Four years ago, I asked about grocery prices...

Ten beets for 99 cents is a real deal here. What nonessentials have you cut out?

@1hopefulman - You were very nice to pick his grapes! Do you have an area where you can garden? I'm sorry I didn't see your post earlier and I'm not getting notifications of everything.

Buenavida, I ate all the grapes in a few days. You know how much I love fruit. I rarely drink anything but water. Peavey, I am really a nice guy to help anyone that wants me to pick his fruit or vegetables. He was an elderly man and couldn't eat anymore grapes and appreciated somebody picking them as the birds come to eat the grapes and make a real mess that made it difficult for him to clean up. I also don't get all the notifications and sometimes it's only days later when I go back that I see them.

It's smart to not eat snacks at all, in more ways than one. I usually make all my food from scratch, too. That's just how I was brought up and it's a lot cheaper, I agree.

Snacks are awesome but it takes a minute to empty boxes or dishes and a lot of time to take off the extra pounds. Our body does not need tohse extra calories and we don´t hve to spend on that.

True!

It's good to see so many paying attention to healthy food as well as saving money and see that they go together so well. I'm glad the price of organic food is coming into line with "conventional" food, although the price of both are high, it seems.

You're right; sprouts are cheap and healthy. I should eat more, but I forget to start them. I only think about it the day I want to eat them. I'm not sure about that banana, but I know that when I eat all organic food, I don't get as hungry, so it could very well be!

I guess organic food has better nutrition than the conventional, so I wonder if a small organic banana has the same nutrition as a big conventional one..?? Anyways - maybe we can also make our own sprouts and make the beans and lentils healthier.. I wrote some articles in Triond about a year ago about health food that grows in our refrigerators. Must be the cheapest food you can get and takes almost no time to prepare!

Copying restaurant food is a good idea, but I've never been very successful at it! Basic non processed food is nearly always cheaper and healthier, I agree.

That sounds really good. I don't use white rice, either. When did you say I could come to dinner?

Actually it is more like making improved versions, I guess. I like orange chicken. I even bought some at Aldi, but it was not great. The name brand versions at other stores charge enough for " dinner for two" to pay for at least one serving at a restaurant, and then half of what you get is rice. . . white rice. I make brown rice, do not bread my chicken, but do copy seasonings in an recipe from online. Even my son ate it and I was surprised. If he had not been eating with us, I would have thrown in some frozen broccoli as well.

I agree, you have to be careful with coupons. I buy in bulk when it makes sense to, but it doesn't always for me (a one person household). Value cards help, too, although they track your purchases, I guess it's worth it. I guess we have to use all the tricks we can!

Those cards indeed track your purchases. I imagine they sell your shopping habits to big food mfgrs, otherwise they would not of shelled out the money for such a program in the first place. Thankfully one grocery store has dropped the card business all togeather. And the other one that does it still requires you to use your card to get sale prices and limit amounts you can purchase on deep discounted items. I saw that in line a few months back someone's grocery card was rejected so the person behind them let them use their card so they could get the sales. And my guess the card was flagged because of going thru the line for the limited quanity items several times?

It might have been. I don't know about the limited number. I know that there are some sales that only allow a certain amount of the item to be purchased. As far as the tracking thing...yes..I'm sure they do that. The use of the card has been very handy for me though so I don't mind.

Sounds like you eat healthy and it sounds good, too! Can I come for dinner? Buying bulk can make a big difference. I try to buy locally whenever I can, too. How do you use quinoa?

Thank you! I'm going to try it. I think I have some in the pantry but didn't know exactly what to do with it. That black bean salad sounds really good.

You can use quinoa as you do rice, in most cases. The texture is lighter and fluffier. I haven't yet attempted to make Spanish Rice with it, but I might very soon -- maybe even today. If you use it in stuffed pepper recipes, it doesn't hold together as easily as rice with the other ingredients, but is best if you save them and reheat on the second day for you first meal. It gives it longer to absorb the flavors. You an also use it like rice to accompany anything you would serve rice with, such as a stir fry or meat with gravy. My favorite way to use it is in salad. Here's my baseline recipe for Quinoa Black Bean Salad, which is very healthy. http://www.squidoo.com/recipe-for-quinoa-black-bean-salad That's where I start. I made a batch last night and used a sliced Persian cucumber, a chopped medium green pepper, about a cup of grape tomatoes, halved, and about 3/4 cup of toasted slivered almonds in addition to the quinoa and black beans. One day I left the black beans out and substituted some chopped broiled chicken strips. Let your imagination and what's on hand be your guide, just as you would if you were making a chef salad. I might try one with bacon and avocado today and celery today. I normally add feta cheese to taste and dress the salad with Italian dressing. I put about half a cup on the salad and mix well before I put it in the frig to chill. Then we add more feta and dressing to taste individually when we eat the salad. Start with the basic recipe as a guide, look at what you have on hand with flavors that mix well, and substitute and add ingredients you especially like. Some might like to add olives, grapes, raisins, or other flavors, according to your tastes.

I wish we had Aldi's here, I've heard so much about it. I have shopped at Dollar Tree, but kind of forget about it. It takes time and commitment to go to three different stores!

I've been thinking of what I would buy if I only had... whatever. Like $20 or maybe $15 for a week, then thinking of what I would buy and eat. It helps me think things through as I'm budgeting. I know you're right, things do work out when we pray.

I think that making things from scratch is a really good way to cut expenses. There are a lot of recipes and methods online on things that I never even thought to make from scratch. Macaroni and cheese, for instance, or onion soup. Basic ingredients are still cheaper than ready made things. I think there are many who are cutting back in other areas to have enough money for food.

Yes, it sure is hard. Shopping only the sales is great when you can do it. Building up a pantry makes that easier, too.

It seems to be that way almost everywhere. Food prices are rising and I hear rumors of food shortages in the near future for everyone, due to several things. I hate to see that happen.

I wish there was an Aldi's near here! Nothing like it, but we do have a Save A Lot and a salvage grocery which helps.

I understand that! I was lucky enough to find maple syrup at the salvage grocery here for a really good price. I buy milk from a farmer and make my own butter so it isn't as expensive as buying from a store. I will continue to do that as long as I can.

If you can get TV dinners that satisfy everyone for a dollar, that's not bad, and if it works for you, don't feel badly about doing it. Thanks for your comments!

We live and learn, huh?