Living On A Dime

Tag: Drinks

  • Save Money In The Kitchen – Easy Ways To Save on Groceries

    Save Money In The Kitchen – Easy Ways To Save on Groceries

    If you’re spending too much on your food bill, here are some easy ways to save money on groceries! Most people spend too much because they don’t know these simple tips!

    If you're spending too much on your food bill, here are some easy ways to save money on groceries! Most people spend too much because they don't know these simple tips!

    Save Money in the Kitchen

    If your grocery bill feels out of control, you’re not alone. For many people, cutting back on grocery budgets can be overwhelming. They know they’re spending too much, but don’t know where to begin to cut. Often, they fear that they will deprive themselves and their children if they become frugal.

    The good news is that there are ways to have your cake, eat it and save money in the kitchen at the same time. The whole secret is to start slowly.

    There are countless ways you can cut your food bill, but if you need to, target just one thing at a time. You won’t get overwhelmed, but you will still be saving money if you do only one thing.

    If you are a frugal beginner, try these simple suggestions for saving on your food bill:

    • Cooking frugally is like changing your diet. You need to learn gradually how to save money and cook frugally. Don’t expect that you will get your food bill down to $300 for four people in the first month if you are spending $600 a month right now.
    • Try cutting just $25.00 or $50.00 a month. Even if you cut back only $50.00 a month, you will save $600.00 a year. If you save just $1.00 a day that is $365.00 a year. You can then apply that $365.00 a year to paying off your credit cards. At 21 percent interest, you will save over $70 a year. This will eventually cause a snowball effect since the more you pay off, the less you pay to interest. When you pay less to interest, you have more each month to apply to paying off your overall debt. This means that as you pay off the debt, the rate that you can pay it off increases.
    • Before you shop, take a tour through your pantry and your refrigerator. Be organized! Don’t buy what’s already hiding in your kitchen.
    • If you’re a fan of coupons, remember this: It’s not what you save, it’s what you spend. If you save 30 cents on something you wouldn’t ordinarily buy anyway, you haven’t really saved anything.
    • A typical fruit item is significantly larger than one serving. Most people would be just as happy eating a small apple as eating a large one — so buy smaller fruits! You will save money by the pound.
    • This month, try two meatless meals a week (or one, if you’re a die hard meat fan).
    • Make simple meals. One-dish meals can contain your meat, your vegetable and your bread.
    • Drink water for your meals.
      • If your family is used to drinking milk, juice or pop for every meal then start by cutting juice from one meal or snack a day and drinking only water. After you get used to this, cut from another meal until you drink only water for meals and a glass of juice or milk at snack time.
      • You can also try allowing one glass of juice at meal times. Then serve water after the juice is gone.
      • You save over $500.00 a year by cutting just one glass of juice per person per day for a family of four.
    • Don’t assume that homemade is cheaper. If you get a VERY GOOD deal on chocolate chips and ingredients for candies, it is cheaper to make them than buying them pre-made. Make sure you do the calculations, though! If you don’t purchase them on sale, homemade candies can be more expensive than candies purchased at the store.
    • Stop wasting food. Give young children small portions. They can always have more if they are still hungry. Give them a half glass of juice and a half sandwich so you don’t waste uneaten food. Put food in the refrigerator right after the meal so it doesn’t spoil. Use leftovers for lunches, in other dishes or frozen in one portion sizes for a quick meal.
    • Don’t buy everything at one store. Prices vary greatly from one store to the next. Go to different stores to buy only their sale items. You will save more than the cost of your gas. It usually only takes half an hour to 45 minutes per store to get the items that are on sale including driving time. If you save a minimum of $20-$30 per trip, it is like “earning” $40-$60 an hour. If you save $60 spending one hour going to two different stores, it is four extra hours you might not have to work to pay for that same food purchased at the regular price.

    Most people don’t think they can live the frugal life and still be comfortable. I feed my family for $100 per person per month. Early in our marriage, when our household income averaged $22,000 a year, we paid off $20,000 in debt in five years—essentially an entire year’s income.

    That same principle still applies today.

    Even if you earn significantly more now, the math doesn’t change. Paying off one year’s income over five years is very achievable when you control everyday expenses—especially groceries. The higher your income, the easier it becomes if you avoid lifestyle creep and put those dollars to work intentionally.

    Keeping our grocery budget low was one of the key ways we made it happen. Small, consistent savings added up month after month—and they can for you, too. When cutting your grocery bill, it’s the little things that add up.

    [dining]

  • 6 Ways To Save On Your Grocery Bill – Easy Ideas Add Up Fast!

    6 Ways To Save On Your Grocery Bill – Easy Ideas Add Up Fast!

    One of the easiest places in your family budget to save money is on your food bill! Here are 6 simple, practical ways to cut your grocery bill and take control of your food spending. This post shares real-life strategies for frugal beginners, plus an easy, budget-friendly Green Chile recipe that shows how small changes can lead to big savings!

    One of the easiest places in your family budget to save money is on your food bill! Here are 6 simple, practical ways to cut your grocery bill and take control of your food spending. This post shares real-life strategies for frugal beginners, plus an easy, budget-friendly Green Chile recipe that shows how small changes can lead to big savings.

    6 Ways To Save On Your Grocery Bill

    For many people, making the decision to switch from two incomes to one can be a scary experience. You may know you’re spending too much, but figuring out where to start cutting back can be intimidating..

    Most people don’t think they can live the frugal life and still be comfortable. I currently feed my family of 4 on $400 per month. Back when we were first married, my husband earned an average of $22,000 per year over 5 years. During that same time, we paid off $20,000 in debt. Today, that means these same ideas can help you pay off debt equal to nearly a year’s income—simply by making small, consistent changes.ears.

    There are countless ways to save money, but if you’re new to frugal living, it’s best to start with simple, manageable steps. Your grocery bill is one of the easiest places to see quick results.

    • Before you shop, take a tour through your pantry and your refrigerator. Be organized!
    • Don’t buy what’s already hiding in your kitchen.
    • If you are a fan of coupons, remember this: It’s not what you save, it’s what you spend. If you save 30 cents on something you wouldn’t ordinarily buy anyway, you haven’t really saved anything.
    • A typical fruit item is significantly larger than one serving. Most people would be just as happy eating a small apple as eating a large one — so buy smaller fruits!
    • This month, try two meatless meals a week. Try one or two meatless meals each week. When you do use meat, treat it as an ingredient rather than the main dish. Recipes like the Green Chile below stretch as little as ½–1 pound of meat into multiple meals.
    • Cut back on the juice and milk. Reducing juice and milk purchases can free up money to buy sale items, which can help lower your grocery bill even more next month.

    [dining]

    This easy green chile recipe makes a light tasty meal when eaten with tortillas, but can also be used to top a lot of different Mexican themed dishes! It's super delicious!
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    Easy Green Chile Recipe

    This easy green chile recipe makes a light tasty meal when eaten with tortillas, but can also be used to top a lot of different Mexican themed dishes! It's super delicious!
    Print Recipe

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 1 review

    • Author: Tawra Kellam

    Ingredients

    1/2–1 lb. pork roast, or chops cubed into small pieces
    10 1/2 oz. chicken broth
    1 onion, finely chopped
    1/4 – 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
    1 (7 oz.) can green chiles, diced
    1/4 jalapeno, finely chopped
    1 Tbsp. butter
    1 tsp. salt
    2 Tbsp. flour or cornstarch, dissolved in water
    flour tortillas (or corn tortillas if you’re gluten free)

    Toppings

    cheddar cheese, grated
    lettuce, shredded
    tomato
    sour cream

    Instructions

    1. Simmer pork in broth on low for 10 minutes.
    2. Add all of the other ingredients except flour.
    3. Simmer 45 minutes.
    4. Thicken with flour or cornstarch so it is like a thick soup.
    5. Spoon about 1/4 cup into the center of a flour tortilla.
    6. Roll up tortilla.
    7. Top with more green chile.
    8. Sprinkle with cheese, lettuce and tomato.
    9. Top with sour cream, if desired.

    This green chile freezes really well.

    Notes

    • This easy green chile recipe calls for pork, but I also occasionally make it with cubed cooked chicken.
    • This recipe is a great way to use leftover pork or chicken.
    • If you like, you can make the green chile and instead of serving wrapped in a tortilla, you can use to pour over your favorite Mexican dishes like burritos or enchiladas.
    • This green chile recipe is also good served over rice and garnished with the cheese, lettuce and other toppings.

    Staying home and managing your budget isn’t about making drastic sacrifices—it’s about realizing that small changes add up over time. It’s the little things that really add up!

    Tawra

  • How To Save Money On Groceries

    How To Save Money On Groceries

    It’s easy to learn how to save money on groceries! These easy tips show you painless ways to easily save hundreds of dollars a month on your food bill!

    It's easy to learn how to save money on groceries. These easy tips show you painless ways to easily save hundreds of dollars a month on your food bill!

    How To Save Money On Groceries

    If I said I would give you $150 extra a month to help you pay off your credit cards, lose weight and help your family become healthier, would you accept it? Does it sound too good to be true? The average American family spends 1/4-1/3 of their monthly grocery bill on things to drink but can’t find any extra money to pay off their credit cards. It’s really not that hard to learn how to save money on groceries. In this post, we’ll look at just one way to do it, but there are lots more!

    Do you buy sodas, coffee, tea, juice and milk, plus all the things that go into these drinks like creamer, flavorings and sugar? Do you grab a glass of soda, juice or milk instead of a cold glass of water? You may even argue that juice and milk are good for your children.

    We all know that fertilizer (food for you grass) is good for your lawn, but too much fertilizer will kill it and if you don’t water it, it will die. I’m beginning to wonder if most of us are more concerned about making sure our yards are watered than our children. Of course they need some milk but like everything else do it in moderation.

    Here are few tips to cut the costs of the drinks in your home, save money on groceries and find some extra money to pay off your credit cards:

    • Find out how much milk is actually needed for your child. The USDA recommends that children under 5 get three to four servings of dairy per day. That is 2 cups of milk OR one serving equals one slice of cheese OR ½ container of yogurt. Don’t forget milk added to cereal.
    • Juice is just sugar water. Eat the whole fruit instead and give one glass of juice as a treat for breakfast or snack.
    • Limit the number of glasses of milk or juice given a day. After the allotted amount they get nothing else but water. If they are used to drinking it for meals, either give them one glass (1/2 cup) and when it’s gone they drink water or have them drink water first and then milk after they finish their meal.
    Save money on groceries like milk!
    • Use small juice glasses. They give the appearance of more.
    • Don’t fill their sippy cups with juice or milk. Give them water instead.
    • If you put some milk in a cup and they don’t drink it all, put it in the fridge until later.
    • Limit sodas to a treat once or twice a week.
    • Don’t dilute your juice with extra water. Not only does this not taste very good but by “stretching” the juice you teach your kids bad eating habits by giving into their demands for juice instead of giving them water.
    • Keep water in the fridge. After water has set, the chlorine evaporates and the water also tastes better cold.
    • Add a small amount of lemon juice to your water if you don’t like the taste.
    • Be careful to shop wisely. Sometimes buying name brand flavored or specialty coffees on sale costs less than making your own.
    • Use powdered milk instead of creamer in coffee or tea or try mixing your creamer half and half with dry milk.
    • After making coffee save the coffee filter and the coffee grounds in the maker. Add your coffee for the next day on top of the old grounds. This way you can use each filter 2 or 3 times. Buy a reusable coffee filter. They last for years.
    • If you run out of coffee filters, use a paper towel until you can get to the store to buy more.
    • You don’t always have to make a full pot of coffee. Just make one or 2 cups at time.
    • Save extra coffee in a thermos instead of making a new batch or buy a smaller coffee maker.
    • To make flavored tea, add a package of flavored drink mix to each pot of tea.
    • For leftover soda – Combine 2 cups of flat soda with 1 package of unflavored or same flavored gelatin to make a rich flavored gelatin. This is particularly good with root beer, orange and grape sodas.

    Here are some easy recipes for drink treats to help you save money on groceries:

    This easy Orange Julius recipe is a creamy orange smoothie just like the ones at the mall. Starting with orange juice and ice cream, it makes a perfectly refreshing cool treat for warm summer days!
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    Easy Orange Julius Recipe – Creamy Orange Smoothie

    This easy Orange Julius recipe is a creamy orange smoothie just like the ones at the mall. Starting with orange juice and ice cream, it makes a perfectly refreshing cool treat for warm summer days!
    Print Recipe

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 1 review

    This easy Orange Julius recipe makes a creamy orange smoothie that tastes just like the ones at the mall. Starting with orange juice and ice cream, it makes a perfectly refreshing cool treat for warm summer days!

    • Author: Tawra Kellam
    • Yield: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
    1/2 tsp. vanilla
    1/2 cup milk
    5-6 ice cubes
    1/4 cup sugar
    2 scoops vanilla ice cream
    1/2 cup water (optional)

    Instructions

    1. Combine all of the ingredients in blender until smooth.
    2. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

    This Orange Julius recipe can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Serves 4.

    Notes

    If you like, you can add other things like strawberries, banana, pineapple or coconut. If a smoothie-type ingredient sounds good to you, you can probably add it!

    For Dairy Free:

    If you’re dairy free, you can substitute coconut milk for the milk and vanilla coconut milk ice cream in place of the ice cream.

    You can use Coconut Silk, but it will result in a thinner smoothie. It is better to use coconut milk in a can, if possible, because it has a thicker consistency and will more resemble a smoothie or shake.

    This easy Cafe Vienna recipe is a delicious homemade specialty coffee. Creamy like a mocha but with a cinnamon orange flavor, it is sure to please the coffee lover in your family. 
    Print

    Easy Cafe Vienna Recipe

    This easy Cafe Vienna recipe is a delicious homemade specialty coffee. Creamy like a mocha but with a cinnamon orange flavor, it is sure to please the coffee lover in your family. 
    Print Recipe

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    This easy Cafe Vienna recipe is a delicious homemade specialty coffee. Creamy like a mocha but with a cinnamon orange flavor, it is sure to please the coffee lover in your family. 

    • Author: Tawra Kellam

    Ingredients

    1/2 cup instant coffee
    2/3 tsp. cinnamon
    2/3 cup sugar
    1 tsp. dried orange peel
    2/3 cup nonfat dry milk (optional)

    Instructions

    1. Stir ingredients together.
    2. Process in a blender until powdered.
    3. Store in a jar or container. Makes 1 1/3 cups mix.
    *If you’re making a jar mix for a gift, attach this note to the jar:
     
    To Make Cafe Vienna: Use 2 teaspoons of mix to 1 cup of hot water.
    Save money with this easy Swiss Mocha recipe! It’s a less expensive way to enjoy this tasty treat and works well as a jar mix that you can give as a gift!
    Print

    Easy Swiss Mocha Recipe

    Save money with this easy Swiss Mocha recipe! It’s a less expensive way to enjoy this tasty treat and works well as a jar mix that you can give as a gift!
    Print Recipe

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    No reviews

    Save money with this easy Swiss Mocha recipe! It’s a less expensive way to enjoy this tasty treat and works well as a jar mix that you can give as a gift!

    • Author: Tawra Kellam

    Ingredients

    1/2 cup instant coffee
    2 Tbsp. cocoa
    1/2 cup sugar
    1/4 tsp. vanilla
    1 cup nonfat dry milk

    Instructions

    1. Stir ingredients together.
    2. Process in a blender until powdered.
    3. Store in a jar or other container. Makes 2 cups mix.
    *Attach this note to the jar if making a jar mix:
     
    To Make Swiss Mocha: Use 1 cup of hot water and 2 tablespoons of coffee mix for each cup of coffee.

    [dining]

  • Sweet Tea Recipe – How To Make Sweet Tea!

    Sweet Tea Recipe – How To Make Sweet Tea!

    If you want to know how to make sweet tea, here’s an easy sweet tea recipe for a refreshing summer drink! You can save money making a pitcher full of sweet tea for pennies instead of paying several dollars a glass at a restaurant!

    If you want to know how to make sweet tea, here's an easy sweet tea recipe for a refreshing summer drink! You can save money making a pitcher full of sweet tea for pennies instead of paying several dollars a glass at a restaurant or convenience store!

    How To Make Sweet Tea At Home – Sweet Tea Recipe

    Those of you from the South may find a post about how to make sweet tea a little funny because sweet tea is an everyday thing in much of the South and some of you were weaned on the stuff.

    There is a whole generation of adults, though, who don’t know how to make sweet tea because sugar was put on the “bad food” list when they were growing up, but surprise, surprise it is once again ok to use sugar in our drinks. Yeahhhh!!!!

    Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon to buy sweet tea at the fast food restaurants and in the bottles. I cringe every time I see someone pay such a huge amount to buy sweet tea when it is so easy to make and costs only pennies for a pitcher full.

    In addition to sweet tea, many people buy bottles of regular and green tea for the antioxidants. Be careful – when tea sits for a while it starts losing its antioxidants, so making fresh sweet tea is best. 

    To help you save some money on what may be becoming your favorite drink or what might still be an old favorite, here is how to make sweet tea using my easy sweet tea recipe.

    Even though I am not officially a true Southerner, I will warn you I drink mine so sweet it will curl your hair. You can adjust the sugar if you want, but try it this way first and see what you think. Part of the secret to good iced tea is having the sugar properly dissolved. Just adding sugar to regular unsweetened cold tea doesn’t get it completely dissolved, but there’s an easy secret to this dilemma when making sweet tea.

    Some people make a simple syrup to help dissolve the sugar, but you don’t have to go to all that trouble because this recipe makes it’s own simple syrup with the tea.

    Print

    Sweet Tea Recipe – How To Make Sweet Tea!

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    • Author: Jill Cooper

    Ingredients

    Units
    2 quarts water 3 regular size tea bags 3/4 cup sugar (more or less, to taste)

    Instructions

    1. Boil part of the water (about 3 cups). This doesn’t have to be precisely measured. Just estimate using enough so that when you pour it over the tea bags and sugar, it will cover them well.
    2. While the water is boiling, place the tea bags and sugar into a 2 quart pitcher.
    3. After the water boils, pour it over the tea bags and sugar.
    4. Cover and let it steep for 10-20 minutes, depending on the desired strength (at least 5 minutes if you are in a hurry). I let mine sit for 30 minutes or more.
    5. When the tea is steeped, gently stir it. You don’t want to break the tea bags.
    6. Add more cold water, up to the 2 quart line.
    7. Chill.

    Notes

    • If I will be serving my sweet tea over ice, which is the way I love it, I will only add water to the 1 1/2 quart line instead of 2 quarts so that the tea does not get too diluted as the ice melts.
    • After you taste the tea, you can adjust the sugar and water in the recipe to your own preference.
    • For flavored sweet tea: Use 2 regular tea bags and one flavored tea bag (like peach or raspberry). This adds just the right amount of flavor to the tea. If you like lemon, toss in a slice!

    This sweet tea recipe is from volume 1 of our cookbook:

    [dining]

    Here are the steps for how to make sweet tea with pictures:

    Boil part of the water (about 3 cups). This doesn’t have to be precisely measured. Just estimate using enough so that when you pour it over the tea bags and sugar, it will cover them well.

    While the water is boiling, place the tea bags and sugar into a 2 quart pitcher.

    How To Make Sweet Tea Pour The Sugar

    After the water boils, pour it over the tea bags and sugar. Cover and let it steep for at least 5 minutes if you are in a hurry. I let mine sit for 30 minutes or more (or until I remember that I made it ;-).

    Sweet Tea Recipe - Pour boiling water over the tea bags

    Then, gently stir it. You don’t want to break the tea bags.

    How To Make Sweet Tea - Stir The Mixture.

     

     Add more cold water up to the 2 quart line. Chill.

    Sweet Tea Recipe - Add Cold Water.

    If I will be serving mine over ice, which is the way I love it, I will only add water to the 1 1/2 quart line instead of 2 quarts.

    How To Make Sweet Tea - Pour Over Ice In A Glass.

     

    Of course, after you try it, you can adjust the sugar and water to your preference.

    Sometimes I will use 2 regular flavored tea bags and one flavored tea bag (like peach or raspberry). This adds just the right amount of flavor to it. If you like lemon, toss in a slice!

    Jill

    How To Make Sweet Tea - Easy Southern Sweet Tea Recipe

  • 4 Easy Ways To Save Money On Groceries Before You Leave Home

    4 Easy Ways To Save Money On Groceries Before You Leave Home

    Here are 4 easy ways to save money on groceries before you even leave the house! It’s no extra work, you don’t have to deprive yourself of anything and you don’t have to clip any coupons. (more…)

  • How To Save Money On Milk

    How To Save Money On Milk

    How To Save Money On Milk

    Even with rising prices, you can learn how to save money on milk. Using these easy tips, you can cut your costs and start paying off debt! (more…)

  • 10 Ways to Lose Weight and Gain Money

    10 Ways to Lose Weight and Gain Money

    People often don’t realize that some of the same things that make you overweight also steal your money! Here are some easy steps to help you lose the weight and save money at the same time! (more…)

  • Money Saving Drink Tips

    Money Saving Drink Tips

    Money Saving Drink Tips

    Money Saving Drink Tips

      • First don’t forget to drag out the thermoses. What a nice surprise for your family to open up their lunches and find a thermos full of cocoa or hot tea. I know they can get milk at school and a teabag from the break room but how would you feel if someone made you a hot drink like that? It would be nice wouldn’t it? It’s like liquid love.
      • Instead of throwing out that extra coffee in the morning, pour it into a thermos to use later (whether at work or at home). You could even make extra coffee in the morning and put it in a thermos to take to work. This will save you money over buying coffee there. Even if you stay at home it saves you from having to make it when you need a break.
      • Experiment with regular tea bags and make your own flavored tea. Add apple juice, brown sugar and cinnamon stick to a regular cup of tea or instead, add a slice of lemon, honey and a cinnamon stick. Another good combination would be cranberry juice, cloves, and a cinnamon stick.
      • Save money on expensive coffees buy making your own. Add a drop or two of vanilla extract and vanilla non dairy creamer to your coffee for an expensive coffee taste. If you really want to “walk on the wild side” experiment with different flavors of extracts like hazelnut. Use a light hand and only a small amount because pure extracts can be strong.
      • If you like flavored coffees, add a little pinch of cinnamon to your coffee grounds before brewing or use a cinnamon stick to stir it. You might try a tiny bit of vanilla with vanilla flavored creamer.
      • For a delicious variation on cocoa, try stirring it with one of those peppermint sticks you got on clearance after Christmas.
      • Don’t have a peppermint stick? Then steep a mint tea bag in your cocoa.
      • If you love peanut butter cups, add a small spoon of creamy peanut butter to your cocoa.
      • Add a teaspoon or two of coffee creamer to your hot chocolate for a much creamier texture.
      • Having trouble communicating in your family? A hot drink may seem like something small but try sitting and having a cup of cocoa one day with your kids after school. You will be amazed at how they will open up and visit with you. Or try sharing a hot drink with your spouse at the end of the day. These things help to create warm fuzzy memories for our families. Then, when times of stress come, they have those good memories to pull out, cling to and help them through the harder times in life.
      • Make up some lemonade and stir into a little kool aid to color it – red (raspberry, strawberry, cherry flavor) for Valentine’s Day, green (lime) for St. Patty’s Day or blue for the 4th of July.
    • Having trouble getting your children to eat their food at dinner time? Try serving just water for a beverage. A lot of times children fill up on juice, milk or pop before they even get their food on their plate. They are not as likely to tank up on liquid if that liquid is water.
    • Don’t forget to keep a few frozen bottles of water in the freezer now that we are heading into summer. Fill plastic bottles of water half full and freeze. When you are ready to run out the door grab one and top it off with more water. These are also great for picnics or for on a trip. Place them in with your food cooler to help keep it cool.
    • I really love the small bottles that chocolate milk comes in at Burger King for kids’ drinks. They are smaller and narrower which makes them easier for small hands to hold on to. This especially helps reduce spills in the car. We don’t get these bottles often but when we do I just take them home, peel off the labels and wash them. I then freeze them with water or fill with lemonade.
    • Do you often go to a large activity where everyone one has a bottle of water or pop that all look alike? Do you have a drawer of scrunches or cloth pony tail holders that seem to keep multiplying? Then kill two birds with one stone and slip a scrunchy or pony tail holder on to the bottle or can so you can easily identify yours. Give every member of the family his or her own color. The guys probably would prefer a black or brown one instead of hot pink and if they really aren’t in touch with their feminine sides, use a large colored rubber band instead.
    • Save money on expensive coffees buy making your own. Add a drop or two of vanilla extract and vanilla non dairy creamer to your coffee for an expensive coffee taste. If you really want to “walk on the wild side” experiment with different flavors of extracts like hazelnut. Use a light hand and only a small amount because pure extracts can be strong.

     

    photo by: alykat

  • Menu-Ham Sandwiches

    Menu-Ham Sandwiches

     Tips

    ~ Here’s a tip to make cleaning those small grills like a George Foreman one. When you are done using it and it is still slightly warm, unplug it and place a few wet paper towels on the grill closing it so the steam can work it’s magic.

    ~ When making mac and cheese and you are out of milk or anytime for that matter use sour cream in place of the milk for an extra creamy and yummy dish.

    ~ For a fast refreshing summer salad mix leftover crushed pineapple with applesauce. It is different but good.

     

    Menu

    Ham Sandwiches
    Chips and Barbecue Dip*
    Sliced Tomatoes
    Corn on the Cob
    Orange Floats*

     

    Recipes

    Barbecue Dip
    1 cup sour cream
    1/2 to 3/4 cup barbecue sauce

    Mix ingredients.
    I usually don’t measure anything in this recipe. I just start adding the barbecue sauce to the sour cream until it tastes good. It’s really yummy with plain old potato chips.

     

    Orange Floats

    Vanilla ice cream
    Orange soda

    Place one scoop of ice cream in a tall glass and pour a small amount of orange pop on it. Add another scoop and more pop. Repeat this until your glass is full. Top with whipped topping and/or an orange slice.

     

    photo by: phototram

  • Healthy Eating

    Healthy Eating

    Sandra writes:

    I really hope you can help me. I am going crazy and, at the same time, I am hurting my 4 year old. My daughter turned 4 last month but here is the catch — She weighs 68 lbs. I know she is way over weight. That is what everybody keeps telling me, but they never seem to have any solutions.

    I have cut out almost all of her unhealthy foods and she is very active. Please help me. If not for me help a 4 year old nip a life time of battling weight in the bud. Well, at least get it under control.

    Jill: First let me say I am not a doctor or weight loss specialist. I don’t know if you have taken her to the doctor or not but if you think her weight is a serious problem (and it sounds like it is) then you should, of course, do that. Now with that being said (remember I am not a doctor and these are only my opinions) here are a few things you might think about trying. It is hard without more details to be exact so I will have to talk in generalities.

    I have lived long enough to have seen almost every diet there is to hit the news only to last a couple of years because that is about how long it takes to figure out it’s not working. I remember many years ago the high carb diet was the way to go. Eat as much pasta as you want and lose weight. These days, most people would have a heart attack (literally) just thinking about that diet let alone doing it.

    I remember another time a woman arguing with me how “they” said that margarine was so much better for you and less fattening than butter. She just kept insisting that I should stop eating butter. I sat there wondering if she realized the irony of our situation. I was 5’3″ tall at 110 lbs. and she was the same height at 175 lbs. Was I the only one who saw there was something wrong with this picture?

    I mention this because you made the comment that you are feeding your daughter mostly “healthy” foods. If it is an eating problem and not a medical one, I have found couple of things to be true.

    First, it generally has little to do with what diet you are on or what healthy food your are eating but more to do with the portions you eat. It is just as important to watch portion sizes as what you are eating. Even if you are carefully using the portion size on the package, remember that packages usually describe an adult portion and not a child’s, so adjust it accordingly.

    Get a copy of the food pyramid and follow it. These are easy to find. Just type in food pyramid on the computer or go to the library and check out a book on basic nutrition. I think you will be shocked at how small the serving sizes are and how many of them we really need. Often, we eat 2-4 times as much as we really need. Remember, most of the time these charts are geared for adults so again adjust accordingly for a child. (A child’s serving size is smaller.)

    Here’s a point that you very rarely hear: All foods have calories, healthy or otherwise. I personally feel that this is why so many people who are continually trying to lose weight don’t succeed, even when going on a “healthy” diet. If you take in too many calories, healthy or otherwise, you will gain weight.

    My daughter and I were discussing this just a couple of days ago. Her doctor, for health reasons, had put her on a very strict diet, with the healthiest foods possible, but she was gaining weight. The nuts she was eating were terribly high in calories and so were some of the other things.

    I have known people to fill their children with an endless supply of raisins letting them eat handfuls because they were healthy. Sure, raisins are healthy, but they are also very high in calories and sugar. There was a time when the “experts” pushed eating muffins because they were so much healthier than donuts, but boy do muffins have a lot of calories. This is another place where you need to think twice about how many calories are in that healthy snack (especially now that the typical store bought muffin is 3-4 servings instead of one).

    You still gain weight off of off most foods, whether they are natural or “junk food” if you eat large portions. Unfortunately, we often think “healthy” means “no calories” or “all you can eat”, so we allow ourselves and our children to eat much more than is reasonable. When we’re in this mindset, it is difficult to understand why we are gaining weight when we are eating healthy.

    Another area people forget to watch is their liquid intake especially when it comes to our children. We all know that pop and Kool-aid will cause our children to gain weight, but what we forget is that milk and juice will do that, too.

    We often pour milk and juice down our children because we think it is a quick and easy way to make sure they are getting their fruits and veggies for the day. It is much easier to get a child to drink a glass of juice than to eat a carrot stick. It’s also easier for us as moms to pour a glass of juice than to clean and cut a carrot. I know, I have been there and done that.

    I know I have said this before but use milk and juice as part of your family’s nutrients and use water to quench their thirst. That means that if they have a bowl of cereal with milk in the morning, that milk provides the dairy for that meal, so just give them water at that meal instead of a glass of milk.

    Even though milk and juice can be healthy, more is NOT always better. Once a child has had the necessary requirement of milk or juice, giving them more milk or juice is not  better than giving them Kool-Aid or pop.

    One last thing: The Bible says over and over to do things in moderation and that includes our food. Eat a moderate amount of food (that means a moderate amount from each food group, not an all this or an all that diet). And don’t allow food to become your god.

    One day I was shocked when it dawned on me that I had spent more time reading food labels and thinking about what I should or shouldn’t eat than I spent reading my Bible that day. Most of us Christians would say in no uncertain terms that we don’t worship idols and have no other gods before God, but be careful — Satan is subtle. What do you think about all day long? Is it about what you are eating, did eat and are going to eat? How much time do you spend studying and reading about food, diets, etc? And who do you go to for comfort? (There’s a reason they are called comfort food).

    I am not saying that you personally have a problem with any of these things. This is just what I know to be true in my own life and what I have seen and heard from others around me.

    Jared the Subway guy, who lost all that weight said it well. Following the popular diets and “healthy” ways of eating that everyone recommended was not working for him, so he kept trying different things until found out what was right for him even though everyone would have told him it wouldn’t work.

    Hopefully these things will help you to look at what your daughter is eating in a new light and mom, don’t panic and get stressed over it. So often parents say “well I don’t let my kids see that I’m upset”. Don’t sell your children short. They are very intuitive. You don’t have to move a muscle on your face but they can still sense how you are feeling, so make sure above all else you get a grip on your emotions concerning anything.

    I hope this helps.

           -Jill

    photo by: lepiaf.geo

  • Our Readers Weigh In On The Great Milk Crisis!

    Our Readers Weigh In On The Great Milk Crisis!

    Our Readers Weigh In On The Great Milk Crisis!

    Tina H Writes: Thank you for the milk article. I have been attempting to warn my friends for months. I work for the local government and periodically get to sit in on different meetings including dairy farmers, etc. What the average person doesn’t know is that the farmers are not getting the profit increase. This also drives up the cost of butter, yogurt, cheese etc. So I warn others to stock up and freeze all the butter and cheese they can afford each week. This winter will be tough on everyone. All food is going up, freeze and can all you can! Also, I recommend you purchase block chedder cheese, it is easy to grate, you use less and does not come with binders and potato starch that causes many problems for people with hidden food alergies.

    Heidi Writes: I read your recent e-mail about the panic caused by the sudden rise in milk prices at the store. I appreciated your tounge in cheek humor. I just wanted to let you know, (and hopefully your readers) that dairy farmers are one of the most over-worked and under-paid groups of people that I know. I happen to know this because my husband and I are dairy farmers! We scrape by every month, many months spending more on farm expenses than we generate in income. For once, farmers are starting to get paid decently and the whole country erupts in angry protests. No one seems to take into account that bottled water costs consumers more in many cases than even milk!!!

    I recieve your e-mails to help me cut costs here in the house and I do appreciate the information, I just wish people realized that behind every gallon of milk is a family trying to make ends meet!

    ~Heidi

    Roxie Writes: The Big Milk Crisis———–One of the things I do to save money on milk (I did not see it in the article at all) is use 100% powdered milk for cooking and baking. I also mix powdered milk with whole milk for a nice tasting 2% milk for my family. If I did not make it to the store, I can get the kids to drink powered milk if I put some chocolate flavor in it. Every dime I save on food goes to help me put two little boys through college and fund my retirement, so I don’t spend money I don’t have to spend…Roxie

    Theresa K. writes: I was surprised to read that some people pour sour milk down the drain. All the women in our family always used sour milk to make the best pancakes. They are very light and fluffy. Sour milk is the same or similar to buttermilk and companies sell buttermilk mix for pancakes. Try it. -Theresa

    Barbara writes: I just wanted to say "amen sister" to today’s article on the price of milk going up. I am the daughter of a farm family who lived through the Great Depression and I can get livid when people complain about the price of milk, and other farm items.

    First of all, the farmer gets very little, if any, of that increase. The price of milk has not risen anywhere near the price of many non-food items. It is the same way with eggs. If they go over $1 a dozen, people are hollering in outrage.

    When my kids were little and I could not afford enough milk, I would buy a gallon of whole milk and dilute it with powdered milk to make three gallons. I then had three gallons of 1% milk at a cost much less than if I had bought 3 gallons of 1% milk. It was a lot cheaper and healthier. No one needs to drink whole milk. It is meant to get a calf to full grown in a year. This is also one reason why we have so many overweight kids. The other is lack of exercise, but don’t get me started!!!!

    AND THEN you mention the IPod. How can anyone in their right mind stand in line for two days to put out that much money for something that will probably be obsolete in 6 months or less!!!???

    Like you said, most people’s priorities are totally backward. I used to have an e-mail that compared the price of a bunch of items by the gallon that people do not complain about buying and it was really ridiculous. I wish I could find it. My favorite, though, is cigarettes. Around here they are all but $5 a pack. A pack a day habit cost more than a gallon of milk, which will usually last at least two or three days and it is only $4, I think. Personally, I drink nothing but reconstituted dry milk and I pay about $1.50 a gallon and always have it on hand! The water I use is free!!!!!

    Sorry to ramble on so, I just wanted to let you know someone agrees with you.

    Sincerely
    Barbara

    Lisa in Tennessee writes: This is in response to the milk article. We already implement most of what Jill suggested, but I have another suggestion to add. About one year ago, I heard of an acquaintance of mine who made their milk from powdered milk. I balked at the idea, but when we were out of the "real" milk one day, I decided to try it.

    From that day on I WAS STUCK ON POWDERED MILK! The children didn’t notice the difference at all (we already were drinking skim milk). We don’t drink that much milk anyway, because like you said, I make other things for breakfast and we drink water all day long. But when we eat cereal or I need milk for baking, etc., powdered milk is just fine for us.

    At Aldi I can get a big box of powdered milk for $8. That makes five gallons of milk. If I bought five gallons of milk at the store up the street, I’d pay about $20!

    Anyway, I just thought I’d pass that along. Sometimes it’s just our mindset that we have to hurdle ourselves over, and after that, it’s smooth sailing!

    Thanks for you ministry,
    Lisa in TN

    PS–to add to my suggestion, if someone wanted to slowly wean their family onto powdered milk, they could make some, add it to the "real" milk, and go from there. Within a couple of weeks family members would be used to it.

    Judy L Writes: One way to stretch milk is to mix with equal amounts of reconstituted dried milk. Make sure to mix the dried milk into water thoroughly and get it very cold before mixing with the fresh milk. We lived overseas and did this often when milk supplies were low. My kids never knew the difference. Love your newsletter!

    Judy L.

    Zafar asks: I received your one article the other day that stated you can freeze milk. I was wondering if you freeze milk before it is opened and expired, how long will it last after it has thawed? I am was very happy to see that milk could be frozen. Thanks for the great tips. I am trying to live a more productive lifestyle by "making the most of what I have."

    Zafar

    Tawra: I just put it straight in the freezer. I don’t even drain some off anymore. It expands but not enough to break the bottle. When you defrost it, shake it well because freezing causes it to separate somewhat. Once defrosted, it will last about as long as milk that had not been frozen — about a week if kept regularly refrigerated. If you keep it longer than that and it gets sour, use it for baking! Sour milk makes great pancakes and biscuits.

    Stacy T. writes: One thing I found interesting was a tidbit of advice from my mother. Since I bake bread in a bread machine, I keep around powdered milk. She told me of a friend who used to mix up a half gallon of the stuff and pour it in her milk gallons when they became half empty. Of course, no one in my family would go for that (I’m not a milk drinker myself, but my husband can drink a half gallon at dinner itself! I finally got him to drink 2%, but he would never drink the powdered skim!)

    But it got me thinking. How many dishes do I cook that call for milk? Honestly, no one would really know the difference if I used the reconstituted powdered skim or the store bought 2%! What a way to save money! Especially considering how much my husband drinks! (Trust me, I’ve tried to ask him to cut back on the milk, but it won’t work.)

    Stacy T.

    When my daughter was about 3 yr old (she just turned 40), we switched to using powdered milk. I had figured the cost and at that time it was less than buying regular milk. To switch, at first I mixed half regular milk and half powdered milk for a couple of months, then when to powdered milk completely. With having a large box of powdered milk on hand, it meant not running to the store just for milk. Now all these years later, I still using powdered milk most of the time. Since it is low fat, it is better for you anyway. I have read that kids over the age of 2 do not need whole milk.

    You are completely right about measuring milk, cereal, etc. My husband is now a diabetic. All of his food is measured at home. I am in shock when I see women at work pouring a huge bowl of cereal to eat at their first break. One bowl of what they consider normal equals about 6 servings of cereal. No wonder those women (and their kids) are grossly overweight. Americans do not know what a serving size is anymore. They need to read the labels.

    You have an excellent newsletter and I am telling all my friends and neighbors about it.

    Thanks,
    Linda J.