Wow...my first Blog post...well let me jump right in! In our household, we do some form of grocery shopping "EVERY DAY". OK OK...don't leave the site just yet :-) I know it's a little strange, but let me explain. We do monthly grocery shopping just like most households do. However, we usually only buy the basic essentials that need to be replenished (rice, potatoes, pasta, milk, cereal, fruit, etc). Why?? Well, because I am in love with the challenge of "shopping on a dime, and allowing a trip to the grocery store to provide inspiration for tonight's meal". So the essentials are at home, and I by myself, or with Timetha journey out EVERY DAY to the grocery store to be inspired, and to stay within our budget. We almost never have the kids with us at the grocery store. We use that as time to culinarily connect ( I know that's not a word ) :-) We talk about flavor profiles, pairings, trying new veggies, new ingredients, etc. (sounds like a form of QT to me) The fun for me is "looking for deals/sales"! I could have a few hundred dollars in my pocket, but I still look for deals/sales. Call it what you want, but it's me :-) (I also believe its being a "good steward" over our finances) Some may call it or me "cheap", but I beg to differ :-) My quest almost always starts in the meat dept, because I have grown accustom to building the meal around whatever meat I choose. Example: Family Pack of Italian Sausage links (15 links) on sale for $8.57...regular price $13.97 ...a savings of $5.40...now watch how I used the savings. (true story) So based on the meat choice, we had a few different meal choices...Sausage and Peppers Marinara, Sausage and Peppers on Hogie buns with hand cut fries or chips, stuffed Peppers, and the list goes on...well I chose Sausage and Peppers Marinara. So I went to the veggie dept, and picked up 1 large green pepper $1, 1 large red pepper $1, 1 large sweet onion $1.59. Then off to the pasta isle...1 box of Fettuccine $1(store brand). (the other essentials for this meal were already at home...fresh garlic, fresh parmigiana cheese, and fresh basil for garnish) So out of the $5.40 savings, I have spent $4.59...so I have $.81 left. So I decide that a nice fresh loaf of Italian Bread will top off this meal....the cost was $1.99. Total meal cost $15.15 (Family of 5) ...YES SIR YES SIR!!! Just in case you were wondering, ....how did he account for the cost of making the Home Made Marinara Sauce? Well, we make the "liquid red gold" in large batches, so there are always a few freezer bags stored in the freezer. Wanna know how to make the Home Made Marinara Sauce?? Click on the "Its Time to Eat" page, and ENJOY! Thank you guys for listening, and for your support. God Bless and Don't forget..."cook with LOVE, and bring a smile to someone's face"! | |