Thank you Helix for sponsoring! Visit helixsleep.com/frugalfitmom to get 20% off your Helix mattress, plus two free pillows. Offers subject to change. P.S. - Helix will have some great holiday sales popping up throughout November, so keep an eye on their website to catch these special offers! #helixsleep
To break my habit of eating out I started allowing myself to buy a few convenience meals like frozen pizza or nuggets. For some reason I would turn into a different person when I would go grocery shopping and buy only healthy made from scratch ingredients and then get home and have nothing I wanted to eat.
Yes! I usually buy healthy too and most of the time I like that, but sometimes I just crave the taste of some junk food and when I have nothing like that to snack on, I get so tempted to get take out with my roommates (in my dorm there is ALWAYS someone who orders out...)
Yes! Having frozen pizzas in the freezer have saved many a McDonald’s trip. Frozen pizza, and a “salad” that is just lettuce and dressing. Simple, filling, I struggle to feed myself so having go tos is so important
Yes! I have an entire pantry full of ingredients but after errands, I have a box of Detroit frozen pizzas from Costco. The rest of the time I triple batch cook my dinners freeze the leftovers to heat up on my "fast food" days
I really love this style of video. I love seeing each person's unique struggles and how you make it look so easy to change a few things to save them a bunch of money!
Allison your laughter is delightful! Great job ladies and I think a follow-up video of seeing you filming your family's reaction to the different meals you're going to make would be also delightful!
Personally I think those Bare nuggets are better than McD’s and tho different they are just as good as Chic Fila. I think they are called bare because the lack of artificial ingredients but the ones I found at my Costco are breaded not “bare”.
Way to go Allison! You saved a ton of money and will have some amazing meals there for your family. Christine you really need to do these types of video's regularly; they are great! And you should do an update video in 3 to 6 months to see how they are doing with their shopping and cooking.
My husband was preparing for a surgery. He met with a nutritionist. For him,(works: 5a-2p)she suggested to eat a protein at breaks and lunch. He was no longer looking for a snack at 3p at home. Along with walking in a pool 2x a week for 30 minutes. He lost 20 lbs in 6 weeks. Lesson learned 3 traditional meals a day doesn’t work for all.
When I find things on sale, i like making freezer kits. For example, discount french breads and I'll portion out sauce in a bag, mozzarella cheese, and other toppings. Then, for one of the nights, I bring out the french bread pizza kit. Throw the sauce to defrost in some water, and the fsmily helps assemble them. It doesn't matter if the bread and shredded cheese are still frozen it all cooks up nicely in the oven. I've also adopted many stove top recipes to be crock pot friendly. I also make sure that one of those meals is in the crock pot before I do any wrrands or food shopping. That way, when we're out, we aren't tempted to eat out since food is done already at home.
Thank you, Allison! Convenience food tip- grab a rotisserie chicken from Costco (or even Kroger type store) and some of the easy mac and cheese or mashed potatoes in the refrigerated section. Yes, it's more expensive than cooking from scratch, but still going to be a lot cheaper than take out! And Christine, I'm loving these "helping others shop" videos!😊
I love these audits! What an amazing way to show someone with actual examples in their store! Also, I admire the courage of sweet Allison to let you do this. Please continue this series - it is so inspiring! God bless Allison and Christine and their families!
I do the same food every weeknight. Every Friday we have fish. Every Thursday is pasta. Every Tuesday is Mexican. Monday is meatless Monday. Saturday is soup Saturday. Sunday is for leftovers so I can clean the fridge out before the week starts. Wednesday is Wildcard Wednesday and we try new recipes or bring back old favorites. Makes life SO easy.
I'm so jealous! Those clearance prices ... WOW. Love love love this series. I'm a clearance shopper myself, and to see others get excited like I do and learn how to shop better is amazing.
Thank you Allison for volunteering for a grocery audit. One thing I might recommend if you don't have one is an air fryer. Even a small one (which we have) we just use it for things like hash brown patties, taquitos, chicken patties ( add a bun and condiments, chicken sandwiches in like less than 15 minutes). You can do this!
All the props to Allison! You remind me of me when I was a younger person with very young children - overworked, out of the house about 12 hours a day, and starving on the way home from work. And didn't really know how to cook. Some of these ideas are GREAT ways to start making more meals at home and saving money. Woot!
She has lots of canned veggies that she could fix for sides in a hurry. She could also make crockpot meals before she leaves for work in the morning. She could shop the sales and then meal plan from what she bought on sale.
My Kroger never has discounts like THAT! Good Job for Allison! She did great to reduce her food budget with your help! Only tip I have is if the family has a favorite freezable soup, to make extra batches of it and freeze it into individual serving sizes that are easy to heat up for quick meals. I found that , for example, if I freeze my soup/stew in Rubbermade take-alongs food containers for 1.25 cup serving and 2.8 cup serving, that the frozen lump fits perfectly into my square corningware baking dishes. So If I'm hungry and tired, dinner is as easy as 1. Open the freezer 2. Grab a frozen block from the freezer bag 3. Put it into the baking dish with the lid 4. Microwave for 5-7 minutes . 5. Soups On! I do this for 6+ different soups/stew so I have variety as well. One of the soups is a creamy southwestern taco soup, that in the summer can be thawed and served over shredded lettuce like a taco salad. Thick pumpkin beef Chili, Southwester Taco Soup with chipotle and lime, Ragin Cajun Sausage and Cabbage soup, Creamy Tuscany Spinach soup with Italian sausage, Jamaican Chicken and Veggie curry, Beefy Mushroom Soup, I have a whole shelf just for frozen blocks of soup.
I have a few tips for you, Allison! One - crockpot! I love knowing that I have a meal already cooking in the crockpot for when I get home. It definitely helps me avoid the take-out trap and also over-snacking while I'm cooking dinner. Two - find some staple meals that you know your family will like that involve all shelf-stable/freezer ingredients. That way you can keep the ingredients on hand and if you "don't feel like" the meal plan meal, you can swap it out! For me, it's chili. A couple cans of beans, canned tomatoes, frozen ground meat, and spices and you can do it in the crockpot or on the stove top. In the winter it's soup (canned or frozen homemade) & grilled cheese.
What a great video! I love how you’re slowly converting everyone to Kroger stores! Honestly the fun of never knowing what you might find on markdown sale is what makes grocery shopping fun in my opinion.
You have helped me so far save $600-800/month just on groceries! I cancelled instacart, cancelled meal subscription and got a Costco membership. Can’t wait to see how much more I can save once we get a second freezer !
Best advice I have for shopping at Kroger brand stores; go early on the weekend. Like before 10 am. That's usually when you will find the best selection of clearance items. (I work at a K brand store as a cashier.) 👍
That’s what I was going to say! I love it! I do that and I make bagged meals where I put all the ingredients in a bag ( canned and boxed foods along with the seasonings) and put in my pantry so I can just grab and make!
Allison is killing it! She was already doing great as far as knowing what they really eat and not having a crazy amount of things in the pai that they just don't use.
👏👏👏 Alison! Another great video, Christine! I hope you do more videos like this; it's always entertaining to see other converts to the frugal lifestyle.
My real problem is laziness combined with my job. I am a single guy so its already difficult to get myself to cook for 1. In addition to that my job takes me all over to different grocery stores to stock bread. I don't deliver, just put up what is left in the back room, so i drive my personal vehicle, a camper converted minivan with a literal refrigerator and microwave in it and I still find it easier to swing by the drive thru rather than take a frozen boxed meal and microwave it whenever I get hungry. Oh yes the frozen boxed meal. I typically buy those lean cuisine type frozen dinners instead of actually cooking because I am 1 person. I have the advantage of already being in 4-5 different grocery chains daily for my job so I usually get them on sale. Much like Allison, if i would just cut the fast food I'd probably cut my food cost in half, even with my diet of mostly frozen microwavable food.
Honestly, when you showed the weekly menu, at first glance, I thought it said...6 lovers, and then I thought 6 flowers and it was leftovers... Lol - the handwriting. How funny!
Okay - as soon as I saw Smiths I knew Christine had to be geeking out on the inside. I’m shocked y’all didn’t get all the guacamoles lol. Also was that 15 cent sour cream? If it was, I would have grabbed them all and made a couple beef stroganoff freezer meals. Really impressed with the clearance deals in this one. Would love to see a follow up 6 months from now to see how Allison is doing 😃
When my hubby and I were first married we ate A LOT of takeout; all of was picked up on the way home from long hours at stressful jobs. I helped myself a TON by just buying convenient meal options, from boxes, packages, and the freezer aisle. I used my crockpot a lot and we learned to enjoy leftovers the next day for lunch. Lunches and snacks at work (especially workplaces that don't offer a space to actually eat) can be difficult, but again buying at a grocery store is still more affordable than getting junk from a vending machine or eating at a restaurant. This was all before door dash, when places rarely delivered to where I lived. I learned years ago that a cr@ppy Totinos pizza and a bag of caesar salad was yummier and usually cheaper than picking up fast food from wherever. Also fast food gets cold by the time you get it home, so it's gross! Remember how good the food is that you have and you won't be tempted to get fast food again. Also, you CAN get a bottle of Chick-fil-a sauce at Walmart 🤷♀️.
Allison, thnx for your willingness to be vulnerable. Helped me to realize nothing wrong with helps like frozen nuggets or pre-made cuisine (chicken stuffed with yumminess). Thanks Christina for being your normal not judgy self! Great video!
Those burger patties were a fantastic buy. Hoboes are excellent for a hands off oven meal. Rimmed baking sheet cover with a large piece of foil. Spray foil put patties on foil season to your preference add onions and peppers if desired. Top patties with frozen mixed vegetables, season, then top them with sliced potatoes, two medium potatoes is generally good, season them. Bring foil sides together and seal and then seal ends. Bake 350° about an hour depending on your oven. Use a meat thermometer to check the patties and 160° is temp for ground beef. All three of my kids love this and I add Lima beans because they’re not in the frozen mixed vegetables I can buy.
I love to "cook once, eat twice" when i can! Making a beef roast? Turn the leftovers into shredded beef tacos or vegetable beef soup. Baking Chicken for dinner? Cook extra and use the extra for a casserole later in the week.
Looks like she's on her way to saving and eating healthier! Allison seems like so much fun! Christine, we're gonna need a follow up on her. My Kroger rarely has anything marked down (maybe a few cups of yogurt and some potatoes that needed thrown out last week). I need a ground beef stock up!
My Kroger had one poor outlier quart of vanilla eggnog on markdown for just over two bucks, so I bought it to put in my coffee at home. I’ve already had two weeks of better-than-Starbucks-eggnog latte every morning for a fraction of the cost. A splurge without the splurge prices 😃
Way to go Allison! Another tip I would add would be to make some freezer casseroles or freezer meals to put in the crockpot...the crockpot ones can cook while you are at work. Cheers!
That would be my suggestion as well. Make several freezer meals available that can be put into the crockpot in the morning and have the meal ready when she gets home from work.
Agree - knowing there is a hot and ready meal at home in the crockpot lessens the drive-thru temptation. Prep and store in crockpot liner, then drop it in the crockpot on your way out the door!
Cute pets! Also just make sure you use Christine's sale ad method for meal planning too. My stores never have much in the way of markdowns so I look at weekly ads and plan off that. You can still pick up markdowns too and use that to make meal plan stretch!
Me too but I do know someone who works at Walmart in the grocery section that gave me tips on when they do markdowns and what date to look for. If I find a date that complies with the policy, I can flag down a manager and they will give me the markdown. Networking works. I’m thankful for a fully stocked freezer and pantry due to a lot of hard work so I can typically get by with only buying loss leaders now. 🙏
Great job Allison & Christine! I can relate to coming home from work and not feeling like cooking! I love your quick-meal tips in the video! A few others I use often are Ben's rice pouches that cook in 90 seconds, the Green Giant steamable veggies from the freezer section, and my instant pot.
Way to go Allison! You are not lazy! Most times we are tired, overwhelmed and unprapared. Christine, you are not criticizing, you are coaching! Be positive ladies! Good job! :) Allison, I shop at Krogers. Here they drop their sales ads on Wednesday. I pull it up, make my list, load my coupons and ONLY shop the sales! I "prep and stockpile" and if it says I can buy 5 at the sales price, I do! I freeze, etc. They "rotate" most items every 2 months. Also at the holidays they have turkeys and hams on sale and I get those also. Example turkeys for .29 a lb with a 20.00 order. I have literally shopped and bought almost 500 in groceries for 200! PLUS I get the gas points! You can do it! I meal prep for the week on Sunday afternoons and do what my nephews call "cook big" aka make a roast with all the fixings for Sunday dinner and eat leftovers during the week or chili, meatloaf, soups etc and freeze some too so I can have quick meals when I am tired or overwhelmed. During the seasons I garden and can and freeze. I make so many things now like applesauce, cranberry sauce, jams etc because it's so cheap to grow or buy fresh from farmers markets. Get fruits in season and freeze. I have over 20 lbs of strawberries in the freezer now for the Winter! Buy corn and freeze on the cob, etc. I go up and down every isle and look for closeouts and unadvertised sales also. if I can do it you can too trust me! Good luck! :) PS. Love the pup and your accent! :)
When my son moved back in last year, for several months, I made a list of all of our favorite entrees (adding more as time went on). This made it easier to plan the weekly menu by going to the list and choosing a chicken, pork, beef, etc to have a variety. Our ‘fast foods’ were such meals as Birdseye Four Cheese Chicken n’ Pasta, Stouffer’s individual Lasagnas, etc.
please do more of these! your tips are creative/helpful for me as i shop, and it's so fun to see how other people grocery shop and hear your thoughts. these grocery audits are some of my fave videos. please do more!
I needed this this morning. I've been sitting here thinking about getting takeout all morning, but also arguing with myself because WE HAVE FOOD AT HOME!! I'm just being lazy. So today I am going to plan my meals for the coming week and stop putting it off, and will NOT be buying that takeout. Thanks for sharing Allison!
I am doing a November Grocery Challenge allowing myself $100.00 for groceries for the month. So far 11/8 , I have spent $19+ change with $8.75 of that being for three and a half months of Coffee for my prepping pantry. I started with a full freezer, and pantry. I have enjoyed dinners so far of *Corn Chowder * Pasta, Diced Tomatos, Sausage and Salad *Baked Beans ( can ) w/ Sausage and Salad * leftover Pizza from October's last haul - Each of these meals has given me at least 2-3 portions for lunch or another meal.i also have made sweet treats such as Chocolate Cake with Cherry Pie filling, and Brownies with the same filling.
Allison is very brave for asking for help and then allowing you to give her feedback on what she’s doing wrong and how to do that better much better, I’ll give her an 87% on this test
My boyfriend and I love frozen foods. It really helps us to eat something every night even when we don't feel like cooking. Frozen pizza is just one step. Frozen dinner rolls or garlic bread sticks are easy to heat up to bulk up a meal. We never get fast food because we don't have any that are on our way to and from work. We get Chinese food occasionally, but only like once a month. This is what works for us as recent grads
I started following several people on TH-cam for easy meal ideas. I started cooking a lot more after I gained confidence!!! Now I bought an instant pot and am in love!!!
A great easy cheap meal: "Mock Filet Mignon" Wrap your burger patty around the edge with Bacon! Bake 400 until done about 20-30 min. Serve with veggie, steak sauce, it has a wonderful flavor!
Thank you for coming on the channel Allison, I think a BUNCH of us can totally relate to you and your situation and goals! 🐶🐶🐶 for Good Boy! Girl you lucked out on some of those deals, and what a great variety of meals - and snacks - you got too!!!
I'm so glad to see this become a regular series! Alison, you did such a great job! 👍 I learned a ton of tips from your episode and I know you've helped so many people.
Great job, Allison! 👏It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there, yes, but also it takes a lot of courage to change your habits for the better. I hope you find good success!
I really love these grocery audits because it makes it easier to take the advise given to these women and use it in my shopping. I hope you continue these!
Wow!! Those clearance prices, and so many!!! Allison, thank you for allowing us to ke a rn more with you! I find if i schedule a 'take out night' on my monthly food plan its easier to resist drive thrus on other nights, cuz i know i have one ing uo.😊
I love these pantry audit videos! Thank you, Allison, for allowing us into your home. And thank you, Christine, for helping Allison discover ways to change the habits she wanted to change. I would be at that store every morning looking at the markdowns! Great job, both of you!
Our Kroger is tiny and 20 miles away, all our town has are Walmart, Safeway, and a local, VERY expensive store. I am jealous, I’ve been a Kroger shopper my whole life!
Try having a few freezer meals handy. Maybe when you are prepping one meal, you could double it and make a 2nd for the freezer, even now coming into the winter some hearty stew or soups that can be served with warm crusty bread bought instore and heated in the oven!
A few convenience items in the freezer is a life saver. I used to buy the chicken voila meals (until the price went up), on days when i didn't feel good 10-15 min in the microwave, eat out of the pot (less dishes) and far cheaper than takeout. No paying attention to the stove or oven. With the price of convenience food going up, I keep less of it on hand, but if I find it for a good price, I pick up one or two. This week has been...crazy, so i appreciate kroger had frozen potatoes on sale...yes, I made frozen potatoes 3 days in a week, but I hadn't had any for a few weeks so it all balances out. One pot meals, dump and go, slow cooker type meals can be handy too. And when all else fails, box mac and cheese or a can of soup can be a life saver.
I second the comment about frozen convenience meals! When you forget to thaw out meat or your just exhausted, a frozen pizza can save the day. We always stock up when they have sales. 😂
Alison one of my easy go to meals for fall/winter is soup and grilled cheese. I also struggle with getting takeout so I try and make sure there is something super quick and yummy in my pantry and freezer. I made steak and baked potato the other night but made extra steak to use for Fajitas, another night was steak and cheese quesadillas. Cooking extra protein and making multiple meals is what saves me time and money. The steak was on markdown, chicken works just as well!
Something I've started doing instead of running for take out, is to do crockpot meals so that I know my supper is waiting on me when I get home. I eat that meal on the evening I make it. Then I skip a day and have the leftovers from THAT meal the following day (ex Mon/Wed). If anything is left, I'll freeze for a "what's in the freezer" meal plan day the following week. Hope that helps.
Those were some great deals! I allow myself to cook difficult/time intensive meals on my off days. Super easy on work days. Also on my off days I meal prep when I can. Ie: simple things (you’re gonna make burgers, slice onion and tomatoes if you like and place in fridge for burger day). And great job planning for leftovers!!! Very important for a busy family.
I agree with Christine about keeping a high protein snack for work, or even in your car for when you get off work. I am sooo envious of the prices you found! Allison you are very smart to look for ways to save in this economy.
Those bare chicken nuggets are awesome. I air fry them and they remind me of the chic fil a nuggets. I live a single life and one thing I found to help is buy a bag of potatoes and either shred or dice several potatoes a week and freeze them for breakfast meals. A single potato shredded is a really big portion if you cook it iwht an egg or two for breakfast. I usually add a few frozen sausage links also and make a full breakfast.
![[UNCUT] The Loyal Pin ปิ่นภักดิ์ EP.4 (4/4)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/d3l5rxl5CVo/mqdefault.jpg)
Thank you Helix for sponsoring! Visit helixsleep.com/frugalfitmom to get 20% off your Helix mattress, plus two free pillows. Offers subject to change. P.S. - Helix will have some great holiday sales popping up throughout November, so keep an eye on their website to catch these special offers! #helixsleep
I love my Helix bed!
To break my habit of eating out I started allowing myself to buy a few convenience meals like frozen pizza or nuggets. For some reason I would turn into a different person when I would go grocery shopping and buy only healthy made from scratch ingredients and then get home and have nothing I wanted to eat.
Same
Yes! I usually buy healthy too and most of the time I like that, but sometimes I just crave the taste of some junk food and when I have nothing like that to snack on, I get so tempted to get take out with my roommates (in my dorm there is ALWAYS someone who orders out...)
😂
Yes! Having frozen pizzas in the freezer have saved many a McDonald’s trip. Frozen pizza, and a “salad” that is just lettuce and dressing. Simple, filling, I struggle to feed myself so having go tos is so important
Yes! I have an entire pantry full of ingredients but after errands, I have a box of Detroit frozen pizzas from Costco. The rest of the time I triple batch cook my dinners freeze the leftovers to heat up on my "fast food" days
Cats on the table and on the counter with the food! I just can't .
I really love this style of video. I love seeing each person's unique struggles and how you make it look so easy to change a few things to save them a bunch of money!
Glad you liked it!!
Crockpot/Slowcooker! One of working moms best friends
Yes I came on here to say the same thing
I am not even a mom and I love my slow cooker!!!! Stews, soups, cooking beans, etc.
Allison your laughter is delightful! Great job ladies and I think a follow-up video of seeing you filming your family's reaction to the different meals you're going to make would be also delightful!
Yes! I want to know what they thought of the Bare nuggets.
yes,please a follow up video ❤
Alison, I am living your story Your help helped me
Personally I think those Bare nuggets are better than McD’s and tho different they are just as good as Chic Fila. I think they are called bare because the lack of artificial ingredients but the ones I found at my Costco are breaded not “bare”.
That’s amazing how you helped Allison & she was able to just reach out & be ok with admitting to the flaws she’s trying to fix on the internet.
Way to go Allison! You saved a ton of money and will have some amazing meals there for your family. Christine you really need to do these types of video's regularly; they are great! And you should do an update video in 3 to 6 months to see how they are doing with their shopping and cooking.
Yes! I love followup videos.
My husband was preparing for a surgery. He met with a nutritionist. For him,(works: 5a-2p)she suggested to eat a protein at breaks and lunch. He was no longer looking for a snack at 3p at home. Along with walking in a pool 2x a week for 30 minutes. He lost 20 lbs in 6 weeks. Lesson learned 3 traditional meals a day doesn’t work for all.
5:22 😊
Agree! Some people need 5 small meals. Some people do IF. Do what works!
Idk why but it's hilarious to me that you write a and p instead of am and pm.
eat when hungry stop when full.
many people eat by the clock or eat due to taste.
When I find things on sale, i like making freezer kits. For example, discount french breads and I'll portion out sauce in a bag, mozzarella cheese, and other toppings. Then, for one of the nights, I bring out the french bread pizza kit. Throw the sauce to defrost in some water, and the fsmily helps assemble them. It doesn't matter if the bread and shredded cheese are still frozen it all cooks up nicely in the oven.
I've also adopted many stove top recipes to be crock pot friendly. I also make sure that one of those meals is in the crock pot before I do any wrrands or food shopping. That way, when we're out, we aren't tempted to eat out since food is done already at home.
I love Allison’s transparency:) real issues for us all
Thank you, Allison! Convenience food tip- grab a rotisserie chicken from Costco (or even Kroger type store) and some of the easy mac and cheese or mashed potatoes in the refrigerated section. Yes, it's more expensive than cooking from scratch, but still going to be a lot cheaper than take out!
And Christine, I'm loving these "helping others shop" videos!😊
Yay Allison! We're all jealous of your store!
I love these audits! What an amazing way to show someone with actual examples in their store! Also, I admire the courage of sweet Allison to let you do this. Please continue this series - it is so inspiring! God bless Allison and Christine and their families!
I do the same food every weeknight. Every Friday we have fish. Every Thursday is pasta. Every Tuesday is Mexican. Monday is meatless Monday. Saturday is soup Saturday. Sunday is for leftovers so I can clean the fridge out before the week starts. Wednesday is Wildcard Wednesday and we try new recipes or bring back old favorites. Makes life SO easy.
I'm so jealous! Those clearance prices ... WOW.
Love love love this series. I'm a clearance shopper myself, and to see others get excited like I do and learn how to shop better is amazing.
Thank you Allison for volunteering for a grocery audit. One thing I might recommend if you don't have one is an air fryer. Even a small one (which we have) we just use it for things like hash brown patties, taquitos, chicken patties ( add a bun and condiments, chicken sandwiches in like less than 15 minutes). You can do this!
You are so encouraging and motivating!way to go Allison for letting Christine show you how!
All the props to Allison! You remind me of me when I was a younger person with very young children - overworked, out of the house about 12 hours a day, and starving on the way home from work. And didn't really know how to cook. Some of these ideas are GREAT ways to start making more meals at home and saving money. Woot!
She has lots of canned veggies that she could fix for sides in a hurry. She could also make crockpot meals before she leaves for work in the morning. She could shop the sales and then meal plan from what she bought on sale.
My Kroger never has discounts like THAT!
Good Job for Allison! She did great to reduce her food budget with your help!
Only tip I have is if the family has a favorite freezable soup, to make extra batches of it and freeze it into individual serving sizes that are easy to heat up for quick meals. I found that , for example, if I freeze my soup/stew in Rubbermade take-alongs food containers for 1.25 cup serving and 2.8 cup serving, that the frozen lump fits perfectly into my square corningware baking dishes. So If I'm hungry and tired, dinner is as easy as 1. Open the freezer 2. Grab a frozen block from the freezer bag 3. Put it into the baking dish with the lid 4. Microwave for 5-7 minutes . 5. Soups On!
I do this for 6+ different soups/stew so I have variety as well. One of the soups is a creamy southwestern taco soup, that in the summer can be thawed and served over shredded lettuce like a taco salad. Thick pumpkin beef Chili, Southwester Taco Soup with chipotle and lime, Ragin Cajun Sausage and Cabbage soup, Creamy Tuscany Spinach soup with Italian sausage, Jamaican Chicken and Veggie curry, Beefy Mushroom Soup, I have a whole shelf just for frozen blocks of soup.
I have a few tips for you, Allison! One - crockpot! I love knowing that I have a meal already cooking in the crockpot for when I get home. It definitely helps me avoid the take-out trap and also over-snacking while I'm cooking dinner. Two - find some staple meals that you know your family will like that involve all shelf-stable/freezer ingredients. That way you can keep the ingredients on hand and if you "don't feel like" the meal plan meal, you can swap it out! For me, it's chili. A couple cans of beans, canned tomatoes, frozen ground meat, and spices and you can do it in the crockpot or on the stove top. In the winter it's soup (canned or frozen homemade) & grilled cheese.
This is the kind of videos we need! I absolutely love it. May I suggest helping her cook 1 meal she's uncomfortable with maybe like a part 2?!
What a great video! I love how you’re slowly converting everyone to Kroger stores! Honestly the fun of never knowing what you might find on markdown sale is what makes grocery shopping fun in my opinion.
I agree! Congratulations Alison 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 In my area, Albertsons has been having the best deals on sale prices the last couple years.
You have helped me so far save $600-800/month just on groceries! I cancelled instacart, cancelled meal subscription and got a Costco membership. Can’t wait to see how much more I can save once we get a second freezer !
Best advice I have for shopping at Kroger brand stores; go early on the weekend. Like before 10 am. That's usually when you will find the best selection of clearance items. (I work at a K brand store as a cashier.) 👍
Was wondering if Allison could do a food prep day where she makes alot of freezer meals?
That’s what I was going to say! I love it! I do that and I make bagged meals where I put all the ingredients in a bag ( canned and boxed foods along with the seasonings) and put in my pantry so I can just grab and make!
Christine is like an angel of groceries.
Allison is killing it! She was already doing great as far as knowing what they really eat and not having a crazy amount of things in the pai that they just don't use.
Love the warm, red color accents in her kitchen!
16:49 I dropped a like just for the cats!!!!!!!!!! SO adorable. I love them!!!
👏👏👏 Alison!
Another great video, Christine! I hope you do more videos like this; it's always entertaining to see other converts to the frugal lifestyle.
Yay, thank you!
Allison did a great job! I loved this video. I think people get stuck in going to one store for groceries and don't think about other places.
Great Show--Brave woman opening refrigerator and cabinets to stranger's eyes.
My real problem is laziness combined with my job. I am a single guy so its already difficult to get myself to cook for 1. In addition to that my job takes me all over to different grocery stores to stock bread. I don't deliver, just put up what is left in the back room, so i drive my personal vehicle, a camper converted minivan with a literal refrigerator and microwave in it and I still find it easier to swing by the drive thru rather than take a frozen boxed meal and microwave it whenever I get hungry. Oh yes the frozen boxed meal. I typically buy those lean cuisine type frozen dinners instead of actually cooking because I am 1 person. I have the advantage of already being in 4-5 different grocery chains daily for my job so I usually get them on sale. Much like Allison, if i would just cut the fast food I'd probably cut my food cost in half, even with my diet of mostly frozen microwavable food.
Honestly, when you showed the weekly menu, at first glance, I thought it said...6 lovers, and then I thought 6 flowers and it was leftovers... Lol - the handwriting. How funny!
Okay - as soon as I saw Smiths I knew Christine had to be geeking out on the inside. I’m shocked y’all didn’t get all the guacamoles lol.
Also was that 15 cent sour cream? If it was, I would have grabbed them all and made a couple beef stroganoff freezer meals.
Really impressed with the clearance deals in this one.
Would love to see a follow up 6 months from now to see how Allison is doing 😃
When my hubby and I were first married we ate A LOT of takeout; all of was picked up on the way home from long hours at stressful jobs. I helped myself a TON by just buying convenient meal options, from boxes, packages, and the freezer aisle. I used my crockpot a lot and we learned to enjoy leftovers the next day for lunch. Lunches and snacks at work (especially workplaces that don't offer a space to actually eat) can be difficult, but again buying at a grocery store is still more affordable than getting junk from a vending machine or eating at a restaurant. This was all before door dash, when places rarely delivered to where I lived. I learned years ago that a cr@ppy Totinos pizza and a bag of caesar salad was yummier and usually cheaper than picking up fast food from wherever. Also fast food gets cold by the time you get it home, so it's gross! Remember how good the food is that you have and you won't be tempted to get fast food again.
Also, you CAN get a bottle of Chick-fil-a sauce at Walmart 🤷♀️.
Watching your videos is my cosy escape after a stressful day, all the love in the world to you adorable Christine 😂
Wow, thank you!
@@FrugalFitMomyour chemistry with Allison is great. I love her laugh
Allison, thnx for your willingness to be vulnerable. Helped me to realize nothing wrong with helps like frozen nuggets or pre-made cuisine (chicken stuffed with yumminess). Thanks Christina for being your normal not judgy self! Great video!
Those burger patties were a fantastic buy. Hoboes are excellent for a hands off oven meal. Rimmed baking sheet cover with a large piece of foil. Spray foil put patties on foil season to your preference add onions and peppers if desired. Top patties with frozen mixed vegetables, season, then top them with sliced potatoes, two medium potatoes is generally good, season them. Bring foil sides together and seal and then seal ends. Bake 350° about an hour depending on your oven. Use a meat thermometer to check the patties and 160° is temp for ground beef. All three of my kids love this and I add Lima beans because they’re not in the frozen mixed vegetables I can buy.
I love to "cook once, eat twice" when i can! Making a beef roast? Turn the leftovers into shredded beef tacos or vegetable beef soup. Baking Chicken for dinner? Cook extra and use the extra for a casserole later in the week.
Looks like she's on her way to saving and eating healthier! Allison seems like so much fun!
Christine, we're gonna need a follow up on her.
My Kroger rarely has anything marked down (maybe a few cups of yogurt and some potatoes that needed thrown out last week). I need a ground beef stock up!
These types of videos were you are helping other figure it out are my favorite
My Kroger had one poor outlier quart of vanilla eggnog on markdown for just over two bucks, so I bought it to put in my coffee at home. I’ve already had two weeks of better-than-Starbucks-eggnog latte every morning for a fraction of the cost. A splurge without the splurge prices 😃
Way to go Allison! Another tip I would add would be to make some freezer casseroles or freezer meals to put in the crockpot...the crockpot ones can cook while you are at work. Cheers!
That would be my suggestion as well. Make several freezer meals available that can be put into the crockpot in the morning and have the meal ready when she gets home from work.
Agree - knowing there is a hot and ready meal at home in the crockpot lessens the drive-thru temptation. Prep and store in crockpot liner, then drop it in the crockpot on your way out the door!
Dean Winchester made me smile , another Supernatural fan here !
Cute pets! Also just make sure you use Christine's sale ad method for meal planning too. My stores never have much in the way of markdowns so I look at weekly ads and plan off that. You can still pick up markdowns too and use that to make meal plan stretch!
Me too but I do know someone who works at Walmart in the grocery section that gave me tips on when they do markdowns and what date to look for. If I find a date that complies with the policy, I can flag down a manager and they will give me the markdown. Networking works. I’m thankful for a fully stocked freezer and pantry due to a lot of hard work so I can typically get by with only buying loss leaders now. 🙏
Yeah. Allison. Good job.
Great job Allison & Christine! I can relate to coming home from work and not feeling like cooking! I love your quick-meal tips in the video! A few others I use often are Ben's rice pouches that cook in 90 seconds, the Green Giant steamable veggies from the freezer section, and my instant pot.
Allison, you are awesome! You're honest, and funny and so open to change! You're going to get this figured out.
And don't forget cheeky! 😂
Seriously, she was a gem.
Way to go Allison! You are not lazy! Most times we are tired, overwhelmed and unprapared. Christine, you are not criticizing, you are coaching! Be positive ladies! Good job! :) Allison, I shop at Krogers. Here they drop their sales ads on Wednesday. I pull it up, make my list, load my coupons and ONLY shop the sales! I "prep and stockpile" and if it says I can buy 5 at the sales price, I do! I freeze, etc. They "rotate" most items every 2 months. Also at the holidays they have turkeys and hams on sale and I get those also. Example turkeys for .29 a lb with a 20.00 order. I have literally shopped and bought almost 500 in groceries for 200! PLUS I get the gas points! You can do it! I meal prep for the week on Sunday afternoons and do what my nephews call "cook big" aka make a roast with all the fixings for Sunday dinner and eat leftovers during the week or chili, meatloaf, soups etc and freeze some too so I can have quick meals when I am tired or overwhelmed. During the seasons I garden and can and freeze. I make so many things now like applesauce, cranberry sauce, jams etc because it's so cheap to grow or buy fresh from farmers markets. Get fruits in season and freeze. I have over 20 lbs of strawberries in the freezer now for the Winter! Buy corn and freeze on the cob, etc. I go up and down every isle and look for closeouts and unadvertised sales also. if I can do it you can too trust me! Good luck! :) PS. Love the pup and your accent! :)
and love the cats too!!!
I loved Alison! Thank you so much for sharing your laughter, your home, grocery budget and your dog.
Allison, 1st off i love your laugh and energy.try use slow cookers, instant pots etc
When my son moved back in last year, for several months, I made a list of all of our favorite entrees (adding more as time went on). This made it easier to plan the weekly menu by going to the list and choosing a chicken, pork, beef, etc to have a variety. Our ‘fast foods’ were such meals as Birdseye Four Cheese Chicken n’ Pasta, Stouffer’s individual Lasagnas, etc.
Allison was a delight. As someone else mentioned, a follow-up vid between you two might be nice. 😃😃
Allison is so cute LOL. Both of you have so much chemistry and funny, made me laugh
Alison, you are a brave woman! So lucky to have Christine to help you!
please do more of these! your tips are creative/helpful for me as i shop, and it's so fun to see how other people grocery shop and hear your thoughts. these grocery audits are some of my fave videos. please do more!
Great job Allison. I wish I had a Smiths. AMAZING Christine.
get the family to help with the cooking like first one home starts the evening meal!
Yay Allison!! 👏 slow cooker meals might help get meals ready quicker on busy nights
I needed this this morning. I've been sitting here thinking about getting takeout all morning, but also arguing with myself because WE HAVE FOOD AT HOME!! I'm just being lazy. So today I am going to plan my meals for the coming week and stop putting it off, and will NOT be buying that takeout. Thanks for sharing Allison!
I am doing a November Grocery Challenge allowing myself $100.00 for groceries for the month. So far 11/8 , I have spent $19+ change with $8.75 of that being for three and a half months of Coffee for my prepping pantry. I started with a full freezer, and pantry. I have enjoyed dinners so far of
*Corn Chowder
* Pasta, Diced Tomatos, Sausage and Salad
*Baked Beans ( can ) w/ Sausage and Salad
* leftover Pizza from October's last haul -
Each of these meals has given me at least 2-3 portions for lunch or another meal.i also have made sweet treats such as Chocolate Cake with Cherry Pie filling, and Brownies with the same filling.
I kid you not, that 3.50 veggie tray is $20 in Canada 😯definitely a luxury. Great video, good ideas!
Yeah Allison!
Allison is very brave for asking for help and then allowing you to give her feedback on what she’s doing wrong and how to do that better much better, I’ll give her an 87% on this test
My boyfriend and I love frozen foods. It really helps us to eat something every night even when we don't feel like cooking. Frozen pizza is just one step. Frozen dinner rolls or garlic bread sticks are easy to heat up to bulk up a meal. We never get fast food because we don't have any that are on our way to and from work. We get Chinese food occasionally, but only like once a month. This is what works for us as recent grads
Good job Allison! You are also going to feel better! Snack before leaving work is definitely the way to go!
I started following several people on TH-cam for easy meal ideas. I started cooking a lot more after I gained confidence!!! Now I bought an instant pot and am in love!!!
We make extra soups, casseroles, etc for the freezer to use when we don’t feel like cooking
A great easy cheap meal:
"Mock Filet Mignon"
Wrap your burger patty around the edge with Bacon! Bake 400 until done about 20-30 min. Serve with veggie, steak sauce, it has a wonderful flavor!
Thank you for coming on the channel Allison, I think a BUNCH of us can totally relate to you and your situation and goals! 🐶🐶🐶 for Good Boy! Girl you lucked out on some of those deals, and what a great variety of meals - and snacks - you got too!!!
I'm so glad to see this become a regular series!
Alison, you did such a great job! 👍 I learned a ton of tips from your episode and I know you've helped so many people.
Great job, Allison! 👏It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there, yes, but also it takes a lot of courage to change your habits for the better. I hope you find good success!
I really love these grocery audits because it makes it easier to take the advise given to these women and use it in my shopping. I hope you continue these!
Supernatural 🐶 with grocery deals I am in
I’m thankful for my family, specifically my husband, Caleb.
Way to go Allison! So proud of you asking for Christine's help and agreeing to let us all come along for the grocery haul!
Wow!! Those clearance prices, and so many!!! Allison, thank you for allowing us to ke a rn more with you! I find if i schedule a 'take out night' on my monthly food plan its easier to resist drive thrus on other nights, cuz i know i have one ing uo.😊
Great job, Allison! Not eating out as much will save tons
You know what would be great??? To do a "where are they now" in a month or 2 and check in to see how she's progressed!
I love this series! Definitely keep making them!
I love these pantry audit videos! Thank you, Allison, for allowing us into your home. And thank you, Christine, for helping Allison discover ways to change the habits she wanted to change.
I would be at that store every morning looking at the markdowns! Great job, both of you!
Awesome video, Christine. Thanks Allison for opening your home for us all. It couldn't have been easy. DEAN WINCHESTER, lol, love it.
I'm loving this new "series" of helping people! Also loving Salem at the end! 😅
Amazing, if only those prices were in NL, Canada. Awesome Allison, good luck!
This is my favourite kind of video from you Christine. I think they are so respectful and helpful❤
I'm so glad!
Our Kroger is tiny and 20 miles away, all our town has are Walmart, Safeway, and a local, VERY expensive store. I am jealous, I’ve been a Kroger shopper my whole life!
Way to go , Allison! Woo, woo! must remember, baby steps..baby steps..I think I can-I think I can..
Try having a few freezer meals handy. Maybe when you are prepping one meal, you could double it and make a 2nd for the freezer, even now coming into the winter some hearty stew or soups that can be served with warm crusty bread bought instore and heated in the oven!
Good job Allison! I agree on that snack before heading home from work.
A few convenience items in the freezer is a life saver. I used to buy the chicken voila meals (until the price went up), on days when i didn't feel good 10-15 min in the microwave, eat out of the pot (less dishes) and far cheaper than takeout. No paying attention to the stove or oven.
With the price of convenience food going up, I keep less of it on hand, but if I find it for a good price, I pick up one or two.
This week has been...crazy, so i appreciate kroger had frozen potatoes on sale...yes, I made frozen potatoes 3 days in a week, but I hadn't had any for a few weeks so it all balances out.
One pot meals, dump and go, slow cooker type meals can be handy too.
And when all else fails, box mac and cheese or a can of soup can be a life saver.
I second the comment about frozen convenience meals! When you forget to thaw out meat or your just exhausted, a frozen pizza can save the day. We always stock up when they have sales. 😂
Alison one of my easy go to meals for fall/winter is soup and grilled cheese. I also struggle with getting takeout so I try and make sure there is something super quick and yummy in my pantry and freezer. I made steak and baked potato the other night but made extra steak to use for Fajitas, another night was steak and cheese quesadillas. Cooking extra protein and making multiple meals is what saves me time and money. The steak was on markdown, chicken works just as well!
I used to buy only basic things, thinking I would make everything from scratch. Then, I'd run out of time to defrost, etc, and buy fast food.
Something I've started doing instead of running for take out, is to do crockpot meals so that I know my supper is waiting on me when I get home. I eat that meal on the evening I make it. Then I skip a day and have the leftovers from THAT meal the following day (ex Mon/Wed). If anything is left, I'll freeze for a "what's in the freezer" meal plan day the following week. Hope that helps.
Those were some great deals! I allow myself to cook difficult/time intensive meals on my off days. Super easy on work days. Also on my off days I meal prep when I can. Ie: simple things (you’re gonna make burgers, slice onion and tomatoes if you like and place in fridge for burger day). And great job planning for leftovers!!! Very important for a busy family.
I agree with Christine about keeping a high protein snack for work, or even in your car for when you get off work. I am sooo envious of the prices you found! Allison you are very smart to look for ways to save in this economy.
Those bare chicken nuggets are awesome. I air fry them and they remind me of the chic fil a nuggets. I live a single life and one thing I found to help is buy a bag of potatoes and either shred or dice several potatoes a week and freeze them for breakfast meals. A single potato shredded is a really big portion if you cook it iwht an egg or two for breakfast. I usually add a few frozen sausage links also and make a full breakfast.
Alison You Rock!!
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻