Tomorrow we are having cook anything potluck (trying to use up items in our pantry, freezer and fridges). I am cooking chicken and mozzarella stuffed pasta in two sauces- home-made Alfredo and pesto.
I am moving on Saturday. 1 week earlier than previously scheduled.

I have a few things that I am going to give to others who are not leaving.

A few pantry dry items I am leaving/giving to my friends who are moving into my house in the fall.

Wheretostart: One way to stretch meat is to slice it thinly and stir-fry with lots of vegetables and serve with rice.

Or cut it up and make a stew or casserole, again, with the addition of lots of veggies, and serve with a salad and starch (potatoes, rice, pasta, bread).

I don't eat a lot of hamburgers, but, when I cook ground beef, I add lots of chopped veggies to it: onions, carrots, celery, tomato, peas, corn, etc.

One can stretch 1 lb. of meat to make 5-6 servings, this way.

Tina: You are leaving a week ahead of schedule! I am sure your friends will appreciate you giving them your pantry extras. I read an article, the other day, about grocery prices in one of the more remote towns in Canada, where fresh produce had to be flown in - the article included a picture of a Savoy cabbage priced nearly $29!!!!

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Whole chickens are on sale again, this week, for $.79/lb. I think I will buy one and cook for Thurs. dinner, with leftovers for Fri. & Sat.

Actually Bless, I am not much further south of there and read probably the same article. Items are slightly cheaper here but not much. We are a fly in community as well (winter ice road access was even shorter than typical this year due to unsafe conditions).

I was too tired to stop at the grocery store after work, yesterday, so, didn't buy the chicken. Instead, for dinner, I took the leftover roast chicken breast, sliced it up and sauted it with onions, curry powder, chili powder, etc. Served it with rice, carrots and green beans; leftovers for today's lunch.

I am finishing up the last of my food, I can't wait to go grocery shopping again.

Amount remaining in the June grocery budget: $34.53
Amount spent at the ethnic store yesterday: $43.06!!!

Some of it went for 4 cans of curry powder (2 different types) at just under $4 per 1 lb. can. I used to make my own curry powder, years ago, but that used to be a lot of work and it is more convenient to buy it already prepared.

Some of it was spent on comfort food/tastes of home such as Ginger Beer, which is not beer, but a ginger flavored soda, woodapple nectar, golden syrup, ambarella (Spondia dulcis) chutney, and spicy plantain chips.

I also bought 1 lb. raw cashew pieces and a jar of biriyani mix paste.

Much of what I bought will last several months. Others, like the ginger beer and woodapple nectar have already been consumed!

I still need to buy vegetables for the week, so, I am definitely going over budget this month!

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Yesterday -
b'fast: eggs, bacon, toast
lunch: leftovers
dinner: rice, steak (thinly sliced and cooked with onions and garlic), leeks; strawberry shortcake with ice cream for dessert

Today -
B'fast: French toast, strawberries
Lunch: leftovers from last night's dinner
Dinner: tuna, mac & cheese, green peas; fresh fruit salad (watermelon, peaches, apples, strawberries) for dessert

Monday: ??? Not decided yet!

Slight change in the menu plan - had sandwiches for dinner, last night, and fresh fruit (apples and peaches) instead of tuna/mac & cheese. Will make that for tonight's dinner, instead.

I went grocery shopping today and bought:

Store 1:
2 cans garbanzo beans, $.69@
2 bread rolls, $.50@
1 pkt. pita bread, $.75
Spent: $3.13

Store 2:
1 pkt. frozen green peas, $1.00
1 gal. milk, $2.89
1 coffee creamer, $3.29
1 smoked sausage, $1.99
Spent: $9.17

Total spent today: 3.13 + 9.17 = $12.30

Amount I went over in the June grocery budget: $8.53 + 12.30 = $20.83

I realize that part of that was due to stocking up at the ethnic store. I am not too concerned. I will deduct the overage from the July grocery budget. After all, the smoked sausage, milk and coffee creamer I bought today, won't get consumed until July, anyway.
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I put a whole chicken to thaw - will cook that this weekend and it'll be sufficient for the week, along with the smoked sausage for one or two meals.

I wanted to buy some beef, too, but the cheapest I saw was $3.99/lb for boneless chuck roast. And that was the 50% off sale price! I wasn't willing to pay that much, so, I gave it a miss.

Bless, sometimes the budget does take the hit. We are going to a neighborhood july 4th fireworks party tonite and need to bring a dish to pass. There are 5 of us going so we are bringing 2. Trying to do it cost effectively is the challenge. Since there will be about 35 people to share items with, we decided on corn on the cob as it was on sale 10 for $2 and bought 50 ears. They are in the garage soaking so we can put them on a fire in the yard tonite. Also did blue cheese coleslaw, as that is one of SO's signature dishes. Basically cabbage, carrots, a bag of broocoli slaw, crumbled blue cheese to taste(we had a chunk left from a while back) and blue cheese dressing. We usually add garlic and finely chopped onions but not for the party(picky eaters)

In terms of keeping costs down and stretching the budget, wheretostart, watch the sales, esp for fresh produce, and experiment with different seasonings.

Fresh cilantro is a favorite of ours. For 79 cents you get a huge bunch and it adds a nice slight peppery flavor to the dish and the one bunch has lasted 2 weeks.

Bless had some great ideas, as usual. I would add mexican and salads to the assortment. This time of year, I watch the best veggie prices. I got romaine, lettuce, and an "artisan" package and chopped them up, adding radishes, onions, colored peppers, fresh mushrooms, celery, tomatoes and carrots. The items vary according to what is on sale this week. Its in a couple big bags in the fridge, pull as needed. One nite it was a side salad, another nite I grilled chicken and then cut up and put on top as an entree. I put plain tuna on it as another meal. And it has been used nitely as a side. I also watch the 10 for $10 sales to buy assorted dressing flavors to change the taste.

I mentioned the corn on sale. Cheap filler. And what is not cooked, gets cut off the cob and frozen for future use. The leftover cilantro will be mixed with garlic and butter as a flavorful topper for it.

How about fajitas or tacos with chicken, with some simple black beans on the side. You could do a jambalaya. Sandwiches this time of year go a long way.

Mmm, LOVE corn on the cob!

As for going over the budget, well, I guess I could have bought 1 less can of curry powder and not have bought the plaintain chips at the ethnic store and that would have kept me exactly at budget for June. And had I waited until Sunday (7/1) to do the grocery shopping, then what I spent yesterday would have come from the July budget.

But there were other factors to take into consideration - distance, gas, time, convenience, etc. The ethnic store is a bit out of my way, so, it makes sense to me to stock up when I do go there, which is about 2 or 3 times a year (I don't anticipate going there again until late November when I will buy things for the December almsgiving and stock up)

Of the 2 stores I went to yesterday, one is located right next to the bank, the other across the street from the bank. Since I had to go to the bank, it made sense to do the grocery shopping too; otherwise, I'd have to make another trip on Sunday.

At least, those are my excuses and I am sticking to them!

I am grateful that I have the luxury of "borrowing" from the next month's grocery money when needed. If I didn't and had to strictly adhere to each month's budget, then, of course, I would shop accordingly.