Honey, What's for Dinner?

Grocery shopping. AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok now that we've gotten that out of our system, don't we feel better? There are few things I dread more than realizing it is once again time to head to the store to scour the shelves for exactly what I'm looking for. I dread the time it takes to traipse up and down aisles for an hour because I can't find where this or that is. Blah. I hate it. But what I do love is that I have converted from a habitual shopper to a once-a-week shopper! I used to work in a grocery store, so I thought I was at the advantage over my finances. I would buy dinner after punching out each day and bring my ingredients home to cook. Bad idea. Where I thought I was saving money, I was actually spending more. I would buy repeat ingredients I already had at home or I'd forget something because I didn't have a list or a plan. I would pick up random things we didn't need because I was just wandering the aisles still trying to figure out what to cook. It was stupid and lazy, not convenient.

What converted me was the nightmare that is shopping with a toddler. You've all seen it, the mom using every distraction technique in her arsenal just to try to get the shopping over with. And of course nothing works. It's exhausting and stressful. I don't like doing this once a week, so I'd have to be some kind of crazy to do it everyday.

One of my best friends gave me this super useful notepad to plan my meals for the week and make my coordinating grocery list beneath so I know exactly what I need to get to cook each night. It practically paid for itself just knowing I won't get asked, "Honey, What's for dinner?" anymore. I post it up on the fridge so there is no need to wonder what I was cooking.

I use the blank back for all of our misc. items that don't pertain to dinners for the week. I check the pantry before I leave the house so I don't buy doubles of anything I already have. If it's not on my list before I leave the house and it's not a staple like bread, milk, or toilet paper I just happened to forget, I'm not buying it. That's where a lot of us get it wrong. Impulse shopping happens in grocery stores too and it's a drain on our wallet. My husband is big on that. He sees something, he has to have it. So sometimes it's like shopping with a big and little kid. Stick with store brand when possible. I assure you that I've tried almost every single product I've used in store brand and name brand form and there is little to no difference between the two. It's a mind over matter issue for most. I save money using store brand  unless the name brand is on sale cheaper than generic, if something on my list is buy-one-get-one-free I keep the other one for meals to come, and I always stick to my list. I can't stress that last one enough.

I'd say switching from almost everyday shopping to once a week cut my grocery bill in half. And in an age where fast isn't fast enough, what's quicker than looking in your own refrigerator/freezer/pantry and knowing exactly what's for dinner tonight and the rest of the week? There are unexpected emergencies and forgetful moments that send me back to the store unplanned, but not without a list. Even if it's one thing, I write it down. I won't give myself the chance to wander or take the long way to whatever I need, that way I'm not tempted to pick up something we don't really need. Although I feel this is a far from revolutionary idea, I think it's one people seldom think to adopt. But it's one of many money and time saving strategies that has actually paid off for us and I can't reccommend  it enough.

Sunday Dinner Breakdown

The only thing smaller than my family is our budget. Wah Wah :( But that doesn't stop me from making some of our favorite foods. Tonight I made Beef Stew Ole` in the crock pot which was once again met with rave reviews from my own personal food critic, my husband. If you don't have a crock pot, I highly recommend getting one. It's so useful and nothing gives me greater joy than tossing a few ingredients in it, turning it on, and coming back in 8 hours or so and having my meal cooked for me. I applaud the lazy genius who invented it. Below I'll give you not only the recipe but I'll break down the cost for the entire meal.

Beef Stew Ole`: Serves 6-8
4 carrots, cubed                                          4 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 onion, quartered and slices separated        1 1/2 lbs. beef stew meat, cubed
8 oz. can tomato sauce                                1 pkg. dry taco seasoning mix
2 cups water                                               1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. salt                                                    1/4 tsp. pepper

1. Layer first 4 ingredients in slow cooker, add tomato sauce.
2. Combine water and taco seasoning until well blended, add cornstarch and stir again until well bended. Pour
    over ingredients in slow cooker
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
4. Cover, cook on low 7-8 hours.
5. Serve over rice.

I've never actually sat down and calculated the cost of a meal before, and I was shocked by how cheap this ended up being. I went to Publix this time because it's the closest grocery store to my home, but they are insanely expensive. We normally shop at Winn Dixie because their prices are the lowest and they always have the best deals. So the prices listed below reflect the higher end of cost for these items. This may end up being even cheaper from another store.

1 1/2 lbs Beef Stew Meat: $5.07
4 pk. Russet Potatoes: $2.49
1 lb bag carrots: $.89
1 sweet onion: $.77
Taco seasoning: $.79
8 oz. can tomato sauce: $.65
16 oz. Box of cornstarch: $.89*
32 oz. bag white rice: $. 99*
1 pkg. cheese and garlic biscuit mix: $1.09*

*Ingredients I had on hand

Total for a dinner for 6-8 people: $13.63

That's about $2.27 a person! A delicious meal for under $15 for the whole family, and it's always a hit in our house.

Come back every Sunday for another dinner breakdown and check back during the week for more from the Homemaker by Default!

Creative by Necessity

I've been encouraged by some friends and family to start a blog about my pursuits as a semi-homemaker. I never intended to earn the title "Stay at home mom", but if the shoe fits wear it. I guess. I'm going to assume that since you're already reading this you'd like to know how a 22 year old winds up being a "Domestic Goddess" (it's ok to laugh) at such a young age. I often wonder the same thing. My theory about love and time differs greatly from most others I know. When life hands you an opportunity, you take it. That's what landed me at the altar 1 month after I turned 20. I was not about to wait years to get married to the man I knew I wanted to marry now, but for clarification we were already together 2 years. Our daughter, who was born 10 months later, was a pleasant surprise that just happened to be the best thing to ever happen to us. And we bought our 1st house before I turned 22. So to say I already have everything I've ever wanted would be an understatement. I felt that with all of these amazing things in my life, the least I could do was maintain and provide the best possible life I could for them in return. We are far from rich and probably always will be, but that has never gotten in the way of us knowing that we already have so much more than some people will ever have. I happily gave up my full-time job at Sweetbay at 8 months pregnant to start a part-time job so I could devote most of my time to our new addition and any future additions (this has yet to be determined). My husband works full-time at the same grocery store, so we are able to fully provide for our family and pay the bills on time every month.

All of this preface leads up to where I am today: elated with every opportunity I have to save my family a few dollars by making something myself, using average ingredients to cook a refreshing meal, or giving used items a second life. My intention is that this blog will serve as inspiration for people like me who have ever struggled to pay the bills on time, who are tired of having to eat the same things over and over again because they are cheap, whose heart breaks every time you have to tell their kids they can't have something because you can't afford it, who want a home you can be proud of, and most of all a life you can be proud of.

I've learned to be creative by necessity, and you can learn too.