It is time for another round of cheapskate lowcarb!

[JONAH'S GRANNY]

Aldi has great prices on produce and its as good as what you find in the major grocery stores.

[meco]

I live alone and sometime Ihate to cook.So I cook all day about every two weeks. It saves me a bunch of money. I watch the specials and mainly use recipes from Linda Sue. I also chop a huge assortment of lettuces and other fresh veggies and store them for salads to take to work. I use Tupperware mainly rather than plastic bags and that also saves me money.
Helen

[Petlady]

I buy chicken on sale (whole or parts) Roasts on sale everything on sale!!! I use my vacuum sealer alot!! The only expensive thing about LC is having to buy smaller clothes all the time

[dcarlee]

Originally Posted by JONAH'S GRANNY

Aldi has great prices on produce and its as good as what you find in the major grocery stores.

I love Aldis! I regularly buy eggs, cheese, prok rinds and pepperoni there.

[sunflower43017]

Aldis is great. Their frozen chickens, steaks etc.. are very good. Also great deals there on produce and cheese.

[LunaAshling]

I do make the peanut butter/protein balls for my kids.

Peanut butter (on sale for $1), protein powder (giant tub cheap at Sam's Club) and Splenda.

The kids and my hubby think it tastes just like peanut butter cookie dough and loooooooove it. Good and quick and cheap if you buy on sale and/or in bulk!!!!!

[HBFD]

OK here is my cheapskate find of the week: Found it at TJ Max where I was scooping up the last of the Davinci's SF Lemon Ice Tea concentrate bottles for $5.99 each. It is sugar free sweetened with Splenda Raspberry syrup by a company called Artisan Coffee Roasters. A 750 ML bottle (25 oz) was $4.99. Tried it in tea tonight and it is quite nice. They had a few other fruity flavours but I wasnt sure if it was as good as Davinci's so I just got one. Says zero calories/zero carbs. I will look at the other flavours next time I am at TJ Max and probably grab a few to add to my growing syrup collection.

[HiGuy]

cool gorcery ideas

i was just at wal mart yesterday and some of thing i bought were:

8 cans of tuna.. 2 for $1.00
2 packs of the starkist hickory smoked tuna.. 2 for $3.00
2 packs of jumbo eggs.. only .92 cents a peice
an 18 pack of medium eggs.. only $1.12
fat free ground turkey.. $3.96 i can make about 17 turkey patties from this and eat on it for a week
sliced turkey breast.. $2.50
chili pepper seasoning,, .98 cents
2 blocks of meunster cheese.. $3.50
3 packs of all natural italian sausage.. $4.00 a peice
4 1ilb. packs of salad shrimp.. $1.50 a peice
cinnamon.. $1.85
heavy cream(i mix the cinnamon in it).. $1.95

that more than enough to keep my fridge stocked for the next two weeks
only thing i'll have to go back for is eggs. i try to stay off the grocery side of the wal mart as much as possible. too much temptation to spend if not eat.

[Callan]

Originally Posted by msdewberry

I shop at local vegatable markets for my veggies. They are alot cheaper to buy from than the regular grocery stores and much fresher.

I agree -- I just bought a bunch of tomatoes, cucumbers, red peppers, and lettuce at a local vegetable market for about $6.00 -- I probably would have paid at least twice that at a grocery store.

Edited to add that I love the frozen boneless chicken breasts at Sam's -- toss one on your grill and top with mushrooms, tomatoes, and cheese. Also frozen tilapia is $3.37 for five filets at Wal-Mart -- I pan fry with lemon butter and blackened seasoning.

[dbarker]

FYI...Linda Sue's Tuna Muffins are fabulous with her Chipolte Mayo on them. Can't eat them without it...try it.

[OzarkMama]

This is a terrific thread!

I haven't been lowcarbing for very long (about a month), but so far what worked before still works now: I buy a big briskett, drop it in a roasting pan, pour half a beer over it, cook for about 1.5 hours, pour the rest of the beer over it, cook for another 1.5 (depends on size of course). Shred some of it with with a fork and freeze in plastic bags. (perfect size for making yourself a yummy burrito or quesadilla [lc wrap of some kind]) And, buy whole turkeys or chickens, eat what we can, use the rest of the meat for sandwiches over several days, freeze the rest of the meat we can't eat in a few days, and then boil the bones for the base for turkey/chicken soup.

I also have a substantial garden. Those who aren't much of a gardener might consider square foot gardening. I do a cross between this and 'lasagna gardening' -- neither one very well alas -- I had my landscapers use cinder blocks and build a 'standing garden' so it's about 3' high. At the very least I get more tomatoes and various kinds of peppers than I know what to do with, zucchini and squash, and all kinds of fresh herbs.

Whenever my dad gets the chance to buy a side of beef, I volunteer to buy half of that (so, a quarter). Nearly fills my chest freezer in the garage. Oddly I am not into organ meats, filet mignon etc., so I trade him some of those for extra burger/sirloin packages in my share. The meat he gets is healthier and WAAAY cheaper to buy in that bulk than if you bought all that stuff at the grocery.

But, all those ideas are already in this thread so I nearly didn't bother saying them....

Lastly, I haven't tried this, but... making your own yogurt can give a wide range of possibilities I am told, you can flavor your own, and if you choose to drain the whey for yogurt-cheese ("YoChee") you get a thick creamy stuff that I'm told can be used in recipes as a replacement for things like cream cheese, mayo, butter, etc. I know that yogurt's taste depends on how long it's cultured and the cultures and other things, and I haven't yet gotten the yogurt helper (maker) I want, but if cream cheese (a critical incredient in so much LC cooking!) is really expensive I'd think homemade yogurt and yochee would be a good option.

OM

[lmwestfa]

I buy chicken, beef and vegetable stock on hand..


once I sick of whatever I have been eating.. (eggs for instance) I make soup with the stock and whatever canned vegetables (green beans, mushrooms, canned spinach) I have on hand. Season to taste and there is usually enough for a few meals....

[LunaAshling]

Did we talk about making your own popsicles (for kids or you)? Koolaid baby all the way!

You can also dehydrate watermelon (for the kids) since it is on sale quite often now. Or dehydrate berries... the store ones all are expensive and have sugar.


Also my grandmother waits until she sees the berries go on sale.... last month the little containers went on sale for 10 for $10. She bough a bunch and just set them in her freezer. So far they have not gotten freezer burnt yet... but you can always transfer them to another container.



Anyone want to post other hot weather idea?????

[LunaAshling]

Coffee.

We all know we should buy it and make it ourselves.



Did you also know that most manufacturers also have warehouses that you can go to and buy their coffee for a good discount?


Also getting your own flavored syrups and an insulated mug can give you a cup much cheaper that spending $2.00 to $5.00 every day (or several times a day).

[LunaAshling]

Ok I already discussed popsicles... have you tried making them with pudding or yogurt? Mmmmmmmmmmmm

[Sassay]

Some of my cost is my own fault...I buy too much of stuff and then it sits in the fridge and spoils. I have a sealer but I just haven't been doing it. I think I will buy some freeze proof platters and when I cook, I'll arrang the left overs in the platters seal them and stack them in the freezer. It sure sounds like a plan, now if I can just remind myself to do it. My biggest problem is actually lettuce. I buy what I think I will need and it goes bad fast. Should I not be putting it in the fridge ya think?

Hello everyone, my name is Dawn and this is my first post. I haven't been on atkins very long but i to have a tight budget. I eat a lot of tuna salad and chicken grilled in italian dressing just for maranate. Salads is a way of eatting for me right now cause it is so hot here.
Good ideas for me ....thanks you guys!
Dawn

[LadyMe]

Summer is well upon us...look for the farmers roadside stands and stock up on the veggies (if you don't have your own garden - lucky you!) Soon the giant zucchinis will be abundant and sliced lengthwise make a great substitute for lasagna noodles (it can be a little runny from the moisture, so compensate with more meat and/or cheese). They are also great fried in olive oil with garlic and sprinkled with parmesan.
The frozen chicken breasts are a great buy as well, hundreds of ideas can come from a bag of those!
Beef is so expensive these days, when I decide to buy it I go for the short cut rump steak and grill it, or the brisket cooked in the crockpot.

[Shimmer]

Originally Posted by Sassay

My biggest problem is actually lettuce. I buy what I think I will need and it goes bad fast. Should I not be putting it in the fridge ya think?

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]I also have a problem with lettuce spoiling/rusting before we get it eaten. I've tried Tupperware, bags, etc., nothing keeps it fresh. I've finally decided to buy less instead of a week's worth, start eating it right away and when it's gone, it's gone--I can either go buy more or choose other vegetables for the rest of the week. We end up choosing other veggies because I'm a once-a-week shopper--saves $$![/COLOR]

[Steadfast]

I have found that the romain lasts a lot longer than the other lettuces (someone already said that, sorry to repeat!) It lasts at least a week when I buy it at Sam's.

One of our standby meals or snacks is low carb tortilla chips with shredded cheese on top...nuke, then serve with sour cream, salsa and guacamole for wonderful nachos. We have managed to lose weight while eating these for over a year, now..We use the "Lo Carb Garcia" chips with absolutely no problems! It is cheap but oh so good and SO quick.

I also buy leg quarters (chicken) to make soup and to boil and pull off the bone for chicken salad, etc. You can get huge bags of these for 10 cents a pound at Walmart Super Center.

[LadyMe]

Burgers on the grill was a big a staple for me until the price of beef around here started to skyrocket...I took a chance and bought some cheaper ground turkey. OMG!! I seasoned it with my favorites ( I like spicy) and could hardly tell the differece! The big test was my son. I made burgers ( I let him believe it was beef) with his favorite flavorings and he thought they were awesome.

[catmaiden]

I've been lurking for ages here. Finally I have something to contribute! I have figured out something that works for me. I began buying green leaf lettuce instead of that nasty-tasting bagged stuff, and got a salad spinner. I take the leaves apart and keep them in a bowl of water in the fridge until I fix a salad, and then just spin as much as I need. The lettuce stays icy cold and very crisp, and lasts for several days...I buy two "heads" of green leaf lettuce on the weekend and they last all week. It will even perk up lettuce that is severely wilted....DH was amazed. You may want to try this and see if it works for you...sure has saved me $$.

[AnDee]

[COLOR=Navy]Thanks for mentioning Aldi's Market. I have passed by one near me and had no idea what it was. I checked out their website and I have to go on Monday.
One of my favorite ways to stretch a recipe is to add lots of veggies to it. When I make meatballs, first I sauteed onion, garlic, diced mushrooms, diced zucchini, then I add a bag of frozen chopped spinach to it - cool a bit. I mixed this into my chopped meat with 2 eggs and a cup of parm cheese, and make golf ball sized meatballs. I get cans of whole peeled tomatoes on sale, crush them with my hands (a good way to get out frustration!) and cook the meatballs in my crockpot. This makes a lot more meatballs than just using the meat. I also add a bag of chopped spinach to the sauce for extra flavor. Very yummy, and low cost.

I'm also going to make the Tuna Muffins - they sound easy and tasty. I also love Linda Sue's website, plus she has great links to other helpful sites.

Anne [/COLOR]

[LunaAshling]

Originally Posted by Shimmer

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]I also have a problem with lettuce spoiling/rusting before we get it eaten. I've tried Tupperware, bags, etc., nothing keeps it fresh. I've finally decided to buy less instead of a week's worth, start eating it right away and when it's gone, it's gone--I can either go buy more or choose other vegetables for the rest of the week. We end up choosing other veggies because I'm a once-a-week shopper--saves $$![/COLOR]

And doing this can help keep you from getting salad burnout!

You may also want to try some more robust varieties of lettuce though....... even the "dreaded" iceburg lasts longer and is cheaper usually.

[flylo]

Sorry I haven't posted before. We live on a farm and are used to raising our own vegetables and much of the meat. Both hubby and myself have taken jobs in town (60 miles from the farm) so I'm not doing much in the way of producing our own food now.
I was raising goats and pouring most of the milk to pigs. Now that was some delicious pork! The remainder was saved for house milk, cheese and soap.
I have a few plants around the yard, cherry tomatoes, yard-long beans, hot chile peppers and a couple of eggplants so I'm not totally dependant on the stores.
We also check out the sale bins for meat. I've been a restaurant cook so there isn't much I'm unfamiliar with in the food department.
flylo

[sashadane]

Originally Posted by Shimmer

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]I also have a problem with lettuce spoiling/rusting before we get it eaten. I've tried Tupperware, bags, etc., nothing keeps it fresh. I've finally decided to buy less instead of a week's worth, start eating it right away and when it's gone, it's gone--I can either go buy more or choose other vegetables for the rest of the week. We end up choosing other veggies because I'm a once-a-week shopper--saves $$![/COLOR]

Help with salad: Buy romane. Cut it up with a plastic fork. Soak in a sink of cold water with just a drop of bleach. Rinse, then spin in a salad spinner. Store in a baggie with holes punched in it. This will keep it a long, long time. I buy 6 romane hearts at a time at Sams for $3.50.

I also buy the boneless, skinless chicken breasts at Sams for $13 for 6 lbs. I soak the entire bag overnight in soy sauce, grill, then cut into hunks and store half in freezer baggies in the freezer, and the other half in the fridge. You can make all different types of salad...

grilled chicken salad with blue cheese dressing
grilled chicken salad with salsa and ranch
etc.... the combinations are endless!

[lynnp]

I haven't finished reading the whole thread so forgive me if this tip has already been covered...

Whenever I buy steak or chicken, or any protein really, and they are a good price, I of course buy as much as I can. When I get home I take whatever LC dressing or marinade along with homemade marinade and divide up the protein in serving sizes (whatever that is for your household) in plastic freezer bags. I pour in marinades so each protein gets a variety (1 with italian dressing, 1 with LC BBQ sauce, etc), then seal and freeze. You can even do this with protein that is already frozen because in all cases it marinades as it defrosts and is ready to go on the grill or oven or stovetop as soon as it is defrosted. No extra time for marinading needed...

[Kitsa]

I was getting store-brand canned diet pink lemonade for a while, and it wasn't that expensive, but I didn't like the aspartame. I got a pitcher and some kool-aid packets, sweetened them with Splenda...presto. Not as convenient as cans, but not as wasteful either.

I'm a vegetarian so I don't have to worry about meat sales so often. I do have to eat legumes for protein and fiber, and I know a lot of people don't do them because of the carbs, but I combine a can of chili hot beans, a can of stewed tomatoes and a can of low-carb beer in a saucepan and let it simmer down. It's pretty good and not that expensive...I can get three or four meals out of it.

I buy veggies on sale and prepare/freeze them. I recently bought a ton of broccoli at a ridiculously low price and I don't think I ever want to see broccoli again! LOL.

[lavalava]

Originally Posted by sashadane

Help with salad: Buy romane. Cut it up with a plastic fork. Soak in a sink of cold water with just a drop of bleach. Rinse, then spin in a salad spinner. Store in a baggie with holes punched in it. This will keep it a long, long time. I buy 6 romane hearts at a time at Sams for $3.50.

I also buy the boneless, skinless chicken breasts at Sams for $13 for 6 lbs. I soak the entire bag overnight in soy sauce, grill, then cut into hunks and store half in freezer baggies in the freezer, and the other half in the fridge. You can make all different types of salad...

grilled chicken salad with blue cheese dressing
grilled chicken salad with salsa and ranch
etc.... the combinations are endless!

The only way I have been able to keep salad is to wrap it with a paper towel to keep the moisture off of it and toss it in a gallon size ziplock bag. I also do this with my fresh herbs and works wonders for me!

[AZJeanne]

Since it looks like we are still on the subject of how to keep lettuce fresh, here's what I do:

I buy the 3 heads of lettuce, romaine or large bag of salad from Costco and vacuum pack it in a large cannister (I have Tilia Foodsaver). I put a paper towel on the bottom and the top of the cannister. Every time I use it I reseal (just takes a second). My lettuce/salad lasts over a month this way and is always extra crisp. I swear, I saved the price of the Foodsaver in lettuce alone.