Being a pastor’s family, we have the pleasure of sharing many a meal with church folk, either in our home (shout out to a momma that taught me how to be hospitable) or even better, to theirs! I am continually asked, “What can you eat?”… ‘Tis true.. we are banned/encouraged to abstain/restricted from copious amounts of Standard American fare, but because I know how unhealthy that food is for us, I don’t mind too much.
Too much.
Until I see this website, and then I’m a little sad. I haven’t the energy to convert dear Ree Drummond’s recipes to gluten free, sugar free, corn free, blah blah blah free. Yet. I digress.
As usual.
You can imagine that our food budget is quite high, and I have to be creative because protein, bean, and veggies can get boring night after night. We try to buy organic everything, but only succeed about 60-75% of the time. I figure that’s 60-75% less pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, and the like. I think we can freak ourselves out over every thing that is going to eventually kill us, and I like to tell myself that we just need to do the best we can with what we have, and know that God is sovereign. Amen?
That, and, my husband would most likely faint straightaway if I asked for more grocery money. 😉
The whole point of this post is to start a new category where I share some deals that I have found that help us save a little. I so wish I could be an extreme couponer, but then I realize that I really would not want anyone in my family drinking 48 pallets of PowerAde. Ack, the chemicals. Oy, the sugar.
And then I sit in judgement of what the people on that show are buying and eating.
And then I am convicted by the Holy Spirit.
And then I apologize for my crummy attitude and turn the tv off. 🙂 Or maybe just change the channel.
Digression, yet again.
On with it… Let’s start with Garbanzo Beans. If you follow me on twitter, you will know that I have an unnatural obession with these suckers lately. I was buying a few cans at Trader’s every week, for a $1.09 a can. I juice a lemon, add sea salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil, and I am in love with a mighty bowl of beans. I don’t know what I need in them, but it is pure heaven to me. Simplicity really is underrated.
I found that my cravings for these legumes was running us about 5 dollars extra a week. Added up, that could be over $260 a year for my bean addiction. Eeeek, y’all! But then…I found dried garbanzos at the bulk section at Sprouts. $1.49 a pound friends. And this made a lot of beans, almost 10 cans worth. So you can see how much mula I’m saving by making my own beans. Add making my own hummus to the mix and Sprouts is practically paying me to eat the beans.
And then I found this… Coconut flour. For those of us that are grain free, coconut flour is a new wonder. I just made banana bread for my kiddos and used a scant 1/4 cup of this stuff. The beauty of it is the small amount you need for each recipe. This pound of cocount flour runs for $2.99 a pound, which is loads better than the $8 a pound elsewhere.
And finally this. Coconut Oil. The miracle oil that does it all. Or nearly. My close friends chuckle at me (ahem Laela) whenever we hang out, because I will always find a way to bring up something this magical oil can do. Baking, sauteing, making popcorn, skin lotion, hair oil, etc.. I should just write a post on it someday. I get this at Mountain Rose Herbs and it is by far the most affordable way to buy organic, cold pressed, extra virgin coconut oil. A gallon for about $50 (with shipping) has lasted me 5 months, going on 6. I was buying it locally at $10 for 16 ounces, twice a month. You can do the math and see how much I am saving. Dealio, right?
To conclude…
Making your own beans is a great way to save money. They are filling, and a great source of protein and fiber. And, if you soak them overnight-24 hours, they are highly digestible.
Making your own breads.. another way to save. You can do it. The banana bread took me an extra 20 minutes that morning, and my kiddos went to school with a belly full of warm goodness.
Coconut oil is the best oil to cook with.. sure it’s more expensive than canola or soybean, but I will have to write yet another post on why you should never eat those oils.
Happy Shopping in Bulk Friends!