Saving Money And Creating Meals With Rockyn Robyn
I’ve spoken on the air a number of times about my grocery shopping habits.
On occasion, I have a tendency to make impulse purchases when I don’t make a grocery list. I can be dangerous (and broke) without a list. That’s why making a list is so important, especially if you have to carefully budget your money. Most of us have to create a budget these days due to inflation.
If you are not partial to a particular brand, then buy the generic or store brand items, in most cases, they are a lot cheaper. I grew up with a mother who only swore by Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise. We did not have a lot of money when I was a kid, but mom only bought the Hellman’s no matter how little money she had in her purse. We ate a lot of tuna fish and macaroni salad because it was so inexpensive to make.
About two years ago, I was told that Aldi’s store brand mayo called Burman’s supposedly tasted close to Hellman’s. One day I caved and bought it. When it came time to use it I was shocked by how good it was, and it was almost two bucks cheaper than Hellman’s. Saving money gives me a sense of accomplishment.
When it comes to creating meals on the cheap, I love buying family packs of certain proteins like chicken breasts because like anything, if you buy in bulk the price per pound is cheaper.
Here’s a great tip: plan out a variety of ways to prepare the chicken before you freeze it.
When I get home from the store, I cut up and/or butterfly the chicken breasts and throw the portioned chicken into Ziploc bags or I vacuum pack them using my Foodsaver sealer. It really is a good investment!
Chicken is so versatile. You can do so much with it. If you have a backyard grill, then good for you because this time of year is all about grilling. I am ashamed to admit that I do not have an outdoor grill. I have the George Foreman Grill and I just love the daylights out of that thing. I butterfly my chicken breasts, add a touch of olive oil, and season it a few different ways every time I cook. Lately, I’ve been on a Sazon seasoning kick. Sometimes, I just use salt and pepper, a squeeze of lemon, and granulated garlic and parsley from the pantry. If you have a huge spice rack and you know flavor profiles then the sky is the limit. If you have no idea how to combine herbs and spices, you can email me or you can do a simple Google search for help.
You can also cut the chicken into strips and make fajitas. You can cut it into cubes or chunks and make International inspired dishes. I like to make Kung Pao chicken, chicken Lo Mein or orange chicken with cubes. Sometimes I dice the chicken and make Pad Thai. If you need a chicken recipe, just ask me, I’ve got a million of them.
Let’s not forget about chicken thighs, both boneless and bone-in. I’ve got a Coq au vin recipe to die for. For the Coq au vin, I use skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs.
As much as I love fresh roasted vegetables, I still buy frozen vegetables because they last longer. Sadly, I’ve purchased way too much in the produce section of the grocery store and had to toss it because it sat in the fridge too long. If you’re buying fresh vegetables, buy them as you need them.
At this point in time, chicken may be the only affordable protein. I’m serious, if you need a new way to prepare chicken, just ask me, I’m here to help. You can email me at: Rocker@wrat.com
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