Just curious what tips the rest of you might have? I've been getting a fair
number of emails direct (names NOT to be mentioned here but there are about
15) asking for information but afraid to post because some here get really
rude about this one.

My own way: Mostly fresh foods, few packaged pre-processed items. Crockpot
(low cost to run) and chest freezer (efficient model, lets me get bulk loads
and store flour in an area where bugs are a big problem).

Lets let the lurkers lurk quietly while we see what others use?

cshenk wrote:
> Just curious what tips the rest of you might have? I've been getting a fair
> number of emails direct (names NOT to be mentioned here but there are about
> 15) asking for information but afraid to post because some here get really
> rude about this one.
>
> My own way: Mostly fresh foods, few packaged pre-processed items. Crockpot
> (low cost to run) and chest freezer (efficient model, lets me get bulk loads
> and store flour in an area where bugs are a big problem).
>
> Lets let the lurkers lurk quietly while we see what others use?
>
>

Here's something I posted a while back on a now-defunct blog of mine:

Someone on one of my vegan listservs was asking about how we save
money on food. She gave me permission to repost her questions and my
answers here, so here they are. Reading it over, it sounds a little
preachy; I plead indulgence because it was midnight and I was
feeling tired and rambly:

>
>I mean, I could probably make a week's worth of chili for $3. But I
>don't want to eat chili for a week.

We eat very cheaply, and part of the reason is that almost all our
meals are made with dirt-cheap protein sources: beans, tofu, TVP,
and seitan. (I don't need to watch my protein intake, but James does;
he's diabetic.) I can feed all three of us for a few dollars, and
could do it on less if I avoided some of the more expensive fresh
veggies and stuff, but thankfully, we're able to get by. We don't
make very much money, but then again, we don't have kids or a car
payment or any debt to speak of, so our money already goes farther
than it would otherwise.

>How does everyone else get by? Any tricks?

1) We go once every week or two to the Grocery Outlet for things
that are much cheaper than we can get in the store. Our favorite
bread is $3+ in the regular grocery store and $1.49 in the Grocery
Outlet, [Note: since this post, I've started making my own bread,
for around a dollar a loaf, sometimes less] so we get half a dozen
loaves and freeze them. Also, I get a
big bag (eleven servings) of O'Brien potatoes there for $.99. Stuff
like that. The prices are worth the extra trip from time to time.

2) We make almost all our own meals. We nearly never eat out. We
like the food we cook, and we're fairly easy to please, so eating out
is saved for special occasions or for when we're away from home and
aren't likely to be home before it's time to eat again.

3) We shop for fresh produce every day or two (we walk a few miles a
day, and one of our walks is a mile each way to the wonderful
natural grocery near us). That way, nothing ever goes bad. It's
*extremely* rare that we throw food out.

4) In the same vein, we rarely cook enough to have leftovers. In
our house, unless it's something we adore, leftovers are likely to
sit in the fridge until they get tossed, so we've learned to make
just enough for a meal in most cases. (I will freeze extra portions
of sauces or beans, but only if they're favorites and they freeze
really well.)

5) We snack on popcorn (cooked in the kettle, not the microwave, for
much cheaper) and fruit most of the time, rather than expensive
packaged snacks. (If we want the expensive packaged snacks, we go
for it, but that's another thing we tend to pick up at the Grocery
Outlet.)

6) We pay attention to how much stuff costs. If I make my own
spaghetti sauce, it costs me a couple of dollars a quart. If I see
decent spaghetti sauce pre-made at the Grocery Outlet for $1.49, I
pick some up.

7) Sometimes I buy packaged soy/ricemilk, but I try to make my own
rice or nut milk because the price and freshness are much better. (1
cup of nuts or cooked rice, 4 cups of water, blend, strain.)

Stuff like that. I may think of other things.

Sereme

cshenk wrote:
>
> Just curious what tips the rest of you might have? I've been getting a fair
> number of emails direct (names NOT to be mentioned here but there are about
> 15) asking for information but afraid to post because some here get really
> rude about this one.
>
> My own way: Mostly fresh foods, few packaged pre-processed items. Crockpot
> (low cost to run) and chest freezer (efficient model, lets me get bulk loads
> and store flour in an area where bugs are a big problem).
>
> Lets let the lurkers lurk quietly while we see what others use?

One trick I've learned, it's a good idea to shop mid-morning,
particularly for meats. It's really nice to find heavily marked-down
meats because the 'sell by' date is imminent. The prices are usually
30-percent less than typical, although I'm sure that's quite variable.
But, the trick is to have perfect timing to buy those marked-down items
before the "mass crowds" find them first.

Sky

--
Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice

"Serene Sprat" wrote
> cshenk wrote:
>> Just curious what tips the rest of you might have? I've been getting a
>> fair

> Here's something I posted a while back on a now-defunct blog of mine:
>
> Someone on one of my vegan listservs was asking about how we save money on
> food. She gave me permission to repost her questions and my answers here,
> so here they are. Reading it over, it sounds a little preachy; I plead
> indulgence because it was midnight and I was feeling tired and rambly:

Hehehe it's ok!

> >I mean, I could probably make a week's worth of chili for $3. But I
> >don't want to eat chili for a week.

Nor would I! I freeze what makes sense for us to have extra of, but I have
that huge chest freezer so I can do that. Many people dont have space for
one (apartment dwellers etc).

> We eat very cheaply, and part of the reason is that almost all our
> meals are made with dirt-cheap protein sources: beans, tofu, TVP,
> and seitan. (I don't need to watch my protein intake, but James does;
> he's diabetic.) I can feed all three of us for a few dollars, and

We dont eat as much meat as most USA folks, after a 6.5 year tour in Japan
but I've never used seitan or TVP. Beans and tofu yes, and a local asian
grocery has tofu at 3-4 blocks a dollar.

> could do it on less if I avoided some of the more expensive fresh
> veggies and stuff, but thankfully, we're able to get by. We don't
> make very much money, but then again, we don't have kids or a car
> payment or any debt to speak of, so our money already goes farther
> than it would otherwise.

Being debt free is a wonderful feeling isnt it! I too am.

> >How does everyone else get by? Any tricks?
>
> 1) We go once every week or two to the Grocery Outlet for things
> that are much cheaper than we can get in the store. Our favorite
> bread is $3+ in the regular grocery store and $1.49 in the Grocery
> Outlet, [Note: since this post, I've started making my own bread, for
> around a dollar a loaf, sometimes less] so we get half a dozen loaves and
> freeze them. Also, I get a
> big bag (eleven servings) of O'Brien potatoes there for $.99. Stuff
> like that. The prices are worth the extra trip from time to time.

Asian grocery and BJ's for me. Both beat the commisary (military food
store) by a wide margin on most things and the quality is the same or
better. I am not spending 1$ a loaf to make bread, but perhaps you have a
larger loaf. I make the 2lb breadmaker ones for about 50cents.

> 2) We make almost all our own meals. We nearly never eat out. We
> like the food we cook, and we're fairly easy to please, so eating out
> is saved for special occasions or for when we're away from home and
> aren't likely to be home before it's time to eat again.

Same, we dont *want* to eat out all that often but we do indulge about once
a month in some sort of take out chinese or a pizza.

> 3) We shop for fresh produce every day or two (we walk a few miles a
> day, and one of our walks is a mile each way to the wonderful natural
> grocery near us). That way, nothing ever goes bad. It's *extremely* rare
> that we throw food out.

Was same in Sasebo when we lived out in the town (called living in the cho).
Tonoo market was on the way home so I'd stop with my bicycle and it's basket
and see what was there for dinner, as I was riding home.

> 4) In the same vein, we rarely cook enough to have leftovers. In
> our house, unless it's something we adore, leftovers are likely to
> sit in the fridge until they get tossed, so we've learned to make
> just enough for a meal in most cases. (I will freeze extra portions
> of sauces or beans, but only if they're favorites and they freeze
> really well.)

Now with my chest freezer, we happen to diverge here but thats ok! It's a
definate good idea for others who do _not_ have a way to store it long term.

> 5) We snack on popcorn (cooked in the kettle, not the microwave, for
> much cheaper) and fruit most of the time, rather than expensive
> packaged snacks. (If we want the expensive packaged snacks, we go
> for it, but that's another thing we tend to pick up at the Grocery
> Outlet.)

Fruit mostly for us. It's actually more costly but I dont care. We like
it.

> 6) We pay attention to how much stuff costs. If I make my own
> spaghetti sauce, it costs me a couple of dollars a quart. If I see
> decent spaghetti sauce pre-made at the Grocery Outlet for $1.49, I
> pick some up.

Same here.

> 7) Sometimes I buy packaged soy/ricemilk, but I try to make my own
> rice or nut milk because the price and freshness are much better. (1
> cup of nuts or cooked rice, 4 cups of water, blend, strain.)

Hum! That would equate to me and making my own chicken and fish stock
probably.

> Stuff like that. I may think of other things.

Same here.

"Sky" < wrote
>
> One trick I've learned, it's a good idea to shop mid-morning,
> particularly for meats. It's really nice to find heavily marked-down
> meats because the 'sell by' date is imminent. The prices are usually
> 30-percent less than typical, although I'm sure that's quite variable.
> But, the trick is to have perfect timing to buy those marked-down items
> before the "mass crowds" find them first.

Thats why it's all gone by the time I get there! You snagged it! Grrrr
;-)

"cshenk" > wrote in
:

> Just curious what tips the rest of you might have? I've been getting
> a fair number of emails direct (names NOT to be mentioned here but
> there are about 15) asking for information but afraid to post because
> some here get really rude about this one.
>
> My own way: Mostly fresh foods, few packaged pre-processed items.
> Crockpot (low cost to run) and chest freezer (efficient model, lets me
> get bulk loads and store flour in an area where bugs are a big
> problem).
>
> Lets let the lurkers lurk quietly while we see what others use?
>
>

"cshenk" > wrote in
:

> Just curious what tips the rest of you might have? I've been getting
> a fair number of emails direct (names NOT to be mentioned here but
> there are about 15) asking for information but afraid to post because
> some here get really rude about this one.
>
> My own way: Mostly fresh foods, few packaged pre-processed items.
> Crockpot (low cost to run) and chest freezer (efficient model, lets me
> get bulk loads and store flour in an area where bugs are a big
> problem).
>
> Lets let the lurkers lurk quietly while we see what others use?
>

Depends on what one considers "eating well" which would probably vary
wildly by individual.

For me (married no kids) we buy a lot in bulk. The people at Costco know
us well. I like Costco because while the prices are not always "cheap"
you can find high quality food for a better price than most supermarkets
or specialty stores. Some of their pastas, olive oils, spices, cheeses,
and meats, are really good deals considering the high quality of the
food.

We buy quite a bit there in bulk. Everything from meats to cereal. We
can't normally eat their bread (most require you to buy 2 loaves) quickly
enough before it goes stale, but often we can split that with my parents
or sister. We have a small chest freezer so storage of bulk chicken
breasts, ground beef/turkey, etc., is no problem.

While some may argue that they aren't cheap and may no save you that much
money I find our FoodSaver vacuum sealer to be indispensable. We've found
that we can really keep things like cheese and sliced meats much longer
in the fridge when sealed. Again we buy the rolls of sealer bags in bulk
from Costco at a pretty decent price; maybe close to the cost of ziploc
bags.

I was shocked at how well the smoked salmon did when sealed and frozen.
You'd be hard pressed to know it was. We also use it on veggies. If we
buy bulk things like brussel sprouts, green beans, and asparagus we
usually blanch them, move them to ice bath, and them seal them with
salt/pepper or spices and butter. Sometimes a little bacon/ham in with
the green beans/brussel sprouts. These can then be pooped in the
microwave for a couple minutes for a quick and tasty vegetable side dish.

Not quite as good as fresh but pretty darn close. That yields 2 bonuses.
One: we make use of buying bulk veggies, and two: we have quick healthy
foods for weeknights where we don't have time to cook.

I'd consider our diet “healthy” given that we incorporate a lots of fresh
or minimally processed foods. Dry beans are about as cheap and healthy as
you can get. Once you master the pressure cooker you can even turn them
out in short time. We do this a lot on weekends where we cook a lot of
food for the coming week.

Aside from the vacuum sealer we tend to use more Tupperware or reusable
containers rather than using rolls of foil, plastic wrap, or ziploc bags.
Over time I'm sure those things add up and we're not creating as much
waste. I'm not an diehard environmentalist but I do try and consider
that everything I pitch in the trash is not just magically disappearing.
It's going somewhere and the less I send there the better.


Whew. Long post and I'm sure more thoughts will surface while this thread
grows. I think most of what we do is pretty common sense and I"m sure
others have some pretty neat ideas. We don't really focus too much on it
but for us I'd asy *buying bulk* is the primary way we save on food
costs.

"Janet Baraclough" wrote

>> > Just curious what tips the rest of you might have?
>
> Advertisers (and supermarket layouts) work on "excess purchase"..they
> persuade us to buy more than we will use. They use tactics such as "buy
> one, get one free", impulse purchase, and playing on social guilt/
> competition. It's so successful that the average western family throws
> away, uneaten, a quarter of the food it buys. If you can stop yourself
> doing that, you instantly , painlessly save a quarter of your food bills
> without eating less.

Excellent point! Yes, I sometimes fall prey to this as well but not too
often. Most likely spot for me to do that is in the frozen (or freezable)
items. As I've mentioned, I have an energy star good modern extra chest
freezer. Every now and again I note an overstock on some item (I normally
wont freeze more than 2 months and all is double wrapped to keep it 'fresh')
so I'll make up a big batch of 'whatever it is' then portion that over into
individual servings in microwavable containers labeled with a wax pencil
with date and contents.

Due to working odd shifts, I need to bring 2 meals to work (12 hour shifts)
and have access only to a microwave. Sample of this: Monday 5pm-5am
shift, (meal 1) -1/2 cup black eyed peas with ham, 1 cup leftover rice (best
fresh but this works well enough) which was topped after separate heating
with the black eyed peas and ham, slice of bannana bread. (Meal 2)- Adobo
chicken (2 small thighs), 1/2 c carrot soup, and (non-freezer) small green
salad.

> Portion control and proper fridge rotation are probably the biggest
> savers people could make in their domestic kitchen. Work out what

Absolutely. If I have leftovers, they are *planned* leftovers. I normally
will make enough of a meal to have 1 extra serving which then gets rotated
to work. If someone is extra hungry and I don't have a leftover, no harm
done. People however who do *not* have my need for 8 meals at work a week,
won't find leftovers very useful.

> dry-weight of rice, meat etc, your family considers a serving, and cook
> that weight. Don't buy more fresh milk, veg or fruit than you will use
> before it goes off. Aim, never to serve more food on the diner's plate
> than will be eaten by that person at that meal. Plan how to use any
> pan-leftovers in another meal. Don't let food rot at the back of the
> fridge out of sight.

Hahaha! I've done that too at times, but not 'too often'.

It's one of the reasons why I dont get much fresh produce at BJ's. It's
packaged too big for our needs most of the time. Like, it's better to pay
1$ an apple (or whatever the rate is at the time) and get 4, than spend 8$
on a bag of 12 and have 8 of them develop soft spots and get tossed out.

I will get bigger bags of green bell peppers though as I like to have dried
ones handy all the time and they are expensive to buy but relatively cheap
to make in my dehydrator. Although you can freeze green peppers (chop
first) for later use in stews, soups, and cassaroles, it's not as optimal
for the dishes I make as dried ones. I'll usually dry some onions too as in
a few recipes, they taste better with dried than fresh. The other racks of
the dehydrator are often making some sort of dried fruit chips (those extra
apples would go here in my house) and the bottom most layers probably have
some beef jerky. Don loves beef jerky but the commercial stuff is way off
the scale for his sodium allowances, so we do our own with our own mixes of
spices.

I wont say a home dehydrator is much of a money saver because it's cost to
run is fairly high, but we think it acceptable since it's the only way to
get beef jerky Don can eat. The rest then becomes 'bonus'. It gets used
about every 6 weeks for 2lbs (weigh before drying) of meat and the upper
racks then for whatever I find I'm low on and want, or have extra of and can
preserve that way.

"Chile Fiend" wrote

Excellent notes!

> Depends on what one considers "eating well" which would probably vary
> wildly by individual.

Hehe well we have at least one person in the newsgroup who won't believe
anyone can eat for less than 400$ a person a month and eat healthy. Grin,
I'm a little mystified at that one but he also lives in a rural area with
higher prices so thats a portion of it.

> For me (married no kids) we buy a lot in bulk. The people at Costco know
> us well. I like Costco because while the prices are not always "cheap"
> you can find high quality food for a better price than most supermarkets
> or specialty stores. Some of their pastas, olive oils, spices, cheeses,
> and meats, are really good deals considering the high quality of the
> food.

Same here, though our local one is called 'BJ's' and we also have now a Sams
club. Same thing though. Not everything is cheaper than my commisary (I'm
Navy) but quite a bit of it is. It's also 2 miles from my house (Commisary
is a 40 mile round trip unless I can catch it on the way home which would
only be after the 5am to 5pm shift).

> We buy quite a bit there in bulk. Everything from meats to cereal. We
> can't normally eat their bread (most require you to buy 2 loaves) quickly
> enough before it goes stale, but often we can split that with my parents
> or sister. We have a small chest freezer so storage of bulk chicken
> breasts, ground beef/turkey, etc., is no problem.

Good! I skip the cereals because the only one who eats them is our 14YO and
they go stale before she can eat that size of box. Besides, she seldom
wants that much of the same brand (likes to swap off types). Hence for _us_
that one doesnt work. I make most of our bread, so the big bags of white
flour work well for us. We go elsewhere for smaller sized ones of wheat as
we dont use that as much. They did have a nice 10lb bag of rye though 4
weeks ago and we like rye. They also had larger sized (and much cheaper)
bread spices so I restocked the comino (cumin seed) and caraway.

On the freezer, yes. You might want to check energy ratings if yours is
more than 5 years old. They've gotten really good at making those more
'energy star' efficient in recent years. A 15 year old 10cf might cost as
much as 300$ a year to run in a high priced electrical area (25$ a month)
and it's hard to make much savings with those. However the newer ones of
the same size run as low as 90$ a year (7.5$ a month) in the same higher
electrical priced areas. My own unit, is 48$ a year per the KWH energy star
ratings and my prices <sweet>. An older unit can be replaced for about the
amount of electrical savings in 1 year's use. Catch point though, a really
OLD unit may be far more engery efficient than you would think. See, they
used to insulate them better and they've gone back to that. The old one I
donated to the church (was just too big for us and we had a second brand new
one bought when we lived in Japan) has been checked. It's running at 7$ a
month and is a *monster big* unit, commercial grade and predates the cheaper
insulation of later models.

> While some may argue that they aren't cheap and may no save you that much
> money I find our FoodSaver vacuum sealer to be indispensable. We've found
> that we can really keep things like cheese and sliced meats much longer
> in the fridge when sealed. Again we buy the rolls of sealer bags in bulk
> from Costco at a pretty decent price; maybe close to the cost of ziploc
> bags.

Hey, works for you! I know many use them. I avoid them for 2 reasons. 1-
I cant reuse the plastic and I'm sorta 'Japan trained' now to reduce my
plastic use and be able to reuse what plastics I do get when possible. 2- I
like to be able to open the thing and pull out a portion of the contents
then reseal.

You do not however have to double-bag with your type. Me, if it's a meat
already wrapped and of the right portion to freeze as is, I use one more
'ziplock' (or even a plastic grocery bag or so if it's not going to be
frozen more than a week) over the top. When I pull it out from the freezer,
the top layer bag goes in a little bin inside the freezer and will be
reused. When I repackage meats, those get used first from the bin. Inner
bags get tossed out if they had anything other than just fresh veggies.
Each bag gets used twice normally and some may get used 5-6 times before
hitting 'inner bag on a meat' so tossed.

> I was shocked at how well the smoked salmon did when sealed and frozen.
> You'd be hard pressed to know it was. We also use it on veggies. If we

Absolutely!

> buy bulk things like brussel sprouts, green beans, and asparagus we
> usually blanch them, move them to ice bath, and them seal them with
> salt/pepper or spices and butter. Sometimes a little bacon/ham in with
> the green beans/brussel sprouts. These can then be pooped in the
> microwave for a couple minutes for a quick and tasty vegetable side dish.

Nice! I seldom freeze anything of the cabbage family but green beans? Oh
yes.

> Not quite as good as fresh but pretty darn close. That yields 2 bonuses.
> One: we make use of buying bulk veggies, and two: we have quick healthy
> foods for weeknights where we don't have time to cook.

The second one would be the main one for me. My work hours are wierd and I
either leave for work at 4:30pm, or get back around 6pm. Our daughter
sometimes has to forage on her own and she's more comfortable with a
microwave at this stage still. In one of my other messages you'll see I
have a stock of 'planned leftovers for work' and she raids those <grin>.

> I'd consider our diet "healthy" given that we incorporate a lots of fresh
> or minimally processed foods. Dry beans are about as cheap and healthy as
> you can get. Once you master the pressure cooker you can even turn them
> out in short time. We do this a lot on weekends where we cook a lot of
> food for the coming week.

Good! I never mastered the pressure cooker but I have a simple smaller unit
for making jams and such. What I did master is the crockpot. I've normally
got at least 1 going at any given time so there's always 'something' (14YO
uses this too if she doesnt want to raid my 'planned leftovers for work'
<g>.). I have 2 crockpots. One is a big unit (6q) and the other is a 5c
'baby'. At this moment both are empty but I plan to start something when I
get done reading my messages.

Sideline: Crockpots are very energy efficient, generally pennies a day.

> Aside from the vacuum sealer we tend to use more Tupperware or reusable
> containers rather than using rolls of foil, plastic wrap, or ziploc bags.

I use alot of 'tupperware' sorts of things too. Foil rarely but we have it
for a few needs but never the freezer. I do not have any 'saran wrap' sort
of stuff.

> Over time I'm sure those things add up and we're not creating as much
> waste. I'm not an diehard environmentalist but I do try and consider
> that everything I pitch in the trash is not just magically disappearing.
> It's going somewhere and the less I send there the better.

True! Seems you are in-line with me pretty much. The only noted difference
was the vacumn bag thing and I agree it does give a better product.

Grin, I don't buy 'bottled water' at all. We save the occasional plastic
pepsi bottle (20oz or so), rinse well, and fill. The water in my area is
_quite_ good tasting right out of the tap so we are lucky there. Big 2L
soda bottles we dont get often, but they too get rinsed, water filled, and
stowed in the freezer. Come hurricane season, we fill an extra 20 or so (or
swap out any gone stale) and put them in along the garage as an emergency
supply.

> Whew. Long post and I'm sure more thoughts will surface while this thread
> grows. I think most of what we do is pretty common sense and I"m sure
> others have some pretty neat ideas. We don't really focus too much on it
> but for us I'd asy *buying bulk* is the primary way we save on food
> costs.

Hey, reply is longer! The main drawback to our style for others is we have
the storage space to do it. An apartment dweller (at least in a small
apartment) often cant do it. Like my place years ago in Hawaii was a 1 room
efficiency with a kitchen 'nook' so small, you couldnt open the fridge and
the stove at the same time ;-)

"cshenk" > wrote in
:

>
> Hey, works for you! I know many use them. I avoid them for 2
> reasons. 1- I cant reuse the plastic and I'm sorta 'Japan trained'
> now to reduce my plastic use and be able to reuse what plastics I do
> get when possible. 2- I like to be able to open the thing and pull
> out a portion of the contents then reseal.

I've actually had sucess reusing bags. I slice 3lb bricks of cheese such
as cheddar and mozzerela and place 2 pieces per ziploc. When I remove one
piece I cut the bag just below the seal line and then reseal the
remaining piece. The piece I take out is normally used, stored in an
airtight container, or shredded and stored.

cshenk wrote:
>
> Just curious what tips the rest of you might have? I've been getting a fair
> number of emails direct (names NOT to be mentioned here but there are about
> 15) asking for information but afraid to post because some here get really
> rude about this one.
>
> My own way: Mostly fresh foods, few packaged pre-processed items. Crockpot
> (low cost to run) and chest freezer (efficient model, lets me get bulk loads
> and store flour in an area where bugs are a big problem).
>
> Lets let the lurkers lurk quietly while we see what others use?


The supermarket ads come out on Tuesdays here. They are gone over
carefully for what's genuinely on sale, as opposed to being advertised
as a 'special' while still being the usual price. Milk is always on
'sale' at one of the local markets as a loss leader; vegetables vary as
well.

Seasonal produce is usually cheaper and better quality than
out-of-season things.

Bulk buying of things that won't spoil quickly or not at all, such as
sugar and flour. They are stored in bug-proof glass and plastic
containers.

Using less meat and cooking 'ethnic', which of course will vary with
what each person regards as such. Most of the world's best foods don't
use a lot of meat but still are excellent. Shopping in local ethnic
markets can often turn up bargains.

We make most of our bread and baked goods; one oven's worth of gas cooks
a lot of food at once. Virtually no work time involved (decent stand
mixer) and bread rises very well overnight without supervision It all
freezes well too.

Obviously learning new techniques in cooking can go a long way to
reducing food bills. A thick steak is more expensive than an equal
weight of a cheaper cut of beef/pork cooked in a soup or stew. Fill
those out with breads or dumplings to make a full meal.

There's more of course!

"cshenk" > wrote

> Good! I skip the cereals because the only one who eats them is our 14YO
> and they go stale before she can eat that size of box.

I'm crazy about their raisin bran ...

> that one doesnt work. I make most of our bread, so the big bags of white
> flour work well for us.

.... but I'd never get through all that flour! Heh.

nancy

"Arri London" wrote
> cshenk wrote:

>> Lets let the lurkers lurk quietly while we see what others use?

Hehe just to let you know, this message got 3 lurkers

> The supermarket ads come out on Tuesdays here. They are gone over
> carefully for what's genuinely on sale, as opposed to being advertised
> as a 'special' while still being the usual price. Milk is always on
> 'sale' at one of the local markets as a loss leader; vegetables vary as
> well.

Yes, one of the lurkers asked about the 'special' and I explained how a
grocery store just before a markup in price, will sometimes use the old
price as a 'special' then raise it the next week.

> Seasonal produce is usually cheaper and better quality than
> out-of-season things.

I'd add 'amost always' for both IMHO. In Japan, I took to seasonal shopping
like the locals do and it makes a big difference. I liked the shift in
foods over the seasons once I got used to the idea. In Japan, such eating
is considered 'more healthful' as you get eat item at it's peak. They have
a point in that. They shop frequently (compared to USA folks, not sure of
UK). In Sasebo and every other Japan town I saw except the rural farms,
there were grocery stores on practically every street with some small
seller. They are rarely very large places. Often 3m by 5m or so with the
sidewalk being part of the selling space. A big store there might be 20m by
30m. I knew of only 2 that were larger in Sasebo.

Most city people will find one on their route as they walk or bicycle home,
so shop a small amount daily. Packages tend to be small and amounts of most
things are fresh and by weight (in metrics). It is common to see a person
heading home with 1 carrot, 100g minced chicken, 100g kangkoon (asian
spinach, also spelled kang kong etc), and a tiny packet of tea for use next
morning.

The family will have a farm, and one of the family runs a store. I've
bought eggs so fresh, they were still warm from the chicken!

> Bulk buying of things that won't spoil quickly or not at all, such as
> sugar and flour. They are stored in bug-proof glass and plastic
> containers.

Yes, and only a savings if you store it right. (One of the lurkers asked me
to mention he uses leftover glass jars with tight lids for this and stores
on his porch in a small cabinet. He's in a small apartment upstairs but has
a nice 1m by 3m covered porch).

> Using less meat and cooking 'ethnic', which of course will vary with
> what each person regards as such. Most of the world's best foods don't
> use a lot of meat but still are excellent. Shopping in local ethnic
> markets can often turn up bargains.

Definately but I don't reduce meat for cost reasons. I do it because of
health reasons. Super high cholestrol problems in my side of the family.
In Japan, I reduced this partly due to cost though and took to more seafoods
(which are good for me). Fish or other seafoods hit our table at least 3
times a week and there, was apt to be 6 times a week <grin>. There, seafood
was cheap.

> We make most of our bread and baked goods; one oven's worth of gas cooks
> a lot of food at once. Virtually no work time involved (decent stand
> mixer) and bread rises very well overnight without supervision It all
> freezes well too.

Breadmaker here. I prefer the quality of my own and no preservatives. It
doesnt last as long but with 2 good breadkeepers, I can make it work before
it becomes birdfood or breadcrumbs <g>.

Although I notice I save money by making my own, I actually make it for
other reasons.

> Obviously learning new techniques in cooking can go a long way to
> reducing food bills. A thick steak is more expensive than an equal
> weight of a cheaper cut of beef/pork cooked in a soup or stew. Fill
> those out with breads or dumplings to make a full meal.

Yup! Great way to get the cholestrol down is to start looking at meat as
more of a condiment to a dish.

> There's more of course!

;-) Thanks for the splendid ideas!

"Chile Fiend" wrote
> "cshenk" wrote

>> reasons. 1- I cant reuse the plastic and I'm sorta 'Japan trained'

> I've actually had sucess reusing bags. I slice 3lb bricks of cheese such
> as cheddar and mozzerela and place 2 pieces per ziploc. When I remove one
> piece I cut the bag just below the seal line and then reseal the
> remaining piece. The piece I take out is normally used, stored in an
> airtight container, or shredded and stored.

Humm! I hadnt realized you could do that! Ok, not bad!

"Nancy Young" wrote
"cshenk" wrote

>> and they go stale before she can eat that size of box.
>
> I'm crazy about their raisin bran ...
>
>> that one doesnt work. I make most of our bread, so the big bags of white
>> flour work well for us.
>
> ... but I'd never get through all that flour! Heh.

;-) I buy a loaf of some sort about 4 times a year. Usually a specialty
sort that my breadmaker doesnt do well such as a hard pumpernickle or a
jewish rye.

I can make a good rye, but not quite that dense texture. Next machine I get
will have a stronger motor but this one is holding well after close to 8
years of twice a week use.

"cshenk" > wrote

> "Chile Fiend" wrote

>> I've actually had sucess reusing bags. I slice 3lb bricks of cheese such
>> as cheddar and mozzerela and place 2 pieces per ziploc. When I remove one
>> piece I cut the bag just below the seal line and then reseal the
>> remaining piece. The piece I take out is normally used, stored in an
>> airtight container, or shredded and stored.
>
> Humm! I hadnt realized you could do that! Ok, not bad!

Somewhere along the line I read about someone reusing the bags
until all they could seal was a hot dog. Made me laugh.

I'd like the premade bags for reusing, the one end is *really* sealed.

nancy

cshenk wrote:
>
> "Arri London" wrote
> > cshenk wrote:
>
> >> Lets let the lurkers lurk quietly while we see what others use?
>
> Hehe just to let you know, this message got 3 lurkers

LOL TY. I know what it's like. Some groups are just mean to newbies.
Lots of groups I just lurk on and I'm relatively thick-skinned (as
opposed to just being thick of course )
>
> > The supermarket ads come out on Tuesdays here. They are gone over
> > carefully for what's genuinely on sale, as opposed to being advertised
> > as a 'special' while still being the usual price. Milk is always on
> > 'sale' at one of the local markets as a loss leader; vegetables vary as
> > well.
>
> Yes, one of the lurkers asked about the 'special' and I explained how a
> grocery store just before a markup in price, will sometimes use the old
> price as a 'special' then raise it the next week.

Precisely. You must shop at some of the same places we do! Or else sell
something at a 'reduced' price, when it's a smaller size than it was the
week before.
>
> > Seasonal produce is usually cheaper and better quality than
> > out-of-season things.
>
> I'd add 'amost always' for both IMHO.

'Usually' or 'almost always'; same church, different pew LOL.

>In Japan, I took to seasonal shopping
> like the locals do and it makes a big difference. I liked the shift in
> foods over the seasons once I got used to the idea.

Yes... it's such a treat when something comes into season. Strawberries
in January (Northern Hemisphere of course) just don't do it for me.

>In Japan, such eating
> is considered 'more healthful' as you get eat item at it's peak. They have
> a point in that. They shop frequently (compared to USA folks, not sure of
> UK).


Depends on where people live in the UK. Most Londoners shop frequently
because there is such a wide variety of shops to be had in the
neighbourhoods. When I lived out in a rural district, most people
outside of the two small towns nearest me shopped once or twice a week
when the 'shopping bus' ran through the villages. Since I had to cycle 5
miles or so each way, I didn't shop more than once a week. The villages
shops weren't all that well stocked but one wouldn't starve shopping
there. The dairy farm I lived on wasn't licenced to provide liquid milk
(it went to cheese production) to I had to get it at the shop but most
places in the UK can have milk, bread and various items on the same
'float' delivered daily.


>In Sasebo and every other Japan town I saw except the rural farms,
> there were grocery stores on practically every street with some small
> seller. They are rarely very large places. Often 3m by 5m or so with the
> sidewalk being part of the selling space. A big store there might be 20m by
> 30m. I knew of only 2 that were larger in Sasebo.
>
> Most city people will find one on their route as they walk or bicycle home,
> so shop a small amount daily. Packages tend to be small and amounts of most
> things are fresh and by weight (in metrics). It is common to see a person
> heading home with 1 carrot, 100g minced chicken, 100g kangkoon (asian
> spinach, also spelled kang kong etc), and a tiny packet of tea for use next
> morning.

Nodding. Shops near my home, more shops near my work, shops near every
Tube station. No need to lug home large quantities of anything. Spent
about 30 minutes a week shopping; just not in one go. Only for the
larger catered affairs was more time needed.


>
> The family will have a farm, and one of the family runs a store. I've
> bought eggs so fresh, they were still warm from the chicken!

>
> > Bulk buying of things that won't spoil quickly or not at all, such as
> > sugar and flour. They are stored in bug-proof glass and plastic
> > containers.
>
> Yes, and only a savings if you store it right. (One of the lurkers asked me
> to mention he uses leftover glass jars with tight lids for this and stores
> on his porch in a small cabinet. He's in a small apartment upstairs but has
> a nice 1m by 3m covered porch).

We use our north-facing porch as a freezer in the winter. Also good for
storing some things but the temp variation the rest of the year
procludes too much food storage.
>
> > Using less meat and cooking 'ethnic', which of course will vary with
> > what each person regards as such. Most of the world's best foods don't
> > use a lot of meat but still are excellent. Shopping in local ethnic
> > markets can often turn up bargains.
>
> Definately but I don't reduce meat for cost reasons. I do it because of
> health reasons. Super high cholestrol problems in my side of the family.
> In Japan, I reduced this partly due to cost though and took to more seafoods
> (which are good for me). Fish or other seafoods hit our table at least 3
> times a week and there, was apt to be 6 times a week <grin>. There, seafood
> was cheap.

Jealous jealous!!! Virtually no genuinely fresh fish here in the desert.
All frozen or previously frozen and thawed. We stick to the frozen
stuff; no idea how old the thawed out stuff is. And of course it isn't
all that cheap. So only a once a week 'treat'.
>
> > We make most of our bread and baked goods; one oven's worth of gas cooks
> > a lot of food at once. Virtually no work time involved (decent stand
> > mixer) and bread rises very well overnight without supervision It all
> > freezes well too.
>
> Breadmaker here. I prefer the quality of my own and no preservatives. It
> doesnt last as long but with 2 good breadkeepers, I can make it work before
> it becomes birdfood or breadcrumbs <g>.

We have a breadmaker (a gift), but it is rather primitive. Gave up on
it. Went back to doing it the old way. It all freezes well (wrapped
airtight) and a loaf of bread a week is my usual 'dose'. Cakes are baked
either as cupcakes or loaf cakes, then cut in half for freezing. We just
don't eat all that much at one time. Wasting food never saves money.
>
> Although I notice I save money by making my own, I actually make it for
> other reasons.

We do too. Just tastes better!
>
> > Obviously learning new techniques in cooking can go a long way to
> > reducing food bills. A thick steak is more expensive than an equal
> > weight of a cheaper cut of beef/pork cooked in a soup or stew. Fill
> > those out with breads or dumplings to make a full meal.
>
> Yup! Great way to get the cholestrol down is to start looking at meat as
> more of a condiment to a dish.

Exactly. The two of us eat a pound or less of meat in a week. Bacon is a
'treat' for weekends only.
>
> > There's more of course!
>
> ;-) Thanks for the splendid ideas!

LOL my pleasure. Shopping and eating cheap is a science with me as well
as a game.

On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:03:10 -0600, Arri London >
wrote:

>cshenk wrote:

>> > Obviously learning new techniques in cooking can go a long way to
>> > reducing food bills. A thick steak is more expensive than an equal
>> > weight of a cheaper cut of beef/pork cooked in a soup or stew. Fill
>> > those out with breads or dumplings to make a full meal.
>>
>> Yup! Great way to get the cholestrol down is to start looking at meat as
>> more of a condiment to a dish.
>
>Exactly. The two of us eat a pound or less of meat in a week. Bacon is a
>'treat' for weekends only.

How do you do that? I mean, how is the meat/whatever cooked? Is it
mixed in a stirfry,or stew, or what? I am interested in this.
>> > There's more of course!
>>
>> ;-) Thanks for the splendid ideas!
>
>LOL my pleasure. Shopping and eating cheap is a science with me as well
>as a game.

Same for me. I am fascinated by the notion that one doesn't have to
spend a lot of money to eat well. I KNOW it can be done. And done
well. And it does become a game to see how well one can do..and how
creative one can be.

I spent more today than I usually do, but I just went to a local
farmers market. I was ogling the vegetables and some beets called out
to me, so I bought some. Strawberries are starting to be really good
here...and prices are down. I bought a 3 pack of strawberries that
are red throughout and juicy and sweet. First strawberries of the
year for me!!! And I got some fresh eggs...just a half carton. And
some lemons...

So much wonderful stuff..but I need to figure out now what I want to
cook..and maybe hit up another market tomorrow, since I know what is
in season around here now. That way, I think I can budget for the
week.. Yes, it is more expensive to buy from farmers markets..but oh
the produce!!! Fortunately, this wasn't a really yuppie market...but
a good down to earth one...with a lot of ethnic diversity in the
people showing up there. So prices do tend to be lower than the
tonier markets like the Santa Monica ones.

The area where I am staying here in this area is not upper class by
any means. When I tell folks where I am staying ..they seem
astonished. Seems like this area has a mixed reputation. However,
there are so great little markets hereabouts.. One called Seafood
City, which caters to Filipinos. Great seafood counter...I am
thinking that it might be nice to pick up some good seafood this week
from there. Prices are very good.

And not too far from me, is a Korean market..with incredible produce
prices. Some interesting things in their meat counter...

And there is a supermarket chain in parts of this great L.A.
area...called Jons. Jons is having some great sales this week. They
are the market that has the boneless, skinless chicken legs...They are
on sale there this week... And they also have on sale pork stew meat:
that is trying to call my name for some reason. Not sure what I might
cook with it....

Let the games (eating well on a budget!) begin!!!

Christine

"Arri London" wrote

>> Hehe just to let you know, this message got 3 lurkers
>
> LOL TY. I know what it's like. Some groups are just mean to newbies.
> Lots of groups I just lurk on and I'm relatively thick-skinned (as
> opposed to just being thick of course )

Yeah, I dropped one pet echo (doesnt matter which one) over this. Seemed to
be a bunch of folks all with the same ideas and if you strayed even
slightly, they got really nasty and made fun of you.

BTW, OT but have to crow! Cash (my beagle mix) passed his EKG and Xray tets
for enlarged heart after the heartworms! He's also what we all think now if
pretty much optimum weight at 45.4 lbs but they say if he gains a little
more not to be shocked or worry as long as his tummy stays flat or slightly
concave like it is. He may still need to gain just a touch as he's bulking
out with muscles. We are now cleared to take him on *short* jogs if we want
to. Cash is a rescue pet, considered unadoptable due to heartworm
infestation with evident heart complications (EX$PEN$IVE) but he's beaten
the odds and though he will need annual heart checkups and definately need
to be on preventive lifelong, he should be ok.

*Chuckle* Pet food is one spot I do not economize on much. Oh I'll get a
sale type, but only of the better types and I've checked up so am pretty
knowing of the names of the better ones at my local places.

Side topic: Be very very careful with economizing on cat food. Especially
with male cats and absolutely with dry food and male cats. It will cost you
far more in vet bills and longevity than you will save.

>> > The supermarket ads come out on Tuesdays here. They are gone over
>> > carefully for what's genuinely on sale, as opposed to being advertised
>> > as a 'special' while still being the usual price. Milk is always on
>> > 'sale' at one of the local markets as a loss leader; vegetables vary as
>> > well.
>>
>> Yes, one of the lurkers asked about the 'special' and I explained how a
>> grocery store just before a markup in price, will sometimes use the old
>> price as a 'special' then raise it the next week.
>
> Precisely. You must shop at some of the same places we do! Or else sell
> something at a 'reduced' price, when it's a smaller size than it was the
> week before.

Oh that one too. The 15oz can that just went 13.5 for example.

>> > Seasonal produce is usually cheaper and better quality than
>> > out-of-season things.
>>
>> I'd add 'amost always' for both IMHO.
>
> 'Usually' or 'almost always'; same church, different pew LOL.

Ok, got me ;-)

>>In Japan, I took to seasonal shopping
>> like the locals do and it makes a big difference. I liked the shift in
>> foods over the seasons once I got used to the idea.
>
> Yes... it's such a treat when something comes into season. Strawberries
> in January (Northern Hemisphere of course) just don't do it for me.
>
>>In Japan, such eating
>> is considered 'more healthful' as you get eat item at it's peak. They
>> have
>> a point in that. They shop frequently (compared to USA folks, not sure
>> of
>> UK).
>
>
> Depends on where people live in the UK. Most Londoners shop frequently
> because there is such a wide variety of shops to be had in the
> neighbourhoods. When I lived out in a rural district, most people
> outside of the two small towns nearest me shopped once or twice a week
> when the 'shopping bus' ran through the villages. Since I had to cycle 5
> miles or so each way, I didn't shop more than once a week. The villages
> shops weren't all that well stocked but one wouldn't starve shopping
> there. The dairy farm I lived on wasn't licenced to provide liquid milk
> (it went to cheese production) to I had to get it at the shop but most
> places in the UK can have milk, bread and various items on the same
> 'float' delivered daily.

As opposed to many USA folks who make one 'big trip' a month then 1 smaller
between one it seems. Even folks who live right by big markets and pass
them daily. I can understand that too, as though who hate shopping find
this more efficient and those without much time around work hours may not
have as many options. It also leads though to tossing out veggies and
things because they go bad. Like getting one of the bigger tubs of sour
cream because you know you need aboutthat for a month, then having to toss
1/2 of it as it grew mold.

>>In Sasebo and every other Japan town I saw except the rural farms,
>> there were grocery stores on practically every street with some small
>> seller. They are rarely very large places. Often 3m by 5m or so with
>> the
>> sidewalk being part of the selling space. A big store there might be 20m
>> by
>> 30m. I knew of only 2 that were larger in Sasebo.
>>
>> Most city people will find one on their route as they walk or bicycle
>> home,
>> so shop a small amount daily. Packages tend to be small and amounts of
>> most
>> things are fresh and by weight (in metrics). It is common to see a
>> person
>> heading home with 1 carrot, 100g minced chicken, 100g kangkoon (asian
>> spinach, also spelled kang kong etc), and a tiny packet of tea for use
>> next
>> morning.
>
> Nodding. Shops near my home, more shops near my work, shops near every
> Tube station. No need to lug home large quantities of anything. Spent
> about 30 minutes a week shopping; just not in one go. Only for the
> larger catered affairs was more time needed.

I'll do a big trip every 8-10 weeks or so for the various frozen or dry
staples, but mostly shop weekly here for the rest, getting only a weeks
worth.

>> Yes, and only a savings if you store it right. (One of the lurkers asked
>> me
>> to mention he uses leftover glass jars with tight lids for this and
>> stores
>> on his porch in a small cabinet. He's in a small apartment upstairs but
>> has
>> a nice 1m by 3m covered porch).
>
> We use our north-facing porch as a freezer in the winter. Also good for
> storing some things but the temp variation the rest of the year
> procludes too much food storage.

I gather in his case it was sugar and things like that which didnt need
refridgeration.

>> > Using less meat and cooking 'ethnic', which of course will vary with
>> > what each person regards as such. Most of the world's best foods don't
>> > use a lot of meat but still are excellent. Shopping in local ethnic
>> > markets can often turn up bargains.
>>
>> Definately but I don't reduce meat for cost reasons. I do it because of
>> health reasons. Super high cholestrol problems in my side of the family.
>> In Japan, I reduced this partly due to cost though and took to more
>> seafoods
>> (which are good for me). Fish or other seafoods hit our table at least 3
>> times a week and there, was apt to be 6 times a week <grin>. There,
>> seafood
>> was cheap.
>
> Jealous jealous!!! Virtually no genuinely fresh fish here in the desert.
> All frozen or previously frozen and thawed. We stick to the frozen
> stuff; no idea how old the thawed out stuff is. And of course it isn't
> all that cheap. So only a once a week 'treat'.

Grin, far enough away yes it will all be frozen. Get still frozen. Never
defrosted previously frozen (which may not be apparent until you ask). Once
you freeze seafood, most of it has to be cooked within about 12 hours of
defrosting or it gets mushy and all sorts of negative stuff like that.

>> Breadmaker here. I prefer the quality of my own and no preservatives. It
>> doesnt last as long but with 2 good breadkeepers, I can make it work
>> before
>> it becomes birdfood or breadcrumbs <g>.
>
> We have a breadmaker (a gift), but it is rather primitive. Gave up on
> it. Went back to doing it the old way. It all freezes well (wrapped
> airtight) and a loaf of bread a week is my usual 'dose'. Cakes are baked
> either as cupcakes or loaf cakes, then cut in half for freezing. We just
> don't eat all that much at one time. Wasting food never saves money.

Well, my breadmaker died after something like 12 years of twice a week hard
use. We do have the bits that go dry sometimes before being eaten, but we
like to feed the birds so save it for that.

>> Although I notice I save money by making my own, I actually make it for
>> other reasons.
>
> We do too. Just tastes better!

Definately! And i can make all sorts on interesting spice additions.

>> Yup! Great way to get the cholestrol down is to start looking at meat as
>> more of a condiment to a dish.
>
> Exactly. The two of us eat a pound or less of meat in a week. Bacon is a
> 'treat' for weekends only.

We probably average 6oz chicken and 6oz pork or beef a week each, then 16oz
or so each of seafood (might be closer to 24oz each on seafood plenty of
times). Bacon? I bought a 3 lb box 2 months ago and 2lbs are still there
(frozen).

By economizing reasonably (and this time it includes 'economizing on
cholestrol intake') we can have a domestic fatty duck once a month and still
fit the dietary needs. I'll then use the duck fat over the next month with
a few fat added dishes for us, and for augmenting pet food. Duck fat is
very good for spring fur-shedding cats and dogs. (Hairball remedy is
actually just a laxitive and not particularily good for them long term, but
their natural diet had fat to take care of this and it works).

>> ;-) Thanks for the splendid ideas!
>
> LOL my pleasure. Shopping and eating cheap is a science with me as well
> as a game.

Yeah, me too <g>. I like to have *fun* with my shopping.

"Christine Dabney" wrote
Arri London wrote:

>>> Yup! Great way to get the cholestrol down is to start looking at meat
>>> as
>>> more of a condiment to a dish.
>>
>>Exactly. The two of us eat a pound or less of meat in a week. Bacon is a
>>'treat' for weekends only.
>
> How do you do that? I mean, how is the meat/whatever cooked? Is it
> mixed in a stirfry,or stew, or what? I am interested in this.

Well Christine, if the Doc tells you when you are 25, you will never see 50
if you dont change diet habits, it makes an impact. Please don't think I'm
expecting anyone else to need my level of control on this. I do not. This
is often enough a genetic issue. I've frequently tested at 450 and above.

I *now* consistantly test just a little over 200 and most of it is the 'good
stuff'.

I've never been much for 'stirfry' as such, but my main attraction at a meal
tends to be a starch or vegetable, with meat of some sort at the side.
Example, a large bunch of spinach with a little sesame oil and perhaps a bit
of bacon fat, a carrot and chicken stock soup puree with cumin and curry, a
slice of fresh made bread with an olive oil spiced dip, some rice, and maybe
a chicken thigh or a few slices off one pork loin 1" thick cooked marinaded
portion (about 3 oz each).

Another meal might be rice, fresh fruit of the season, cabbage 'fried' in
stock, and a baked stuffed squid or a largish portion of some sort of fish.

>>LOL my pleasure. Shopping and eating cheap is a science with me as well
>>as a game.
>
> Same for me. I am fascinated by the notion that one doesn't have to
> spend a lot of money to eat well. I KNOW it can be done. And done
> well. And it does become a game to see how well one can do..and how
> creative one can be.

Sure! My economizing on not getting boxed garbage like hamburger helper,
means I can afford to use that 3$ or so for 1/2 lb shrimp <g> then the 2$ or
so of beef that would have needed, goes to fresh fruit or straw mushrooms
etc.

> I spent more today than I usually do, but I just went to a local
> farmers market. I was ogling the vegetables and some beets called out
> to me, so I bought some. Strawberries are starting to be really good
> here...and prices are down. I bought a 3 pack of strawberries that
> are red throughout and juicy and sweet. First strawberries of the
> year for me!!! And I got some fresh eggs...just a half carton. And
> some lemons...

Good! I see the new stuff rolling in here too. Fresh spring greens! I'll
miss the fresh burdock shoots
of Japan, but you cant have everything!

> So much wonderful stuff..but I need to figure out now what I want to
> cook..and maybe hit up another market tomorrow, since I know what is
> in season around here now. That way, I think I can budget for the
> week.. Yes, it is more expensive to buy from farmers markets..but oh
> the produce!!! Fortunately, this wasn't a really yuppie market...but
> a good down to earth one...with a lot of ethnic diversity in the
> people showing up there. So prices do tend to be lower than the
> tonier markets like the Santa Monica ones.

Only in Califirnia are they more expensive. Wierd how they do that there!
May want to see if there is a local Asian Grocery type place. Apt to be
mostly organically grown but not listed and same good stuff but cheaper.

> The area where I am staying here in this area is not upper class by
> any means. When I tell folks where I am staying ..they seem
> astonished. Seems like this area has a mixed reputation. However,
> there are so great little markets hereabouts.. One called Seafood
> City, which caters to Filipinos. Great seafood counter...I am
> thinking that it might be nice to pick up some good seafood this week
> from there. Prices are very good.

Go for it! My best seafood place here is a local Asian market. They also
have 5lb ducks for 8.99$

> And not too far from me, is a Korean market..with incredible produce
> prices. Some interesting things in their meat counter...

Gosh I will miss going to Korea twice a year. Done that from 2001-2007.

> And there is a supermarket chain in parts of this great L.A.
> area...called Jons. Jons is having some great sales this week. They
> are the market that has the boneless, skinless chicken legs...They are
> on sale there this week... And they also have on sale pork stew meat:
> that is trying to call my name for some reason. Not sure what I might
> cook with it....

I never bothr with boneless skinless cuts as it's easy to skin in a few
secondsa and i want the bones for the stock pot. On the pork, a curry would
be good!

> Let the games (eating well on a budget!) begin!!!
;-)

Christine Dabney wrote:
>
> On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:03:10 -0600, Arri London >
> wrote:
>
> >cshenk wrote:
>
> >> > Obviously learning new techniques in cooking can go a long way to
> >> > reducing food bills. A thick steak is more expensive than an equal
> >> > weight of a cheaper cut of beef/pork cooked in a soup or stew. Fill
> >> > those out with breads or dumplings to make a full meal.
> >>
> >> Yup! Great way to get the cholestrol down is to start looking at meat as
> >> more of a condiment to a dish.
> >
> >Exactly. The two of us eat a pound or less of meat in a week. Bacon is a
> >'treat' for weekends only.
>
> How do you do that? I mean, how is the meat/whatever cooked? Is it
> mixed in a stirfry,or stew, or what? I am interested in this.


Yes stirfrys, stews and soups are more frequent than roasts or chops. A
roast would be accompanied by starches and vegetables. A large pork chop
is pounded into a schnitzel, breaded and fried to form portions for two.
A whole chicken provides several meals, again with accompaniments and
the bones etc made into soup. A plate full of rice or noodles is topped
with a little meat for flavouring.

The other things on the plate are the important bits while the meat is a
garnish. Then of course we aren't counting fish in this equation, which
usually constitutes one small portion a week.

> >> > There's more of course!
> >>
> >> ;-) Thanks for the splendid ideas!
> >
> >LOL my pleasure. Shopping and eating cheap is a science with me as well
> >as a game.
>
> Same for me. I am fascinated by the notion that one doesn't have to
> spend a lot of money to eat well. I KNOW it can be done. And done
> well. And it does become a game to see how well one can do..and how
> creative one can be.

Exactly. It's tiresome at first but then becomes fun.
>
> I spent more today than I usually do, but I just went to a local
> farmers market. I was ogling the vegetables and some beets called out
> to me, so I bought some. Strawberries are starting to be really good
> here...and prices are down. I bought a 3 pack of strawberries that
> are red throughout and juicy and sweet. First strawberries of the
> year for me!!! And I got some fresh eggs...just a half carton. And
> some lemons...

Strawberries are starting out cheaper here too.

>
> So much wonderful stuff..but I need to figure out now what I want to
> cook..and maybe hit up another market tomorrow, since I know what is
> in season around here now. That way, I think I can budget for the
> week.. Yes, it is more expensive to buy from farmers markets..but oh
> the produce!!! Fortunately, this wasn't a really yuppie market...but
> a good down to earth one...with a lot of ethnic diversity in the
> people showing up there. So prices do tend to be lower than the
> tonier markets like the Santa Monica ones.

Those are the markets with the best values. People who appreciate good
food shop there for the food rather than to be seen.
>
> The area where I am staying here in this area is not upper class by
> any means. When I tell folks where I am staying ..they seem
> astonished. Seems like this area has a mixed reputation. However,
> there are so great little markets hereabouts.. One called Seafood
> City, which caters to Filipinos. Great seafood counter...I am
> thinking that it might be nice to pick up some good seafood this week
> from there. Prices are very good.

Jealous again LOL. Can you FedEx me some
>
> And not too far from me, is a Korean market..with incredible produce
> prices. Some interesting things in their meat counter...

LOL yes we won't discuss those in an open newsgroup.
>
> And there is a supermarket chain in parts of this great L.A.
> area...called Jons. Jons is having some great sales this week. They
> are the market that has the boneless, skinless chicken legs...They are
> on sale there this week... And they also have on sale pork stew meat:
> that is trying to call my name for some reason. Not sure what I might
> cook with it....

Yes used to shop at Jon's further south. They were always decent. Got
posole? Still not too late in the season to make some. Or else green
chile stew. Pork curry of whatever ethnicity you like? Noodles topped
with stir-fried pork? Cha siu bao? Pork kebabs?

>
> Let the games (eating well on a budget!) begin!!!
>
> Christine

Good luck!

On Sat, 12 Apr 2008 21:19:24 -0600, Arri London >
wrote:


>Yes used to shop at Jon's further south. They were always decent. Got
>posole? Still not too late in the season to make some. Or else green
>chile stew. Pork curry of whatever ethnicity you like? Noodles topped
>with stir-fried pork? Cha siu bao? Pork kebabs?

Don't have any good green chiles here. A stir fry sounds possible...
The boneless leg meat has possiblities too. However right now I am
trying to make do with the condiments, spices, various additives...so
I don't have to buy much before I head home in about 3 1/2 weeks. It
is so much easier to cook when one has their entire larder to draw
from... Right now it is very, very limited. I broke down and bought
some rice from the bulk bin tonight...just a bit.

Christine