Because of this uptick in food consumption I have definitely noticed that our grocery bills have started to creep up a bit and so I am starting to be even more diligent about using some of the techniques I saw my mom put into place when I was growing up. My mom is a serious pro at these things. Family friends always talk about how amazing it was to watch my mom feed huge groups of people with what appeared to be very little food. So whether you are just trying to cut down on your food bills, you are hoping to save up for a summer vacation, or you have some other fun plans for a little extra dough, here are some tricks to feed the hoards without breaking the bank:

1) Beans and legumes need to be a staple. They are a cheap and easy protein source, incredibly flexible, and very filling because they are so packed with fiber. You can use them in dishes like chilis and protein bowls, but you can also use them to stretch out your meat by mixing them into taco meat and even burgers!

2) Bulk up the vegetables. Not only is this healthier, it is also cheaper! So if you need to expand the offerings on the table, go for another vegetable side or make that salad bigger. If you want to make a sauce go farther, double the vegetables.

3) Grains, grains, grains. Grains, especially whole grains, are wonderful for filling bellies and stretching out the meal, so make extra.

4) Use meat as a flavor enhancer, not the main event. If you are a meat-eating family this is probably the biggest money saver around. Meat is really expensive, especially if you are going for the organic/humanely raised kinds, so instead of having meat, a grain, and a vegetable, try using less meat and incorporating more vegetables like in this skillet sauce, this baked pasta, in a stew, minestrone-type soup.

5) Make it richer. Adding high-quality fats can help to fill hungry bellies. So add cream or sour cream to a sauce, cheese to those tacos/burritos/pastas, or avocados to those sandwiches/burritos and the needs for seconds (or thirds or fourths) may dissipate.

Do you have tips on how to save on your grocery bill and how to stretch out the food to feed seemingly insatiable appetites? If so, I’d love to (and need to) hear them! Please share in the comments!

<p>The post 5 Ways To Stretch a Meal and Save Money first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

In the past few months, though, I have been trying to do better about my own self-care and it has made a huge difference!

As I am sure you have heard over-and-over again, in order to be more available and open to others (whether as a parent, a friend, a service provider, or even as a stranger), it is important that we maintain our “reserves” by doing things that help us to unwind, relax, and get the stress out. It helps us to have more patience, to feel more centered, to be better listeners, to be more present in the moment.

But when you are busy and life isn’t slowing down, it can be very hard to make the time to take care of yourself and for some of us it can be hard to spend the money on things that might help us to unwind. So in an effort to help you to start to actually try to take care of yourself. Here are seven ideas of quick and cheap things that can help to take the edge off.

1. Go for a walk around the block. Let’s be honest, 5 or 10 minutes is not going to make or break your to-do list, but it will give you time to breathe.
2. Take a 5-minute stretching break. Do a few of your favorite yoga poses or just reach for the sky, but as you do whatever stretches you do, try to be mindful of your breathing and take slow, deep breaths.
3. Have a dance party (with or without your kids). Crank of some fun music and just let loose. No one is watching.
4. Set aside 15 minutes a day that is “me-time.” You don’t check email or social media, you don’t talk to anyone in your house, you just allow yourself to be.
5. Make what you want for dinner. So often we are consumed with pleasing everyone else that we forget about ourselves and our desires. So for one night a week make what you want, regardless of whether or not anyone else will be happy with it (no one will starve to death).
6. Take a bath. Do not clean yourself. Just draw a warm bath with the sole purpose of relaxing. If you’ve got some bubbles or salts, great. Maybe have a glass of wine, play some favorite music, or light a candle. The main thing is to shut the door and take the time for yourself.
7. Go to bed early. Forget the dishes, forget the laundry, forget the to-do list, just go to bed. Give yourself a truly good night of sleep.

What do you do to take care of yourself? What helps you unwind?

<p>The post Self Care: Quick and Cheap Ways to Unwind first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

Even the weeks when there is less planned seem to fill up with decisions we have been putting off, tasks around the house we haven’t completed, and work we have been putting off because we haven’t had time. So sometimes it gets to the point where we are just worn out. That is the state of things in our house this week. It is times like these when I have to fight the desire to pick up take out or order a pizza. It is times like these when my husband gently and cautiously asks how many dishes will there be to wash after dinner.

So why do I resist that temptation to order or get take out? For a couple of reasons:

1)   I am cheap. If I don’t need to spend the money, I don’t want to. And no matter what, making something quick and easy at home will always be cheaper than ordering pizza or take-out for four.

2)   It is healthier. If I make the food it will have less unnecessary sodium and sugar, it won’t have the preservatives, and if we have meat or dairy, it will be meat and dairy I feel comfortable serving/eating.

3)   I don’t want to get into the habit. If I start ordering food, then it become more tempting to order it the next time and, sure, Chipotle or a pizza every once in a while is ok, but if we do it too often, then it is a slippery slope to once a week, then twice a week, etc. And that is something I want to avoid for the two reasons above.

So since I am controlling and cheap, what are my solutions for days like these when I really can’t face too much cooking and my husband can’t face the dishes? Well, there are some go-to meals that I know won’t require too many dishes and require 10 minutes or less of prep time.

1)   Veggie-loaded quesadillas (what we will be having for dinner tonight). Some cheese, some beans (if I have them on-hand), a mix of whatever leftover veggies I have in the fridge or freezer, and some tortillas and I am ready to go.  Salad on the side a bonus.

2)   Grilled cheese sandwiches with salad or a frozen veggie side.

3)   Veggie scrambled eggs and toast. Chop up some veggies, sauté them in a little butter, and mix in the eggs with some salt, pepper, and herbs and your done practically by the time the toast is toasted. Fruit or salad on the side a bonus.

4)   Leftovers. Everyone gets to pick what they want from what is in the fridge.

So that is how we are going to survive this evening so that we can get to bed earlier than we have been.  What are your tricks of the days like these?

<p>The post Running on Empty and Still Cooking first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

So a practice my husband and I have tried to take on each year is to watch our everyday spending to try to cut back a bit more at this time of year in an attempt to give us a little bit more wiggle room. It can be a challenge, but we honestly have felt like it is worth it and it has decreased the stress a bit. So while I may not be able to give you a list of super-amazing-gorgeous-so-simple-a-child-could-do-it-homemade gift ideas for everyone in your family, I do have a list of tips for saving money when it comes to everyday food. This list, honestly, can be helpful throughout the year, but maybe it will help to take the edge off a bit in this financially stressful season.

Top 7 Money Saving Tips:

1. Eat at home. I know this is one that we all know to be true, but a reminder can be helpful, especially at this time of year.  Let’s be honest, after an afternoon of shopping or a day full of social events, the last thing we want to do is cook. So if you can plan ahead a bit and have something ready to go on those super busy days, do it! Just think, if you order pizza or get Chipotle for a family of four, that is at least $25. If you made dinner at home, you’ll probably spend $10. You’ll be getting better, healthier food and you’ll be saving money. Do that four times in the month and you’ve saved yourself $60. That’s enough for a present!
2. Crockpot, crockpot, crockpot. It is getting colder. It is getting darker. It is the time of year when those warm comfort foods really sustain us. Take advantage of that and use your crockpot. Set it up in the morning, before the crazy day begins, and when you come home you’ve got a warm, delicious, healthy meal waiting for you. What could be more comforting than that? Here are some good recipes to get you started: veggie stew, veggie lasagna, tomato soup, roast chicken.
3. Be a cheapskate. This is the time to take advantage of cheaper ingredients. By cheap I don’t mean low-quality ingredients, I mean the lower-cost ones. Legumes (beans, chickpeas, etc.), whole grains, sweet potatoes, winter squashes. These low-cost foods pack a punch, sustain you for the long-haul, and are delicious. If you are a meat eater, you can use less meat to add a meat flavor to these ingredients. Make a big batch of chili and freeze the extras for another night, cook up some black beans and have a burrito night at home, make a chickpea and vegetable stew, the possibilities are endless!
4. Cook for an army. One way to save time and money is to cook in big batches. When you find the time to cook, cook a lot. Make a double batch of pasta sauce and freeze extra for other nights. Stews, soups, chilis, veggie burgers, quiches, many, many things freeze surprisingly well and will save you time and money later when you don’t eat out!
5. Don’t waste food. Make it a priority to eat the food in your fridge. Bring it to work for lunch the next day (then you don’t have to buy lunch!) or have a “leftovers night” when everyone gets to pick a leftover they want to enjoy and you don’t have to cook again! For those of you who can’t stand leftovers, then turn them into something new. That roast chicken can become chicken quesadillas, a chicken pasta, and stock for soup. That leftover veggie stew can be turned into the filling for a pot-pie or turnovers.
6. Pack your lunch. This is another one that may be a no-brainer for some, but is a challenge for many. Think about it, every time you buy your lunch at work it is $8-10. If you brought leftovers or a sandwich and snacks, you could save yourself probably $30 a week (to be conservative). That’s $120 a month! That’s 1, 2, 3, or even 4 presents! So while you’re packing your kid’s lunch in the morning, why not just throw together a third one just like it (alright, maybe a bit bigger) for you.
7. Plan ahead. Here it is. The dreaded meal-plan suggestion. I know this is challenging. To be honest, this is the one I often struggle with myself. But it really is true—if you can plan your meals for the week you will save money. Here’s why: 1) you will be less likely to eat out—maybe out of guilt, maybe because you actually have the food in the house, but you really will eat out less; 2) you can strategically buy ingredients. If you can envision your week’s meals, then you can plan strategically—that grated cheese can be for homemade pizza one night and in an omelet the next, or that broccoli can be roasted one night and then the leftovers can be used in a quiche the next; and 3) you are less likely to make impulse purchases. Yes, that pre-made meal may look really appetizing, but if you already have a plan, you are less likely to want to mess that plan up.

So what do you think? Do you already do any or all of these? Which seem doable and which are totally intimidating?

<p>The post Money Saving Tips for the Holidays first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>