Unit price checking- Which "deal" would you pick?

Last week, family movie night called for a little something for the sweet tooth.  Remember what I discussed about saving money on food and checking unit pricing?  Here is a prime example.  I didn't have to go all over the store to find like items.  These were all on the same aisle within ten feet of each other.  The images are a little fuzzy so I will include the unit pricing above each photo:

This is your basic two cup size pack or 1.5 oz with a unit price of .66 per ounce.  

 This has a smaller size cup but is $1.39 for 4.4 ounces or about .32 an ounce.

This is the equivalent of the first photo times six with a unit price of .55 an ounce.

The point I want to make is that these unit prices are ALREADY LISTED ON THE TAG.  No calculator is needed.  It does get tricky on other items that may list it per piece, per pound, per gram, etc where you can't easily compare apples to apples.  At that point you will need a calculator.  So, back to our peanut butter cups.  In this example, thinking only of money, you can spend .99, $1.39, or $4.99.  The latter is a significant difference in price above the others but not the best deal.  If you buy the pb cups for $1.39, you are saving quite a bit and essentially getting twice the amount of candy for the same unit pricing as our first example.  We bought the $1.39 Reese's cups.  Which would you buy?

There you have it.  A small savings on Reese's PB Cups that by using this example can extend your savings on everything you buy at the store! Enjoy.

Inspired by Chimichurri sauce

 Chimichurri sauce originates from Argentina and typically is a made of finely chopped parsley, garlic, olive oil, oregano, and white vinegar.  From that, I have translated this info many different flavors of sauces with a few things in common: green herbs, oil, garlic, and vinegar.  This variation includes what you see below: one bunch of cilantro, chives, red wine vinegar, grapeseed oil, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, and a few cloves of garlic.

I put the solid ingredients in the blender with the spices and then add about 3 T of vinegar and enough oil to blend everything up.  We had this tonight on the side with red pepper, green pepper, onion, and garlic omelets.   A little bit goes a LONG way.  It is delicious and can be used as a condiment on nachos, enchiladas, tacos, or potatoes.  This recipe makes about one cup that will last in the fridge for several weeks.

Add zip to your tuna

Now that I have given you the background information on how I shop, let the new ingredients and recipes begin.  As I stated in the beginning, with my husband starting his own business and me being a stay at home mom, my aim this year is to spend less money on groceries but increase the taste.  Is is possible?  I think I really don't have any other choice but to push forward.  Let's learn together!
  I came across the idea of adding lemon juice and lemon zest to tuna a few years ago in a magazine.  I have since added diced red onion, diced celery, fresh ground pepper and mayo (of course).  You can also add diced pickle too.  I had a great aunt who served me a tuna sandwich once with a sliced apple on top.  I was a bit skeptical at first, but found it actually quite delicious.  If apple on tuna doesn't appeal to you, try it on the side.  Either way, you have a few new ingredients to add flavor but also to stretch that tuna a little bit further.  How did the kids like it?  5/6 isn't half bad, but then one never really liked tuna in the first place. Enjoy.

New Ingredient- Tarragon

  While shopping the other day, I noticed in the fresh herb section a reduced price on tarragon.  I have never used it before and thought I better pick it up and try it out.  I had a small amount of parsley, some fresh basil from a plant on my counter, and this tarragon.  Here is the recipe I came up with:

equal amounts of fresh tarragon, basil, and parsley (about 2 T each)

several cloves of garlic

1/2 t. capers

fresh ground pepper

a tiny bit of anchovy paste

olive oil

sesame seeds

I put everything in the blender but the olive oil, and added it enough to blend it together.  I didn't worry too much about liquifying the sesame seeds, as they give the paste a sense of visual interest.  We roasted chicken with this meal and put the "green stuff" on the side as a condiment.  6/6 of the kids ate it.  Even my one year old was asking for "more sauce."  I think it would also taste delicious mixed with butter and spread on french bread and broiled.  It ended up being sort of like a pesto sauce without the pine nuts and cheese. Enjoy!

Saving money on food: STEP 4 Fresh, Frozen, Canned, and Dried

The final step in saving money on food involves purchasing ingredients in various forms.  I call it the fresh, frozen, canned, and dried rotation.  Not all ingredients will fit in this model. Here is an example of some that will:

Fruit
FRESH: apples, bananas, grapes, and seasonal fruit
FROZEN: marked down bananas not the best for eating but great in a smoothie, fresh seasonal fruit purchased at a great price in a ziplock bag in my freezer, five bags of cranberries that were on an after Thanksgiving special
CANNED: applesauce canned from my neighbor's apple tree, apple butter, peaches purchased as seconds from a fruit stand that I canned, any other tin can fruit in light syrup or juice
DRIED: raisins, dates, cranberries, pineapple, prunes, apricots etc.

Vegetables
FRESH: lettuce, spinach, zucchini, carrots, kale, etc.
FROZEN: bagged veggies
CANNED: canned veggies (not my favorite but ok in soups in a pinch)
DRIED: onions, carrots, potato flakes, etc.
(squash, potatoes, onion can last a long time in a cool place)

Meat
FRESH: poultry, beef, pork, seafood
FROZEN: put it in the freezer before it expires
CANNED: tuna, chicken, spam,
DRIED: jerky

Dairy

FRESH: milk, cheese, butter
FROZEN: shredded cheese, butter
CANNED: evaporated milk(doesn't taste as good as fresh milk, but fine for smoothies, pancake mix, cornbread etc.)
DRIED: instant milk (doesn't taste as good as fresh milk, but fine for smoothies, pancake mix, cornbread etc.)

  There are obvious health benefits from eating fresh foods.  The idea is to have multiple ways to get a similar item so you don't need to run to the store and buy more than you planned.  It also is a way to "put off" spending when the fresh items are not on sale.  Therefore, you purchase items at the price you want to pay because it is the lowest!

Saving money on food: STEP 3 Use what you have

In college, I had a friend's sister who made delicious meals and didn't go to the store until her fridge was bare.  It had a big impact on me at that time.  If your fridge is always full, you will invariably end up loosing things and throwing rotten food away.  Here are a few tips for saving money on food at home.

1. Don't throw food away (eat it before it goes bad)
2. Put items on the top shelf that need to be used first
3. Freeze leftovers if you are going out of town
4. Don't go to the store until ALL of the fruit and vegetables are gone
5. What do you run to the store for? What can you stockpile of those items?
6. If your milk has different use by dates, put the earliest one to expire in front
7. Shop your pantry
8. Not every meal is going to be the best you ever had, be grateful for what you have and eat it.

Step 4 is coming next and then we will delve into recipes and ingredients I am trying.  I can't wait to share the things I am learning with you!

Saving money on food: STEP 2 Shopping

I grew up with a stay at home mother who cooked healthy food from scratch.  Naturally, I cook that way also. These suggestions work well for me as a stay at home mom, but they may not for you depending on how you cook,if you work, and the size of your family.  As a disclaimer, I do not typically buy prepared food or shop with coupons.   (Keep in mind that I homeschool also, so I don't have boxed juices, granola bars, string cheese etc. around)


Here are some tips that I use:

General Tips:

1. Make and stick to a monthly budget - this can be difficult at first but overspending on food is easy to do
2. Include ALL food that you eat in that budget - ex. restaurants, fast food, and grocery purchases
3. Design your menus around what is on sale (this takes practice)
4. Eat a balanced diet from all food groups
5. Compile a pantry staples sheet and work towards filling it up when things are on sale (see previous post)
6. Have a food storage (check out www.providentliving.org for more info)
7. Aim for at least a one month supply for the items you use the most=less shopping trips and then build up to three months, six months, and then one year.
8. You are creating an INVENTORY for your kitchen.  Chicken this week is on sale for $1.29/lb in a 40 lb box.  Although it is a large amount to spend on chicken, I won't be buying it for the next while until it is on sale again.

Make it at home:
1. Ask yourself "what can I make at home that is in my cart" when at the store
2. Learn to cook from scratch
3. Make your own dressings (keep different vinegars, oils and spices on hand and explore new recipes)
4. Make your own spice mixes- spaghetti spice, chili seasoning, taco seasoning, etc are a fraction of the cost if made at home
5. Grind your own wheat flour and make bread (it is healthier and saves our family of 8 lots)

Where to shop:
1. Find out ALL of the grocery stores in your area and shop at the cheapest for what you buy
2. Shop at Aldi if there is a location near you- www.aldi.us
3. Go to the store less frequently (milk, cheese, and eggs can last for two weeks or so)
4. I DON'T shop at Costco or Sam's Club except for a few things, check unit pricing
(I buy vanilla, spices, specialty cheese, some nuts) They frequently aren't the cheapest prices.
5. Buy from the LDS church home storage warehouse- they aren't everywhere but check to see if there is one close to you (http://providentliving.org/self-reliance/food-storage/home-storage-center-locations)
6. Check prices from multiple stores periodically to check for your high use items
7. Shop at foreign markets - you can often find spices, beans, oils, fruit and veggies for cheaper


How to shop once you get there:

1. Compare unit prices  (ex. cheese sticks are over $7 /lb.  On sale mozzarella is  less than $3/lb)
2. Watch as your groceries are rung up or check your receipt for price discrepancies before you leave
3. Buy the store brand (I do LOVE Hellman's Mayo so I pay extra for that)
4. Eat less meat- find protein from beans and rice, nuts, etc.
5. Buy dry beans instead of canned(learn new recipes, beans are very health and inexpensive)
6. Buy fresh meat just before the sell buy date- you can get 50% off and just buy extra and freeze it
7. If you prefer to shop at one store, check to see if they match prices of other grocery stores
8. Buy in bulk for a better price if you can afford it and have the room, but check unit prices.
9. Buy on sale and buy extra
10. Find the clearance sections of the store (one store I shop has a section for non food, bakery, dairy, produce and frozen all in different parts of the store)
11. Ask for a markdown if the can is dented, the packaging is damaged, or item is about to expire
10. Shop in more than one place in the store (ex. beans are typically in Latin section and in beans section with two different brands)

Meals away from home:
1. Eat at home more often (save money and spend more time with your family)
2. Bring your lunch to work - my husband gets leftovers from dinner for the next days lunch
3. Go out to breakfast or lunch instead of dinner with your spouse
(We rarely go out to dinner.  I can make a nice meat main dish, salad, side and dessert for all of us with leftovers for typically less than $12)

Produce:
1. Plant a garden, use the fresh stuff and can or freeze the extra (be industrious and frugal at the same time)
2. Many fruit trees in neighborhood go unpicked, ask to pick and return the favor with some canned preserves
3. Other sources for fruits and veggies - wholesale, local orchards


Happy shopping!  Maybe some of these work for you or feel free to share other ideas.

Saving money on food: STEP 1 Making a kitchen inventory

In order to save money on groceries, you need to know what it is you buy and what a good price really is.  This sounds intuitive but takes some time.  What do you eat and how do you cook?  Make a list by group (grains, cereal, oils, sugars etc.) of everything you currently have in your refrigerator and pantry.  My list is below, but will look different from yours.  List everything on a spreadsheet and make a grid with the grocery stores nearby where you shop.  Don't be afraid to include grocery stores, big box stores, discount stores, and foreign food markets (Asian, Latin, European etc.) What you are doing is creating a list of prices on the items you purchase so you can see what the current prices are.  Be careful to note price per pound etc. so you get an even comparison.  By the way, some of this can be done at home, as Sam's Club and Costco have some prices online.  Notice the differences in prices and circle the lowest.  Food prices change with market demands, seasonal pricing, drought, etc. so this is something you may want to do twice a year or so.  What you are learning here is the price for items you typically buy, so that you know what a good deal is.  This is a list that you can keep in your purse where it is handy.  As you work with this method, you may find that you don't need the list anymore because you know when you have a good deal through experience.


As a disclaimer, I do not buy prepared food or shop with coupons.  Here is what a typical menu may look like for us for the day: (keep in mind that I homeschool so I don't have boxed juices, granola bars, string cheese etc. around)

Breakfast:
oats, milk, raisins, sunflower seeds, coconut, cinnamon, and milk
or whole wheat pancakes from scratch
or scrambled eggs

Lunch: 
leftovers from last nights dinner

Dinner:
brown rice
homemade chili
diced in season garden vegetables
in season fruit
(cook enough beans to freeze or use for another meal)
(make extra chili to use for say baked potatoes for lunch tomorrow with broccoli and cheese)

Snacks: (of course, with all these kids)
air popped popcorn
dried fruit
unsalted, dry roasted nuts
fresh fruit
fresh veggies
piece of cheese
homemade whole wheat bread with butter and honey

PANTRY STAPLES LIST GRAINS	Smiths	Walmart	Winco	Costco	Sams Club
red wheat
white wheat
white flour
corn meal
oats
brown rice
white rice
pasta
quinoa
popcorn
spaghetti
lasagna
manicotti
egg noodles
FATS/OILS
canola oil
olive oil
mayo
dressing
sesame oil
LEGUMES
pinto bean
black bean
split peas
lentils
garbanzo b.
kidney b.
SUGARS
honey
white sugar
brown sugar
molasses
corn syrup
maple syrup
jam
p sugar
DAIRY
powder milk
evap milk
butter
cheese
cottage cheese
sour cream
cream cheese
eggs
cream
COOKING
b. powder
b. soda
yeast
salt
wht vinegar
bals vinegar
asian vinegar
fish sauce
pepper
cooking spray
soy sauce
worst sauce
hot sauce
apple c vin
liquid smoke
corn starch
vanilla ext
almond ext
cocoa
chocolate chp
CONDIMENTS
ketchup
mustard
pickles
brown must
dressing*
mayo*
salsa
bbq sauce
NUTS/SEEDS
sunflower s.
peanuts
PB
almonds
pecans
walnuts
tahini
sesame s.
poppy seed
VEGTABLEs
can tomato
coco milk
coconut
dry potato
can green chiles
can tom paste
can crush tom
can olives
frozen
FRUIT
raisins
applesauce
dates
apricots
cranberries
can pineapple
can mand org
frozen
MEAT
tuna
beef
chicken
bacon
pork
SPICES
allspice
basil
bay leaves
bouillion-beef
bouillion-chk
bouillion-veg
cardamom
celery seed
chili p. HOT
chili powder
cinn
cloves
cumin
fennel
ginger
montreal
nutmeg
oregano
red pepper
thyme
HOME
Kitchen/bath
Dish soap
DW liquid
garbage bags
sponges
kitchen towels
al foil
plas wrap
zip bags
TP
wax paper
HYGIENE
shampoo
conditioner
deod- men
deod-women
bar soap
diapers
wipes
toothpaste
dental floss
toothbrush
dental stick
razors
gel
hair spray
makeup
feminine
hair things
Laundry
laundry soap
bleach
stain remove
CLEANING
bleach
comet
glass cleaner
pine sol
paper towels
OTHER
light bulbs
batteries
stamps
bandaids
medicine
vacuum bags
ibup
kids ibup
kids actemin
acetmin

Happy shopping!  Maybe some of these work for you or feel free to share other ideas.