We've got the groceries, now we have to work some magic to make it last a WHOLE MONTH!Don't get overwhelmed, it can be done, people!
When you get home from the grocery store and you have tons of food, do not panic. Simply, put it away, and forget about it until tomorrow.
In our house, grocery shopping is date night! The last thing I want to do when I get home is chop and cut and store veggies! I want to watch a movie and eat a bag of popcorn. Reward yourself for a successful shopping trip and wait til tomorrow to worry about the work.
The next day: time to get busy! Part of saving money on groceries is cutting way back on meat. Whatever meat you do get, make the most of it!
This month, I chose a whole chicken and 1 lb. of ground turkey.
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| Can you hear the angel choir?! |
The next morning, the entire house smelled amazing! I removed the chicken from the pot, drained off the grease, and let it cool. Then, shredded it and stored it in the fridge.
*Be very careful to remove all of the tiny bones!*
This shredded chicken is so versatile! So far, I've used it for tacos, chicken and rice soup, chicken salad, teriyaki stir fry, topping for salad, and quesadillas!
I've been making enough for me and my husband to enjoy, and I still have about half left! How?
shhhh, don't tell....CHEAT! Cheat with vegetables! I put about 1/2 cup of meat into a dish and then fill it up with vegetables! Onions and peppers are a must. Corn and tomatoes are a delicious addition. Broccoli and carrots are perfect! For chicken salad, I like to add grapes and apples. If you really need to make it stretch, add beans or rice.
I do the same thing with the ground turkey. Before I put it into the freezer, I divide it into quarters and store it in freezer bags. Then, I can add a little to spaghetti, tacos, soups, or stir fry and fill the rest with vegetables! If you feel like you need meat (or husband feels like he needs it!) this is a way to trick yourself into thinking you're getting it!
Here are some recipes for the (cheated) chicken!
Chicken Salad (Time: 10 min or less)
1 cup of shredded chicken
1/4 red or green pepper
1/4 onion, diced
1 heaping tablespoon of fage (Greek yogurt)
Salt and pepper to taste
Dump all of the ingredients into a bowl and combine with a fork! Easy!!
This is great on tortilla bread, I like to add the lettuce spring mix to sneak in extra veggies. Dale likes to add mustard! This also makes a great filling for lettuce wraps. Add what you like!
Teryaki Chicken Stir Fry (Time: 20 minutes)
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| Don't over cook your veggies! |
1 cup of shredded chicken
1/2 sliced pepper
1/4 sliced onion
Broccoli florets
Chopped baby carrots
Teriyaki sauce
Pepper
1 cup uncooked rice
Boil two cups of water, add a sprinkle of salt and a dash of olive oil. Once the water is boiling, add one cup of rice and turn the heat down. Cover and let simmer until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, saute peppers, onions, broccoli, and carrots in olive oil. Add chicken last, (it's already cooked, remember!?) Add teriyaki to taste, add pepper but not salt--the sauce is already salty!
When the rice is done, top with chicken/veggie mix and enjoy!
When we enjoyed this meal, I had some leftover canned, crushed pineapple in the fridge. We mixed it in with our rice and veggies and it was delicious. Pineapple goes great with teriyaki!
Chicken and Rice Soup (Time: 20 minutes)
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| Hey, it's better than Ramen... |
1 cup shredded chicken
1/2 diced onion
Chopped baby carrots
1 can of mixed vegetables
1 can of cream of chicken soup
Pepper
All Purpose Seasoning
Boil two cups of water, add a sprinkle of salt and a dash of olive oil. Once the water is boiling, add one cup of rice and turn the heat down. Cover and let simmer until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, in a large pot, saute onion and carrots in olive oil. When the veggies are tender, add canned vegetables and cream of chicken soup. Add 1 can of water and mix well. Taste your soup and then add pepper and seasoning. I added a little extra water to stretch my soup, so I also added a bit of salt. Add your cooked rice last, mix well, and season to taste.
Okay, so this may not be the healthiest soup ever, but if you are sick with a sinus infection (like me!) this is easy to make and it's a cheap comfort food!
Chicken Quesadillas (Time: 10 minutes or less)
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| Lunch for two! |
Shredded chicken
1 cheese stick, sliced into small rounds
Diced onions and peppers
Sliced cherry tomatoes
Lettuce
Tortillas
Italian dressing or salsa
Place a tortilla on a small pan that has been sprayed with Pam, over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken, cheese, and veggies inside. Drizzle dressing or salsa (whatever you have on hand, we used the Italian!) When the tortilla is crispy, add lettuce and fold in half. Enjoy with fruit!
Here are a few simple ideas using only ingredients from that staple grocery list! I know these ideas aren't new and they aren't rocket science, but they are DOABLE, AFFORDABLE, and HEALTHY!
Make your meat work hard this month by throwing in a little here and there and cheating big time with extra vegetables! Reevaluate your portion sizes. We could have each eaten a chicken breast one night, but our chicken would have been half gone in one meal! However, eating smaller portions makes it last longer. If you are worried that these smaller portions won't hold you over until your next meal, don't worry! Plan to eat small snacks in between meals (at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. for example) a banana, some yogurt, or a handful of nuts!
Also, if you think about your food groups while you are making your meal, you'll be surprised how full you are when you're done eating. For example, a chicken quesadilla (meat, bread, vegetables) with a cheese stick (dairy) and a side of cantaloupe and blueberries (fruit) is very filling! Basic bases covered. Don't over complicate it. It can be done, people!!
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