Dinner Tonight

Dinner Tonight

Healthy Cooking for a Healthy Texas

Shopping Smart

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Save money? Yes, please! You might be surprised to know some of these smart shopping practices can be made into grocery store habits that make your food dollars stretch even more!

Here are a few tips to follow:

1. Price Compare with Grocery Store Apps

Browse store flyers to find the best deals for what you definitely need. You can find out what’s on sale on stores’ websites or apps. Some show specials, and others allow you to clip coupons digitally. You can even build your grocery carts in different apps and see which one comes out cheaper, then complete your order with that retailer.

2. Shop with a Calculator

If you’re trying to stick to a specific budget, then decide on that number—like not spending more than $50 at the store—and hold yourself accountable. One way to do this is to calculate every item as you add it to your cart. You have a calculator built into your phone, so there’s no excuse!

3. Plan Meals Based on What’s in Your Pantry

I.e. if you have a ton of chickpeas in the cupboard, look for recipes featuring them before you go to the store. Think of grocery shopping based on what’s in your pantry as your own Chopped challenge to see what you can make without spending any money.

4. Use a Smaller Cart or Basket

Using a basket or a small cart at the store will force you to only buy what you need instead of tossing in impulse purchases.

5. Buy in Bulk—Online

If you want to save money by buying in bulk, do it without purchasing a membership to a warehouse store! But only buy in bulk for what you know you’ll eventually use and have pantry space for—you probably don’t need 10 pounds of pork chops or 30 cans of tomatoes.

6. Vacuum Seal Meat and Freeze It

If you use chicken breasts every single week and can get them for $0.99 per pound in bulk versus $5.99 per pound for a regular package, then use a vacuum sealer to store them properly. Check out our tips for freezing food here.

7. Shop Bottom Shelves and Outer Aisles

Grocery stores put the pricier name brands at eye level so you’re more likely to grab it without looking around for a better deal. Scan from top to bottom before you purchase.

8. Go Generic

If you aren’t brand loyal to a product, then try generic.

9. Shop from the Bulk Bins 

Not sure if you like a certain ingredient? Only need a cup of quinoa for a salad, or a sprinkle of peanuts to finish a dish? Hit the bulk bins. It’s a great way to experiment with new grains, dried beans, nuts, or even spices instead of committing to an expensive bag and letting it collect dust in the pantry.

10. Get Dried Beans Instead of Canned

Cooking with dried beans requires a little extra time to soak to save a lot of money. Canned is fine for convenience, but if you eat a lot of beans, dried will take your dollar further. Instead of paying $1 per 15 oz. can (which is almost half liquid and half-cooked beans, so $2 per pound), you could get FOUR pounds of dried beans for $5 ($1.25 per pound dried, and they double in size when cooked). Look at the price per ounce when comparing products such as dried vs canned beans, this will give you an idea which is the better deal.

11. Buy Frozen 

Frozen veggies can be more inexpensive than fresh some times, plus they keep longer and create less food waste if you are unsure about dinner plans. Buying frozen meat may also be a less expensive option, always double-check!

12. Buy Everything Else In-Season

In-season produce will be cheaper because it’s so bountiful, even at a farmers’ market. It’s more common to find peaches or tomatoes on sale in the summer than in the winter.

13. Wash Your Own Lettuce

Buying pre-washed bagged greens is always more expensive. A 7 oz. tub of romaine leaves is $4.49, while three whole hearts (about 12 oz.) is $2.99. Buy and wash a ton of kale at once too—a bunch is typically at least 7 oz. for $2.50, while a washed bag of 5 oz. runs $4.50.

Source:

Bon Appetit. 17 ways to save money on groceries. By Alyse Whitney. Feb 7, 2018. 

Dollar Store

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Are you shopping on a Budget? No matter what your income is, we all like to save money where we can. Here are some tips for spending less money on food, especially when shopping at your local dollar store(s).

Tip 1: Be Familiar with the Food (Items/Products) Offered

Every dollar store offers different items; some may have a frozen aisle while others serve primarily canned goods. Do a little research before buying your groceries, so you know which food items (perishable, fresh, or frozen) you can get for a bargain.

Tip 2: Try a Different Food Brand 

Sometimes we are afraid to try something new or fear that the dollar store only carries low-quality food items. However, dollar stores often offer well-known national brands as well as regional foods that you may have never heard of before.  Although just because you haven’t heard of it, doesn’t mean its low quality. Do a little homework and compare those ingredients. You’ll be surprised by the similarities. If the ingredients look similar, why not give it a try? It can be tasty to save money.

Tip 3: Notice the Price

When we think of Dollar Stores, usually we think cheap. However, that’s often not the case. You’re not always getting a bargain for your money, so compare prices to similar food items to see if you’re truly getting the best deal.

Tip 4:  Observe the Package Size(s)

Dollar stores may seem inexpensive, but if you look closely, you’ll notice it’s because of how they package their items. Compared to other grocery stores, dollar stores may sell items in smaller packages. Thus, this may be useful for someone who only needs a small amount of a product, because then the portion size is relevant for the individual. However, if you need to buy in bulk, you may want to reconsider because audiences who have a set budget may be spending more if they’re buying groceries based on unit price. Therefore, observe those packages to determine if these items are going to help or hinder your wallet.

Tip 5: Lookout for Expiration Dates

This tip applies to all food products/items. It’s essential to lookout out for those “sell-by” or “use-by” stamped dates. You want to get the best quality food for your dollar. Thus, by buying only what you can eat before the expiration date. Otherwise, you’re not getting the most out of your purchase, and the excess food goes to waste. So be savvy with those dates.

Tip 6: Read What You’re Buying (aka Food Labels)

It’s essential to read food labels in general, so you know what you’re buying. As mention above, it’s good to check the ingredient list and compare it to other items. However, it’s also wise to know the nutritional content. For example, canned fruit can be packed with juice or heavy syrup. Both have different calorie and sugar amounts. Therefore, read your label because cheap food isn’t always the most nutritious.

Bonus Tip: Coupons, Benefits, and Apps, Oh My!

Most dollar stores accept coupons, SNAP benefits, and WIC Vouchers.  Although, call your local dollar store first because coupon and benefit/voucher policies vary among dollar store chains. If your dollar store does accept coupons, check on their limit. Some stores have a limit on the number of coupons they’ll take from a customer in a single day.

You may also want to check your dollar store website.  Some dollar stores even offer coupons that you can save/download from the internet as well as let you shop online. They may also have an app that can help you with your grocery shopping savings.  So do a little digging to help with your everyday shopping needs.

**Information focuses on dollar stores; however, these tips may be applied to any discount or close-out store. **

Download the full Dollar Store Handout here.

Reference:

Dinning at the Dollar Store by Jenna D. Anding, Ph.D., RDN, LD: Associate Department Head for Extension, Professor and Extension Specialist; Department of Nutrition. Texas A&M AgriLife.

Milk

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Right now we know that going to the grocery store and finding milk isn’t guaranteed, or maybe you’re trying to limit your grocery store trips. Whatever your reason, you may find a need to freeze milk. Here are our tips on safely and effectively freezing your milk.


Freezing

  • First, check the “sell-by” or expiration date on your carton — if the date hasn’t passed yet, you’re good to freeze. Milk expands when frozen. So storing in an easily breakable glass bottle or cardboard cartoon brings the possibility of a real mess in your freezer. Technically, you can freeze milk that comes in a plastic gallon bottle, but we recommend pouring your milk into two or three freezer-safe plastic containers to make the thawing process a bit easier and so you can avoid having to re-freeze.

Thawing

  • Moving your milk from the freezer to the refrigerator overnight will typically do the trick. If time is of the essence, you can fill a large bowl with cold water and submerge the frozen container of milk inside — just be sure to replace the lukewarm water with the cold water as it warms up. Never thaw milk at room temperature (on your counter), it runs the risk of spoiling the milk. Frozen milk should be consumed within 2–3 days of thawing.

Tips

  • Milk tends to absorb any odors in your fridge/freezer, so make sure your storage containers have a tight seal and are sealed properly.
  • Don’t forget to label your new containers with the date that you froze your milk on. The FDA recommends that milk be consumed within 3 months of freezing.
  • If your milk experiences separation during the freezing/thawing process, simply stir to recombine.
  • Don’t forget about powdered milk as a great alternative to fresh milk or freezing your milk!

Milk Nutrition Facts:

  • Whole Milk: 8 ounces contains 3.5% fat and has 150 calories
  • Low-Fat Milk: 8 ounces contains 1% fat and has 110 calories
  • Skim Milk: 8 ounces contains 0% fat and has 90 calories
  • All milk provides 9 essential nutrients that are beneficial to your health:
    • Calcium
    • Vitamin D
    • Protein
    • Phosphorus
    • Vitamin A
    • Riboflavin
    • Pantothenic Acid
    • Vitamin B12
    • Niacin

Reduced Fat Dairy Substitution Tips:

  • Substitute reduced-fat sour cream, low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt, or cottage cheese for full-fat sour cream
  • Reduced-fat milk can be substituted in most recipes
  • Evaporated milk can be substituted for whipping cream in some recipes

Sources:

Good Housekeeping. Can you Freeze Milk? by Katie Bourque

FoodSafety.gov

Southwest Dairy Farmers

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Path to the Plate program

Freezer Success

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Freezing foods is an easy and convenient way to store foods but a lot of people send food to the freezer, never to be used or seen again (until they get thrown away)! Make your freezer work for you with our Tips to Freezer Success.

Here are our top tips for freezer success:

  • Cool foods completely before freezing – you can refrigerate then freeze too!
  • Pack leftover in smaller containers! This makes food freeze faster and reduces the need to thaw more food than necessary
  • Label & Date your packages and containers – don’t waste food by having to throw food away because you don’t know how old it is!
  • Keep an inventory of your freezer items. Don’t forget about freezer meals!
  • Don’t pack too tight! Make sure there is room for air to flow in your freezer, this helps maintain proper and even temperatures.
  • FDA recommends your freezer be set at 0 degrees F.

Another important part is managing your freezer properly: 

  • Place your freezer in a cool, dry area where the temperature is constant.
  • Keep your freezer at least ¾ full for efficient operation.
  • Continue to use and replace foods. Do not simply store them.
  • Open the freezer door as rarely as possible.
  • Make proper use of energy saving features on your freezer.
  • Keep door seals clean and check for proper sealing. Replace when necessary.
  • Defrost manual freezers regularly.
  • Keep the condenser coils clean.

Make sure you’re packaging you goods well, good packaging material should have the following characteristics:

  • Moisture/vapor-proof or at least moisture resistant.
  • Made of food grade material, i.e. designed to be used for food products.
  • Durable and leakproof.
  • Doesn’t become brittle and crack at low temperatures.
  • Resistant to oil, grease or water.
  • Protect foods from off flavors and odors.
  • Easy to fill and seal.
  • Easy to mark and store.

Join Jocelin as she shows you the basics on freezing your food!

Click below to download a printable freezer storage chart from the FDA so you know how long that food in your freezer is good for!

Food-Safety- FreezerFridge Storage Chart

Sources:

Food Freezing Guide – North Dakota State University

FDA.gov

 

Spaghetti Squash

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Spaghetti Squash can be super intimidating to try and work with, but its so yummy and good for you! See our tips, tricks and safety information below so you can incorporate this veggie into your diet.

 

Intimidated by how difficult a spaghetti squash can be to cut into? Use your microwave! Microwave your squash for about 5 minutes to soften it, this makes it easier (and safer!) to cut into. 

Now that you know the microwave tip and your spaghetti squash is soft, how do you cut and deseed the squash? See our video below:

 

Help to promote your child’s creativity by asking them to make something with some of the spaghetti squash you saved to the side. Ask them to create a funny face, a favorite animal, or even have them use the extra squash to work on their letters and numbers.