Grocery shop prep for a New Year

Every week we go through the same routine, there is nothing to eat!  What do we want to eat?  What do we buy?  How come no one ate any of that?  And where did all the (insert this week's yummiest item) go?  And we start again...
When I sit down to make a grocery list, as I may have said before...I try to start at home..
Step #1:What is in the freezer?  What is in the cupboard?  What is in the fridge? (that maybe shouldn't be anymore....)
~For example, there is a big chicken in the freezer, some pork chops and potatoes, carrots and onions in the bins, and lots of frozen veggies.  Dried pasta, and brown rice.  Oh and leftover chili in the freezer (from New year's eve).  If it weren't for the missing cheese, yogurt and bananas, I could likely forgo a trip to the grocery store until at least Wednesday evening. 
Step #2: What is in the flyer?
~I tend to go back and forth between two grocery stores.  Quality Foods is nice and close to home, a small store that isn't too busy...But the big draw for me is that it is right beside the skating rink (a place I go to once in awhile!)...so there tends to be the place where I go if we have run out of something that cannot wait.  Thrifty Foods used to be my favourite grocery store...Beautiful produce, great fish counter, they usually have the harder to find items and great sales (which make up for the slightly higher prices)...However, the great sales are not so great anymore and the slightly higher prices have gotten a lot higher in recent months.  Take hot chocolate for example: I don't buy a number of the ready made ones (one, I have a problem with some of their business practices and some of the others use cellulose in their hot chocolate, not so keen on the kids having wood pulp with their breakfast in the morning), but I like to have some instant stuff on hand for when I am not making my own, so I buy Murchie's Hot chocolate as it has only what I would be putting in my own.  Thrifty foods price: 9.99...Regular price at Quality foods, 8.99, on sale for $7.49.  Still expensive, but at least I am not paying for half a container of wood pulp.  Cereal is another area where the prices are quite a bit higher than other places...So, for Cereal, if Costco doesn't have it, we don't eat it. 
The one area where Quality foods doesn't hold up to Thrifty's is in their bulk section.  I can get organic dried beans if I want, or regular dried beans, and they are all from the US or Canada.  I can also get bulk Quinoa, and Quinoa flakes (which are great for cookies!)...
So what I do, is I shop the flyers...and compare.  This week's winner?  Thrifty Foods, with $1.00/lb for Gala apples and 7.99 for a 5 lb bag of California clementines (Q.foods has them too, 2.99 for a 2 lb bag, so same price), and $2.00 a box for Nature Valley Granola bars (we go through the roasted almond ones and the Oats-n-honey ones like crazy...oh and the Chocolate ones.  In their bakery section, Thrify's has a 900g (2 lb) loaf of whole wheat-low sodium sandwich bread for $3.69.  And when you go through bread like we do in our house, that is a great price. 
Over at The Poorganic Life she has a great list of tips to getting the processed stuff out of your grocery order and staying on budget.  Here is the link for this week's flyer over at
Thrifty foods
Quality foods
And some great templates for getting started on a New Year's grocery list.
Grocery list template from Not QuiteSuzie Homemaker
Grocery list from Your Printable Daily Planner

Happy Packing!

Kim

D is for...Dinner!

While I could figure out lots of thing that began with the letter D, I was at a loss for what to post.  So, yesterday, I posted that on my FB account.  Folks had lots of good suggestions, but again no inspiration.  Then, last night, as we were rounding up the "leftovers" for supper, Rob commented, "It sure is a good thing that you make such good Sunday dinners, 'cause there are enough leftovers for more yummy suppers." 
Ah Ha!  A big dinner once a week, is usually the key to a smooth running week of meals in our house.  It usually (but not always) involves a roast, lots of rice or potatoes (or sometimes both),  a cooked vegetable and a salad.  What grows from here: meat for sandwiches, salads to add to wraps, or just a microwaveable plate of leftovers for Rob to take.  It also gives me leftover meat (I have been known to cook two of something, like 2 chickens) for another supper, rice for fried rice.  However, just like everything else, the menu is only as good as the Plan.  If the plan isn't well made (and that usually means that someone else could follow it!), it all falls apart and we end up eating take-out, which just blows the budget.  Plan, however, begins with P.
A big dinner doesn't have to involve a lot of cooking though.  It could be a big pasta dish, a couple of salads and some biscuits or bread.  Again, the idea is that there be enough for another meal.  You may have to inform your family that that is the PLAN, or put half away before they even get to the table.  Otherwise (and I have learned this the hard way) you have just cooked a whole lot, and only ended up with one meal.

Happy Packing!



And a new link for a new letter: Digging with worms

Ginger Spice Cookies

   Given that we are on spring break (still!), I got to take my kiddos with me to the grocery store this afternoon.  After a morning of picking up fir cones, raking the yard and sorting the bottles and cans to go to the return-it depot, of course, they were "over the moon" to be heading to the grocery store with Mum.  Er, well, not so much.  However, I offered that they could share the money from returning the bottles and cans...Half of the money was going to the Sunday school World Water Day fundraiser for Japan (All the Sunday school classses at our Church are collecting water bottles and the money raised is going to the Red Cross to help people in Japan), and then they could share the other half.  But that I would only be giving it to them once we had finished the grocery shopping. 
   My dear daughter always wants to push the buggy when she comes shopping, so she headed off in front of us to grab one.  Once inside, I handed the list to my son and told him to tell us where to start.  He asked for a pen to cross things off, and then gave me a big grin.  (to make a long story short, it was a reasonably painless trip, although it took us almost an hour and a half to get the groceries done!)  And they were both very impressed when "they" figured out how much cheaper it was to buy the big big box of goldfish crackers for $6.99, rather than to buy 6 and a half small bags for $2.99 each....I am surprised no one asked if they could keep the difference!   My son's eyes got very big and round when he watched the total come up on the screen.  "That is a lot of money," he whispered to no one in particular.  "Aw, Mummy, we forgot to buy cookies!" was my daughter's comment as the grocery bags went into the buggy ("Would you like help to your car?" the young girl at the cash asked me with a smile..."No thanks" I smiled back, but I sure like knowing that you ask, and that is why I keep coming back!).  My son looked at his sister and said, "Mum is going to make Ginger cookies when we get home instead."

And here they are!

Ginger Spice Cookies 

(original recipe from Chatelaine Magazine, December 2006 however, this is my version)  This recipe easily doubles and is great to make the night before and then chill overnight in the fridge, before baking.

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Makes 36 cookies
Line two cookie sheets with parchment (you can use oil and spray or coat if you don't use parchment)
1 cup (250ml) all purpose flour
1 cup (250ml) whole wheat or fine grind spelt flour
2 tsp (10ml) baking soda
1 tsp each (5ml each) cinnamon, and ginger
1/2tsp (2ml) nutmeg
1/4tsp (1ml) salt
1 egg
3/4 cup (175ml) canola oil (or for softer cookies, use 1/2 cup oil and 1/4 cup applesauce)
1/4 cup (55ml) molasses
1 cup (250ml) brown sugar (no packed)
1/4 cup (55ml) granulated sugar

Arrange racks in top 1/3 and bottom 1/3 of the oven.


In medium bowl, whisk flours, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.  In a  large bowl of a standing mixer, combine egg, oil and molasses.  Beat on medium until well combined.  Add brown sugar and beat until fluffy, if using applesauce, add now and beat until fluffy.  Gradually add flour mixture and beat on medium-low until well combined.  At this point, if you are making ahead, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean tea towel and place in fridge until ready to use.  Allow to warm up 10 minutes or so before baking.
Place granulated sugar in a small bowl or on a saucer.  Using a small food scoop or tea spoon, scoop off a small amount and roll between hands to make a ball.  Roll ball in sugar and then place on parchment.  Continue with remaining dough, placing balls at least 4 cm apart on cookie sheets.
Bake on two racks, switching sheets halfway through baking (around 4 minutes).  Continue baking until edges are set and cookies begin to crack, 7-10 minutes.  Remove cookie sheets to cooling racks, and allow cookies to cool 6-7 minutes on sheets (they will be easier to remove), then remove to racks and allow to cool completely.  Store in covered container 5-7 days.  Freeze for up to 1 month.

My son was very pleased to see these come out of the oven!  My suggestion with these cookies is to make a double batch, and freeze half right away, so there will be some for lunches! 
At bedtime tonight, my son gave me back his half of the bottle money.  "I think it should all go to the water fundraiser, "he whispered, "Haruka might need water where she is and I don't want her to be thirsty."
Yes, he is my honey.

Happy Packing!

The litterless lunch

   So, you have raided your pantry, consulted with all the likely suspects, created a menu that everyone thinks they will eat (or not!  But that is the way it goes...), and made your list.  Now, you are off to the grocery store.  But wait!  Before you start through those doors...Are you ready?  Sure, of course you are.  But are you really ready...If you bring your children with you when you shop, then you know what I am talking about..."Oh please, can you buy?"..."But everyone else gets them!"..."Pleeeeease!"
   Grrrr...it is enough to make me turn around right there, without a single item.  Yes, we have done it, left a full grocery cart in front of customer service....I always apologize to the cashier working at the customer service desk and ask where is a good place to leave the buggy, since "we" won't be staying to finish our shop.  They smile apologetically and  are more than gracious as I leave, dragging two screaming children out to the car.  But I digress, as that no longer happens, because my children truly understand when I say, "Should we just leave now?", it means that we just might!
   Fortunately, both my children had the same grade one teacher ( she is a wonderful woman, who has three just-grown boys, and really "gets" kids), and therefore, both learned from her what a "litter less" lunch is.  "It means that our yogurt should be in one of those Tupperware containers, you know, the ones with the coloured lids?  And we should bring a regular kitchen spoon, not a plastic one."  And we are not allowed to bring our sandwiches in baggies (what is a "baggy", Mum?), we should get a container that you wash afterwards.  Madame says that there are lots of them at Value Village, can we go?"...And a water bottle that we can refill at the water fountain in the classroom, not juice boxes, and you remember, we aren't allowed to bring pop, right, Mum?"...(Pssst, she doesn't let us drink pop, except when Mr and Mrs Krall come over, she isn't gonna put it in our lunch!)...And I smile and open the container drawer in the kitchen, "Why don't you see what we have in here first, before we go all the way to Value Village?"  And it is incredible what they find...All those things the teacher mentioned, including a Spider man sandwich box ("Oh yeah!  I forgot about this one!"),  a couple of Lunchbots, a Tiffin, some Tupperware yogurt containers and about a half dozen water bottles...
   So, armed with the wisdom of "Madame", my seven year old and I head to the grocery store, and as we enter the produce section, she instantly spies the mini packs of "baby-cut" carrots.  "You know, Mum, this is creating a lot of garbage.  We can make the same snack at home if you buy the big big bag of carrots and then peel them and cut them up and put them into a container."...Really?  Sounds good.  She hovers over the small (and I mean tiny!!) container of raspberries, mesmerized for a moment.  Then she recovers and says, "It's not raspberry season, so we shouldn't buy these.  Besides, they probably came from...from Hawaii or something"...Oh, okay.  "What about apples?"  I ask.  "Apples are an excellent snack, so are bananas.  Really healthy and they have their own wrappers!"  She pauses, wrinkling her brow in thought, "And we have a compost bucket in our class, so I don't have to bring the core home.  Compost is good for the garden, you know.  You could put your coffee grounds in too."
...Our shopping trip continues up and down each aisle, each one creating similar conversation.  How the big box of crackers is better than buying those little cheese and cracker things, references to homemade soups and big containers of yogurt ("But you'll have to buy two, because Daddy likes blueberry and I like vanilla.")
We are just about to the checkout, when she spies me passing the aisle with the pop and chips.  "Mummy!  You're forgetting something...."  She is giving me that, I'm-smarter-than-you-are look, and points down the aisle.
   "What?"  I ask.
   "Mr. and Mrs. Krall are coming for dinner tonight, and you promised-"  "Yes, you can have ginger ale".  I roll my eyes and she gleefully grabs a big bottle of ginger ale.  "Thank you!"

Not all our shopping trips are as peaceful as this one, but it is good to know that those conversations hold enough meaning for her to repeat them at home.  And giving them that sort of knowledge makes it easier when you say "no" to things like those pre-packaged lunches or cute little packages of cookies.  All of a sudden, you are empowering them to make a difference and do something good for the Earth, which feels better to children than just thinking their Mum or Dad or Grandma is being mean and doesn't want to buy "fun" stuff for thier lunches.  Of course, right now, we are having the fight about how she's been using the same lunch bag forever!

Happy Packing!


A great place to find Litterless lunch packing items :www.noplastics.ca

Lists...

Most of the time, without a list, I would be lost!  I am a perpetual keeper-of-lists...and loser of lists!  I write them, they go into my pocket and then I forget where I put them.  Or, I make up a fabulous grocery list and pull out of the driveway, get halfway up the street and realise I have left it sitting on the kitchen counter....and I go back for it.  Why go back?  Well, afterall, I spent all that time making it in the first place!
Over and over again, you will hear (or read!) that you need to make a list before going to the grocery store!  You will be more efficient, you will save money, you will make fewer trips to the store...Of course you will, but first you have to figure out a system that works for you and your family (of 2 or 4 or 8 or whatever!)...Do you need one list with EVERYTHING on it?  For some, that is the way they do it...Our neighbours do it all on Wednesdays...this even includes the trip to the hardware store, or going out to get a new pair of pants, or taking an old pair of pants to the cleaners.  For them, it is all about Wednesdays, and if it isn't on the list, it doesn't get done or it doesn't get bought (get bought?  can I say that?  Where is my English teacher husband when I need a proof-reader?).  In our house, there are three lists that refer to groceries...One that includes what we already have (on a week to week basis), this is not an all inclusive list of everything we have, but rather a list of what we have that we will be eating this week...For example, we have tomatoes and a cucumber left from last week that we will eat on Sunday (In other words, DON'T buy more tomatoes!).  Our second list is the Costco list, and this one is a bit of a running list as we try not to go to Costco more than once a month (heck, we can't afford to go to Costco more than once a month!).  The third list is the grocery list...I divide it into four sections: Breakfast, Lunches, dinners and Daycare.  Before I make up a menu for the week (yes, I do this every week, as I have learned that it just all ends in chaos and too much take-out pizza if I don't),  I hit the grocery store flyer.  Based loosely on what I learned at a young age from my father (a man who made, and still makes! many more lists than I will ever make!), we eat what is on special...and what is local (or as local as I can get...Yes, we eat bananas, but no, they don't grow on Vancouver Island, or even near it!)...So, if pork roast and cottage cheese is on special, then that is what we will be eating.  (although, not usually together).
Lunches are a combination of what will be eaten, what is on special and what is healthy...A big thing about lunches though, is always making sure that you are buying (and therefore packing) what is going to be eaten...And with kids, what was eaten (and liked) last week, sometimes isn't what is going to be eaten this week!  Go figure...Today, for example, I packed Kate a turkey wrap with mayonnaise and lettuce (she ate a whole plate of lettuce last night at supper!).  Half of the wrap came home, because she "didn't have time"...however, there was time to eat the mandarins and the popcorn and the piece of applesauce cake...but not enough time for the wrap...Huh, I am that blonde, I suppose!  Don't you?  Lesson learned, don't put lettuce in the turkey wrap...But do put chocolate chips in the peanut butter and banana roll-up!  (mmm, melted ones!  Yummy!).
If I take the time to ask them (since I try very hard not to take anyone with me to the grocery store!) for suggestions for their lunches, generally, we have some success.  This week's request (for next week), Bagels...Please, we haven't had them is soooo long!
Okay, bagels are on the list for next week...the big question is, of course, will they still be in demand when next week gets here?