Need Some Help Saving Money and Not Eating out

[superme80]

Another vote for buying another crock pot. I saw one at Target for $11.99. Mine is a lifesaver. I usually do chicken with either salsa or bbq sauce. We love omelets in house. Also bean burritos or fried rice are popular.

 

[JanaDee]

If you're a serious cook, the answer would be yes. Garlic powder is a poor substitute for fresh garlic. And getting the most juice from a lemon is much easier with a citrus juicer...not a machine, just a hand tool.

Using fresh garlic is very easy without a garlic press.

A garlic press, citrus juicer and food processor are not necessities for a kitchen. They are nice to have, but the majority of people cook just fine without them.

You can either chop fresh garlic or buy it pre-chopped/minced. We had a garlic press and both of us hated it.

If you want to get the most juice from a lemon/lime without a juicer, use it at room temp and roll it firmly a few times on the counter. Then cut it from top to tip instead of crossways.

 

[Eureka]

This many of my most successful at home meals are from a crockpot. Last night I put chicken breasts in the crockpot with cream of chicken soup and chicken broth cooked all day from frozen on low. Came home took out the breasts put in egg noodles. Shreaded the chicken and put it back in the pot. So easy and my family loved it.

Also use it for pulled pork, meat balls and sausage and many other things.

There are threads dedicated to crockpot cooking if you do a search.

I have a turkey meatloaf going right now in the crockpot. Just mix in an egg, some breadcrumbs and seasoning into the meat and cook it on low all day. I top mine with bbq sauce but you could do ketchup or tomato sauce, just enough so the top doesn't burn. So easy.

 

[pryncess527]

I've always just chopped my fresh garlic with a knife, but now you guys are making me want to put a garlic press on my wish list ;p

 

[Marionnette]

I'll admit that the garlic press, citrus juicer and food processor are all for convenience. For that matter, so is a crock pot. You can achieve the same results by using a good, heavy stockpot and a slow oven.

Every cook has their preferences. I hate chopping garlic! It makes your hands sticky and stinky! And I find the pre-chopped, jarred stuff to be rank and inferior. It's much easier on my arthritic hands to use a citrus juicer than it is to roll and squeeze a lemon but I'm not going to resort to the bottled stuff, which I also find to be less desirable. And the food processor does in seconds what it could take me 20 minutes to do by hand.

The point of my list was to learn just how well-equipped the OP's kitchen is. Let's face it, if she needs to go out and buy a bunch of gadgets then she isn't going to save much money before her Disney trip next month. In the long run, prepping from scratch will save her money, but she wants to cut back NOW!

 

[pryncess527]

I'm with you on the citrus juicer and food processor. I LOVE my food processor, there are several things I make now that I would never bother to do if I had to chop by hand. I only pull out my citrus juicer on margarita night, but when you need to juice 10-15 lemons, it's a must!

You've just gotten me all excited about the prospect of adding a garlic press ;p

 

[shalom]

Dried beans. I've heard it said that beans are the poor man's protein, but poor or not I just love them. Just about any kind is good. Throw in the crockpot with some spices and stock or water. You can add meat like chicken or sausage if you like. Serve with a bread and salad. So delicious and very inexpensive.

I don't love beans but I like them just fine, and make a lot of them pretty much as Bamagirl does, only I usually add smoked ham hocks or a smoked turkey leg (which are sometimes too big for my 3 qt crockpot!).

thanks so much for the awesome suggestions everyone. Yes we do eat out a lot of fast food, unfortunately. Trying to curb that for both health and my pocket Love the idea of breakfast for dinner! My kids LOVE eggs and pancakes and bacon. Unfortunately I lent my slow cooker to my friend and never got it back because she broke it so no help there.

One of the downsides to fast food is that it doesn't do much to teach kids to appreciate a broad range of foods. Going from a fast food diet to the way we eat all the time would be a shock to any one's system, but it's even harder on kids who've always eaten that way. I think recipes that depend on a lot on similar flavors make the transition easier, like this one (which I quadruple for my troops!):

Burger Bean Bake

2 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
8.25-oz can Green Beans, drained (or use frozen)’
8-oz. can baked beans
8-oz. can kidney beans, drained
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp ground mustard
2 Tbs molasses
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In medium skillet, brown bacon, ground beef and onion; drain. Add all remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour into ungreased 1-qt casserole. Cover; bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
3 (1-cup) servings
(can also microwave)

Even my supposed bean-hating kids like them that way. Another way most of them will eat beans is this one (we double it, put it in a greased 9x13" pan, and bake for closer to 30 minutes):

Easy Mexican Pan Bread

1/2 cup dry beans (or one 16 oz can beans -- save the liquid!)
2 Tbs oil for sautéing plus 2 Tbs more
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg, beaten
1 cup cornmeal
1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs chili powder (or to taste)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 green pepper, diced (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup (or considerably more) grated Monterey jack or other cheese
1/4 cup sliced black olives (we do half with and half without)
Garnish; chopped fresh onion and/or tomato

Cook beans with extra water; drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (Or use one 16 oz can beans - go easy on salt.)

Heat oil in an ovenproof 12” skillet and sauté onion and garlic until onion is translucent. Remove half the onion and garlic to a bowl and add the cooked beans and reserved liquid, egg, 2 Tbs oil, cornmeal, baking powder, chili powder, cumin, green pepper, and salt. Mix well, then return to the skillet, but do not stir - the onion should stay on the bottom. Bake for about 15 minutes. Just before it is done, sprinkle with grated cheese and olives, and continue baking until the cheese melts. Garnish before serving.
6 servings


My kids like to have stuff on hand so they can "scavenge"; the choices change depending on what's on sale, but someone gave a list earlier that covers most of them.

One thing not on that list was ramen noodles or "Cheese Ramen" -- cook the ramen noodles according to the package directions, add the salt packet to taste (I cut mine back a good bit for cheese ramen), lift the noodles into your bowl, lay a slice of American cheese on them (or in the midst of them as you pull them out), pour the hot broth over so the cheese melts a bit. The kids like cheese ramen, but it's definitely not health food.

My kids have no idea what "breakfast food" is all about -- they do have cereal for breakfast once in a while, but breakfasts around here are more commonly left overs or regular food. Friday nights we often have pancakes -- regular pancakes, mostly, but also ginger pancakes with lemon sauce, or pumpkin pancakes with spiced syrup, ricotta pancakes with jam, etc. Eggy puffed pancakes, the kind that sink in the middle, baked in a cast iron skillet (traditional) or a 10" cake pan (works fine) with fruit in the middle are fun, too, but a bit more hassle for larger families.

Older cookbooks, like the Betty Crocker cookbook from 1956 or 1971, will often have a ton of egg recipes, ranging from basic creamed eggs and eggs goldenrod to elaborate baked dishes, most of which are pretty economical.

 

[Egdisney]

A couple of easy ideas I didn't see-pizza buns- hamburger bun or English muffin split, pizza or spaghetti sauce, browned hamburger or even less prep with pepperoni and cheeses throw in 350 oven for about 10 mins. Done. You can also do the same concept with taco meat. Tacos are super fast and easy. Instead of buying a packet I use about a tablespoon of chili powder, 1T onion powder 1T garlic powder 1T cumin and a bit of red peppers. Brown the meat, add the spices and pour about 1/2 cup of water. Simmer for a few minutes done! To stretch the meat further I will sometimes add a can of retried beans. Tastes great. Another tortilla filling I make is: 1lb beef or chicken, 1/2 block cream cheese, can of rotel tomatoes or green chilies. Cook the meat add other ingredients. Top as desired. Grilled cheese sandwiches are always a hit. Ease into it. Baked frozen chicken nuggets will be better for everyone than fast food. As you get used to eating at home you can slowly make it more healthy. Keep sandwich fixings on hand for the days when you just can't handle the idea of cooking. Remind everyone you will be at disney in a month so smile and like it

 

[tinkerone]

i bought the book 'artisan bread in 5 minutes a day' and love how simple it is. not only can you have fresh bread for dinner or sandwiches in no time, you have pizza dough at the ready. its in your fridge when you need it. pizza is one of my family favourites and so simple when you have everything right there.

 

[KKB]

I am with you on everything else. But do really need a garlic press and citrus juicier. These two I have no use for in the kitchen. I just use a little bit a garlic powder.

I was thinking the SAME thing--I buy chopped garlic in a jar (or use the side of my butcher knife to smash a clove) & I can juice citrus by squeezing! (cup my had under to catch seeds.
BUT the rest of that list is EXCELLENT!!

 

[KKB]

If you're a serious cook, the answer would be yes. Garlic powder is a poor substitute for fresh garlic. And getting the most juice from a lemon is much easier with a citrus juicer...not a machine, just a hand tool.

Serious cook here (when I have time!!)--no need for extraneous tools. Toss lemon in microwave for 20-30 seconds, cut in half & squeeze away...Garlic? My chef's knife slices, chops & minces garlic. Quickly. Had a garlic press for a while--found the extra time to get it out, plus cleaning & storing of an extra tool didn't offset the few seconds extra that it takes me to use my knife.

JMO--I have friends with huge varieties of kitchen tools. To each her own!

MIL bought each wife/daughter a HUGE set of Cutco knives. Great knives, but honestly I use the chef's knife, paring knife, bread knife & the shears (and the steak knives). Leaves about 15 knives I never really use...and I know those are mad expensive...(one daughter is like OP--they eat out almost daily!!!)

 

[marmalade]

http://busycooks.about.com/cs/crockpotrecipes/a/3ingredcrock.htm

They have bunch of 3 ingredient crock-pot recipes. Quick, easy and budget friendly.

You could do the crock-pot beer cheese dip from that website along with these http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/mini-soft-pretzels-and-dip/eac33a82-fa07-4883-8b1c-79c9b1754224 for a fun weekend snack.... Not the healthiest, but it would help curb the cravings for fast food.

Edited to add: For the price of one fast food dinner out you could be a new slow cooker.

 

[Eastern]

When my kids were in the 9-11 year age range, we all watched the movie "Supersize Me". It really turned them off of fast food. They still rarely eat it today. You can watch it free online.

 

[Marionnette]

When my kids were in the 9-11 year age range, we all watched the movie "Supersize Me". It really turned them off of fast food. They still rarely eat it today. You can watch it free online.

Shhh! Don't tell the kids, but the filmmaker took a lot of liberties with his so-called experiment for the movie. His technique would have had him laughed out of the scientific community. However, there is a modicum of truth to what he reported and if it gets kids to eat a healthier diet, I see the ruse as being as harmless as the tooth fairy myth.

 

[lauradis]

Cooking at home is all about having a plan and just doing it.

Days I know are going to be busy, Which are basically every day all summer long. I do 2 week meal plan, most of the meals come from my pressure cooker or crock pot cook books.

Long time ago I started writing notes next to recipes and highlighting the index of our favorite meals.

I know what I have stock piled in the pantry and freezer and try hard to match meals to that.

When at the store I buy everything on the list, plus stock up on any good sales.

Shopping days are normally Monday for me because they are my slowest workday of the week, after dinner. I do farmer market for fresh veggies on Sundays every week.

Some time we deviate from the meal plan, because husband wants x and x, but then he will make it before I get home, so no complaining there.

Good luck and drink lots of water if your going cold turkey on the Fast food. You body is going to hate you for about week or two.

 

[lauradis]

If you can swing it, one of the new combination pressure cookers/slow cooker is the way to go. You could do that chicken recipe above in about 30 minutes. Brown the chicken in the unit, add other ingredients, pressure cook 20-30 minutes and you're done.

or,

Saute chicken breasts, add can of tomatoes, season with salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Pressure cook for 20-30 minutes and sprinkle with romano cheese.

Good luck.

My mother gave every woman in the family one for xmas one year.

it took me over 6 months to try it out..

I love that thing. 13 mins to heat up, 10-15 mins to cook boom done. It just like a crockpot but with out all the 7-8 hr wait.

 

[lauradis]

Replace it with a programmable one. In the morning before work, throw in frozen roast, chicken breast, pork, ribs etc. Have easy sides. Veggies with cheese, baked potato in microwave, fresh green beans in steamer bags. Set it to come on at noon.

I sit down and plan a menu a week ahead and then write out grocery list. If you have a pantry, then you can have a lot on hand and only buy when it is on sale.

I also try to cook 2 meals at 1 time...grill as much chicken breast as your grill can hold. First night grilled chicken, then another meal of chicken fajitas, chicken sandwiches. I cook a 2 pound meatloaf and freeze the leftover slices.

I pre load my crock pot right after dinner clean up, so in the am I just pull it out of the fridge and set it in the base, program it. really it takes less time in am then making toast.

 

[rosiebean]

If you haven't gotten a new slow cooker yet...do it asap! We have a combo slow cooker/rice steamer that we got from Costco for about $60. It's very versatile (cooks rice, slow cooked meals, steams veggies too) and was worth every penny. But just plain slow cookers (which can be bought for less than $30 at Target or Walmart) are worth it as well.

I cook almost every night, using both 'ready made' items stored in my freezer, quick recipes, or the crock pot.

Ready made: we buy really decent frozen meals from Trader Joe's and Costco and rely on them with a salad or other quick veggie on nights when we're in late. A quick look in my freezer will find...veggie patties from Costco (which my kids LOVE), ravioli or meatballs from both Costco and TJ's, various Costco casseroles, TJ burritos and stir fries, frozen pizzas, risotto, and sweet potato fries. The 'ready to go' meals are more expensive than cooking from scratch, but not nearly as expensive as take out or a sit down meal at a local diner.

Quick recipes: these include some 'pre made by me' items. We get bulk veggies from nearby farms in summer ($10 for a bushel of tomatoes for example) that we blanch and freeze. These are easy to throw into a stew or soup. I also buy bulk meat from Costco (two whole chickens for less than $10) that I pre-cook and freeze to make quick soups and casseroles. It's amazing how many meals I can get from a single whole chicken. I'll cook one down and use the meat to make soup, chicken pot pie, chicken salad, and still have some leftover to toss in a stir fry.

I also rely on Breakfast for Dinner, as others have mentioned here. And I find stir fries and Mexican to be quick...just saute meat with appropriate spices and add veggies appropriate to your meal. Add sauce (chicken broth and soy sauce thickened with corn starch for Chinese, salsa mixed with sour cream for Mexican), serve over rice or in a tortilla.

Another version of Mexican is nachos. My kids LOVE them. I pile veggies on them...beans and tomatoes and corn and peppers, etc. Then I put a fair amount of cheese on top before sticking under the broiler (and you don't have to pile a ton of cheese on for it to melt and cover everything nicely). We mix our salsa and sour cream together and drizzle over the nachos when they come out of the oven and set the tray in the middle of our dining room table...everyone just pulls from the tray and ends up full and happy, and it's a fairly cheap meal.

I also like to make beans with sausage and rice. Buy whatever kielbasa or similar that is on sale, cut up and saute with onions and garlic, add a few cans of beans (black eyed peas, red beans, or field peas) and chicken broth. Simmer for a while and serve with rice. We add red pepper or cajun spices to the mix, and I add greens cut up finely (like kale or spinach or mustard) when they're on hand. This can be made in the crock pot with dried beans.

Crock pot: too many recipes to list, but I love to cook down chicken and beef chuck roasts during winter. I will add onions and a handful of carrots and celery sticks to the crock pot for flavor, but usually cook the veggies we have with the chicken or roast on the stove right before eating.

One final quick recipe: homemade mac and cheese. My kids love the boxed stuff, but they also looooove my husband's family recipe. It's really easy...cook pasta to taste (we use 2/3 of a box of elbows for a family of 4), drain pasta and put back in pot, put pot on stove, add about 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar and 1/2 cup of sour cream and mix. The sour cream and cheddar will melt from the heat of the pasta, and the combo makes an amazing sauce. Taste and adjust, adding a tablespoon more of sour cream or a quarter cup of cheddar, depending on the consistency of the sauce and your preference.

 

[likescarrots]

I consider myself to be a 'serious cook' and I do not have a garlic press or a citrus juicer. I have a food processor but I never use it, and here is why I don't use any of these gadgets: they create more dishes, and I hate dishes. It's the only thing that makes me dislike cooking. Luckily my husband does the dishes most nights, but I honestly don't have any need for those items. I usually just dice garlic, if I need it *really* fine, I will use a fine grater (mine is microplane). I know I'm weird but I actually *love* when my fingers smell like garlic.

I'm also not particularly fond of crockpot meals, but I will make some soups that take a long time (like split pea, potato, squash/carrots) in the crock pot because I don't have enough time to cook those after work. This might be because we are vegetarian so its just not much more convenient, and I find that some meals just taste kind of funny after sitting in the crock pot all day.

Split pea soup is a really good one though, and super healthy. I use one bag of split peas to 6 cups of broth (you can use more depending on how thick you like your soup), a splash of smoke flavoring, some smoky paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper. Mix the spices and split peas with a little olive oil, toss in one clove of garlic diced, 1/2 to 1 chopped onion, and 1 or 2 chopped carrots and stir it all up a little, then pour on the broth and the smoke flavoring. If you don't have an immersion blender you might want to chop those pretty fine. Set them on low in the crockpot for 7 hours.

I will fix that up the night before, then put it in the fridge and pull it out in the morning before I go to work.

 

[MSSANDRA]

While it would certainly be cheaper to cook most of the meals at home, if you never cook going cold turkey or even cutting way back while getting ready to go to WDW might be really hard. I would try to cook some meals and then look for ways to purchase some without spending so much.

-consider take out. eliminates drinks, tips and you can often do just the main item and add sides quickly at home...salad, steam in the bag veggies etc.

-Consider the deli. We love the roasted chicken from Sam's and its like 5.00! Add your own sides or serve on buns.

-Look for coupons for restaurants. They are often there for the asking!

-Brown Bag lunches....easier than giving up dinner out for many people.

-Drink water when you do eat out. For a family of 6, that is like15.00 right there.

-Look for healthier fast food choices. KFC has really good roasted chicken that while not healthy, it's not as bad as a lot of choices.

Don't buy soft drinks at home for the month.
do breakfast for dinner once a week....quick and cheaper than some meals.


Let your family see the results..... a chart etc will make it easier to see how their efforts will pay off at
wdw!!!!