poverty cooking

[kappydell]

since my room mate has a sensitive stomach, but loves tacos, we usually cut down the spices.....waaaaay down.....too.

and 14 tacos per pound? that really makes these excellent - Under 13 cents each - ultra-frugal!

Edited March 22, 2013 by kappydell

[PoorMusician]

Mashed potatoes with greens. When I'm really poor I'll buy a bag of potatoes and celery. I chop potatoes and celery up and throw in boiling water. Boil for 30 mins and then mash them with a little butter, garlic, anything that I have. I'll even mix in chopped celery leaves for color. It also works with cabbage, and leafy greens.

Then I use the leftover water for soup and/or breadmaking.

[kappydell]

Since I started serously losing weight in Jan I've started making homemade stock in the crock pot using all the cooking water, bones, trimmings, etc. It is so nice to have something hot to sip when the munchies strike! Now Im experimenting with re-using hamburger grease (and taking a few photos) so I can write an article about re-using one of the most common fats around. So far I've found it superior for frying my hash browns in the morning, because it does not burn (or try to) like butter or margarine, and it handles higher heats much better. There certainly is enough to work with since the 'regular' hamburger is almost 1/3rd fat nowdays...and I drain it, then rinse off the meat after cooking anyway. I understand it is also superior in the deep fryer, so I'll try it when I save enough. Then I'll do some baking with it. Should be interesting.

[Amishway Homesteaders]

= = = =SIDEBAR = = = =

Talk about eating cheap!

We helped out at the Sal. Army today with the "Free Food Give-a-way"

WOW!

 

The Roy Rogers Restaurant Chain donations food that would otherwise go in the trash after it has set out for serving. Every few hours they have to clear out the buffet area and put out new. NOW they put what's good in bags and into the freeze.

 

The Sal. Army (and others I guess?) go there on Mondays and Thursdays to pick it up and take it back to the office.

 

Here is what happens:

 

Pick up food at 9 am

Put food out on tables (10 tables today of chicken, hamburgers, fries, pizza's (small), baked potatoes, etc.

Also had some pop on hand so that went on 1 table.

About 11 am they start coming in to sit in chairs across the room from the food. (about 35-40 people today)
but at 5 minutes to go everyone get up and stands around the tables - looking at what is there and THINKING of what to grab first!

At 11:30 sharp John ( worker) says "GO"

Everyone has bags and they just grab as fast as they can and get WHATEVER they can!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All the chicken and burgers were gone in seconds!

 

.....are you ready for this?

10 tables FILLED with food - - 35-40 people...........................

 

It was ALL GONE in 2 1/2 minutes! I clocked it!

 

We did get a few things to bring home so we are set for the weekend for food! Now it is still frozen when they get it but hey it was FREE!

[The WE2's]

= = = =SIDEBAR = = = =

Talk about eating cheap!

We helped out at the Sal. Army today with the "Free Food Give-a-way"

WOW!

 

The Roy Rogers Restaurant Chain donations food that would otherwise go in the trash after it has set out for serving. Every few hours they have to clear out the buffet area and put out new. NOW they put what's good in bags and into the freeze.

 

The Sal. Army (and others I guess?) go there on Mondays and Thursdays to pick it up and take it back to the office.

 

Here is what happens:

 

Pick up food at 9 am

Put food out on tables (10 tables today of chicken, hamburgers, fries, pizza's (small), baked potatoes, etc.

Also had some pop on hand so that went on 1 table.

About 11 am they start coming in to sit in chairs across the room from the food. (about 35-40 people today)

but at 5 minutes to go everyone get up and stands around the tables - looking at what is there and THINKING of what to grab first!

At 11:30 sharp John ( worker) says "GO"

Everyone has bags and they just grab as fast as they can and get WHATEVER they can!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All the chicken and burgers were gone in seconds!

 

 

.....are you ready for this?

10 tables FILLED with food - - 35-40 people...........................

 

It was ALL GONE in 2 1/2 minutes! I clocked it!

 

We did get a few things to bring home so we are set for the weekend for food! Now it is still frozen when they get it but hey it was FREE!

 

 

 

Our local Salvation Army doesn't operate that way. Everybody that's eligible has a punch card. They sign the register when they come into the office, and a volunteer takes their card. Then the volunteer "disappears" behind a door and eventually emerges with the bags of food, their card, and calls their name. If they have "mega" give-a-ways that are in grocery carts etc., they tell the people "one bag per family". Very orderly and nobody goes away without anything, and nobody gets shoved around, and nobody (usually?) get angry. This only happens on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-11 and 1-3 each month. I would guess they feed (according to local news reports) about 50 people twice a week, that's 100 per week, 400 per month.

[Twilight]

Yes Philbe that is the way they do it at the food pantries here.

Everything is pre bagged and though the recipients may be waiting a long time,

they come when when the doors open to get their bag. If they want to trade,

it is done outside, but everyone one gets basically the same thing and there

is no grabbing, pushing or shoving.

[Deerslayer]

The food pantry I work at, we do a pantry Box and a frozen box, all in the back, people show up and ask for it, and some of the young men will get them one box of each and load it into their car. We go until time is up, usually about 50 every two weeks.

 

It is all free to anyone who shows up and asks for it through my church. For some that are really having a hard time, we also do household boxes with cleaning stuff and hygiene items in them. Plus we have special boxes with baby milk and baby food. And diapers for those families that need it.

[PoorMusician]

Ours is a mini grocery store. Each family is given a dollar amount based on the mouths they feed and their income. They can shop 1 time per week and spend their "money". We have such a wide range of donated items that it would be hard to create identical boxes for everyone, so we just put market prices on the items and let folks get what they want.

It actually works well and allows people to get used to handling a grocery budget or work around allergies. We limit the number of people that are in the "store" section at any given time and that keeps the arguing or pushing to a min.

 

We do make special boxes for Easter & Christmas dinner. Local churches provide us with those.

[The WE2's]

Lunch...chicken corn chowder...on the cheap!

 

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 can of drained carrots

1 can of drained sweet corn

1 can of creamed corn

1 can of drained chunk chicken

1 can of drained peas

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 can of drained potatoes...chunked up

1 can of chicken broth

 

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until everything's happy. May have to add a bit of water to thin it if you like.

[Canned Nerd]

I don't know about cheap based on the number of cans, but it sure is convenient since it uses just about every canned food in my pantry. Definitely plan on making it though I will have to eat it for days on end (no room in freezer to store it for future).

[The WE2's]

It's cheap for me because it's already in my pantry...and it's not garden time yet...and I don't have to buy the fresh ingredients etc. We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch...and sinfully easy to put together...

Edited March 29, 2013 by Philbe

[Jeepers]

Lunch...chicken corn chowder...on the cheap!

 

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 can of drained carrots

1 can of drained sweet corn

1 can of creamed corn

1 can of drained chunk chicken

1 can of drained peas

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 can of drained potatoes...chunked up

1 can of chicken broth

 

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until everything's happy. May have to add a bit of water to thin it if you like.

 

 

My kinda cooking...open a can. I think I usually have a can case of all the above in the pantry at any given time. Thanks for the recipe.

[Twilight]

I have not tried this but it looks interesting, would be considered cheap I think.

 

Here is a recipe for Ancient-Style Bread.
Ingredients:
14 oz. flour
1 cup of water
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Mix the water, flour, and salt together slowly. Then knead the dough and form it
into flat round patties.
Cover the dough with a cloth and let it sit overnight. The next day, bake it in
an oven at 350°F for 30 minutes. For an authentic Mesopotamian experience,
eat the bread with a raw onion!

[The WE2's]

I have not tried this but it looks interesting, would be considered cheap I think.

 

Here is a recipe for Ancient-Style Bread.

Ingredients:

14 oz. flour

1 cup of water

1/2 teaspoon of salt

Mix the water, flour, and salt together slowly. Then knead the dough and form it

into flat round patties.

Cover the dough with a cloth and let it sit overnight. The next day, bake it in

an oven at 350°F for 30 minutes. For an authentic Mesopotamian experience,

eat the bread with a raw onion!

 

If you let it sit overnight covered and not in the frig, wouldn't you be afraid of it souring? It would probably draw "wild" yeast, but you'd have to mix it up & let it rise????

[lovinit]

Philbe, what is the dollar value of your chicken corn chowder, ie. - cost per can? I do like the conveinence of it, but think it would cost about ten dollars to make it with our prices.

 

I did get Great Value brand corn on sale for .66 cents, but most canned vegetables are over a dollar each, the soup being over two dollars.

 

Green Giant brand corn NOT ON SALE is $1.69. You can catch it at $1.25 sometimes.

 

How about the same recipe using dried vegetables, the chicken broth/boullion and a white cream sauce? Could we make it work? Cook the veggies with the broth and thicken with the white sauce when the vegs. are well rehydrated. You might even be able to use powdered milk. I'm curious about the cost difference, between here and there, and between canned and dehydrated.

[The WE2's]

Philbe, what is the dollar value of your chicken corn chowder, ie. - cost per can? I do like the conveinence of it, but think it would cost about ten dollars to make it with our prices.

 

I did get Great Value brand corn on sale for .66 cents, but most canned vegetables are over a dollar each, the soup being over two dollars.

 

Green Giant brand corn NOT ON SALE is $1.69. You can catch it at $1.25 sometimes.

 

How about the same recipe using dried vegetables, the chicken broth/boullion and a white cream sauce? Could we make it work? Cook the veggies with the broth and thicken with the white sauce when the vegs. are well rehydrated. You might even be able to use powdered milk. I'm curious about the cost difference, between here and there, and between canned and dehydrated.

 

My canned goods are from Aldi's ... a very economical place to buy canned goods etc. Also one can buy alot of canned goods at the $Tree (nothing is over $1). If I count the value of my time, the time my stove needs to stay hot, for me it's a value saver as well as a time saver. During garden season I always love using my own veggies. My dehydrated stuff stays on my pantry shelf. I don't use it, it's for long time storage not for my daily use. Just Philbe's way of doing things...not for everybody obviously. Just sharing! LOL

[Twilight]

It is probably a sour dough type bread.

Somehow I get the impression most of us have clean house and do not live like slobs .

 

If we live clean, our homes should be clean, and since we breathe the air in our homes we should not be afraid of the yeast which is there..from the cheese you eat or make and other foods like breads.

This is of course not to say that you could or should raise the bread in the bath room....

[Canned Nerd]

Unfortunately absolute cleanliness (as in bacteria/germs) is just in the eye of the beholder and not in fact, especially when exposed to the air we breathe. One has to give thanks for a normally efficient immune system that handles our everyday bacterias in our home.

[Jeepers]

Philbe, what is the dollar value of your chicken corn chowder, ie. - cost per can? I do like the conveinence of it, but think it would cost about ten dollars to make it with our prices.

 

I did get Great Value brand corn on sale for .66 cents, but most canned vegetables are over a dollar each, the soup being over two dollars.

 

Green Giant brand corn NOT ON SALE is $1.69. You can catch it at $1.25 sometimes.

 

How about the same recipe using dried vegetables, the chicken broth/boullion and a white cream sauce? Could we make it work? Cook the veggies with the broth and thicken with the white sauce when the vegs. are well rehydrated. You might even be able to use powdered milk. I'm curious about the cost difference, between here and there, and between canned and dehydrated.

 

My canned goods are from Aldi's ... a very economical place to buy canned goods etc. Also one can buy alot of canned goods at the $Tree (nothing is over $1). If I count the value of my time, the time my stove needs to stay hot, for me it's a value saver as well as a time saver. During garden season I always love using my own veggies. My dehydrated stuff stays on my pantry shelf. I don't use it, it's for long time storage not for my daily use. Just Philbe's way of doing things...not for everybody obviously. Just sharing! LOL

 

It would be good for a last minute (unplanned) meal for me because it uses all the things I already have in my pantry.

[victorianlavender]

I was wondering if any of you on here worry about the processed foods and the chemicals used in the manufacturing/growing processs? I am trying to shop frugally, but am concerned about the growth hormones/antibiotics that most major food companies use in their foods? I would love to be able to only buy organic/hormone free food, but it is so freakin' expensive! I love Aldi, too. Any suggestions? I love these tips! I use beans in most all of my meals, especially in the winter to stretch it out.

Thanks!

Carrie

[Canned Nerd]

You and the rest of the population, but you have to approach it intelligently and do research to learn what is correct and what is fiction (and there is a lot of fiction out there). One fiction is that all "organic" foods are healthy and good for you. That's not how "organic" is defined. The big bad wolf these days is "GMO" (Genetically Modified Organism) foods and one company in particular, Monsanto.

 

Most companies these years do restrict their use of hormones and many antibiotics so they don't exist by the time meats reach the consumer. Humans take pills, get shots for the Flu, Measles, Chicken Pox, Polio, etc. It is almost impossible to be healthy in life without some antibiotics to prevent diseases. Animals are no different. Hormones and Steroids are another story and there are good arguments on both sides. Do your homework and decide.

 

What I tend to stay away from as much as possible is "processed" foods since they generally contain large amounts of salt and usually lots of preservatives. Fortunately some companies are trying hard to provide "healthy" versions, but its hard to do and some companies do cheat. Consumers constantly fight for the "Nutrition Label" and more and better information on them. If you don't read those labels and know what you are reading, you need to start now. I love most frozen single-item foods since most of them are frozen on-site before any spoiling occurs, seafood especially, and require no preservatives.

 

I home 'can' as much as I can (meat, produce, and fruits) to extend my pantry of non-processed stored foods, which also encourages maintaining a small home garden. Most other produce is purchased at a local Farmers Market and it is easy to quiz them on the methods they use in their farming.

 

In the end, I wouldn't stress too much on the subject. I live in smoggy Southern California where the air is bad for us, but we can't stop breathing, just as we cannot stop eating, so I just do little things to reduce my exposure to the bad things as much as practical. Since I'm approaching 70 and lived in many part of the world, clean and otherwise, I guess I'm doing okay.

Edited October 13, 2013 by Canned Nerd

[The WE2's]

Thankfully we live in an agricultural area and there are plenty of farmers, also lots of "plain people" stores. We know that they are grown in winter sun housees, but that's still pretty good as far as we're concerned. Our biggest challenge is meat. We can buy from the "plain people" slaughter houses, but they tell us they can't sell retail without USDA, and that they have no idea if any of the meats are grass fed etc. Told us "only way you can assure that is to buy on hoof from farmers who say it's grass fed, and then bring it to us for processing".

[TheCG]

I was wondering if any of you on here worry about the processed foods and the chemicals used in the manufacturing/growing processs? I am trying to shop frugally, but am concerned about the growth hormones/antibiotics that most major food companies use in their foods? I would love to be able to only buy organic/hormone free food, but it is so freakin' expensive! I love Aldi, too. Any suggestions? I love these tips! I use beans in most all of my meals, especially in the winter to stretch it out.

Thanks!

Carrie

 

1. Google "Dirty Dozen" Produce - those are the produce items that are the worst in terms of pesticides and such. Buy those organic, or skip them. The companion list is the "Clean Fifteen" - the ones that aren't too bad even if they aren't organic.
2. Mix your ground beef half and half with beans once it's cooked. I use lentils.
3. Plan around cheaper foods. Rice and potatoes are cheap and filling.
4. Plan your meals ahead of time. The chicken you have roasted today turns into tomorrow's chicken sandwiches and the next day's chicken soup. Or Chicken Snot.
5. Figure out if it is cheaper to make your staples or to buy them. Google will find you plenty of recipes.

[Andrea]

victorianlavender - Yes, I am extremely mindful of the ingredients in foods. I've developed an intolerance to what my allergist is guessing is a preservative but we can't know for sure because no allergy tests have been developed for preservatives. A quick internet search will give you hundreds of links of people with preservative and msg issues. So I guess it's merely a matter of time? (I'm not holding my breath.)

 

In the meantime, cutting out almost all processed foods has helped immensely. When I stray from the eating plan, I end up sicker than a dog. So, I'm mostly good about what I eat. What I have found is that eating healthy doesn't really cost more $ but it costs substantially more in my time. So, I try to spend 2 mornings a week prepping and cooking. It takes a lot of planning and prep work, but it sure beats being sick all the time. I should also add that we eat meat on average about twice a week, organic sprouted tofu twice a week, and some type of legume the other three days. And because I'm able to grow a lot of our produce year round and I sprout regularly, I haven't really noticed an increase in my grocery bill, especially now that my kale is going strong.

 

When you shop, try to stick with single ingredient foods. For example, crushed tomatoes can be canned quite safely without added salt. Wait for sales and then stock up. Trust me, even if you wait for the last day of the sale, the unsalted tomatoes will still be on the shelf! Better yet, if you are able, grow your own and can them yourself. I'm heading into my second year of poor tomato production so I recently bought a case of tomatoes at the salvage store that were salt-free and organic but had whacked out labels on them. They were significantly cheaper than what I could grow and process myself and since I'm going to need them before the next tomatoes come in, I bought them.

 

As for meat, check out local stores that mark down their meats as they approach the "sell by" dates. I don't want to pay $7.99 lb for grassfed, organic ground beef, but I will certainly pay the $3.99 mark down price. Same thing with chicken and turkey. I ended up canning 4 organic, fresh turkeys this year that I got for $5.00 each in the markdown bin. I'm not thrilled with the texture of canned foul, but at that price, I will deal with it in stir-fry, soups, and turkey salad.

 

The trick, and I learned this from Amy Dacyczyn of Tightwad Gazette, is to always be prepared for the unexpected bargain that might come your way. You never know when you walk into a grocery store for a bag of pretzels if you'll be coming out with a bag of pretzels and 15 lbs of marked down organic meats!

 

Eating healthy doesn't really require more $, but it does require more planning, creativity, and time.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=511

[Andrea]

 

I was wondering if any of you on here worry about the processed foods and the chemicals used in the manufacturing/growing processs? I am trying to shop frugally, but am concerned about the growth hormones/antibiotics that most major food companies use in their foods? I would love to be able to only buy organic/hormone free food, but it is so freakin' expensive! I love Aldi, too. Any suggestions? I love these tips! I use beans in most all of my meals, especially in the winter to stretch it out.

Thanks!

Carrie

 

1. Google "Dirty Dozen" Produce - those are the produce items that are the worst in terms of pesticides and such. Buy those organic, or skip them. The companion list is the "Clean Fifteen" - the ones that aren't too bad even if they aren't organic.
2. Mix your ground beef half and half with beans once it's cooked. I use lentils.
3. Plan around cheaper foods. Rice and potatoes are cheap and filling.
4. Plan your meals ahead of time. The chicken you have roasted today turns into tomorrow's chicken sandwiches and the next day's chicken soup. Or Chicken Snot.
5. Figure out if it is cheaper to make your staples or to buy them. Google will find you plenty of recipes.

 

LOL - How did I ever miss the recipe for CHICKEN SNOT?!?!? Thanks for taking me back to that thread. It was nice to visit with Westie and some of the other members who are no longer visiting.