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Getting the Grocery Budget Under Control

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Grocery prices just seem to keep going up, and I don’t know too many people that don’t comment about the dent in the budget that food and household items make.  When trying to trim the overall household budget, while things like mortgage/rent, utilities, and car payments are generally fixed, the grocery budget can usually flex.  Whether you’re having a temporary need to free up some cash, or a long term financial goal to meet, it is possible to spend less at the grocery store without having to go hungry!

Over the years I’ve learned many different strategies that have helped us raise a large family, often on a single income.  Cooking from scratch, eating at home instead of going out, gardening, food preservation, couponing, bargain shopping, and other approaches have all been incredibly helpful to our family.

 

Slash Your Grocery Budget AndEatAWholeFoodsDietWithAldi

I really, really like this book!  Author Carrie Willard is a busy mom of 7 kids, and she has done a terrific job of explaining the ins, outs, and whys of shopping at Aldi while eating a primarily whole foods diet.  Carrie’s personable style is engaging and fun, while also being very informative without taking up a ton of your time.  If you’re new to shopping Aldi, or new to eating a healthy whole foods diet, you’ll find plenty of helpful tips and insights here.  Included are two weeks of healthy menu plans and shopping lists based on items you can purchase at Aldi.  

TheGroceryShrink

In The Grocery Shrink, author Angela Coffman provides a quick but comprehensive guide to many different aspects of cutting your grocery costs.  Some of the topics covered include:

  • advance planning for meals and pantry staples
  • keeping a price book
  • knowing how much your recipes cost to make
  • shopping with cash
  • strategic store navigation
  • alternatives to the grocery store
  • gardening
  • and more!

Regardless of whether or not you want to utilize all of the ideas in The Grocery Shrink, you are sure to find some fresh inspiration and new tools that will be of use to you.

 

 

 

 

 

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Our Favorite Recipes

All-American Potato Salad

All-American Potato Salad

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Spread the love         You will love making this traditional American potato salad for all of your potlucks, picnics, and oven-free dinners this summer! All American Potato Salad Serves: 8-10 Ingredients: 5 pounds Idaho Potatoes 2 cups mayonnaise 1/2 small onion diced 1 Green Pepper seeded and diced ¼ cup Sweet Relish (optional) adds a sweetness 2 […]

Planning Your Slow Cooker Meals

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Spread the love         Affiliate links are used in this post. Do you know you’ll have a day this week when you’ll be running around all day? Do the kids have a full schedule of after-school activities that have you driving from one ball field to the next? That’s the perfect day to plan a slow cooker […]

Using Your Slow Cooker Year-Round

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Spread the love         Affiliate links are used in this post. Once you start digging out your slow cooker and using it to cook delicious homemade meals, you will quickly become a fan. Many of us start to think about soups, stews, chilis, and all sorts of other delicious fare that lends itself to slow cooking (pot […]

Mexican Cilantro-Lime Rice

Cilantro-Lime Rice

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Spread the love         Tired of boring old rice?  Don’t worry.  It’s so easy to change boring, basic rice into something extra special with the addition of just a few fresh ingredients. In this recipe, we’ve teamed up fresh lime and cilantro to create a classic flavor combination that is sure to tickle your taste buds. This […]

Grilled Summer Vegetable Medley With Herb Butter

Grilled Summer Vegetable Medley with Herb Butter

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    24    

Spread the love    24    Grilling is a great way to enhance the natural sweetness of summer garden vegetable. For best results, cut all vegetables to a uniform thickness and angle your cuts to ensure the largest surface area possible. Ingredients: Herb Butter: 4 T. unsalted butter, room temperature 2 t. fresh thyme leaves, stems removed Pinch of […]

Chili Colorado in the Slow Cooker

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    20    

Spread the love    20     If you’re looking for a hearty, stick-to-your ribs chili that’s sure to please the carnivores in your life, this is the one! With just a little bit of prep work beforehand, you can have this hot and ready in your slow cooker when dinnertime rolls around.  You can even do the prep […]

Cheesy Veggie Chowder

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Spread the love          Are you ready for this gorgeous, warm, soothing soup? Oh yes!     Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons butter 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 cup finely chopped carrot 1 celery stick, finely chopped (feel free to add more celery if you like celery; I don’t, so I don’t add much) 1 Tablespoon minced garlic […]

How To Choose The Right Slow Cooker

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Spread the love         Affiliate links are used in this post. Are you ready to give cooking in a slow cooker a try? It’s a wonderful way to prepare your family’s meals without having to spend hours in the kitchen stirring. Make a pot of beef stew that tastes like you’ve slaved for hours over the stove, […]

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