Don't Forget the Coupons

Before the recession, using coupons used to be a lot of fun. Now there is less of a chance of getting free or at least dirt cheap items. This doesn't mean, however, there aren't still good deals. 

Always check the coupon websites before heading to the store. It might only save you 50 cents, but you never know when you'll  actual be able to save ten times more than that. 

My goal is to try to get at least double groceries for my money. Sometimes, coupons help me do that. So, don't disregard that little 50 cent coupon as being worthless.

Check out these two sites that I use regularly:

  http://www.coupons.com

http://www.afullcup.com

A Full Cup is a coupon forum that is totally awesome. It's easy to search for specific coupons which has helped to not only save money but a lot of time.

 And listen, if for the next few weeks you don't find any coupons that actually are money savers for you, don't get discouraged into never searching for coupons. The recession has hit everyone hard and coupons are not an exception. Every now and then you will be able to grab coupons that match grocery store sales, but the only way you'll find those deals are if you keep browsing for coupons.

Happy Couponing Everyone!!!!!

Make 'em Ahead of Time

I am finding out that the more prep I do, the more fun it is to cook and the less time I actually spend in the kitchen. I've learned a lot by watching and listening to other cooks, and I've been able to take the tips and adjust them to how I do things. 

I think I'll write a "Make 'em Ahead of Time" post once a month so it will give me an opportunity to share all the tips and advice I come across.

Just remember that the most boring tasks can be gotten through with a little bit of entertainment. Put something on to listen to or watch to help you get through those tedious jobs (like washing dishes :(/)

Something I just recently started doing is chopping onions and bell peppers, placing them in freezer zip locks and putting them in the freezer. While I have the cutting board out I just chop an extra onion or pepper than what I need and put them in freezer zip lock bag. I like to double bag the onions since the smell can permeate the freezer. We love adding peppers and onions to our eggs in the morning, and it so much easier to pull out a handful of pre-chopped vegies on the mornings I'm running late. 

I have actually been freezing my leftovers since I know that most of them go to waste in the refrigerator before I get to use them. I put them in freezer zip lock bags or containers and label them so it's not a mystery the next time I'm looking for something fast to stick in the oven. This really works like freezer dinners.

And onto freezer dinners. It doesn't take that much extra time to double a batch of meatloaf, shepherd's pie, soup, lasagna, spaghetti, etc. while I'm cooking. It's actually saving me time and electricity in the long run. 
If you're like me, you probably don't have that much freezer space for several of these extra meals. That is what discouraged me a few months ago from adding to much to my tiny freezer. However, I've been using gallon freezer bags instead of aluminum pans and I can get so much more into my freezer space. I'm not one to save and re-use plastic bags, so I just split the bag open to take the frozen chunk of food out (sorry, to any who feel I'm not green enough; I have abhorred that chore of washing plastic zip locks since I was a little girl.).

One more tip for the day: start learning when the grocery stores put certain products on sale and learn to stock up. This last week my grocery stores were running major sales on all tomato products. I was able to buy 15oz. canned tomatoes for $0.29 each and 24 ounces of ketchup for $0.79 each.

 Find out what fruit and vegetables are in season in your area and buy enough of the in-season produce to either freeze or can. Remember, Louisiana, strawberry season is starting!!!!!

So, now it's your chance to grab back some wasted time and energy. Add something to your freezer or canned goods this week. You'll definitely feel a little more free next week.  

A Bit of History...Explained

We all have our preferences when it comes to choices of meats, vegetables, fruit, etc. I wanted to post what some of our preferences are and what I look for when I browse the weekly ads.

A year ago I went to a health food store and had the owner look at my eyes, palms and fingernails and help me understand what might be areas of weakness in my health. He told me that my digestive system is really damaged and that although he couldn't diagnose, he thought I was close to having Irritable Bowel Syndrome. He suggested the Blood Type Diet in which I eat only foods that relate to my blood type. Since I have never been on a diet in my life (I know that sounds kind of strange coming from a female, but thank the Lord, I never have had weight issues nor have been concerned about my weight), I was apprehensive about this. He suggested I change two major foods in my diet and then gradually start changing others when needed, but focus on the foods on the list that I am already eating. So, I immediately  cut out beef and pork and strictly went to turkey and chicken. The second thing I was to cut out was the type of grease I was using; I went from butter and vegetable oil to extra-virgin olive oil.

My husband was in total support of changing our diet which made it so much easier on me. He really made me stick to the diet the first six months, for which I am thankful. I noticed a drastic change in my pain and bloating levels two months into the diet which encouraged me to continue on the diet. As of today, I feel so much better than I did a year ago.

I do want to say that I am not a strict dieter. There are foods on the diet I am unwilling to eat or give up the ones that are restricted. However, I'm learning that the more I listen to my body, the more healthy I feel from day to day.

So, with a little history down, I wanted to explain that many of the foods in the sales ads I will not be buying because of the diet that we are on. You will notice a lot turkey and chicken recipes on my weekly menus that can probably be substituted for beef and pork. I do want to encourage anyone who has not tried ground turkey or chicken sausage to open you mind to the possibility of finding a deliciously new cuisine awaiting you. 

Let's go get inspired to live more healthy lives and enjoy what we eat.