Gotta be ultra frugal the next two weeks: reqest for frugal recipes and tips!

[AwakeAtLast]

I've not only had a bad six months personally (read my journal), but also financially. Have had bad things happen and just trying to weather the storm. I have roughly $35 dollars for the next two weeks and need to stretch what I have. Leftovers will be lunches the next day, AALette has money in her lunch account at school and I do have stuff in the freezer and pantry.

Freezer: mostly chicken - boneless, skinless breasts, one whole chicken cut up, one pacakge bone-in breasts. Lefover ham (2 big pieces) and one chuck roast.

Pantry - ceareal, pasta, new potatoes, corn, green beans, tomoato sauce, tomato juice, pasta sauce, flour, sugar.

I'm just giving you an idea of what I have to work with. Any of your tried and true tips would be appreciated. Thanks! :hi:

[kestrel91316]

1. Pick up 5-10 of rice and a bunch of different types of dry beans/legumes.

Bag of carrots, bag of onions, bag of potatoes. Box of powdered milk if you must have milk. It's very doable.

[AwakeAtLast]

9. Yep, I was going to put rice on my list

Thanks!

[kfred]

2. Good start there, AwakeatLast

I would add some fresh fruit and some tuna for variation to the list just mentioned. You may or may not need more potatoes, depends on what you have with your stash of new.

I'd start with the chicken and stew it with potatoes cubed, carrots, onion and seasonings. Take part of the chicken and shred it into the broth, thicken it a bit (mash the potatoes up) and use it as stew. Keep some of it apart and use that for a noodle hotdish with chicken (add the legs or wing meat). If you have any flour you could make dumplings and gravy with it. Put some of the tomato sauce and Mexican seasonings and have chicken chili. Chicken breasts can make chicken salad for sandwiches or on some lettuce. Get some Romaine and you can make chicken salad wraps with it.

The ham could make a marvelous ham and bean soup or split pea soup. Ham and scalloped potatoes is an option with your new potatoes. Potato Salad is an option. If you DO get tuna, make a tuna noodle casserole with the grean beans in it.

You actually have a pretty darn good start on great meals for possibly longer than two weeks.

Good Luck!

[AwakeAtLast]

14. I did find two cans of tuna

That will make quite a few sandwiches for lunch if I get tired of leftovers.

Thank you!

[Warpy]

3. First, stretch that chicken so thin it's transparent

Think stir fries. You don't need the pricey asparagus, just stir fry it with onions, carrots, celery, cubed winter squash, whatever the market has that isn't expensive. Think soup with the bones and skin of that cut up fryer. Throw together some noodles with that flour. Think about a chicken stew with whatever veggies you have, serve in individual bowls with pastry over the top. Think about shredded thigh meat on pizza.

The same goes for that chuck roast, which can be cut up and stretched the same way. A whole slab o meat can wait until things get better.

My go to starvation diet was always beans and rice. Beans are amazingly versatile and can either stand alone as themselves or be formed into burgers, loaves or bean balls for spaghetti. I'm guessing you've got the usual assortment of spices and a few essentials like either oregano or basil. That leftover ham would go nicely in a pot of navy bean soup.

What the kiddo is going to miss the most is sweet stuff. A slice of bread, butter and sugar was a major treat when I was growing up. You, on the other hand, will be craving fruit. The only fruit I saw when I was really poor was a splurge on applesauce once in a blue moon.

Just don't be surprised if the kiddo asks for some of the starvation stuff when things improve.

[AwakeAtLast]

10. You won't believe this

my daughter does not have much of a sweet tooth. I am very lucky that way. I do have a stash of applesauce (didn't list it) that I always have because that's what she asks for. She could eat her weight in applesauce. I always buy the unsweetened, too.

Thanks for your tips!

[Warpy]

15. Bread, butter and applesauce is great, too

and will stretch the hell out of that applesauce. So will allowing her to put it on pancakes in the morning.

[AwakeAtLast]

17. Oh! And I have two loaves of bread in the freezer!

They had a buy one, get TWO free sale on Aunt Millie's bread (love that kind, no HFCS). If that sale is still going, I will get three more and freeze them.

[Stinky The Clown]

21. My favorite "Sweet Cheaps" is cinnamon toast

Buttered (or margarined) toast. Mix sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle it on the toast. I still love it.

[grasswire]

4. check your drawers for any old unused jewelry

Gold is 1100 an ounce. I had an old charm bracelet from former MIL kicking around. Took it to the pawn shop and they paid me $400 cash. Just saying it's worth looking if you haven't already done so.

That said, the best thing to do is plan meals out if possible. Then if you have to use your cash, you can stretch it. I've fed two on $25 a week. It can be done.

And if you have a paypal account, I'd be happy to kick in a few dollars next week for milk or whatever. I've been where you are, chum.

[AwakeAtLast]

11. Oh my goodness, thank you!

I've never had anyone actually offer to give me money. I do thank you, but I will make it through this. You all have been very helpful to me and I hope this thread helps anyone else who is in a pinch but is too afraid to let anyone know.

It's nice to know you have friends when the going gets rough! :hug:

[Vinca]

5. I've been trying to stretch things a little, too, since our business is way off.

We've gotten into the habit of making a big pot of homemade soup and having soup and sandwiches a couple of times a week. I use whatever leftovers are in the fridge to concoct something or make split pea or bean soup.

[AwakeAtLast]

12. I do a lot of soups, too

I am starting to soup myself out, but I will probably be making two at least in the next few weeks - chicken and beef vegetable.

Thanks!

[Vinca]

19. I'm anxious for gardening season to get here.

If you can grow anything at all, you can save serious money.

[AwakeAtLast]

22. I am going to try to steal my Dad's emerald thumb this year

;)

[Tesha]

6. Eggs!

Omelets, frittata, quiche, egg salad, pancakes,

and check this http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art61691.asp
Cheap Meals for LESS than $5 a Day

or this. http://www.bloglander.com/cheapeats/category/recipes/three_dollars/
3 Dollars or Less

hahaha or this! http://en.wordpress.com/tag/family-dinners-under-2/
Blogs about: Family Dinners Under $2

and there's always things like lasagna, mac&cheese, my mom used to make something she called spanish rice - with cooked rice, a can of tomato soup, and a little fried ground beef and onions, or substitute elbow macaroni for the rice

[GoCubsGo]

8. Re: Of your links

I noticed that the vegan link lists a number of Indian recipes. Indian food is pretty frugal in general, with lots of rice and legumes. If you already have the spices in your pantry, Indian food might be a nice option, if you like that sort of food.

[AwakeAtLast]

13. Yup, putting eggs on my list

Thanks!

[pengillian101]

26. Great links.

Thanks for posting them. :hi:

[GoCubsGo]

7. If you need to supplement what you already have...

...you might be able to save big with coupons. Here is a site with lots of other sites with coupons you can print yourself: http://www.wow-coupons.com/grocery.php

If you check the sale papers, and your store doubles coupons, you can often get items for nothing or next to it. Some grocery stores allow you to download coupons to your loyalty card (see each store's web site). If you have a paper coupon for an item, you can use that on top of the electronic coupon on your card. I got a 4-pack of yogurt free that way today. I have been seeing some decent sales around on cheese and frozen vegetables, and there should be coupons available for both, as well as canned veggies.

I know what you are going through right now. For me, it's been a bad going-on-three-years. I rarely even buy meat any more. When I do, it's the marked-down variety. I don't have any other advice beyond what the others have offered, other than to say that soup is good for you and very filling. Blending it with an immersion blender makes a nice, creamy soup without having to add cream. If you use any fresh vegetables, roasting them first adds a nice zing. This is especially true with the root veggies.

I hope things get better for you soon.

[AwakeAtLast]

16. Thanks for the link!

I ususally use my store's savings card and bulk up when things go on a good sale. The thing I've noticed about coupons is there are usually no coupons for the things I buy, or they don't offer much of a discount. I will take a look at your link and see if I find anything that works for me. Thanks again!

[kfred]

20. Take a closer look at store brands

I've found little or no difference, and in some cases superior flavors for great savings. I had to have another look at what I'd buy when it came to "buy one get one free". I had to ask if I would have gotten it in the first place or was it the allure of a sale.

[DrDan]

18. I would make up a huge pot of beans and get some cornbread

add an onion and hot sauce

healthy - cheap - delicious - easy to prepare

[pengillian101]

23. Maybe Clara can help ;-)

94 year old cook, author and great grandmother, Clara, recounts her childhood during the Great Depression as she prepares meals from the era ...

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=depression+recipes+clara&search_type=&aq=f

[AwakeAtLast]

24. Thanks for the link!

I've never really sat down and watched her, but I've read about her here. I will try to get a chance to watch.

[The empressof all]

25. Please don't hesitate to use your local food bank as well

Lots of folks who run short between checks use the food bank. There are lots of folks in the same boat right now and they are there to lend a helping hand. I know at my local food bank anyone can come in for a bag of food. There are no means tests...If you need it -it's there. I hope it's that way in your community as well. They are very welcoming, accepting and non judgie.

BTW: Your pantry is really impressive....Way to go! :thumbsup: I know my family has laughed at me for keeping "supplies" but we've had to dip into the stock quite a few times over the years. They don't laugh anymore.

[hippywife]

27. I know you said that you are kinda souping yourself out but

this is really a meal in itself. All you need, with what you have on hand, is some celery, a can of tomatoes, a can of spinach, some eggs, and parmesan cheese (you can use the canned stuff for this, also.)

Italian Wedding Soup:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=236&topic_id=40267&mesg_id=40272


ETA: It really isn't difficult as it looks, it's just in stages. If you want less of it, you could even use your bone-in breasts for the start and use half the other ingredients.

I'll try to think of some other things but I'm sick and not thinking well today. :hi:

[hippywife]

28. Your chuck roast would be excellent

in a crockpot with all the fixings for a really good Sunday Gravy style (I still don't like that term, but...LOL)sauce.

I use this recipe. Also see my notes in the comments section of the recipe about adding tomato paste at the end to make the sauce. It really does make a phenomenal sauce. The number of cans of tomato paste depends on how long it's allowed to reduce in the crockpot. The longer, the fewer you need. I've added basil and crushed fennel seeds for it with my mortar and pestle, too. You can also sub beef broth for the wine or even get an inexpensive red of the Two Buck Chuck variety. It's an incredible recipe and, being Italian, it can be very hard to please me when it comes to pasta sauce. ;)

Again, it makes a large amount for just two, so maybe use part of your roast for it and adjust the other ingredients, and the other half of your roast for something else. Otherwise, it freezes very well.


http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/italian_pot_roast/

My comments on the recipe page:

I learned to cook Italian from my Italian grandma and this recipe, which a few changes, tasted exactly like the sauce she used to make a long time ago before she began eliminating fat from her diet.

I left out the sage and celery. Once I had everything together and to a boil, I transferred to a pre-heated crock pot. I let it cook for approx. five hours, then removed the meat and trimmed away the fat and gristle. I removed from the heat and stirred in two small cans of tomato paste, returned the meat to the sauce and allowed to cool.

Best Sunday Gravy ever! It's definitely best when made the day before.

Thanx so much for the recipe! The flavors brought back cherished memories.

[elleng]

29. You've got PLENTY of answers here,

but writing to say you've got MORE than enough! I know, because I've spent lots of time stuck at home due to SNOW!

In case not yet mentioned, CHICKEN SOUP! Lasted me 3+ days. Use canned goods and potatoes in it.

Best of luck.

:hi:

[pengillian101]

30. How's it going?

I've been thinking of you - and hope you are enjoying some new recipes and doing well! Have you had a chance to watch Clara's videos yet? She really is a joy to watch and makes her depression-era recipes from next-to-nothing. I just ordered her cookbook.

:hi: