generally eastern European/Russian), Mexican stores (popular in my area) and health food stores. Most of these stores are selling their items to a very specific clientele. How this translates to savings is that they’re usually priced cheaper because their selection is less (in some cases, not all) and they sell through certain items much quicker than their traditional grocery store counter-parts, meaning things are fresher in addition to being cheaper. 
3. Find outlets. There are two different bakery outlets within two blocks of each other in Kennewick, Washington. And what is this, you may ask? Some companies (in this case Oroweat and Franz) open up ‘outlet’ stores to sell bread that is over-stocked, not up to standard (didn’t meet their QA requirements), or just to promote their brand, in general. I frequent the Oroweat store, where loaves of whole grain breads are $1 or under, AND i get a punch card, where I receive free bread with every $11. The Grocery Outlets in the Northwest work on a similar scheme, and I’m sure there are other kinds of food outlets wherever you may live.
4. Go to fruit stands and butchers. We tend to think that grocery stores have the best values, but it’s not true. What they have is convenience—fruit stands (or farmer’s markets) usually have way better prices, or if similar, way better product. Local butchers can sometimes sell meat that they butcher, and is generally a lot cheaper and of better quality than a grocery store—or they can hook you up with buying into a ‘meat pool’—sharing slaughtered animals with other people which brings your meat cost down significantly. If you live near water (i do not), the same applies to finding fishermen and clam/oyster diggers/farms to buy direct from. 
5. Forage. This sometimes means your own backyard, or roadsides—but it can also mean asking farmers to glean (comb a field or orchard after harvest for left-overs). Going mushroom hunting or huckleberry picking during certain times of year is not only rewarding and interesting, but a fun activity. And, sometimes, the act of ‘foraging’ should be taken just when trying to cook a meal—be creative when you look in your fridge and cabinets; cook with what you already have.
6. Pay attention to gas and time. I’ve got my shopping habits down pat. I know exactly what i’m going to buy at the Asian store, euro market and health food store…none of which is near where i live—a 30 mile drive at best. I live in rural America with only one local grocery store. So i plan my shopping very carefully and figure in gas and time to make sure that my 30 mile drive will be worth it. This can apply to city-folk who may find themselves sitting in rush hour traffic or not living near their local asian market…sometimes the corner market is the better ‘value’.
7. Make lists. I can’t stress how important this is and surprised at how many people don’t do it. Keeping an on-going list of supplies needed, staples, is a good way to narrow your shopping. If you can think ahead for your weekly grocery store trip (or biweekly), and write it in a list, you’re more likely to stay on track while shopping. 
8. Keep your eyes open for a bargain. So you’ve made your list—don’t keep your head down and ignore everything, Look at the front of the store when you enter. A lot of grocery stores advertise their sales within the first couple of feet. Scan for items of interest. Check the bargain bins. If it’s a fancier store with actual staff in various sections (cheese, meats, wine, produce) ask THEM if there are any great deals. 
9. Buy what you’ll use. Avoid buying things because “it was such a great deal I just couldn’t pass it up!” If it’s a great deal and something you love—score! Buy it, buy all of it! But if it’s something you wouldn’t normally eat, or not really sure about, but seems like a good idea—pass. I’ve found myself in lots of people’s kitchens with old spices, weird mixes, and other items going to waste. Buy it. Use it. And on the flip side of that—don’t feel guilty spending more money on certain products like coffee beans or olive oil if you’ll use it. 
10. Whole foods. Not the store (although not against that, either—some great values there, sometimes), but the concept. Eat whole grains. Eat fresh vegetables. Avoid processed foods. Sadly, processed foods are very affordable. But there are multiple problems with them—mostly we tend to eat more processed foods (ingesting more calories than we need, yet still not being ‘nourished’). making the ‘value’ go away if we eat multiple servings. Also, whole grain foods fill you up—whole wheat pasta can be a tad more pricey than non whole grain, but you’ll find yourself eating less, therefore you’re saving in the long run. Not to mention it’s better for you. Backing up to no 9 again, buy things you like. Good olive oil, for example, is really tasty—I use less of the good stuff than the cheap stuff, which usually has no taste, so i add more to dishes to get the olive oil flavor i’m looking for. Good quality things bridge the money gap—they’re often worth it.

So thems there the basics, for now. As I typed that out i realized my tips could go to 20 or beyond, but these are really the items that i practice all the time and encourage others to do the same. 

Next time? Stretching a meal.