EAT FOR $10 A WEEK STILL POSSIBLE? // EXTREME BUDGET MEALS
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- I'm revisiting my most viewed video, which was posted almost a year ago, and giving a few other ideas for budget meals amid rising food costs.
Budget Meals Playlist: • EXTREME BUDGET MEALS
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Aunt Barb's Mastaccioli (can halve the recipe):
1lb ground beef (or turkey)
2 cans condensed tomato soup
2 8oz cans tomato sauce
2 15oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 can prepared chili
2lbs rigatoni or other short cut pasta
2tsp Italian Seasoning
Salt & Pepper to taste
Parmesan or other cheese (optional)
See how I make this recipe here: • LARGE FAMILY BUDGET ME...
Super Easy Creamy Sausage Pasta:
1/2lb ground sausage
1/2 onion, chopped
minced garlic
15oz can tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water
8 oz pasta
1C heavy cream
1/2C fresh parmesan cheese, shredded
Salt & Pepper to taste
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🙋♀️ Have any easy budget friendly meal ideas? I left a few of mine in the description box. Leave me a comment with yours! 😊
Poor man’s meal one meal that is budget meal and delicious 😊
Use ramen noodles in place of pasta.
1/3 pound breakfast sausage $1, 1/2 can Hunt's spaghetti sauce 50 cents, 1/2 pkg. your preferred noodle at 50 cents. Steam 1/2 bag green beans at 88 cents per bag. Meal total $2.44 for 2 people. About $4.50 for using 1/2 the sausage. All the sauce. All the noodles. All the green beans.
1 $6 rotisserie chicken makes 3 meals for 4 and 4-5 meals for 2.
For vegetable variety I will often buy a package of frozen or fresh California mix or other mixed larger vegetables and then separate them out for multiple different meals using just one specific vegetable as a component to a casserole or just a side or like use some of the broccoli and carrots for a broccoli soup or pasta dish. You can portion out some to add to potatoes or zucchini etc when making a roast or just roasting the veggies themselves as side dishes. If I buy a bag of fresh mixed larger veggies (ie broccoli/caul/carrots) I sort & trim them for kids to eat raw with dip and & then separate the rest (and the usable trimmings) for that week’s meals. Leftover “dipping veggies” will be upcycled before spoiling into future meals or into the freezer to be added to soups or casseroles later. BTW, Love your videos they are very helpful. Thank you for sharing!
Shop local stores sale items.
I’ll be very honest Mindy, I’m 65. Looking at retiring on Social Security when I can but likely when I’m 70. These extreme budget videos are going on a list where I can cook on that limited income and not be too stressed. Your channel is a big part of my list and I’m grateful to you. 💜
Sallee - I retired early from teaching two years ago. Back to eating about the same as we did as newlyweds 40 years ago. But, I have also come to realize that I don't eat as much/often at this age. If possible, I eat a late breakfast/brunch and an early supper - before 6pm. A quick pm snack and I'm good to go. Good luck with your retirement.
Bless you! You shouldn't have to worry about being able to eat simply because you've retired! You're right, these videos are a great resource ( I have a playlist of hers and others myself). Everyone deserves to eat!
Best of luck with your retirement and I hope you find resources to support you ❤️
Start stocking up on long term things if you can ! Maybe personal care things for years ahead and cleaning things / extra shoes / coat while u have an income and store away ( if have space ) then when on limited income retired your money can just go in food and have all other things for years to come .I work now but I stock pile on things on offer keep my costs down for future ahead while saving and trying get house on my own as single deaf women . It really helps if plan ahead -I plan ahead by extra shift and take that money away I made for my “ bulk “ preps !
@@diedrecowart684 I'm seeing that, too, when I'm home on the weekends. A couple of meals rather than 3. Congrats on retiring!
You spoke of variety as a luxury in budget eating. I was raised in West Virginia, deep in The Appalachian Mountains; one of the most poverty stricken areas in the US. The circuit preacher came once a month and took all the widows in his bus to the grocery store 40 miles away. My Mom did the best she could. She was a good cook and kept us alive on very little income. We have oatmeal or rice every breakfast. Biscuits, gravy and a fried egg every lunch and pinto beans, fried potatoes and cornbread, every supper for 10+ yrs.
God provided a full belly and we were thankful. Our only variety was picking wild greens in warm weather. No garden. You can't grow veggies on a strip mine.
Your mom must have been a great cook! Your diet sounds like how my husband ate as a child also.
That’s how I ate growing up too.
I greatly admire people who can create a full meal when there looks like there’s nothing to eat!! This is a gift my grandma had, and i learned many valuable lessons about frugality and stretching the food Dollar that you have! I love to hear stories like yours, and thank you for sharing your experience!! God bless you!!❤❤❤❤
My grandmother was born in WV during the Depression. Cornbread and pintos are her comfort foods. All through my childhood, she would happily slice a fresh tomato and place it in the center of the table because it was a good week when they could afford a fresh produce item to add to dinner and she remembered that.
I have a lot of family from this background and it makes me feel split emotions. One half of me thinks its heart warming and just reminds me of home and familiar love... the other half of me is just sad that this is the plain reality of so many americans. west va is now in an even worse place than when you grew up... coal dying down and opioid epidemic keeps growing. how could we as a society let our 'almost heaven' struggle so much for so long
Thank you for keeping the issue of food insecurity at the forefront. I am a social worker and have noticed that many donations to food pantries are things like boxed mac and cheese or other convenience foods that require additional ingredients. I encourage friends and family to donate things such as the “deluxe” mac and cheese (with the sauce), canned meats, canned tomatoes, dried beans and powdered milk. Jams/jellies are a nice treat and can be used not only for pb&j, but to top pancakes or oatmeal. Canned potatoes are an often-overlooked staple also.
@Robin S thanks for the suggestions. Those are the type items I usually donate but I haven’t thought about the jelly and potatoes.
And this! Reminds of the local food pantry that asks for donations so they can provide Thanksgiving dinners to families. They always gave a loaf of white bread and a can of plain pumpkin (as well as instant mashies and a couple of cans of veggies). I guess it was supposed to be stuffing and pumpkin pie. Usually takes more than bread to make stuffing and pumpkin pie needs spices. I guess they assumed those things were in the cupboard. They should have asked for stovetop stuffing specifically and canned pie mix lol.
@@mdoe37 they at least need to hand out the sweetened condensed milk for the pumpkin pie. I don’t think that is in even the canned pie mix. And def they need the Stovetop Stuffing, you are right
@@Fiery154 I recall being about 12 and the church would ask for donations for their small food pantry. Sometimes you have to have to be direct. Instead they got things like a nearly expired can of bean sprouts etc that wouldn't really help a family in need. The best food drive I've seen gave out paper shopping bags that you could "adopt". Each bag had a list of possible items and you could do Breakfast, lunch of dinner.
@@mdoe37 I appreciate those lists. My church typically puts out lists for items to donate. I think it not only helps the organization get what they need, but also means that items were /probably/ recently purchased.
We had an increase of 36 % in bills and food cost at the beginning of this year, and no real increase in pay. We have food allergies and a low sodium diet so we have limitations on what we can eat as far as budget foods. I have started getting all the bread from our bakery outlet. The expensive organic or keto breads are available at half the price or less. I am doing more vegetarian meals. I am also adding beans or vegetables to ground meat to make it stretch further. I plan from the pantry before I go to the store.
You have great ideas, and are very resourceful, Liz! Thanks for sharing your tips and ideas!
We no longer buy treat foods outside a fast food run if needed. It's stinking tough. Stay strong!
We are doing lots of beans &rice/potatoes/grits dishes-different types of beans, different seasoning themes. I’ll buy small sized ham portions, beef/pork only when on the day-old markdown section, or kielbasa-type sausage, and cut the proteins into about a 1/4 lb diced portions to use to flavor the beans when slow-cooking. This would be at least two dinners for me and my 80 yr old mom and either a lunch or portion them into single servings freezer bags to freeze for future meal (could become the side for a different dinner).
Check your Dollar Tree as well for the bread. I get all of my organic bread there the day it gets restocked and I always see Keto bread too. Can’t beat $1.25.
@@tere9748 great ideas!
Mindy, in a world that seems like it is spinning out of control, I do appreciate you calm demeanor. Another informative video.
We are seniors living on SS & I am cooking so different from a year ago. I no longer buy roast, stew meat, etc. We eat oatmeal for breakfast 5 days a week, eggs& toast 6th day, & pancakes 7th day. Our beverages are water & tea only. I cook a lot of meatless meals now such as pintos & cornbread, spaghetti sauce over noodles & without meat, homemade potato soup. Instead of using a pound of ground beef for 1 meal I half a pound for each meal.
Would love to see this re done at 15,20 and even 30 dollar increments! Love to see how you manage protien
I enjoy your reasoning and play by play
We definitely need this as a series of increments. 15 20 25 30 50.....with all the background data and thoughts
I know not everyone has the storage available, but my favorite way to save money is to shop sales/clearance so I'm paying minimal prices at the store. I store and freeze items, then shop my stash to put meals together. Shopping at Aldi has been a favorite tip of mine (for me in my area)
We do this too when we can!
My only go to is Aldi now
Thank you so much for this and all your videos. My husband, who is now disabled after a stroke, doesn’t have an income any longer. Until his disability pay is approved, it’s just my income. We get some items from our church’s food pantry, but I’m at my wit’s end with planning and affording sufficient meals for us. Your videos have really given me hope and inspiration. Thank you so very much. 🥰
Huge hugs 🤗 hope his disability pay comes through quickly to help ease your burden.
Keep trying, keep after that phone number! I have a playlist of "Food challenges" on my channel from Mindy and several others, I use all the time. One tip I can think of is to just plan with what you have and what is from the food pantry FIRST, and then fill in (or substitute) with less expensive ingredients. For example, I never buy cream or half and half. I use evaporated milk instead.
If there are any other pantries in your area, go ahead and apply! Everyone deserves to eat.
Prayers going 🙏 up for Everyone
Are you able to apply for food stamps?
Sending a warm hello to you. Mindy's videos are so outstanding. Please note that Julia Pacheco also has very good budget cooking videos. I send best wishes to you and your family. I really wish I could cook something for you all and drop it off tonight ✨️
My favorite tip that ends up becoming a free to make dish (about once a month in my house) is saving all my bits of veggies left over after each meal and tossing them together to make an amazing pot of soup. I keep a basket in my deep freezer to keep the bags all together. When the basket is full I pull it out to thaw, then toss them in a pot with bouillon, water, & seasonings.
Another thing I've been working on is learning some basic foraging and simple gardening. I got some tomatoes from my mom's garden last year and managed to keep some of the seeds. They are sprouting now.
I've also started working with the dandelions that are growing in our yard.
That’s a good idea. My husband is the gardener in the family. We usually have a few tomatoes, squash, and peppers in the summer. 😊
Foraging is a great idea. I want to learn what is edible in my backyard too. We have a garden every year. Last year was the first time in the new house so the garden didn't do so good. This year will be the Victory Garden year! :) How are the dandelions? I've wanted to try them for years but never have the guts.
Make sure your dandelions aren’t in an area that might have been previously sprayed or close to a place close to traffic/auto emissions. I have a raised bed in front of my house that we can’t eat (or grow) any edibles in because of this. The smaller dandelion leaves are the best, I almost like them better than fresh spinach 👍
@@spdychevy the older ones can be cooked too, and drain/sweeten to reduce some of the bitterness 👍
You can puree pintos/white beans to use in soups to thicken/cream them (in place of, or to help reduce, the added dairy) and add protein at the same time. For tomato soup you can also puree carrots for additional nutrients, as well, but that's a bit off topic.
Good tip!
Great idea. Thank you.
@@Midwestmomvolunteer365 I received the simplest recipe for tomato soup a couple years back on a UK page I belonged to... 2 cans of diced tomatoes, 1 or 2 cans of carrots, and 2 cans of baked beans all pureed together, season to taste. I preferred mine with only one can of carrots and just a touch higher ratio of tomatoes (I added a bit of tomato paste). Some suggested adding yogurt to make it more of a cream of tomato (This was a weight loss page, but still a very affordable and filling recipe that is not just for weight loss.) Careful on the baked beans, in the UK, they aren't sweet like ours... more like our canned pork and beans.
Dang some really creative ideas in the comments!
Thank you for this tip, it turns out my toodler us allergic to dairy and we have a tight budget so this really helps! Blessings :)
Wow, you just figured out cooking dried beans from scratch is cheaper. It’s amazing how they put terms and titles on things now. like “Food Insecurity”. We called it, how to survive growing up in areas that are now being called “Food Deserts”. And knowing how to feed a large family with very very little money. On one income, and without the options of additional money coming into the household. But we did have encouragement to strive, grow up and to be successful. Unfortunately many of those life learned lessons on how to cook and eat to survive didn’t get passed down as we became successful and there wasn’t as much need for the skill. Thanks, I can appreciate you and others on TH-cam for giving those who need it the heads-up.
I love your idea of eating on a tighter budget for a period of time and donating the difference to a cause that supports food security. Thank you for highlighting such an important issue without judgement or pity, but simple information.
Cranberry beans are what we in the south call 'October beans'. We had tons of those in our garden when I was growing up and brings back memories of summer vacations picking beans til my back was scorched. But they are delish and so flavorful in comparison to pinto beans! Thanks for these videos, Mindy! I am certain they are so helpful for a lot of ppl right now and I thank you for putting in the work for us! ~~Laura from East TN :-)
Yes, I use them in place of pintos. I think they are a southern staple like black eyed peas, purple hulls, or field peas.- From NC
Never heard of cranberry beans until this last year but definitely going to try them now! 👍
Love cranberry beans in cajun recipes
I have a bag in my pantry. Maybe I should plant some and see what grows. The look interesting and not easy to find...and I live in TX.
Thank you! I think I need to try them now! 😊
We make almost all of our meals vegetarian using lentils, beans, or cheese as the main protein. Looking for less expensive protein sources is super important right now. We also use "less prepared" foods when possible.
Another great and under-utilized ingredient is oatmeal. It is filling and also includes a decent amount of protein. You can make oatmeal cookies, oatmeal bars, add it to meatloaf, etc. Or simple recipes like overnight oats and regular oats are good too!
I used to work in a pub, and their gourmet burger included mince onion and oatmeal. And now my burgers do too. You can't use lean meat and you have to add some type of sauce
We’ve been cutting back on meat and stretching it with beans and rice. I’m learning how to make bread and l also make quick breads, pancakes, fry bread etc from scratch. We also pay close attention to stores like Albertsons and Smiths; they have great sales every week. We don’t drink soda anymore. Hubby is a retired electrician and he takes side jobs whenever possible!
I know many people are out there, I am asking you to go to church more often. You see, a family helps one another, and a church family does that too. If you belong to a church family, they can even help with food when you are flat broke. I have been homeless at one time or another, and they helped me when I most needed it. I am not homeless anymore, and my budgeting got much better and I spent a LOT less. But recipes like these that are posted are not only worthwhile watching, but learning how to budget money you are with. Churches can also help you, so don't forget to ask them for it.
I do think if your on a tight budget it helps to shop for the month rather than the week. I know not everyone can do this but if you buy in bulk it saves you money and often can roll over to the next month. But like you mentioned it requires eating the same things but you can just configure them differently. If you buy in bulk you can also cook say a whole bag of rice then free the leftovers. Make a big batch of soup and freeze. Sort of front load the cooking and plan in advance so your all set the month. Hopefully that make sense. Love your videos!
I watch your channel for recipe ideas. I’m not able to shop (unfortunately? Fortunately?), but I do have access to pantries. Because I am able to get food including produce (not always so fresh), I am able to make food even if I have to make several meals immediately so that the produce doesn’t spoil. Then I portion everything into containers & freeze. Homemade TV dinners AND the luxury of variety. I am single, so maybe that in & of itself is a luxury. 🤷♀️ As a food pantry beneficiary, thank you very much from bringing awareness to this issue. I have found myself on this side once again & unfortuantely I am afraid this time will be for much longer. ☹️ Thanks to all of your followers that also support their communities & local pantries.
Sometimes it is cheaper to buy a larger package of meat, my go to is ground turkey. I cook it all at once, then divide it it in 1/2 to 3/4 lb package and toss in the freezer. Also, as we go into summer I buy bell peppers and onions when they are on sale or from a local farmers market, the cut in up, divide it up and into the freezer it goes. Easy way to add flavor and help stretch a meal.
Great tips! I just did a freezer meal video and ground turkey was the star. Got 3lbs for under $7.
A year ago, I did your $10 video in California (where prices are always higher), and to stay around $10, I didn’t buy 2 bags of veggies, I only bought 1 bag of broccoli cuts and had a potato broccoli cheese soup as opposed to a chowder. And I left a couple of handfuls to have on the side of other meals. I also bought the eggs and milk at the dollar tree, and was still able to make bread and noodles with a smaller bag of flour.
If this helped me push down the price when dealing with high California prices a year ago… maybe it can help someone somewhere else now🤞🤞
This is very informative.
We are seeing prices increasing in our area too.
We are shopping the sale ads.
Stocking up when we see a great deal.
We are also eating more appropriate meal portions.
Reducing meat purchases.
Using your trick of a 1/2 pound of meat instead of a whole pound. Works great.
Great ideas. I try to stock up on sales as well. Now that gas is so high, I don't go to the "big town" as much. My little town has an expensive small town store and a Save A Lot. I shop these more now and watch the ads for good sales. Another trick I learned was to take a few tablespoons of cooked gr. beef and freeze it each time you cook some. In a few weeks, you have a baggie with another meal of gr. beef.
@@CookingwithCatLover0330 great ideas. Gas prices are crazy now.
Yes!! Shop the sale ads and stock up when the price is right.
@@CookingwithCatLover0330
Great idea!
The videos like these are really what got me hooked on your channel. I really liked that you embraced a budget because a lot of out there have really tight budget for our families. You comment about "deserving to eat" really hit me to the core. It was only a few years ago that we desperately relied on our local food pantry and we aren't ultimately that far off from that now. Those words about us all deserving to eat is something that I hope more people hear and take to heart. There is so much stigma about being someone who learns on a food pantry or other help and it stops people who really need it from taking advantage.
Your elbow macaroni reminded me of a cheap budget meal: goulash. Use half a pound of hamburger, plus canned tomatoes, onion, and spices. Cheap, easy to make, and very filling. Mindy, your budget videos are always informative. I appreciate them.
Yes! I have a goulash recipe in my little recipe binder of all-time faves! Super easy and so delicious. 😊
My mom's best meals were from leftovers, ie leftover chili plus macaroni made goulash, and leftover roast made beef and noodles. Some great meals!
@@Lisawhatshersname I think we have the same mom. Lol
Mmm goulash was one of my favorite meals as a kid ,still love it to this day except we used mushroom soup instead of canned tomatoes
Thank you for sharing solutions and ideas rather than fear. The inflation and empty shelves are no secret. Your approach is helpful!!
I have found, one of the things that is helping us to maintain our food budget is, making our own bread and rolls, looking at each local stores ad, (within 7 miles) of our home. Plan the trip to conserve gas, and go to each store with a list, lists are so important to keep you within budget, also cash. If you budget, plan and shop with cash, you won't over spend. Meals at home are the main ticket to savings. Good video.
One comfort food I loved as a kid - fried mush! Cook cornmeal mush and refrigerate so it sets up solid in a loaf pan. Slice and fry it, good with syrup.
I've heard of this. I never knew what was in it but it sounds good.
Since learning you donate all of your proceeds from this channel to programs that feed the hungry, I have been watching all of your ads without skipping. Hope it helps a little bit.
Great vlog Mindy. Without getting help I don't know how families are making it now aways. Fortunately my children are adults and on their own. I live in a senior community and I am sure people here are struggling. I don't mind eating leftover but my husband can be a pain so I now tell him to make a peanut butter sandwich if he doesn't want to eat leftovers.
I tell my kids that when they don't like what's on the menu they won't starve.
Sorry to say but I'm like your husband, I'm not a big eat left over fan. So I have really worked on portion control and making just enough of something for one meal. If that means cutting down the recipe by half or only preparing half of a preboxed meal that's fine. We won't be eating it for a week and if we have to it will be made fresh daily (i can't do rewarmed meat).
I encourage anyone who has a yard to plant a fruit tree or two and you can freeze and dehydrate the surplus (or pass on to friends and neighbors., one year my dang apricot tree was so loaded that my neighbors stopped making eye contact because they were scared I’d dash over with a couple of sacks…🤷🏻♀️) I have five fruit trees and they’re a helpful part of our diet.
2 years ago I added 75 strawberry plants, last year 3 apple trees and 2 raspberry bushes. This year 2 peach trees and 25 more strawberries. And we have a large garden and 13 chickens on a half acre in town.
Aw that’s so interesting. That’s wonderful that you would share. Maybe they didn’t like apricots?
We have a pear tree. Last year we got maybe 3 from it, this year it's loaded with flowers so I'm hopeful that we can get a good turn out this year
One way to add variety is to freeze a meal or two during a week when things are a little less tight. That way, you have something different-ready to pop in the oven-on those tougher weeks. (Also, I agree with other folks here who have pointed out how much cheaper it is to make your own bread. Not difficult at all-and way tastier.)
I love all the videos linked here. I would love to see a series of videos on how to live on a low budget, but with taking a longer view. Instead of buying 12 oz bags of veggies, buy (for instance at Walmart) 80 oz birds eye mixed veggies or 60 oz birds eye california blend for $5.98. Much cheaper per oz than the small bags and easy to keep in the freezer with no waste. Make a budget to stock up over a month's time on one or two items. Then you don't have to live so much week to week. Been there, done that, not a lot of fun. Just a thought.
Yes, I agree, that’s a more sustainable way to do it. Unfortunately, some families need to do the short term budget meals for a few weeks to save up enough to do a bigger haul. I do have a video like the one you’re talking about on the agenda for next month, though. 😊
I like the video idea, but the math doesn’t always work out better to but in bulk. For example mindy said the 12 oz veggie bags were 84 cents, let’s say 0.90 with tax. 60 oz would be 5 bags would be $4.50.
@@colleen_dallas The serving size for both is 1 cup. You get 4 cups in the small bag. The 60 oz says it makes 22 servings. Big difference. Cost per ounce is lower as well.
Finally a channel that does give back and not worried about only generating views and revenue!!!!
I know this is more of a long term solution, but we are expanding our gardening again this year to help alleviate some of the pressure on our food budget. Some people might not realize how many tomatoes you can grow from a packet of seeds. And you guys, produce has gotten so expensive, sometimes I find it hard to fit that expense into our budget unless I’m really creative. Thanks for another great video.
We haven't had a garden in about ten years and this year things are getting prepped for our garden once again because of the cost of fresh vegetables.
@@pamelas3119 I think all the veggies taste better when you grow them yourself. My kids eat them more because they knew they had a hand in growing them! Best of luck to you on your garden.
Thanks for sharing, Mindy! Walmart shopping yesterday in rural NY: potatoes $1/lb, 18 count eggs $2.29, GV box mac n cheese $.43, bananas have been $.57/lb but were $.45/lb (Woohoo), in the picked over pasta aisle found spaghetti for $.92/lb, flour $1.56/5 lbs, sugar $2.12/4 lbs. Good luck, everyone!
Those are pretty comparable prices to us here in OK. That’s not a bad price for eggs!
In Atlanta GA in my neighborhood, plain flour is $3-4, spaghetti $1.25+, 18 count egg $3+. Our rents are higher too.
I don’t need to budget like this anymore but I like to support people who do these kinds of challenges. I’ve been food insecure in the past, and these kinds of videos would have really helped back then! This is such a wonderful resource!
My favorite cheap meal for one requires a pound of angel hair pasta, 2 cans of diced tomatoes, olive oil, dried basil and oregano, onion and garlic. It lasts me a week. I buy a large bottle of olive oil, it's spendy at $16 but it lasts me almost a year. For a single meal, i saute one onion slice, chopped, 1 garlic clove chopped, in 2 tablespoons olive oil, add the basil and oregano and 1/3 can of diced tomatoes. Let that simmer while cooking 3 oz of pasta then pour the sauce over the pasta in my bowl. Bonus if I have parmesan cheese in the freezer to sprinkle over it.
Cabbage is an often overlooked veggie to stretch meals. It can be steamed with carrots and served with a bit of butter and/or herbs. It can be added to soups, noodles, potato or rice dishes. It can be fried with other vegetables and a bit of kielbasa or similar meat, even Spam if that's all you have. Finely shredded, its a good substitute for lettuce in tacos or made into coleslaw or sauerkraut. Cabbage is very filling and good for you.
Please keep doing extreme budget videos, even if an extreme budget for the week is now $15 or $20! That's still an amazing bargain and people need this kind of video more than ever. ❤️
I am a returning student (after a 30-yr career) and limited income. I had a "bad habit" of stock(piling) pasta for which I'm now grateful. My college also provides a student pantry, thankfully. I so appreciate the ideas & tips as I never cooked much, so this channel is hugely needed! I've said it before ... you give me the confidence to try new things & think outside the box (instructions)! Thank you & God bless! ❤
A simple filling for bierocks has been budget friendly for me. Cabbage, onion, garlic, and whatever meat I can find for a decent price all cooked together with some salt and pepper. Add in some carrots if you want or have it in the budget.
I'm going to be growing a small garden next year, probably in 5gal buckets, to help with the food budget. Cheap seeds can usually be found at dollar stores and Walmart in the spring. Also, if you get food stamps you can use them on veggie seeds and transplants, just not soil or pots. I love your videos, so glad I found you! Much love from Oklahoma City 😊
This should be sent to everyone's local federal office holders, so they can realize that food inflation isn't at 8 percent.
No kidding! I save grocery receipts in an electronic folder, and my husband and I were just comparing prices of the exact same items from exactly a year ago, bought from the same store. Most items were at least 20-50% higher, some even doubled in price. We were living pretty comfortably before, and now we’re struggling and it’s becoming so stressful.
I agree
@@YeshuaKingMessiah Well if you look at recent SS increases that are "COLA" based it's around 8 percent , maybe closer to 10 next time around.
Hi! I’m a student and so eating cheep is important to me. I have gone hungry before and vowed never to feel that again. I’ve had weeks this year that I have eaten for less as a personal test to ensure that I never feel unstable in my ability to feed myself. but they have been really dull weeks. I grow lettuce and basil(I need to get more herbs but it is what I have ) on my porch. I bought a big thing of ranch a long time ago that I make really boring salads with my lettuce with for lunches. I make noodles with egg and flour. I cut up the basil and mix with a bit of oil and salt to put on them. It’s not the best, not quite pesto, but it’s still eatable. I make eggs in the morning (sometimes also seasoned with my basil lol) I bake a loaf of bread each week as well as homemade crackers, i eat with butter or peanut butter if I have it. toasted and seasoned with oil and basil it is also pretty good. You can also add shredded cheese of your choice to almost all of this. Or tomato sauce. And with that and the other stuff I mentioned you can splurge out materials and make a little personal pizza. Rice too can be seasoned with almost anything and is good to buy.
This little diet is boring, Lacks protein, and has far too much basil and oil. But all you really need to buy is butter, shredded cheese, tomato sauce, rice and egg, assuming you already have ranch, oil, yeast, flower and salt as they are pantry staples. And you have basil(and other herbs hopefully so you aren’t as bored as me ) and lettuces growing on your balcony. If you have them in your pantry peanut butter and honey make this so much more enjoyable. You can’t really on it too long due to it lacking protein. But it’s good to know you can do
I think the worst thing about the changing food prices is the price of meat. I can now only afford to buy chicken and beef twice each a month. If I eat normal.Luckily I have family who can but it Makes me glad to have my emergency meal plan, so if meat continues to go up I can eat it on some weeks so I have more money for chicken others. :)
Cranberry beans are one of my favorite beans that my grandmother used to make me every time I went to see her she grew them in her garden in the summer and she would mix them with green beans and cook them in the pressure cooker and it was one of my favorite things to eat growing up I know that sounds crazy but I can almost taste it just thinking back!!
I have been making 2/3 C oatmeal (nutriblast or blend to make it flour like) or oat flour - 2 mashed soft bananas, add 4 eggs and mix all together well. Add vanilla, cinnamon if you have/want. Make on griddle 3 or 4 at a time and you can put them in the toaster if you have any left. Good w peanut butter or just as they are. Thanks for all your ideas.
Yummy healthy and affordable. Very nice 👍🏻
That's a good way to use very ripe bananas before you use them as fertilizer when they completely tank..
Great video and very interesting. I shop lower cost grocery items, sales and discounts, etc, but I don’t track prices closely enough to see the difference since last year. However, I was at Walmart with my mom today and made the comment “well that’s kind of expensive now isn’t it?” about various things. It was really interesting for me to see just how much food prices have gone up.
What’s also interesting is that my grocery store still does $1.99/lb chicken breast sales (which is almost the best price we see) and 2/$4 shredded cheese sales. So a lot of the sale prices have stayed similar to what I’m used to, at least for now, but the regular prices are definitely increasing.
Thanks for putting the effort into these things!
Thanks Mindy! I found a 2 lb bag of brown rice at my Dollar Tree for a $1.25. I thought that was a really good bargain. I am a single person household so buying a large quantity of some items like pasta or rice doesn't make a lot of sense for me as I won't go through it before it would likely spoil. I know brown rice has a shorter shelf life than white rice does so I thought that was a good deal. With Dollar Tree now being $1.25 tree sometimes Walmart or Aldi is a better option especially for things like basic spices because a lot of them at at least my Walmart here in Nebraska are around 98 cents for a large bottle of seasoning of various kinds. You can make a dish a lot more flavorful with just a few basic spices as you have frequently commented in your videos. I think building a basic spice cabinet is very important when you are trying to eat on a tight budget as you can change up the pasta and tomato sauce from a Mexican chili type dish to a Italian pasta marinara by switching from chili powder to Italian seasoning. I still buy far more convenience foods then I probably should and I have seen prices rising here. I am in a large metro area in Nebraska and we have multiple Walmarts and I utilize them for my grocery delivery being disabled and not driving. I have amazing neighbors who are very helpful and before grocery delivery was a thing pre-pandemic my neighbor would go to the grocery store for me weekly. Now that grocery delivery is so accessible in most Metro areas I have been using that as to not have to rely on someone to take care of that for me every week. One tip that I've mentioned before in my comments is that I've tried to shop every two weeks instead of every week. I feel like I spend less when I shop every two weeks then I would have spent going weekly. Perhaps if your viewers can try and do some of that if they get paid every two weeks they can buy larger quantities of some items and try to meal plan for a two-week time frame and save some money that way. I realize it does get a little old eating some of the same things everyday but I used to eat oatmeal every morning for breakfast. I kept a huge canister of it and my desk at work and of course I could get hot water out of the coffee machine and make my oatmeal every morning. I would usually also bring a container of Greek yogurt and a banana and that was a very filling meal. I would bring a Lean Cuisine or frozen type luncheon entree for my lunch and then I would keep a jar of peanut butter and some of those sandwich rounds in my desk too in case I got hungry in the late afternoon and needed a little snack before going home. Although eating frozen entrees is not the most cost-effective lunch you could eat but it is definitely much cheaper than going out for lunch especially since I would try to stock up on the entrees when they would be on sale for around $2. Thanks Mindy! I appreciate you being a voice of calm when media reports are trying to get everyone to panic.
@Rosemary I agree with what you’re saying here…very well said… ✔️
Store the food ahead before it splits - brown rice goes rancid before white rice .seal your dried beans rice flour etc for long term storage !
I am from Australia and it seems grocery items are alot more expensive. here than in the US. We budget three meat meals a week and alot of fresh fruit and vegetables from Aldi. We balance the cost of fresh food by always cooking from scratch and limiting other items. In addition our medical bills are down because we focus on a healthy diet. I love your videos. They inspire me thank you!
When Dollar Tree increased prices to $1.25 several folks were saying " it is only a quarter". I remind everyone that is an increase of TWENTY FIVE PERCENT ! Once we realize the difference between a # and a % the new prices become more serious . As to the Mac and cheese you purchased originally $.34 now $.43 that is over an 8% increase which can be alot for some families.
You are my favorite TH-camr!!! I'm not religious but I believe in helping others... always! You ROCK Mindy! Thank you!
Thanks, Krissy! I appreciate that. 😊
Breakfast for dinner is often fun! You can buy a big container of oatmeal at Walmart (around $2.60) or maybe pancakes, again a big container of complete (just add water ) mix at Walmart (around $1.70) and change it up by adding a spoonful of different kinds of jam, a few chocolate chips, frozen fruit, cinnamon/sugar, or even peanut butter. I've seen the cranberry beans...now I can I'll give them a try! We are in trying times, I'm grateful for this community and all of your support and wonderful ideas 💜
Some tips I use to save money on groceries is buy in bulk, shop discount, clearance & close out items at the store, use outlet & discount stores to get groceries, I even buy food items at TJ Maxx & Marshall's, and I comparison shop for deals between grocery stores near my home. In the warmer months, I also shop at local fruit & veggie stands near my home.
If it’s possible to have a garden and preserve produce (can, freeze, dehydrate) it can go a long way to stretching a budget. For instance in the summer months I don’t buy produce and up until Sept/October we eat root veg. We are fortunate to be able to store potatoes out in someone else’s root cellar. We also get beef in bulk (our own that my Dad keeps on his farm). It offsets cost considerably. Cooking from scratch and buying less packaged foods really helps.
Overnight oats are an EXTREMELY budget friendly, healthy meal too.. if you're buying whole milk you can even do 50% water and 50% milk. Add some honey if you have it, otherwise sugar is fine too. Add some nuts from the baking isle for protein if your budget allows it. My boyfriend and I ate it a lot during college, it's really filling.
Thanks for revisiting the $10 challenge. I have been thinking back to conversations with my grandparents, they ate meat sparingly. Often it was a chicken on Sunday and the bones, scraps,ect were stretched as far as they could be with soup, chicken and rice, ect. I feel like we may be heading into the same type of thing. Thanks for being calm and reassuring.
I recently found that making my leftover beans, rice and veggies into veggies burgers 🍔 is delicious 🤤 and cost effective since beans and rice are pretty cheap.
Great idea
This is so smart!
Beans can be used in so many ways. So can carrots, bananas, peas. Wild canned fish..tuna or shrimp can be used in many ways too.
Do you mash the beans up and what, fry the burgers? That sounds good.
@@catherinecrawford2289 it’s delicious 😋 when mixing it some of the beans over mashed enough to create a bond. I also add a bit more season and liquid smoke. Roasted carrots 🥕 add a sweet taste to them and onions 🧅 and garlic 🧄 give it a more burger 🍔 flavor. Nutritional yeast is a good addition as well. Warm the rice so that it can meld better. I either bake or fry them.
Yes! Lentil hamburger helper also lentil Sloppy Joe's! 😀
Great ideas!
I like doing eggs in a basket in the morning with some frozen microwave hashbrowns. It feeds me all week, but I'm able to get eggs for free from my roommate's aunt, so I'm not sure if this is ideal for everyone. It's super easy to cook and I'm very new in the kitchen so I enjoy having something come out perfect every time with minimal cleanup.
When I was young and newly married, I subscribed to "The Tightwad Gazette" and to "Quick Cooking" which was from Taste of Home. Really helped me learn, as I learn from reading better than spoken. (That's another reason for me to appreciate closed captioning). 😊 My thought is, not every meal has to be a four- or five- course dinner. Simple meals are just as enjoyable!
My family lives on a very tight budget in the summer since I work in the school system. And with the prices of things going up our budget has gotten even tighter, but watching your videos are very help full to me! Thank you for giving me inspiration.
Tips for saving money that we have used.
Shop the sales.
Only buy what you eat.
Stock up and eat tomorrow at today's prices.
Eat seasonal.
Grow your own food as much as possible.
You can keep meat in your meals but use half of what you usually would. (For instance the chicken breasts are so huge butterfly them and use one breast for two people.)
Buy in bulk for those foods that are shelf stable and learn how to store them for long term.
Make basic but hearty meals.
Look up recipes using depression era meals.
Depression Cooking here on TH-cam has some wonderful meals.
the cranberry beans are really good. I have gotten them a few times and really enjoy them. They don't taste like cranberries. I think they just named that because of the color.
For frozen veg choices, I would grab peas or peas/carrots because it's easier to stretch and bulk out meals, adds good amount of fiber, and they have protein. Farmer's markets will be starting up in a few months, if you wait until almost closing time the vendors may be a little more generous as they don't want to pack up what remains. (you can use SNAP at farmer markets, sometimes WIC provides extra vouchers to use at markets) Usually there is a box of banged up and bad spots of bell peppers for a lower cost. I cut off the bad spots, slice/dice, freeze on trays and transfer to ziploc bags. They add a nice splash of "fresh" flavor and sweetness to soups, pasta/rice dishes, stir fry. Red bell pepper can have similar flavor profile to tomato. Investing in a chest freezer is great for budget cooking, check for used ones.
Those are great tips!
I love so much that you encourage people to get help with food insecurity and support the programs that help! Thank you for helping normalize asking for help when you need it!
Glad you said this isn't to use forever these types of meals.
These are high in Sodium/Salt and not a go to for people with hypertension (high blood pressure).
I make my own spices to avoid this issue. Little high in carbs too for those with Diabetes.
Buying in bulk when food is on sale and freeze as much as you can is one way to avoid the meat price issues. Tip: Potatoes can be boiled, mashed and will not go black in the freezer.
It is best to avoid processed foods and the blessing is a slow cooker like you have :~`)
We make at least two types of meals in bulk, so you don't eat the same meal over and over, like you so rightfully said can happen. Try to swap white for brown ~ Pasta, flour, riice.
Also another tip for people is that 4 g of sugar = 1 teaspoon of sugar.
As for Cranberry Beans, they AKA Borlotti beans from Columbia (AKA Roman/ Romano/Saluggia or as we called them years ago Rosecoco.
They have a nutty flavour and can hold their own in a stew. Great idea to use beans for fiber and the dry better than canned ~ again the salt level.
It is hard to eat healthy during food insecurities. Canadian food prices can be higher, depending on where you shop here.
To cut back on the budget one Mom explained you do not want to buy items like processed cereal, ice cream, cookies, chips and replace that with apples & popcorn.
My mother said driving around from store to store to save on sale items is not always cost cutting because you are using your vehicle (gas) / taxis for some and you are not saving in the long run. So buying it on sale at one store one week and going another week to a different store is one idea. She did not have places like Walmart in her days. :- (
Another little tip ~ if you do not have a LED automatic slow cooker/ crock pot, use your stove's timer or any timer for that matter to keep track of the amount of cooking time. We have an LED that automatically shuts down to minimum heat after it does the 4/6/8/12 hours you put it on for.
We make tons of soap out of veggies (add a little chicken sometimes) that are going off and cheap at the store(s) and put them in freezer safe containers and store for use. Great in the winter months when you need something warm to fill you up.
Mindy, you need to write a book and maybe call it Mindy Meal Moments on a Budget ! Love to watch your TH-cam videos. ; - )
Purchasing eggs and flour allows you to make Gnocci [ That Lisa Dawn TH-cam channel makes gnocchi] , Flatbread, Pancakes and so on with very little added to it . So, that may be more expensive than box of pasta but allows for healthy and filling options. GREAT VIDEO
Thank you so much for this video, yes it is harder to meet a certain price point now! I love how you compared the same items and gave some ideas at the end for keeping a budget. I always check what I have in my pantry, THEN check the ads for what's on sale, then I make a meal plan. Because I buy items when they are only in or below a certain price point, and I've built a pantry, most time I'm able to avoid paying what I consider an exorbitant amount for an item, bcz I already have it. You're so right, the less-variety meals will be cheaper and therefore easier to meet your budget goals. Everyone deserves to eat!
We’ve been using a lot of potatoes and recently started with rice to add bulk to meals. I’ve also been adding more veggies to make the meals more filling without adding a lot of extra costs. Two bags of frozen veggies for $2 is a lot cheaper then meat. I’m also learning to cook more with ramen because it bills up simple dishes for cheap.
I cook ramen with a meat or tuna , added beans, corn. In one I added bbq sauce. If I remember I will put the recipe on here. If anyone wants it. I make up my own recipes.
I don't know if this has been mentioned but in my state we have several Amish and "Bent and Dent" grocery stores that sell foods at a much lower price. Sometimes you might have a drive a bit to get there, so maybe plan a day with a friend or two and make a haul. One of our places accepts EBT (food stamps) but the Amish stores do require cash. I am able to get canned veggies and salad dressings, etc for 4/1.00 kind of prices. Just a thought, it's helped me out a lot. Thanks for your channel, I love your ideas.
I shopped at walmart and aldi today, and all of walmart's prices were 10 to 25 cents more on each item I purchased , or wanted to purchase. Good video. Be safe and stay well, Catherine
If (IF), possible try preplanning with the weekly sales paper and coupons. I catch soups and stews on sale and add rice or macaroni to stretch out the meal. Dried goods like beans and rice are cheaper. I start out making something simple then adding to it to change it up. like if I have plain rice left over it becomes Spanish rice or fried rice depending on left overs and available ingredients. Shop at more than one store, if possible. In my community I have 5 grocery stores(Kroger, Publix, Aldi, Dollar general, & Wal-Mart) within 4 blocks so I am not burning up gas to go to one store to the other. Again, I shop the sales ads and coupons before I go. Potatoes! One or Two baked potatoes is very filling. A five lb. bag could cover a weeks worth of lunches - no variety but you eat.
All fantastic tips! 😊
Thank you! I love your channel and your ministry :)
I love these videos! I wanted to throw something out there about the making stuff from scratch. I grew up not making anything from scratch and as an adult it was overwhelming to me think of making things but I needed to as a young broke person. My best advise is too so little things-figure out the beans-it’s easy and it’s a great starting point to start stretching your budget! You don’t have to jump right into bread, noodles, etc, do little things and build up!
I love that this is a full overview of your budget meals and you mention your past videos. I often forward your videos to family and this one is a perfect one to launch off of. Love your content ❤️
I really appreciate the ideas for some meals I can make for myself to cut my food budget down. I have never had concerns with grocery shopping and I have always stuck to a certain monthly budget. However, the grocery prices took a big hike up just like gas prices. I keep a little journal of costs for the monthly staples and the cost of things I have been buying for years with minimal increases are now jumping anywhere from a .75 increase up to a few dollars! Which is to be expected but it basically happened overnight rather than steadily like price increases usually occur. So this will at least help me cut down on food spending for myself so I can have more wiggle room for my husband and son who have food allergies.
It was a hectic day at work, and now I get to relax while watching a SMM vid - it really does bring mg heart rate down, lol. I'm setting a goal for April to spend no more than $100 for the month (we're a family of three adult women). My biggest budget busting habit is constantly running to the store even though I already have tons of food. In these uncertain times, saving money is more important than ever, so I appreciate all your inspo, thanks!
Sherilyn, that’s a challenging budget, you could probably give me some tips! I have a video idea for April that involves a $100 budget for the week for my family of 5. 😊 thanks for the kind words.
We make soup once a week. The kind depends on what needs to be used up. We eat twice as a main meal and lunches with the leftovers. If we get tired of it we pop it in the freezer. Pull it out when we need a quick meal.
Lucky to be able to cook from scratch all the time now that I'm retired. Your videos (recipes and advice) are a treasure. Keep up the good work.
We eat tomato soup with garlic bread instead of grilled cheese sandwiches, since garlic bread is cheaper, and my kids love it.
I love your videos, great ideas! We have to eat gluten-free, so it gets pricey. I try to use beans as much as possible. Cranberry beans are great on salads and I love to use them in my homemade hummus. It makes the hummus a little lighter and sweeter, which then makes it a great sub on sandwiches for mayo.
Great tips!
I use vanilla Greek yogurt as a mayo substitute for mayo in chicken salad. It’s so good!
We found that buying whole sale and freezing/dehydrating/other preservation ways really helped us stay in budget. It's more expensive up front, but per unit it's cheaper and ends up saving money in the long run.
Seniors are struggling to find affordable meals. I am not on the level that you are with your videos but I am trying to create balanced menus for 2 that cost $3 using our local stores and sale ads. I am not a professional. My heart is going out to those with food insecurities. 2 can still eat in our area for barely $50 a week - 3 meals a day. I am amazed at how many times $1 bag of frozen vegetables can be extended into 3 recipes for 2. We have elderly couples who are still independent but struggling.
Are you looking for ideas?
@@FiatVoluntasTua23 always
Is there an aldi nearby
@@FiatVoluntasTua23 I am an Aldi freak. Their ad comes first in my grocery buying. Do not under estimate COUPON ONLY shopping at Kroger for their super sales. $1.27 for 5# bag of russet potatoes, etc.
Breakfast
Oatmeal and fruit, muesli, biscuits and gravy, egg sandwich, grits with veg or fruit, Graham crackers with peanut butter, toast with cream cheese, rice pudding with raisins, mashed sweet potatoes with nuts and fruit homemade muffins, hashbrowns with egg ( to stretch that roll up mixture in small corn tortillas and toast them)
Lunch and dinner
Fried bologna sandwich with pickles
Hot dog with coleslaw, grilled cheese with tomato soup, 1 slice frozen pizza with salad, pasta salad with diced meat and veg, baked beans on toast with shredded carrot, mac and cheese with tuna and cream mushroom soup, bean soup with bread, bean and cheese tortillas, lentil (meatloaf) sandwich or with potatoes and veg, homemade chicken pot pie,chicken and dumplings with carrots and celery, chicken rice soup, pork fried rice with peas and carrots, pasta with cream soup, meat, and veg, spinach pie with pepperoni, pasta and peas.
I loved watching this video and you actually breaking down what the prices were before verses now!!! I know prices have gone up when I am out and about but with you breaking it down it was so much more shocking to see how much some things have really gone up!
I have been making bread from home and using more beans in my weekly menu. I also try to buy bulk meat which I divide into smaller packages and have started using only 1/2 lb in my recipes. I've been adding extra vegetables to bulk my meals. I mostly cook at home, though I do like takeout from time to time. I also freeze my leftovers in single servings for easy lunches or nights I don't feel like cooking.
I LOVE THIS VIDEOOOOO!!! The shop with me, the price comparison, the trade out of items from ready made to things a bit more labor intensive intesive.
Thank you for addressing the food budget issues. Blessings to you for your thoughtful posts!
Love these videos. I think what I find all the more frustrating right now is that, for me at least, my local stores (there aren’t many, we’re pretty rural) are constantly out of the more affordable items. This is making it even harder to stay in budget. Pastas, rice, etc are few and far between!
It's very hard with prices rising. Gas has doubled too. We don't go anywhere unless it's absolutely necessary now and we usually skip lunch to make the food budget stretch. (Bonus weight loss!) I buy whatever is cheapest/marked down when getting groceries and meal plan based on what I get instead of before I go.
Same! I've been fasting and only eating lunch and dinner to help with weightloss and my grocery budget.
Cheryl, I hope things look up soon, and you are able to get what you need. ❤️
@@SeeMindyMom thanks. But we're good here! ❤
These videos I stumbled upon are *GoLd*. Your original video with the homemade pancakes wowed me. I’m definitely trying that pancake recipe soon. Thank you for doing these videos. Loving them!
Thanks, Stephanie! Glad you like them!
Mushrooms work for me as a meat replacement in some things too, like the pasta dishes. Not sure about nutritionally but can work flavor wise and helping a meal stretch.
For the low carb/keto crowd it can still be pretty close! I just made my husband lunch for 5 days... 1.69 a meal...but to be fair his HUGE lunch would equal my lunch and dinner...add a dozen or 18 CT of eggs and I could eat for 12 bucks... yes that's 5 days...but for only carnivore/meat products that is epically cheap.. because I shopped the ground beef on sale at 2.99 a pound, and his brats were 1.99 on sale... normally it's 5.99 a pound and 3.99 a pkg. I stock up for sure on sales! It's tough...but it can be done ❤️
As a family we have to deal with layoff season, my husband is a construction worker and our winters are long and cold. So I shop with stocking up for that time in mind so we don't have to do a lot of grocery shopping at that time. I find that if there is a really good sale on something, I will by an extra $5 worth of that item for my pantry or freezer. I find that I can usually find that extra in my budget without out breaking the budget.
Great video. I think we all need to start thinking creatively when it comes to feeding our families. While watching Kimmy cooking from Depression Era cookbooks, I realized I need to look through my recipes and meals to see what we like the most. I will start stocking up on those ingredients. I do have a stocked pantry, however, I'm not sure if what I have is what we want most. Does that make sense? Anyway, I love these videos. Thank you for sharing. I try to do the same thing on my little shows. :)
I know exactly what you mean! Cooking the same meals, especially when you know everybody will eat them and nothing will go to waste, is a smart move!
I’ve looked for alternatives to meat , and quinoa seems to be the highest in protein. While it may not be cheap as other meal ingredients, it does make a lot when cooked. Seasoned and put in patties, made into taco ‘meat’, or in casseroles. I find I donta miss the meat, but is it cost effective? Im cooking for one, so it’s fine. Thank you for all your helpful videos.
I would try using lentils and mix with the quinoa to save more money. Or if you still want meat, mix the lentils with ground meat.
Great ideas. I need to learn how to cook with quinoa and also lentils.
I've found quinoa at Dollar Tree when it was still at $1... IDK if it would be available in your area. That lentils tip is a great idea, I'd like to try that!
I have been looking an actual flash back of 2 ladies that wrote a book about cooking ahead and saving money. Love your PSA. All heart! They had a 365 plan
I'm watching this 9 months after filming. It's unbelievable how much egg prices have gone up! Generic dozens at our local Walmart and Safeway in southern AZ have been over $5 to $6, and 1.5 dozen are $7 to $9, and prices continue to increase. The generics are consistently costing more than some cage-free, name brand eggs. Only trader Joe's has decent prices on eggs still (still priced higher than a year ago, though).
Crazy enough, in our area for 1.5 dozen eggs, Target is the cheapest. I got them for $4.50 last week. TARGET! The place that's notoriously so expensive for anything is somehow now cheaper than Walmart and Aldi. Their brand milk is also way cheaper at only $1.99 a gallon.
Every time I think you can't get more amazing, you prove me wrong! May God bless you and your family for your generosity to others!! ♥️♥️♥️
I have been cooking from my pantry and filling in with food that is on sale. I also have been shopping clearance foods, especially produce. My local Meijer participates in a program called “Flash Food” where you can buy boxes of produce for $5 and half price meats and bakery items.
Mindy as always thank you for this video and the reminders of how many great budget meals you have shared. So many have become favorites.
Thanks for watching, Jerrie!