I know I’m not the only one who has noticed an increase in grocery prices over the last few weeks.  On Twitter recently, I’ve seen more and more people wondering how they are going to make ends meet with rising prices at the pump and register.  In fact, I’ve mentioned the rising cost of butter a few times, because it is obscene.

In May I am challenging myself to use less than one tank of gas for the entire month.  Now that Nathan takes MARTA to work, our car usage is way down.  To some this would be impossible.  However, we live right across the street from a huge city park, a National Park, a Catholic Church, and just minutes from Downtown Roswell, the grocery store, the bank, and a number of other conveniences.  Using one tank of gas isn’t inconceivable, because I hardly drive anywhere as it is.  Samuel and I drive to playgroup once a week, and we do our errands on the way home.

Groceries have been a bit more of a challenge.  A loyal ALDI shopper for years, I’ve stopped going.  The closest ALDI is over 20 minutes from our house, and quite frankly the prices have been going up faster there than anywhere else from what I can tell.  Up until this month I was spending $120.00 on groceries.  That number is now hovering in the $150.00 range {Easter excluded}.

Here are some of the changes we’ve made to accomodate shopping at Publix and Costco without ALDI in the mix:

1.  Still menu plan.  Don’t just go to the store and buy whatever is on sale.  You’ll end up with lots of things that don’t make anything.  I’m still doing monthly menu plans so I can keep an eye out for when say canned tomatoes are on sale, and I can buy the whole month’s worth at once.  I am also making more changes.  If a recipe calls for ground beef, but ground chicken is on sale I’m using the chicken.

2.  Cut coupons.  I’ve never seen that Extreme Couponing show {we don’t own a tv}, but rest assured I’m just talking about looking over your Sunday newspaper and websites like Coupons.com and Swagbucks.  I don’t have the time or patience to do much more than that.  I spend about an hour every week looking at coupons and comparing them to the ads.  Only cut coupons you will actually use.

3.  Buy generic.  Sometimes even with coupons and a sale the store brand is still cheaper.  Just go with it.  There is almost no taste difference or if there is it is so small it is hardly noticeable. 

4.  Use competitors’ coupons.  Some stores, like Publix, will accept coupons from their competitors.  I’ve used Target coupons at Publix a few times.  Check your local stores to see if they do this.  You can usually stack them with a manufacturer’s coupon and store coupon.

5.  Buy local.  It’s farmers market season, so take advantage of that.  Local produce, eggs, meat, and milk are often much cheaper than what you can get at the grocery store.  Enjoy a morning stroll around your local market and pick up the items you’ll need.  Make sure to bring cash and your own bags. 

6.  Don’t go crazy at Costco.  If you aren’t going to use 20 lbs of tomatoes, don’t buy them.  I use Costco mostly for baking items: bread flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, etc.  Non-perishables that I buy about once every 3 months.  I recommend going to Costco knowing exactly why you are there, because it is easy to spend $100 on less than 5 things.

These are just some easy ways to save money on groceries as prices continue to rise.  How are you saving money?

Anthony Bourdain: you either love him or hate him, but either way you can’t deny he has one of the coolest jobs on the planet.  Traveling around the world, eating amazing food, learning about new cultures, and meeting some interesting people sounds like a dream.  I’m a huge fan, and not so secretly watch a lot of No Reservations on YouTube {we don’t own a tv…for real}.

When Foodbuzz sent out the call for party ideas for 24×24 I was all over it.  I’ve been wanting to host a Bourdain themed dinner for quite some time, but I just never had the push I needed to step way outside my comfort zone.  When you focus on recipes for the everyday family, it is easy to forget that we all need a little challenge sometimes.

Here was my plan: 5 courses from 5 very different countries.  Every dish was pulled from an episode of No Reservations.  This was all well and great except for one thing: there are no recipes on No Reservations.  So I was on my own to figure out recipes through research.

I watched a lot of No Reservations closely paying attention to the food segments and writing down what I thought were the correct spellings of the foods.  Then I turned to Google to do some research.  The biggest problem?  My spelling of very ethnic meals.  It took me days to assemble what I guessed would be the best versions of the dishes.  The other biggest challenge?  I had never had a single one of these dishes.  Yes you are reading that correctly.  I did this completely blind – no test runs, no previous experience with the foods, nada.  I just took a deep breath and went for it.

All of my hard work paid off.  While I have no idea if my dishes were close in taste to the traditional dishes, I think I did okay.  My Japanese guest said I did well with the dish from one of the Japan episodes, so I’m just going to assume that means I rocked all of them.

While I’ve hosted a lot of dinner parties, this was the most intense to prepare.  On the day of the dinner party, I also committed to volunteer 3 hours at Church.  So I didn’t have the afternoon to prep.  Instead I spent Friday evening, Saturday morning, and the 2 hours I had before the dinner doing what needed to be done.

Quick note: between each course I served lime sorbet to help “cleanse the palate.”  Since the flavors were so different, and they were, I had to do something or else everything would have been lost in the flavors of the other dishes.  It was store-bought, because I know my own limitations – with a 7 month old {!} I knew I was going to have to let something give and this {as well as whipped cream} was it.

Menu:

Course 1

ITALY: Seafood Risotto

Course 2

SAUDI ARABIA: Lamb with Rice

Course 3

CLEVELAND, OHIO: Chicken Paprikash

Course 4

URUGUAY: Chivitos with Ensalada Rusa

Course 5

JAPAN: Kabocha Custard with Whipped Cream

Eating food from five different countries in one night was a lot of fun.  If you are going to do a party like this definitely go with the palate cleanser, because the flavors are so different.  They do not flow.  Also I’d recommend spacing the courses slightly – maybe 10 minutes apart.  We served dinner with red wine, white wine, and Makers Mark – whatever the guest preferred.

I think everyone should give this style party a whirl!  If you have kids you could easily change it enough {Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego would be an awesome theme for one} to keep them interested.  If you want to serve more courses you could focus on side dishes and appetizers both of which I skipped in favor of main course selections.  There are so many options.

My Bend It Like Bourdain party was a success!  I’m excited to have had the opportunity to share the details with you, and I hope that you were inspired to throw your own Bourdain-inspired shindig!

I’ve talked a lot about menu planning over the past year and a half.  However, I realized I’ve rarely talked about what happens when there is a big change to your “plan.”

This week is the perfect time to talk about the flexibility required to have a successful meal plan.  Why you ask?  Because this week’s meal plan has essentially gone out the window.

If you aren’t familiar, Nathan travels often for work.  This can sometimes throw a wrench into my plans if only because I’m not going to make a huge meal for just myself and Samuel.  For example, this week Nathan is out of town for work, and I had a bunch of big meals planned that would leave leftovers for him to take to work.  When we found out last week that he’d be traveling I did some rearranging, and I pushed most of them back into February.

On top of that I was chosen to host a Foodbuzz 24×24 party this weekend {so excited!}, and so Saturday’s dinner has gone out the window.

Oh, and I’m making blueberry muffins for an event Samuel and I are attending on Thursday.

My point is this: you have to allow some flexibility in your meal plans.  I find the best way to do that is to have nights for leftovers or sandwiches and pasta nights.  These allow room for rearranging without wasting food.  So instead of eating spaghetti next week, I’ve swapped it out for something that had been on the meal plan for this week.  The key is to have about one meal a week that is a non-perishable.  Swapping out spaghetti night for something else isn’t a huge deal, because pasta has a long shelf-life.  You want to make sure that anything that is perishable in your fridge or freezer is eaten before it goes bad.

I don’t believe you should make a habit of moving meals around, because then it becomes too easy to excuse skipping a meal to go out to eat or have a “fend for yourself” kind of night.  However, you have to make allowances for things that come up.  It is the best way to keep yourself accountable for your meals.  If you are too rigid your meal plan will stress you out, and you’ll eventually ditch it altogether which benefits no one.  The key is finding the balance between flexibility and following the plan.

Earlier today on Twitter, Amy asked for some tips for monthly menu planning then a few others chimed in also saying they could use some help.

If you aren’t familiar, I started doing monthly {instead of weekly} menu plans back in June 2010.  I was finding that even with weekly planning there was still food going to waste, and I noticed our grocery bill was going up.  It seemed reasonable to try to plan out a whole month at once, so I figured I’d give it a try.

It stuck.  I love it.  Every month during the second week I start the next month’s menu plan.  I start on Monday and have it finished by Friday.  This gives me a chance to keep my eye out for any deals on the dry items over the next three weeks.  It also gives me a chance to make changes if necessary.

Our ultimate goal each month is to have an “empty pantry.”  This means aside from staples {flour, spices, bread, etc} our kitchen is empty.  Every last item that is purchased is gone because it was used not because it went bad.

Some people find monthly menu planning intimidating, but I actually think it is easier than the weekly planning.

Here are some great tips to get started:

1. Invest in a calendar with space for menu planning.  I recommend this one by Orange Circle Studio.  Hang it up in your kitchen, so you can easily refer to it each day.
2. Give yourself adequate time to make the menu.  If you work outside the home, it is probably a 10 day task.  If you are a stay-at-homer, you can do it in 5 days.
3. Do a scan of your refrigerator and write down EVERYTHING.  You only have to do this for your first menu.  Your goal is going to be to use every single thing that you aren’t currently using.  You have to get your kitchen down to the bare minimum.
4. Pull out only 2-3 cookbooks at a time.  Don’t clutter your floor.  It’s overwhelming {trust me}.
5. Have a designated grocery list program or notepad.  I swear by Cozi, but if you don’t have a smart phone you may want to invest in a special notepad.
6. Make the grocery list as you go along.  Write it out by week so you know when to buy everything.  Include all non-perishables in the first week’s grocery list.
7. Get all of your non-perishables in the FIRST grocery trip.  This way you can go to the least expensive store.  I do my first week at ALDI then get my perishables at Publix every Sunday.
8. Organize your pantry so that canned goods are all together, pastas are all together, etc etc.  This makes it easy to check your stock each week in case you forgot or overused something accidentally.
9. Start simple.  No need to plan breakfast, lunch, and dinner if you don’t feel comfortable!
10. Be realistic.  If you go out to eat every Friday, don’t plan a meal.  Take into account your habits.

Here is a comparison of our monthly grocery costs for two people:

• No menu planning – $300+ on groceries
• Weekly menu planning – $200 on groceries
• Monthly menu planning – $150 on groceries

Planning a monthly menu is really easy.  I swear.  I’ve been doing it for 6 months, and it is only getting easier at this point.  I’ve actually considered going to two months at a time to save even more on groceries!

Please email me if you have any questions – thebrunettefoodie@gmail.com.  Or you can send me a twitter message – @brunettefoodie.

I’ve gotten a few emails lately asking about meal planning and budgeting.  A few people have asked the same questions, so I am going to address them here.

How much do you spend on groceries a month?

Honestly?  About $150.00-$180.00 a month.  I’m not kidding.  That may even be on the high end.  For example, last week I spent $35.00.  Some weeks are way more expensive.  I always seem to need sugar, flour, olive oil, oatmeal, and a bazillion other basics the same week.  That can easily add $15.00 to a shopping bill if not more.

Here are my tips:

• Plan meals that use a lot of the same ingredients so that you don’t waste anything.  For example, if you are making lasagna, and you won’t need the entire bag of mozzarella cheese use the rest in another meal.
• Name brand does not mean better.  Kroger mustard tastes the same as French’s.
• Buy fruits and vegetables that are in season.

Where do you do your grocery shopping?

ALDI first then Kroger.  I get most of the basics at ALDI, and then I buy the rest at Kroger on the way home.

Here’s the thing: ALDI is a lot less expensive and 95% of the things taste the same or better than what they sell at Kroger.  It is especially great for basics: sugar, flour, soup, milk, potato chips, pasta, etc.  We don’t usually buy produce at ALDI, but every so often they have items that look great and are inexpensive {read: potatoes}.

Sometimes I go to DeKalb Farmers Market or Whole Foods, but not often.  I usually only visit those places when I need something very specific.

Do you menu plan around sales?

No.  I don’t.  I probably should, but we don’t get the local newspaper…and the Wall Street Journal doesn’t carry the Kroger ad.

What staples do you keep in the kitchen?

• oatmeal
• garlic
• olive oil
• pasta
• sugar
• flour
• fat-free buttermilk
• ketchup
• eggs
• bread
• peanut butter
• a wide array of spices
• whole wheat bread
• Philadelphia cream cheese

What tips do you have for someone who is just starting with meal plans?

You don’t have to make every meal.  Start out with dinners and work your way from there.  Don’t be afraid to use the same ingredient a few times in a week.  Have you seen some of my pasta heavy menus?

Also, don’t pick meals that intimidate you.  If you aren’t comfortable with a meal that is going to use up 2 hours of your time and 5 bowls and pots don’t do it!  Delicious food doesn’t have to be complicated, and it isn’t worth the stress.

I also recommend only buying groceries you will need that week.  You’ll save a ton of money, and not only that but food won’t go bad.  How many of us have bought something and never even opened it before it was inedible?

What does Nathan say about the menus?

I do the menu planning solo.  Nathan eats almost anything, and I know what foods are on his “does not eat” list so I avoid those when he is in town.  I usually post a copy of the week’s menu on the fridge so if he has any questions he can look at it.  In the mornings before I leave for work, I let Nathan know what is in the fridge leftovers wise or if I have made some specifically for lunch.  Since he travels so much I don’t have to worry about it too often.

We’ve tried to plan the menu together, but it just doesn’t work.  Menu planning is a big thing for me.  I spend a considerable amount of time doing it, because I love to pour over recipes.  I feel like if we’re both doing it that I can’t put as much research into as I like.

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There is some basic meal planning information.  Meal planning is so easy.  Please feel free to send me any additional questions at thebrunettefoodie@gmail.com!

As much as I love my menus, I am not totally inflexible.  Last night I had been planning on making casserole, but I wasn’t feeling well and ended up going to bed around 7:30.  I think I had a glass of milk for dinner, and Nathan had a sandwich.  Standing in the kitchen for an hour just wasn’t going to happen.

Tonight we have another change.  Originally today had been planned for leftovers, but our college friend Bryan is in town from Columbus, Ohio for a tax accounting conference {not kidding}.  We’ve decided to meet him at The Varsity, which is as much an Atlanta staple as anything.  {I’ll do a review at some point.  This place is a guilty pleasure.}

What I am saying is: you can menu plan and still make changes.

All this does is push the chicken and potato casserole I had planned on making last night to next week since we have the ingredients.  The point with menu planning is to only buy foods you need, and it helps reduce your after-work stress to come up with something.  I try not to deviate too much, but sometimes it just happens.  No big deal!

This was the perfect ending to our Sunday.  We had a great week despite the rainy Atlanta weather, and a warm but easy meal was great while we watched some football.

Corn & Crab Quesadillas {inspired by the Betty Crocker Cookbook: Bridal Edition}

Ingredients:

• 1 package cream cheese, softened
• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro {the recipe called for 1/2 cup, but I actually put some into the cream cheese mixture}
• 1/3 cup sliced green onions {about 5 medium}
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
• 1 lb chopped cooked imitation crabmeat
• 6 tortillas {we used whole wheat for me; flour for Nathan}
• olive oil
• sour cream
• salsa

Directions:

1. In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, corn, cilantro, onions, pepper, red pepper, and half of the cilantro.  Fold in crabmeat. 
2. Spray each tortilla with olive oil.  On one of the tortillas spread about 1 1/3 cup of the crab mixture.  Place another tortilla on top and press lightly.
3. Cook on an indoor grill at 300 degrees – about 5 minutes on each side.  {could do in a skillet on medium-high heat}
4. Cut with a pizza cutter.  Serve with sour cream, cilantro, and salsa.

Grade: A

Comments: They were delicious.  Be careful, because they fall apart easily under the weight of the crabmeat.  They are incredibly filling, and we have some of the mixture and tortillas left for Nathan to use for lunch tomorrow.

Sidenote: This week’s menu is posted!  Recipes will go up as soon as they are available.

My brother-in-law and his wife are coming tonight through January 2nd to ring in the New Year in Atlanta.  We’re in the midst of preparing for their arrival complete with menu planning and last minute donation roundup.

Yesterday and this morning I laid out a menu for the meals we will be eating at our place.  I’ll post the recipes after I make the dishes, but here is the menu just in case you are also looking for some ideas!

Wednesday (that’s today!)

Dinner – salad with pumpkin vinaigrette, pear & autumn vegetable soup, grilled cheese

Thursday

Breakfast – blueberry buttermilk flapjacks, orange juice, & coffee

Friday

Wake up – fruit salad & coffee

Brunch – baked coconut shrimp, fudge, banana muffins, mozzarella & pesto strata, home squeezed orange juice, coffee

Gameday Dinner {during Ohio State v. Oregon} – inside out tomato sandwiches with warm vinaigrette {with bacon added to 1/2 of the sandwiches} & salad with pumpkin vinaigrette

Saturday

Breakfast – banana muffins, orange juice, & coffee