The Frugal Country Mom

Triple and Super Doubles, Oh My!

2009-08-25T15:08:00.006-04:00

First of all, I would officially like to welcome my sister, Ali, back to her own blogspot ;-). I'll be visiting from time to time when I get good deals though! Today is one of those days.

Craziness started two weeks ago. Harris Teeter offered triple coupons up to .99c, then this past week Bloom opened a new store and had their own Super Double coupon event. Tomorrow, Harris Teeter will be offering Super Doubles again. WOW! I'm trying to take advantage of all the deals, because these things don't happen everyday! Three solid weeks of GREAT couponing! My freezer is overflowing, but onward we march ;-)

I was only able to hit up Harris Teeter once before I left for Ohio, and just got back on Saturday. So who couponed for me in my absence? Hubby OF COURSE! He even took some pictures! How sweet is that? Here are my pics and totals:

Harris Teeter:

Total OOP (out of pocket): $4.35
Total Saved: $46.34
Free: Viva Paper towels, dawn detergent, french's french fried onions, UTZ pretzels, Skippy peanut butter, uncle bens rice, Curious George bandages
Less than $1: dial handsoap, organic chicken tenders, earthgrains bread

This is from Mitch's trips!!
Total OOP: $11.15
Total Saved: $59.07
Free: viva pt, lipton tea, unc. ben rice, wacky mac, toothbrushes, bandages, dawn, solo cups.
Favorite cheapies: organic juice boxes, ricotta, earthgrains bread, canning lids, eggland's best eggs.

Bloom:

Total OOP: $9.56
Total saved: $47.70
Free: Paper towels, room spray, plastic baggies, foil, candy bars (for halloween!).
Cheap: cookie dough (.09c), all natural salad dressing (.49c), chicken (.30c).
Splurges!: Whole fruit strawberry popsicles $1, organic juice $1.50, malt vinegar $1.40 (I never even see this around, let alone get a coupon! They had a coupons around the neck)

Total OOP: $8.03
Total Saved: $33.29
Free: lunchmeat
Cheap: natural blu cheese dressing ($1), avocados (.50c), cereal (.74c), strip steak (.58c), chicken, crabcake (.50c)

There you have it! I will do another special coupon day when I'm done with Harris Teeter Super Doubles! What a blast ;-)

ALL YOU Grocery Challenge Finalist!!

2009-08-24T09:33:00.003-04:00

I found out last week while I was out of town that I am one of the 10 ALL YOU Grocery Challenge Finalists!!! I read somewhere that over 7000 people signed up, and I could tell there were over 500 people blogging the first week. Its SO CRAZY that I'm a finalist! I have better odds of winning than I did of making it this far- So I feel super privileged and excited.

We find out today who the winner is! Cross your fingers for me please!!

There will be a webpage that highlights all the finalists, along with their pictures and maybe a recipe that we sent in. When I find out the link, I will certainly pass it on!

Thanks for the support everyone!

Here's to living- Happier, Healthier, more FRUGAL lives!

~FrugalMegan~

Heart Healthy Meals

2009-07-30T20:34:00.003-04:00

Here it is! I promised, and I provide ;-) Its been a hectic week.

Avoid: Trans fat (hydrogenated oil)

Limit: Saturated fats/ Cholesterol.
#1-Meat
Remember, a serving size of meat is the size of a deck of cards. Here are some guidelines, and meats are listed from worst to "best".
Pork- Choose pork tenderloin and chops above bacon, sausage, pepperoni. If you are seriously trying to decrease your cholesterol, give them all the boot.
Beef- Choose grass fed before grain fed (typically what you find at the store). Choose lean steaks and ground meat above roasts and fatty hamburger.
Turkey/chicken- White meat over dark

#2- Oil
You only need to use oils sparingly. The worst oils are margarines made with hydrogenated oils. Fatty oils: vegetable oil, coconut oil, palm oil. These are higher in sat. fat, but better than trans fat. Canola oil is an ok choice.
Best to use: Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), sunflower/safflower oil, grapeseed oil. Using these can decrease cholesterol and LDL levels. yay!

What Lowers Cholesterol? Unsaturated oils (EVOO, grapeseed oil), whole grains, nuts, seeds, fresh fruits and veggies (fiber). Antioxidants may not play a direct role, but they are great for healing the body from past damage.

Breakfast ideas- Make oatmeal with water, and add ground flax seed, wheat germ, and fresh berries to the mix. We do this with whole grain cream of wheat as well. Molasses is a great sweetener- high in iron.

Meal #1- Spaghetti
You really probably don't need a recipe for this. Here goes:
Boil Whole Wheat Spaghetti in a pot with 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tbs EVOO
Use tomato based sauce with only a few, simple ingredients. Alfredo is now reserved for very special occasions- it's pretty bad for the heart. Tomatoes are full of lycopene, a special nutrient that helps with cholesterol AND actually getting enough of it in a mans diet decreases his risk of prostate cancer. Kill 2 birds with one stone ;-) Adding FRESH garlic to the sauce at the end of heating would be a great way to get garlic in- It has been proven to Decrease bad cholesterol. Skip the Parmesan, but sprinkle with a tsp of wheat germ.
Serve along side a small side salad with vinaigrette. Garlic bread would be great- Whole wheat bread, rubbed with a garlic clove, brushed with EVOO, lightly salted and broiled.
Enjoy with a nice glass of Red Wine (red wine is FULL of antioxidants)

Meal #2- Vegetable stir-fry
Prepare brown rice by boiling in water with 1 tsp salt and 1 clove crushed garlic.
Heat 2 TBS EVOO in skillet/wok on medium high. When hot, add some diced onion, to your fancy. When translucent, add chopped veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, celery, summer squash, zucchini, snap peas, baby corn- Whatever you have and sounds good. Broccoli is especially good for cholesterol). Cook for a few minutes, and add one clove crushed or diced garlic, grated ginger, 1 TBS flax seed and sauce- We like to use teriyaki or a mixture of soy sauce and seasonings. Saute together until veggies are crisp/tender.
Serve over rice with toasted seeds (we use sunflower). You could certainly add chicken breast to the recipe if you must have meat, cook it before the veggies.

Meal #3- Baked Fish
Tilapia is a nice, light, low fat fish. While my husband won't eat it, I love it and I know its a great way to get Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet- A great tool for combating not only cholesterol, but many harmful things in your diet.
If you have very small tilapia fillets, you may want to cook 2 per person. But remember, a deck of cards is all the meat you should get in a meal.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Prepare the tilapia by sprinkling with salt/pepper/garlic powder, to your taste. I recommend a bit more pepper than you might think (and I dont like pepper). In a food processor or coffee grinder, process pecans until finely chopped. Sprinkle both sides of tilapia with nuts. Coat the bottom of a shallow baking dish with EVOO. Lay tilapia fillets down in a single layer. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. I sometimes take a pad of smart balance 50/50 at the end and spread it on top of the fish- Then broil for 2-3 minutes more, watching that the fish does not brown too much. Serve with roasted veggies and wild rice.

Enjoy! It doesn't sound so hard, right? I know these recipes are a bit vague, but they are meant more to show the types of things you can do with common meals you already make. Use EVOO instead of grease, more veggies and less meat, keep it simple, and add good things like nuts, seeds, berries, flax seed, and wheat germ. Every little bit helps!!

Here's to living- Happier, Healthier, more FRUGAL lives!
~~FrugalMegan~~

How the time flies

2009-07-29T20:07:00.005-04:00

Harris Teeter Super Doubles is OVER! So I caught up on all my other domestic duties today. WHEW! Here is one more trip pic to share:

This was a Harris Teeter and a Lowes Food trip combined. I ran into Lowes to look for rebates/wine tags and found a bunch of stuff on clearance. Those bottles on the left are Raspberry Sparkling Grape Juice, and they had a rebate around them for $1.50 back on each bottle- up to 6 bottles. And they were on clearance for $1.10! LOL. Lets see if they give me the full $1.50 each- That would ROCK. Either way, free sweet bubbly stuff! I also bought a bunch of whole white wheat flour for $0.50/lb. That made my day ;-)

Favorites:
Clearance portabella mushrooms and eggplant, used a produce winetag= Free
Brie and Jarelsburg Cheeses- Less than $0.20 each after a cheese winetag coupon
Chicken breast tenders- $0.20 after chicken/beef winetag coupon
Seventh Generation papertowels- Free
All Natural Snapple- Free
Renu Contact solution, 2 pack- $3.25 each. Marked down from $12.99.
And of course all that wheat flour and sparkling grape juice!

Here is my grocery total from last week: $47.95 of $50 allotted. Remember, I was "stocking up" this week. LOL. I promised myself I would not way under spend and waste good stockpiling opportunities during this challenge! Household items I purchased were not included in these totals.

Total so far this week: $26.01, over 6 trips. Don't worry about my gas mileage though, all these stores are within 5 miles of me, basically in a big circle. That is all I should be spending this week, unless I find a great deal.

So what have we been eating on this super busy week?

Breakfasts: whole wheat cream of wheat with blackberries and molasses, cold cereal (mini wheats, natures path optimum)
Lunch: leftovers, salads, veggie burgers with guacamole
Dinner: Whole wheat spaghetti with baguette garlic bread and roasted green beans, Crockpot pulled chicken sandwiches with Terra Chips and roasted summer squash , mixed green salad with grilled chicken, Jarelsburg cheese, grapes and toasted sunflower seeds (with toasted fresh french bread), whole wheat linguine tossed in olive oil and fresh sautéed veggies, and one night we grilled out (veggie/hamburgers). Here are some pics of those!

Pulled Chicken on Whole Wheat- With Terra Chips, grilled squash and grapes:

Veggie Burgers, all natural waffle chips and grilled veggies:

So there was the last week in a nutshell!! Hope you enjoyed the pics ;-)

One man's junk...

2009-07-25T17:22:00.007-04:00

is a crazy garage sale-ing woman's treasure! I love to garage sale. Every Saturday is "Daddy Day" for our son and my Hubby, so I get to go do whatever I want/need to do alllll morning. This time of the year, that usually means Garage sales!!

Today I found a Globe on a Stand- $3

And some Gerbera Daisies in a pretty pot $2, a sweet looking little bird house $1, and a Kitchen Aid Stick Blender- FOR $1!!!

I also stopped by Harris Teeter and did another coupon trip:

Total before sales/coupons: $66.85 Total paid: $1.82. Total Saved: $65.03

I got some things this trip I hadn't purchased this week yet- Ocean Spray Cranergy Juice, V8 Juice, and lots and lots of FREE water. If I can, I will be sending this receipt in for $5 bottled water rebate. Ive been told they will accept them as long as you've purchased $5 WORTH of the items...regardless of the total on the receipt. We'll see.

My grocery total for the week: $41.71
Harris Teeter Trips: $40.09
Pizza Night Out: $1.62...Free Pizza Coupon, all we paid for was a Dr. Pepper! Hmm, maybe I should post that pic too....That was the day I did the whole blog on Cholesterol. Not Ironic At ALL. I claimed it was a mental health moment ;-)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Here's to living- Happier, Healthier, more FRUGAL lives!!

~~FrugalMegan~~

I heart Fridays!

2009-07-24T16:34:00.011-04:00

I just LOVE Fridays! Especially the 4th Friday of the month, when two WONDERFUL things collide- Super Double Coupons and Produce Day!!! Yay!! Today was one of those Fridays. Added to the greatness is the fact that I got to hit Harris Teeter with a friend of mine, Whitney. Thanks for coming with me ;-)

Here what my produce basket contained today:

We received: 3 tomatoes, 7 potatoes, 8 bananas, 7 fuji apples, 5 oranges, 2 big yellow onions, 2 green peppers, a head of cauliflower, a head of green leaf lettuce, a bag of baby spinach, a bag of grapes and a mango. All for 17.50! I bought it online last week, so it was on last week's grocery total.

Yesterday I spent $16.09 at Harris Teeter- Saved $70.41!! (sales and coupons)

Favorites: Extra virgin olive oil ($3.15 for 17oz), organic canned tomatoes ($.45c ea), Terra chips (.99c), FREE all natural salsa, Neufchatel cheese ($.50c ea), and lowfat all natural yogurt($.49c/2lbs). I will be sending in this receipt for a rebate- And getting $10 back! THAT is so fun.

Today I spent $22.19 at Harris Teeter- Saved $79.72 (sales and coupons)

Favorites: FREE natural dish soap, Planter's peanuts ($1.67 ea), light olive oil ($2.69 for 17oz), brown basmati rice ($.59c), all natural tortilla chips ($.49c/1lb 6oz), FREE all natural guacamole and salsa, and New England Coffee ($1.34 for 12oz). Once again, I will be submitting this receipt for a rebate and getting $10 back. YAY!!!!!!!

So far this week I have spent $38.28, and should get back $20 of that in rebates. For the purposes of the challenge, however, we are using the $38.28. WHEE!! By the way...all that ice cream you see was free. Its not in my favorites though because its not all natural. But since it was FREE ICECREAM (tehehe) I decided to get what I could for future use at birthdays and things.

Whew. I think I need a nap...But I'll settle for date night ;-) Grilled sunflower veggie burgers, all natural waffle chips, plus a movie. :D

Here's to living- Happier, Healthier, more FRUGAL lives!!

~~FrugalMegan~~

FrugalMegan on: Cholesterol

2009-07-23T12:12:00.003-04:00

Who DOESN'T love a big juicy hamburger??!! Well, unfortunately...your arteries :-/

Some people just luck out in life- They can eat all they want, whatever they want, stay thin, healthy, energetic, happy...Wait- who is that? You? Me? Your neighbor down the street? The human body is the same where ever you go- it needs nourishing foods, things that provide the macro and micro nutrients that run the body. Things like whole grains and produce, not artificial and over processed, "made in a lab" foods. YUCK.

My husband (Lord help me, I hope he doesn't mind me telling...) found out his cholesterol levels were high a couple of years ago. Since then we decided on nixing the bad and, more importantly, increasing the good in our diets. I will not get into the deeps of cholesterol and how your body deals with it here. What I will say is there is good and bad cholesterol. Some your body needs. Most it does not.

People tend to blame their high cholesterol on eating dietary cholesterol- and just shop according to the "cholesterol" on the label. However, there is much evidence that eating cholesterol as an already made product is not the cause of this country's epidemic of heart disease. While it does play a role, what you really want to look at are the saturated and trans fat levels of food. It is from this type of fat that your body makes it's own bad cholesterol. You will notice that often saturated fats and cholesterol are found in the same products. Lets take at look foods that are high in saturated fats:

Hard cheese, real butter/lard, ice cream, dairy creamer, cream cheese, whipped cream, eggs, yogurt, alfredo sauce, fatty beef, pork, salted meats (inc bacon), and obviously things made with these products- Baked goods, fried foods.

The best way to combat these things in your diet is to buy the lower fat versions (that are still made with real ingredients) like grass fed beef, cage free eggs, butter made with olive oil. You also should just use less. America has made a big stink about Dairy and getting enough of it in the last few decades, and it has gotten out of hand! Milk is not the only source of calcium, protein and vitamin D (which they add so you can absorb the calcium, btw). A serving or two a day of these things is fine, but don't over do it.

There is a worse culprit than saturated fat- Trans fat. This is where I think a lot of people get hit hard. Some of the cheapest things out there are prepackaged foods, especially if you are a couponer like me. Heck, a lot of it turns out free! The problem is, those prepacked boxes of rice mixes, brownies, taco seasoning, and snack foods contain a little devil- hydrogenated oils. Hydrogenated oils get that way by taking the original products and heating it at very high heats until it actually changes the amino acid/ chemical structure of the oil. Your body tries to use the oil like it would the original product, but it leaves the cells weak and not functioning to their utmost capacity. They also have been proved to increase your BAD cholesterol levels. Manufacturers can be very sneaky about this stuff. Many labels now contain the "trans fat"section, but they do not have to claim any trans fat in a product if there is less than 1.5 grams per serving. WHAT? Yup, the box can actually say "no trans fat" when there might be 1 gram per serving. You are best off reading the ingredients and making sure you are eating something made with real food, not chemically altered stuff. I would much rather you have a TBS of real butter on your bread than a tsp of margarine. At least butter is natural.

Foods commonly high in Trans Fat: Commercially prepared crackers, snacks, baked goods, non dairy creamer, shortening (ingredient:hydrogenated oil. thats it. eww), fried foods, fast food. Check your ingredient lists! Cooking from scratch can cut out a lot of trans fat.

So what foods are OK? This following list is of foods that can serve as replacements for the above. Some still contain some cholesterol/saturated fats, but less than our previous lists. So here goes:
Chicken, turkey, very lean red meat, bread, nuts, real fruit juice, skim milk, low fat cheese (like Mozzarella), pasta sauce, corn chips, egg whites, olive oil, and canola oil.

Now we know how to keep our diets lower in cholesterol/saturated fats. But how can we actually lower our BAD cholesterol, and restore our bodies? The answer is by eating things that help increase our GOOD cholesterol!! Here is a list foods that can increase your GOOD and decrease your BAD- Try to incorporate them into your diet!

-whole grain oatmeal/bran, barley, beans, legumes, apples, bananas, grapefruit, strawberries, lettuce/greens, tomatoes, peas, broccoli, corn, carrots, potatoes, garlic, tea. Whole grains and antioxidents are key words here!

Last but not least, exercise is KEY to maintaining a healthy cholesterol level. Get that heart pumping! I am not going to focus on this point today, but the American Heart Associate was recommending at least 30 minutes a day doing moderate exercise last time I checked. Go on a brisk walk tonight!

Start playing with your already existing recipes- when cooking use half as much butter and replace the rest with extra virgin olive oil. Skip the extra cheese on your next pizza. Replace 1/2 the white flour with whole wheat, or spelt flour. Have homemade berry cobbler instead of a bowl of ice cream. Start small, and you'll see (and feel!) the difference in no time.

Later this week I plan on doing a "part 2" with heart healthy recipes and some tips on how to get healthier foods more cheaply. Will you join me? Please leave suggestions or questions in the comment feed!

Here's to living- Happier, Healthier, more FRUGAL lives!!

~~FrugalMegan~~

Super Double Coupons Begins!

2009-07-22T15:09:00.004-04:00

Day 1 of Harris Teeter Super Doubles! This week they are doubling coupons with face values of up to $1.98. This means a coupon for $1.50 off will double to take off $3! Super fun.

The picture above is what I was able to get free today. The total after coupons was $5, and I had an automatic store coupon for $5 off, which I acquired during a special promotion. So it was all FREE!!!

Here are some of my favorite finds:
3 boxes RiceSelect brand whole grain brown basmati rice- .59c after coupon
3 cans Organic Muir Glen canned tomato products (diced, sauce, paste)- .45c after coupon, paste free
1 Classic Crab imitation crab meat package- .50c after coupon
2 bags Fresh Express salad mix- free
3 boxes of Wholly Guacamole (all natural)- free
1 box Kashi whole wheat strawberry waffles with Flax seed- .09c after coupon
1 pkg Athenos reduced fat Feta cheese- .59c after coupon

The rest of the week's totals will not be this low, unfortunately. I have 3 rebates I want to send in, so I will be spending $20 for each of those. I will probably also have a few small orders on some good deals that don't apply to the rebate. The Doubles Event is continuing until Tuesday, so I may make another couple of rebate trips then too, as that would count on next week's grocery total for the "All You Grocery Challenge".

The coupons I used for this order were from the paper or printed from online. I have to admit a BIG oops to you guys- Harris Teeter official rules say you can only use 2 internet printables for each type of product- And I accidently used 3!! I totally forgot about the rule when I was planning, and didn't realize I had done it until I got home. I would have simply used other coupons if I had planned better! I like to keep it fair and follow the rules. *Sigh*

Well, Im off to whip up something yummy for dinner! Check in later this week for more pics and totals! And leave any questions you would like me to answer in the comments. I will do my best to answer them in the blog.

Here's to living- Happier, Healthier, more FRUGAL lives!

~~ FrugalMegan~~

2009-07-20T16:58:00.003-04:00

Today starts week 2 (of 4) of the "All You Grocery Challenge". Last we I spend a grand total of $24.25 on groceries, well under the allotted amount! This week I will be hitting the stores Wednesday morning, since Harris Teeter is doing Super Double Coupons- Doubling coupons with face value's of up to $1.98. That means a $1.50 coupon will be worth $3!! There are some great deals to be had. I am following coupon matchups here.

As far as my frugal adventures go today, I really just printed online coupons. Here are some of my favorite sites!

smartsource.com, coupons.com, couponbug.com, redplum.com, organicvalley.com, stonyfieldfarm.com, bettycrocker.com and always check individual sites for their coupons (like kraftfoods.com)

I also received an email from the "Alternative Baking Company", a company that makes vegan cookies and sells them at my local Home Economist Market. I had emailed them asking for coupons, so I could try their product- And they emailed me back, saying they do not have coupons to send. But that they WOULD SEND ME COOKIES! Holy Cow!! I will update you when I get them!!

Here is a recipe for what I made for dinner! We had roasted green beans with garlic chips and sea salt on the side. YUM. This is my recipe

Shepherd's Pie

5-6 medium sized red potatoes (washed but with skin on)
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp kosher salt
pepper to taste
1/2 cup plain soy milk, or regular milk

1 TBS EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1 small finely diced onion
1 LB grass fed ground beef
2 TBS flour
3/4 cup broth (I use vegetable bullion)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 cups mix of vegetables, small and/or diced- Ex: peas, mushroom, carrots/celery (steamed to soften)

Boil 1-2 quarts of salted water, and add quartered potatoes. Let boil for 15-20 minutes, until soft. Drain water, add garlic, salt, pepper and milk. Mash (thats the fun part). Set aside.

Heat olive oil in skillet, and saute onions until clear. Add ground beef and brown. Pour off excess fat. Stir in flour, broth and Worcestershire sauce, let cook for 5 minutes.
In pie pan or casserole dish, layer meat mixture, vegetables and mashed potatoes. Cook at 350F for 20-30 minutes, until warmed through.

Serves 4-6

I hope you enjoy!! Does anyone have any requests for future posts? Questions? Thanks!

Here's to living- Happier, Healthier, more FRUGAL lives!!

~~FrugalMegan~~

Fun in the Sun (day)

2009-07-19T19:37:00.002-04:00

This weekend has gone by super fast- and I tried to keep things super frugal. Saturday morning garage sales, late morning blackberry picking, and today I made blackberry freezer jam. I was not a very good blogger though, I didn't take any pictures during my trips :-( But I have recipes!!

Crispy Dark Chocolate Chip Waffles
(this is actually my own recipe!)

2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup spelt flour
1 TBS baking powder
2 TBS granulated cane sugar
1 TBS honey

2 egg whites stiffly beaten
1 1/2 cup Dark chocolate chips
1 TBS flour

beat egg whites to stiff peaks and preheat waffles iron. Mix together first 9 ingredients with hand/stand mixer. Fold in egg whites. Toss chocolate chips in flour and stir into batter. Batter will be rather runny, so if chips sink to bottom, make sure to scoop them up when transferring batter to iron. I use a Belgian waffle maker, so I pour about 1/4 cup onto each waffle grid. Cook according to your maker's specifications (generally, until the steam subsides- about 4 minutes). Serve topped with powdered sugar if desired. These waffles are sweeter than the norm, so I dont recommend butter and syrup. Yields 12 waffles on my iron

*the great thing about this recipe is the use of cage free eggs, spelt flour, canola oil, cane sugar and honey- All of which increase the nutrient load of the waffles. Anytime you use whole grains and natural sweeteners, you're increasing wholesomeness!!

Blackberry No-Cook Freezer Jam (my version)

4-5 cups ripe blackberries
1/2 cup granulated cane sugar
1 pkg BALL no cook freezer jam fruit pectin

Wash blackberries. Crush, either using a potato masher or a stand mixer with the whipping attachment, on low. I do not recommend using your blender or food processor, as these will heat the berries. Mix together sugar and pectin in a small bowl, then stir into crushed berries. Stir for 3 minutes. Ladle into (5) 8oz plastic freezer jars. Let sit for 30 minutes, then transfer to freezer. Lasts 1 year in the freezer, 3 weeks in the fridge. ENJOY!

I hope you love these recipes as much as we do!

Our grand total of spending this week, on groceries- $24.25.

Here's to living- Happier, Healthier more FRUGAL lives! (Yes, I will put this every time. I am a dork ;-))

~~FrugalMegan~~

FrugalMegan on: Nutrition

2009-07-17T18:54:00.004-04:00

----Mmmmm, Food!----

One of my favorite classes in Nursing school was nutrition- If I would have had the guts to switch majors, I think I would have become a nutritionist! That is not to say I know a ton about it. But it interests me and is a vital part of my role as a wife and mommy. And therefore, central to living frugal. I cannot coupon, chase deals, cook from scratch or balance the budget correctly without a solid foundation around nutrition. I have to break it down to "yes" and "no" to keep it simple, and easy to remember.

The "YES!"
1. Vegetables- Fresh is generally best, for optimum nutrition. Broccoli, cauliflower, celery, carrots, lettuce, tomato and cucumber tend to be the easiest things to not cook around here. And we usually get them in the produce basket, so they are cheap. We try to get a serving or two at lunch, and a serving or two at dinner. Afternoon snack almost always includes a veggie!

2. Whole grains- It is SO important get whole grains in your diet! They help you keep your blood sugar even, decrease your bad cholesterol and increase the good, and they keep you full longer then their processed counterparts. We call these "complex carbohydrates" and they are the kind of carbs you WANT to get. So toss out that Wonderbread and Kix cereal, and bring in the whole wheat bread and raisin bran! LOL. Wait, you cant toss it out...that's not very frugal. How about bird feed? Arts and crafts? Dog food? You get the idea.

3. Protein- First, meat (keep it real! As in, nix the lunchmeat). Staples here are chicken (white and dark), turkey and beef for meats. Get them on super sale, marked down, and use a rebate to get money back. Or go in with some friends and buy a whole cow to split. I highly recommend getting a locally raised grass fed cow ;-). DH much prefers shredded chicken sandwiches to lunchmeat in his packed meals. But guess what? Meat is STILL expensive, and not always the best thing to eat meal in and meal out. So we have to be more creative...Like mixing grains, legumes and nuts/seeds. Examples: Beans and rice, peanut butter on whole wheat bread, hummus, cereal with almond slices, vegetable stir fry and a veggie burger on a whole grain bun with sesame seeds on it (um, yummers!). Dry beans are super cheap, and they can be found on sale, whole grain breads are cheap with coupons, or you can make it yourself, and brown rice can be bought for $1/lb if you shop smart. CHEAP. And oh-so-good for you!

4. Fruits- Once again, fresh is key. Cooked certainly is not BAD, its still better than processed- But uncooked is generally the best mode. We like bananas, oranges, grapefruit (great source of folic acid for any preggos out there!), plums, nectarines, berries, peaches, and lime/lemons (fresh juice has more nutrients). We occasionally will get melons, but they just aren't our favorite.

5. Healthy oils- Best: virgin coconut, extra virgin olive oil, and grapeseed. Its also nice to cook with natural butter from a grass fed cow, but I haven't figured out how to get THAT cheap. I generally stick to the olive oil, since it goes on sale and you can find coupons. And OK oil is canola, and that is pretty easy to get for under $1 a container around here.

The "NO" side:

Top 3 big no-nos in our home: And why
1. Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil(PHSO)- It pains me to say this, since my in-laws farm Soybeans- but its just about terrible for you. Soybean oil itself is not the healthiest oil and when you heat it at high temperatures and change the chemistry of its amino acid, it just makes it worse. The cells of your body take in amino acids to for its cell wall (just as one example), and that's good. When PHSO amino acids are taken into a cell wall, on side is recognizable and connects to all the amino acids around it, helping to build the cell. The other side, however, is changed to a "stranger" and the cell cannot bind with it. This leaves a weakened area of the cell, where things in your body could pass through that should not, and the cell is more fragile overall. There has been much talk that this increases your risk for cancer (since the cell is not as protected). It has been proven to weaken your heart. But if you eliminate it from your diet, your body can be free of it within around 30 days as your old cells die and new ones are made.

2. MSG- It is in everything. Google all the names for it, you'd be amazed at how much you are really eating. MSG is addictive (you become hungry soon after eating), it messes with your insulin levels (harms your pancreas), and 30% of Americans have a sensitivity to it that causes severe headaches, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, nausea and weakness. YIKES!

3. High fructose corn syrup- Bwa-ha-ha, those commercials crack me up!! This is simple a form of sugar that is even more processed. Regular sugar and other super processed sugar are really really hard on your pancreas. Your insulin levels shoot up and down, up and down, up and down from them, and this puts stress on the heart, brain, and every other organ in the body. Kids who have too much of it in their diet cannot focus (does that sound like you at work too??) and often complain of lightheadedness soon after eating. It also causes you to eat more when your blood sugar drops. All in all, its not some evil substance (although in 2008 commercial foods containing HFCS had levels of mercury in them...), but if you will start reading labels, it seems that its in everything too. Bread, processed foods (kids lunch snacks, granola bars), and obviously lots of sweets. Its just too much. So cut what you can out of your diet, and replace with more complex sweets like honey and sugar in the raw.

Ok, that is all for now. I need to go make pizza! Here is the recipe:

Crust: 1 1/4 cup water, 2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp honey, 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), 1 1/2 bread flour, 1 1/2 whole wheat flour, and 1 1/2 tsp yeast. Mix together until if forms a soft dough ball. Let rise one hour. Punch down and let rest 5 minutes. Grease pizza pan with some kind of good oil (I use smart balance 50/50 EVOO), and sprinkle with cornmeal. Hand form dough and stretch to fit pan.
Preheat oven to 425F
Poke lots of holes in dough with a fork. Spread with pizza sauce (small can tomato paste, 15oz can tomato sauce, 2 tsp dry onion flakes, 1 crushed clove of garlic, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, and oregano, basil and paprika to taste). Spread with a low fat mozz cheese, or mozz veggie shreds, then top with whatev! We will be having Pepperoni/fresh mushrooms/banana peppers on one half, and tomato/fresh mushrooms on the other (guess which is mine- I swear i could be a vegetarian!)

Here's to living- Happier, Healthier, more FRUGAL lives!

~~FrugalMegan~~

Hijacked!

2009-07-16T13:16:00.010-04:00

Hello! I'm Ali's sister, Megan- And I'm taking over this blog for the next month! Bwa-haha! Its my evil duty to copy my older sister and take what's not mine.

Actually, she gave me full permission awhile ago to post here, but I've just never done it! I've chosen now to start, since I have taken the "All You Grocery Challenge" and I need somewhere to post all of my great tips, techniques, meal plans and spending. And you all get to benefit from it! YAY! You can follow others taking the challenge HERE

I also want to give blogging a shot- I don't know if I'm up to it, or if I have time to do my own. I don't even know if I do anything that anyone out there would like to read about! LOL. I guess we will see.

Well here are the details about this "grocery challenge". Each participant can only spend $25/person/week on groceries and going out to eat. The contest started July 13th and goes for 4 weeks. We are judged 50% on following the $$ guidelines, 25% on creativity and 25% on eating healthy. I'm hoping I have an edge, since our current budget is $40/week for grocery AND household, and we eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, grass fed beef, cage free eggs, and lots of other all natural/organic foods. I just needed a place where I could expand on all of it! So hopefully the judges find this blog ;-)

If some of you are saying "how on earth did she get her grocery bill so low?". I have the answer! Answer #1- Cooking from scratch, buying in bulk and eating less meat. That was most of what we did in Ohio. There, my grocery budget was $60/week for the two of us, and we ate a lot of oatmeal, sandwiches, and crock pot meals. Not too shabby. But then we moved to North Carolina- Which leads me to #2- COUPONING! Gooooooolly! You can get lots of great stuff here for- well- free! Or at least close to it! We still keep the same principals of cooking from scratch and buying in bulk- But now I am "buying in bulk" in small pieces. We in the couponing world call it "stockpiling". When something goes on a deep sale, we combine it with coupons. And here, most stores double coupons under $1 everyday. And about once a month, two stores have triple coupon events!! So when something is going to be really cheap, we stock up. And UP and UP- Until we have enough to last though the expiration date. Its a beautiful thing. We just try to make sure we play fair, leave items on the shelf instead of clearing them, and generally help each other out. It is in this way that we get whole wheat pasta, brown rice, organic tomatoes/pasta sauce, natural applesauce, chips, cereal, dairy products, even veggie burgers- For under $1. Its fantastic. It does take a lot of time planning, trading, and buying coupons. But never fear. I never pay more than .10c per coupon. And I usually save $1.50-$2 per coupon. Whee! I consider this my job- I am a Home Economist! (which is ironic, since there is actually a store around here called that...)

Also, we belong to a produce co-op. The lady that runs it buys produce in bulk from a restaurant provider and has it split up for us. The more people that buy, the more produce we get for our price. Right now we are paying $17.50 for a basket that contains 50-60 items. We always get some kind of lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, bananas, citrus fruit, apples, and special veggies/fruits. This could be garlic cloves, cilantro, cantaloupe, corn on the cob, green beans, broccoli, squash, avocado- you name it! It easy lasts us two weeks. And we have lots of fun making up new recipes in order to eat it all! Part of being in the co-op is volunteering just about once a month. I go to the drop off site and help sort the produce. It takes about an hour. Very worth it :-)

We have learned it is just not worth it to eat out very often, and I think that saves us a lot of $$. We each take out $10 in blow money each week, that we can spend however we please. Sometimes I will treat us to Sunday lunch out, and use that money. I wont be doing that during this challenge though- I want to be extra cautious! We get around needing those "quick meals on the go" by keeping quick meals here. Frozen soups, entrees, leftovers, and healthy snacks. We almost never need to order in. Its faster to reheat what we have! LOL. On produce co-op day, I make sure to cut snacky things down into bite sized pieces. That way we always have carrot/green pepper sticks, marinated cucumbers, snack broccoli/cauliflower, and celery for slathering with peanut butter-MMmmmm. We can grab little baggies of this if we need a little snack on the road.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed this little introduction to our lives! Tomorrow I will (hopefully) post more about what we do around here- meal plans, ideals, techniques, and much much more!

Here's to living- Happier, Healthier, more FRUGAL lives!

~~ FrugalMegan~~

Thrifty Thursday

2009-07-16T07:39:00.008-04:00

Its been a while, but I am joining in Thrifty Thursday over at Bloggeritaville this week. Head over to check out all the fabulous finds!

Here are some of my recent finds from Goodwill. I will be painting and transforming some of these so be sure to check back for the updates sometime in the future. I may post them on my other blog, but if I do I will link to the post here. Thanks for stopping by!

A lovely little lantern. I love "rustic" looking things, I wish I lived in a log cabin!

My favorite color! This was one of my fav finds from my last trip to Goodwill.

Clock/frame/chalkboard. This baby is getting painted! Haven't decided what color, but it is going in the laundry/mudroom.

A calendar frame. I think I am going to turn it into a chalkboard for the kitchen.

A cute little tray. I think it will go in the laundry room too, not sure about what color I want to paint it yet.

Picnic basket. I am planning on removing the handles and the latchy thing and then I will spray paint it and add a cushion on top. It will either be a footstool or a little seat for Jimmy (or both!) and it will be a great place for book storage!

Chicks Everywhere!

2009-05-20T14:15:00.003-04:00

Yay! The chicks are here! And they are soooo cute! And LOUD, when Angie called me to tell me they had arrived, I could hear them peeping away over the phone. Even little Jimmy could hear them with no problem without me using speaker phone! Anyway, so Jimmy and I went over to meet them all, here are some pics of the little sweeties!

This little guy's "hair" cracked me up! Just wait till he (or she? there are 5 roosters in there somewhere lol) gets bigger!

And this little guy with his hairy legs, so cute!

And then there is the sweet little teeny baby with the stripe down his back. Awww!

Updates

2009-05-14T12:51:00.002-04:00

Sorry it has been so long! Not much has been going on though. I got most of my garden planted and will post some pics soon. I want to get the rest done first. As for my seedlings, I killed them, oops. ;-) I put them out to harden them off and forgot to cover them and the birds got into them and tore them up! Ah well, guess I will be buying my tomato plants again this year!

Baby chick update: Angie ordered the baby chicks awhile back and they are due to arrive next week (possibly at our house) so I will have some pics for ya! Until then, Angie made a couple boxes for the baby chicks. Check out her tutorial at her blog here. Alright, that is it for now. Should have more updates next week!

Reusable Produce Bags

2009-04-07T07:00:00.000-04:00

I found a pack of 3 small zippered laundry bags for $1 at the dollar store. They make great produce bags for at the grocery.

Upcoming Posts

2009-04-06T09:55:00.003-04:00

Chickens! We are getting chickens with a friend this year. We are getting some egg layers and some to butcher. More to come so stay tuned!

We would also love to get a beef cow, but not sure if that will happen this year or not...

Garden! I have posted about this on my "green" blog, but I think I will be moving that topic over here.

Canning! I have never canned anything in my life, but my friend is going to show me how so I will let you "watch" us do it.

Flower gardens! Want to plant flowers but they are just too expensive? If you have a friend with beautiful beds, I will show you how to propagate (grow new plants) from cuttings of theirs. I will be doing hydrangeas for myself (my grandma has some for me to take cuttings of). I will also show you how to divide up those hostas and flowers like daylilies, irises and mums. You can also gather seeds from annuals to start for next year's garden.

That's about it for the big stuff for now. I will still be posting random things as I think of them. So come on back y'all and keep tabs on what we are doing to save money here at the Blessed Country Farm! =)

Thrift Store Thursday

2009-04-02T11:35:00.002-04:00

I found something AWESOME at Goodwill this week, and I was thinking of doing a weekly feature about thrift store finds when I saw my new bloggy friend's post for Thrift Store Thursday. Perfect! So I am jumping in. Visit HomebodyHolly to see some awesome thrift store finds and add your own if you have one.

I found this tea kettle at Goodwill Tuesday (sorry the pic is so dark, shoulda used a light bg!).

I had no idea what it was, but it had the name Chantal on the lid.

It looked pretty neat, and I love tea, so I bought it. I mean, for $2.99 why not right? When I got home I searched Chantal on Swagbucks and found this (mine is the Onyx color I believe). Ummm yeah.... It's original price is $120??? WOWZERS! I was pretty much in shock. I though it may have been originally 30 bucks or something, but $120??? And I only paid $2.99? Yeehaw!! I feel like I stole it! lol! So that is pretty much the best deal I have EVER gotten at Goodwill. Now I just have to break out the BKF and give it a good cleaning!

I also found this bamboo drying rack for $3.99, they have them at Bed Bath & Beyond for $14.99 or $24.99, the dimensions are closer to the $24.99 one, so wahoo!

I got these baskets for $.99 each.

And I FINALLY got a George Foreman grill. It was $4.99 and in brand-new condition with the grease catchers and instructions (no spatula, but big whoop!). I think it was around $60 originally? I couldn't find this exact one online, but it does have variable temperature and it fits 4 nice size burgers. =)

I also got a cute green serving plate, a BUNCH of baby clothes, a nice baby Gap coat, a pair of shoes for little Jimmy, a touch & feel book, some Gap capris, a cute green J Crew tank and an Abercrombie tee. Not too shabby! And all for about $35! I LOVE Goodwill (and other thrift stores, that is just the closest one to me!).

WFMW - Homemade Diaper Sprayer

2009-03-24T23:15:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Works For Me Wednesday. Hop on over to We Are THAT Family to join in the fun or to find more tips.

This week I decided my Works For Me Wednesday post fit better here at The Frugal Country Mom because it is about making a homemade diaper sprayer. It costs around $20, saving you $10-$20 dollars (unless of course you can find a used one for free or cheap somewhere!!).

I found the directions at a great blog called Gidget Goes Home. We had to do a little tweaking to fit our particular needs, but I don't think ours is a "normal" toilet/plumbing connection. We are also in the (long) process of remodeling out half-bath so once we get a new toilet in and get everything all finished, her instructions will probably be right on =)

Be sure to note in the comment section that Gidget talks about installing a shut-off valve so that there aren't any unexpected "floods" from the sprayer breaking from having constant pressure, or from a little one deciding it would be fun to play with, etc. Hubby did not install a shut-off valve on ours ("Oh, it will be fine, just make a wall mount so the baby doesn't get it") hahaha - riiiiight. We will see how long it lasts and if and when it does decide to leak, or someone leaves the bathroom door open and the baby pulls the sprayer off of its wall mount, I will be sure to post about it. teehee.

I was going to post a pic, but our bathroom is such a mess and the old toilet is rust stained from our country-well-iron-water so its just not pretty. But enjoy the pics over at Gidget Goes Home, a sprayer is a sprayer =)

Stacking Toy

2009-03-13T10:03:00.004-04:00

Here is a super easy idea for a stacking toy. Use empty single serve applesauce (or similar) containers (of course the fact that I bought single serve applesauce isn't exactly frugal lol!). I recently bought some applesauce from Aldi because it was all natural, no high fructose corn syrup or added sugar or anything. It is great! I then washed and saved the empty cups because I was going to use them for little seed startering containers. Well, Jimmy found my stash and would not put them down! I kept putting them back (this was over the course of a couple days) and he kept on going back to them and playing with them. Then I discovered they made great stacking toys! You can stack them up or nest them. Jimmy just loves them and carries them around all over the place. You could even decorate them to make them look "prettier" but lets face it, an almost 14 month old doesn't really care if it is "pretty" and will probably end up destroying them so we left them plain. Plus, he likes to see the blocks and other objects he hides underneath. Here are some pics of Jimmy and his "new" toys =)

Mommy stacked them and Jimmy knocked them down, he loves this!

Jimmy hiding his block

Saving with Baby

2009-02-15T11:41:00.000-05:00

To save money with our baby we:

Cloth diaper using mostly one size diapers - they grow with the baby.
Use cloth wipes cut from a flannel receiving blanket or use baby wash cloths - just wet with water
Shop thrift stores, garage sales, Once Upon a Child or get hand me downs from friends
Exclusively breastfed for almost a year (thank goodness I was able!)
Make our own baby food - We love the book Super Baby Food and the Wholesome Baby Food and Wholesome Toddler Food websites
Don't use anything unnecessary (do you REALLY need that Ultra Deluxe Bottle Drying rack complete with fan to dry the bottles quicker?? lol)
I made my own baby slings with clearance fabric instead of buying a carrier
I made my own cart cover for just-in-case with cheap $1 yard fleece
Use homemade laundry detergent instead of that expensive store-bought stuff

We did splurge on our car seat, but my sister was able to bring us one from the Britax factory sale in Charlotte, NC since they live down close by - thanks Meg! Saved us a bunch and we got a WONDERFUL car seat!

And please remember to check out Babesafe Mattress Covers for your crib mattress and pack 'n play pad. This is something I feel very strongly about, check out my post here for more info and great links to even BETTER info!

Anything that has to do with baby safety we didn't skimp on (ie, carseat, crib, mattress cover, stainless sippy - though a glass can be used if you are willing to help - wooden teethers and certain toys), but since we are saving so much in other areas, that is ok! Good luck and if you have any questions, please ask!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

2009-02-04T13:37:00.002-05:00

Making homemade laundry detergent is very cost effective. For as little as $.02 a load, you can clean your family's clothes, linens, towels, etc. with no worry about allergies to perfumes or dyes, it is environmentally friendly, and it is low-sudsing for high-efficiciency front loading washers. I use it for everything from daddy's really stinky socks to the baby's clothes. It's great and best of all CHEAP!

Here are recipes for both liquid and powdered laundry detergent. The liquid is the cheapest to make but the powdered version is less time consuming, without the potential for mess. The same ingredients are used for both types. So pick which one will work best for your situation and jump in!

1. Fels Naptha Laundry Bar soap
2. Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (do not use baking soda)
3. 20 Mule Team Borax

Liquid Laundry Detergent (I have made this, love it!)

3 pints water (6 cups)
1/3 bar Fels Naptha soap, grated
1/2 cup Super Washing Soda
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
2-gallon bucket
1 quart hot water (4 cups)

Mix grated Fels Naptha Laundry Bar Soap in a large pot with 3 pints hot water and heat on the stove over low heat until dissolved. Do not allow to boil. Stir in Super Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until thickened. Remove from heat. Add 1 quart hot water to your 2-gallon bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Fill up bucket with some additional hot water, leaving a few inches at the top, and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture thickens. If it gets too thick, just run a hand mixer through it to loosen it up. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load. Note: This recipe multiplies well, but you’ll need a 5-gallon bucket.

Storage: I keep mine in an old laundry detergent bottle. Depending on the size of the bottle you will probably need 2 if large, or more if they are the new smaller bottles. Use a funnel to pour the detergent into the spout. Then make sure you shake it up each time you need to use it, as it tends to get thick again and separate a little.

Powdered Laundry Detergent (my friend Katie has made this, she loves it! I will be making this next time)

1 cup grated Fels Naptha Laundry Bar Soap
1/2 cup Super Washing Soda
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax

Mix and store in airtight container or bag. For light loads, use 1-2 tablespoons. For heavy loads, use 3 tablespoons.

Note: To make a large batch grate 6 bars of Fels Naptha Soap and then add 3 cups of Super Washing Soda and 3 cups 20 Mule Team Borax. Mix well and store in a covered container.

Tip: These recipes will NOT make suds in your washer. Fels Naptha is a pure soap, which makes it great for use in front loading high-efficiency (HE) washers as well as traditional top loaders. If you don't think it is working, look at the dirty wash water. I also found that I don't really need to use fabric softener, so keep an eye on your laundry and adjust your use of softeners to fit your needs.

Resources: Some groceries still carry these products in the laundry aisle. If you can't find them in your area, you can order all of them at www.soapsgonebuy.com, or call 1-888-858-SOAP (1-888-858-7627).

In the Dayton, OH area, Kroger carries Fels Naptha Laundry Bar soap in the laundry aisle. Last I checked Meijer has 20 Mule Team Borax and Super Washing Soda for the best price, but I think Kroger may also have them.

(I got these recipes from my sister, but I believe they can also be found at everydaycheapskate.com)

Happy Washing!

Welcome!

2009-02-04T13:32:00.001-05:00

Hi, thanks for stopping by The Frugal Country Mom blog. I am starting it so I can keep all things frugal separate from my main blog, The Blessed Country Mom. Here I will post frugal tips, ideas, recipes, and all sorts of things that I encounter in everyday life. I will also post about my new garden I am planning for spring. I am so excited! So please stop by from time to time, join the fun, and hopefully you will find something to help you on your journey to frugality!