Kitchen Conversations
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| So many ways to save. |
Me: So, guys, it's 4th Quarter. What kind of experiment should we do with our time and money?
Everyone had something to say.
Don: Pay off student loans.
KC: That is depressing that you graduated like, a long time ago, and you are still paying student loans.
Me:
Yep, it's a cautionary tale about what you do to get through school.
Anyway, it's a great goal, but we can't accomplish it in this quarter.
I wonder if there is something smaller we can aim for that will still
make a difference.
KC: How about no fast food.
Caleb: Or soda.
Hannah: Yeah, how about no fast food or soda. But do we have to do it for three months, or can we just do it for one month.
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| No Fast Food or Soda in the house? Good idea. Too easy for us. |
I
consider their offer. It is good, except for the fact that now that we
are in our house, major renovations are completed and boxes are
unpacked to a livable point, we haven't been eating much fast food. Don
did buy a bunch of pop while I was out of town, but it's been gone for a
few days. This challenge seems a little whimpy as it stands.
Me: okay, no fast food, and how 'bout we say we won't have pop in the house.
I have to leave a loop hole for an occasional diet coke.
Me:
Still, now it seems like we're aiming too low. It's not much of a
stretch. We don't get fast food that often and soda is something you
guys have wanted to quit for a while.
Caleb: Would it include casual dining, like Jimmy John's, too?
Ever
since Bren has been working at the sandwich joint, it seams like most
of our out-to-eat dollars go there. Healthier than burgers or pizza,
but still more than we should pay for a sandwich.
Me: Sure. But not Cafe Rio. Okay, think beyond fast food, guys. What else could we do.
Hannah: what if us kids all made dinner one night a week and you didn't. I mean all of us together, not each of us separately.
With an older brother leaving home soon, Hannah thrive spending sibling time together.
Me: That is a good idea. I like the idea of kids in the kitchen. What else?
KC: You must have something in mind, Mom. Help us out.
Me: KC, think back to about your challenge today, what if we did something like that every week.
Don: What was today's challenge.
KC:
Mom said, 'I'll give you $20 for groceries. If you can plan tonight's
meal, pick up groceries, and make the meal you can keep whatever you
have left.'
Note: $20 is a lot more than I
would normally spend on a meal for the six of us, at least double. But,
I have next to no groceries, and I wanted to see how her creativity
might kick in.
Me: Then, KC said, "If I can figure out something to make from home, that doesn't require going to the store, can I keep the $20?"
KC: And we really are out of lots of stuff. No milk or butter, most of the veggies are gone. It was a pretty empty fridge.
Me:
Yep. But, I did set some rules like, 1) You can't do pancakes or
something because Dad is the provider of the feast and breakfast for
dinner doesn't really fly with him. And, 2) it has to be well rounded
with plenty of fresh color, and a non-meat protein.
KC:
So, I said fried Ramen. And Mom said, "okay, if you do fried rice,
too. And stir fry lots of veggies." And, we had everything I needed
here at home. Mom helped me make it, she put quinoa in the rice to give
it a little extra protein, and I think it is really good. And, I'm
going to use the $20 to pay for my headshot tomorrow so I can submit my
résumé for an acting gig I want to audition for.
Note:
that is my favorite part. She is using the money to pay for something
that I might have ended up paying for anyway. This is a big win. She
is learning to plan ahead, problem solve and take responsibility for
her own stuff. That wasn't lost on Don.
Don: Pretty good deal. Sounds great.
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| KC's $20 Headshot |
Me:
So, what if everyone takes their turn, plans their meal and makes it,
pockets the rest of the money and I figure out what else we are going to
do.
Hannah: I already know what I want to do.
Tomato bisque, bread and salad. We have everything we need except
fresh basil and bread. So, I should have lots of money left over.
Me:
alright. We can pick up the basil and bread, pay for it with a twenty,
and you can keep what is left. If I do that 8 times in the month, you
will each have the chance to make dinner twice and it will cost me $160.
I'll get the rest of our groceries as food storage stock-up, Bountiful
Baskets for produce, and go to the store once in the week for bread
and dairy.
I like the idea of stocking up
for a month while the kids are doing their $20 meal plans, and then
spending the next month living on what we bought. Here is a rough
outline of my budget and plan. Also, with kids pocketing the money they
don't spend on food, I save money I would normally use to pay for
elective kid stuff, like KC's head shot, Hannah's
I-wannan-make-a-fancy-fondant-cake-for-my-cousin project, and Caleb's
script fees for his school's production of Oklahoma.
Monthly food budget for 7 people $600
Kid meal planning - $160
Bountiful baskets produce - $100
Dairy, eggs, bread, herbs - $50
Pantry Prep - $290
November Plan Possibility - $175
Living from the pantry - $0
Bountiful baskets - $100
Dairy, eggs, bread, herbs, turkey - $75
December -
One grocery day Dec 1 - $100 no more grocery shopping until after Christmas
Bountiful Baskets - $100
Online grocery allowance - $150
Somethings other ideas that inspire me:
Not going to the store at all
Seeing how many days I can go without spending ANY $
Discovering how many meals can my kids plan and prep without my help
Vegetarian fare
What experiments around home economics, specifically the idea of saving time and money in your home, inspire you? I love ideas to add to my list of possibilities.
KC's Fried Rice: 2 Meals
Ingredients
3
Tbs vegetable oil
2
Tbs sesame oil
1
lbs carrots, thinly sliced
1
lbs broccoli, finely chopped
1 onion,
finely chopped
10
oz cooked crumbled bacon, optional
10
cups of cooked rice
3
Tbs soy sauce
4
tsp of granulated bouillon or 4 ramen flavor packets
1
Tbs garlic powder
1
tsp ginger powder
1
tsp salt
1
Tbs pepper
Instructions
In
a large sauce pan or wok sauté carrots, onion and broccoli over medium-high
heat till tender. Add bacon and sauté for
another minute or two until the bacon has a nice crisp to it.. Turn heat down to medium, add rice, soy
sauce, seasoning, salt and pepper.
Taste, taste, taste. Does it need
more garlic or soy sauce, sesame oil or pepper.
Season to taste. Stir thoroughly
till all rice is well coated with seasoning and light brown in color. Serve or cool and measure into gallon size freezer
bags. To serve, reheat in the freezer
bag.
