Food prices- any tricks?
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By the way, I have a Korean market near me with vegetable prices about half of my local mainstream supermarket, and better quality. They have about 60% of the prices on seafood, and better quality. I also frequent other Asian and Latino markets and get similarly good deals on other items.
You may feel a bit odd shopping along side with people who don't speak English, but don't write them off and think they don't know what they are doing. Evidently most mainstream Americans ignore the specialty markets and they have a smaller customer base, but give their customers better deals in order to attract customers. There are some good deals there.
You might feel odd shopping at Bang Luck or Vallarta or Hang Kook Market, but you won't feel odd saving money and getting better products. Uh, you might not be able to communicate with them. Just point!
I learned to say "media libra" at Vallarta when I want half a pound. I haven't figured out "half a pound" in Korean yet, but I always manage to get a half pound of their fine shrimp (half the price of the mainstream supermarket) by just pointing and repeating "half pound, half pound" and then "more" or "less" and pointing some more. It's funny.
You may feel a bit odd shopping along side with people who don't speak English, but don't write them off and think they don't know what they are doing. Evidently most mainstream Americans ignore the specialty markets and they have a smaller customer base, but give their customers better deals in order to attract customers. There are some good deals there.
You might feel odd shopping at Bang Luck or Vallarta or Hang Kook Market, but you won't feel odd saving money and getting better products. Uh, you might not be able to communicate with them. Just point!
I learned to say "media libra" at Vallarta when I want half a pound. I haven't figured out "half a pound" in Korean yet, but I always manage to get a half pound of their fine shrimp (half the price of the mainstream supermarket) by just pointing and repeating "half pound, half pound" and then "more" or "less" and pointing some more. It's funny.
love hound ...and just so you know, "camarones" is shrimp in espanol!
pronounce it CAMA"ROLLED R" OHNAAYS
"Queiro media libra de esos camarones por favor!!.....bieeeeeeeen!"
pronounce it CAMA"ROLLED R" OHNAAYS
"Queiro media libra de esos camarones por favor!!.....bieeeeeeeen!"
G
Guest
I took two years of Spanish in high school. I may have exaggerated a bit for the purposes of telling a good story.
Lovehound said:I took two years of Spanish in high school. I may have exaggerated a bit for the purposes of telling a good story.
lol
earthygirl
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there will be goodies....thats all I am saying
G
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Well, today I'm doing the never ending task of picking, washing, cooking, and freezing pounds upon pounds of kale. I never thought I'd like the stuff, but its like what else can I eat that is equally nutritious and inexpensive? Yesterday we made about 20 pounds of freezer potaoes. Can I get a YYYUUUMMM!?!?! They are soooo good!
La Oberhasli said:
OMG I love kale....mmmmmm
the way I usually eat it (because I LOVE it this way..)
Olive oil, grated garlic (to mush), sea salt, pepper (black and crushed red).....saute'e and bada bing bada boooooooooooooooooooom bang zoom straightodamoooooon!!
beadella
Well-Known Member
OK, I confess I was too lazy to read all the posts so I may be repeating someone or ones...............but here's my 2 cents worth.
How does your fam feel about soup??? It doesn't have to be the "line up at the shelter" kind with a rock and an old shoe!!
:wink:
My family consists of 2 humans and 1 fur person, but if you have more, then I suggest buying whole chickens and learning a good baked chicken recipe, then with the leftovers you can make really awsome soup (save the bones to add) For veggies, I usually just pop in a bag or 2 of my fave frozen mix, or if we have fresh, do a bit of chopping.
Here's what I do: Butterfly the chicken (cut out the breast bone so the bird lies flat in the pan), season with salt, pepper, and tarragon, on both sides, then bake it, skin side up for about 1 1/2 hours (about 5lb chicken), then let rest for about 15min, while you make a gravy with the pan drippings (just add a tbs of cornstarch in a bit of water, and a bit of milk, and whisk so you don't get lumps), and add couscous, and mixed veg and viola!!!! Dinn is soyved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8)
You can make up the recipe as you go along or invest in a few good cookbooks and follow or modify as your taste suits. I saw pictures of baked bread, and I just got a cookbook that shows a method of baking artisan baked bread in only 5 minutes per day (other than the prep day, which isn't much longer). Also, when you cook, make a gallon rather than just enough for one meal and freeze in bags, then you have 2 or more meals done on those days when you are just POOPED!!
If cookbooks seem expensive, check out Amazon in the reseller area, there are some pretty decent deals to be had, and check out the customer reviews for a heads up on the content.
Hope you can get something useful out of my novelette's worth of ideas. I like cooking so it is easy to talk about................... 8)
HTH,
Della
How does your fam feel about soup??? It doesn't have to be the "line up at the shelter" kind with a rock and an old shoe!!
:wink: My family consists of 2 humans and 1 fur person, but if you have more, then I suggest buying whole chickens and learning a good baked chicken recipe, then with the leftovers you can make really awsome soup (save the bones to add) For veggies, I usually just pop in a bag or 2 of my fave frozen mix, or if we have fresh, do a bit of chopping.
Here's what I do: Butterfly the chicken (cut out the breast bone so the bird lies flat in the pan), season with salt, pepper, and tarragon, on both sides, then bake it, skin side up for about 1 1/2 hours (about 5lb chicken), then let rest for about 15min, while you make a gravy with the pan drippings (just add a tbs of cornstarch in a bit of water, and a bit of milk, and whisk so you don't get lumps), and add couscous, and mixed veg and viola!!!! Dinn is soyved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8)
You can make up the recipe as you go along or invest in a few good cookbooks and follow or modify as your taste suits. I saw pictures of baked bread, and I just got a cookbook that shows a method of baking artisan baked bread in only 5 minutes per day (other than the prep day, which isn't much longer). Also, when you cook, make a gallon rather than just enough for one meal and freeze in bags, then you have 2 or more meals done on those days when you are just POOPED!!
If cookbooks seem expensive, check out Amazon in the reseller area, there are some pretty decent deals to be had, and check out the customer reviews for a heads up on the content.
Hope you can get something useful out of my novelette's worth of ideas. I like cooking so it is easy to talk about................... 8)
HTH,
Della
At our house the trick is..Don't go anywhere! :roll: we are $350.00 over budget from last month,that we have to catch up on this month.I don't drive my truck now unless the trip is absolutely necessary.It cost well over $100.00 to fill up,with 10 mpg to the gallon..I'll be walking.
So buying non perishables,bulk items,going to the butchers once a month.Investing in a meat slicer has saved us some money.Cooking larger quantities and then freezing meals ahead of time softens this economic woe were all unfortunately stuck in.This was a great topic to start,I've been enjoying reading how everyone else has been getting by.Thanks all
Munky.
So buying non perishables,bulk items,going to the butchers once a month.Investing in a meat slicer has saved us some money.Cooking larger quantities and then freezing meals ahead of time softens this economic woe were all unfortunately stuck in.This was a great topic to start,I've been enjoying reading how everyone else has been getting by.Thanks all
Munky.
Della was talking about soup. I buy roasters from a very reputable farm a few miles from my city. I roast the chicken and then pull all the meat from the bones instead of letting everyone chew it off. I then boil the bones and set aside some of the meat to make chicken noodle soup the next day. We also have leftover chicken salad sandwiches, all this from the same roaster. This is for 6 people.
Food is also my top priority as I plan my days, unfortunately it even comes before soaping. Just because of the potential for expense.
We also rarely eat out. We would rather save the expense and stay home and eat cheese tortillas, lol, again and again.
Also years ago when my kids were younger I use to challenge myself to save money out of my grocery budget to buy myself things I wanted. I just seemed to need those goals or challenges to make life exciting.
Laurie
Food is also my top priority as I plan my days, unfortunately it even comes before soaping. Just because of the potential for expense.
We also rarely eat out. We would rather save the expense and stay home and eat cheese tortillas, lol, again and again.
Also years ago when my kids were younger I use to challenge myself to save money out of my grocery budget to buy myself things I wanted. I just seemed to need those goals or challenges to make life exciting.
Laurie
Tabitha said:
I cant tell you how long ive wanted one of those...im just scared about the electric bill....
then I could finally buy that half a cow ive been after....at 3.29 per pound...ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo id be like a kid in a candy store (with a piece of meat that looked like something from the flinstoned muahahahahaa)
