5 TIPS FOR GROCERY SHOPPING AND COOKING ON A BUDGET

 

We can all eat well – no matter what our financial constraints are. It’s just a matter of getting creative with menu planning and using a few handy techniques to save money at the store.

Here are my favorite tricks to eat great food on a budget!

1. PLAN YOUR MEALS
Sitting down on a Sunday or Monday to plan your meals for the week saves a ton of time and money. Having a set plan means you don’t have to do the whole “I’m hungry! What should we make? What do I have in the fridge? What do we feel like eating?” routine every time you’re ready for dinner. It also means you don’t have to worry about finding uses for a bunch of random ingredients hanging out in your fridge – buy only what you need to make the meals on your list, and you’ll have exactly what you need on hand exactly when you need it. Meal planning saves time and helps you cut down on food waste (which is basically just like throwing money into the trash! Which, umm, we don’t want to be doing). Need some inspiration as you plan your meals for the week? Check out the TODAY Food Club’s newsletter for weekly meal plans and shopping lists to get you started!

2. MAKE A LIST
Me at the grocery store without a list = dangerous. Not only do I end up bringing home food I don’t actually need, I end up forgetting the food I actually went to the store for. (Fail). Use your meal plan as a starting point for your grocery list and add any other necessities as needed. I like to keep a post-it on my fridge and write things down as I run out of them – like milk, eggs, etc. – so I don’t forget anything important!

3. SET A BUDGET
To set an initial budget, take a look at what you’re already spending on groceries each week. It helps to set goals here: do you want to reduce your grocery spending by $50? Spend less money on processed foods? Buy more fresh produce? Use these goals to help you make cuts and adjustments to your current purchasing habits. Then use an app like Mint (or a good ol’ fashioned spreadsheet!) to keep track of your spending so you know how much money is left in your budget each time you’re at the store.

4. SET ASIDE SOME “FUN” MONEY
Allocate a little bit of your grocery budget for non-list items that call your name once you actually get to the store. See some purple asparagus that would go PERFECTLY with the pot roast you’re planning for Tuesday? Use that flexible piece of your grocery budget to snap it up guilt-free.

5. FIND A COOKING COMMUNITY

Even the most well-organized, budget-savvy shoppers among us have days where shopping and budgeting and cooking are each the 100% very last thing you want to do today. Engaging with online communities like blogs (hi there!) or the TODAY Food Club (TFC) are awesome ways to keep yourself motivated – and excited! – to cook healthy meals at home. The TFC even takes it a step further by featuring selected members on the TODAY show, their website, and social channels – plus you can earn contributor badges for your own website (LIKE ONLINE GIRL SCOUTS! Or, more awesomely, online Pawnee Goddesses. Who’s with me?!) The free TFC newsletter, 5-day-meal plans (HELLO TIME SAVER FOR US LAZY FOLK) and shopping lists (AGAIN WITH THE TIME SAVING) are just icing on the cake. Facebook groups, Twitter chats, and good ol’ fashioned potluck dinner parties are also good ways to connect with other busy budgeters for food-related moral support. We’re all in this together!

Guide To Choose The Right Mixer Grinder For Your Kitchen

 

Mixer grinder is one of the most common appliances in every household. But varieties of grinders in the market make it tough for us to choose the right one for our kitchen. Here's a guide to help you out.

In today's fast paced world, most of us are often pressed for time. Multi-tasking is the only 'mantra' that can help us to keep up the pace. Hence to make our daily chores quick and comfortable, technology has blessed us with several essentials, and one of those is a mixer grinder. No one can deny the power of a good mixer grinder in our kitchen. From grinding masalas to making juices, shakes and chutneys, a grinder is a boon for all. There are several types of grinders available in the market that often leaves us confused as to which one is the right fit for our kitchen.

To bid the confusions adieu, here are a few mixer grinder options which can be of good use:

1. Philips HL7756/00 750-Watt Mixer Grinder with 3 Jars (Black)

Philips is a brand that several people swear by. It is known for providing good quality appliances in the market for years. Talking about their mixer grinder, it can be considered to be value for money. It comes with leak-proof jars and makes the grinding experience smooth and hassle-free

2. Wonderchef 400 Watt Nutri-Blend Mixer Grinder

If you are looking for something handy and sleek, this mixer grinder is the one for you! It is compact and can fit in any corner in your kitchen. Wonderchef 400 Watt Nutri-Blend Mixer Grinder is apt for making juices, shakes and smoothies for a quick breakfast during busy mornings.

3. Preethi Zodiac MG 218 750-Watt Mixer Grinder

Right from kneading atta to grinding spices to mincing meat, Preethi Zodiac MG 218 Mixer Grinder has multiple usages. This appliance comes with 3 jars, including including a storage jar in a combo.

4. Sujata Powermatic Plus 900 Watts Juicer Mixer Grinder

Sujata is an affordable brand, and this particular mixer is perhaps one of the most efficient mixer grinders in the market. It can run smoothly for 90 minutes, hence can be a good option for longer usages.

KFC Original Recipe Chicken

 

KFC Original Recipe Chicken decoded by a food reporter and republished with all 11 herbs and spices to make picture perfect KFC chicken at home! 
KFC Original Recipe Chicken has been a huge part of my childhood. As a kid my aunt would walk me home from school and we would stop at the KFC that was a half a block from my school. We’d share chicken and a strawberry parfait they used to sell. Unlike the Pioneer Chicken that my mom used to buy, this food memory is one I can still enjoy anytime I wanted.

So why make a copycat recipe of it if you have one a mile down the road? Well, A: Copycat recipes are a ton of fun and B: Way, way, way, way higher quality. Have you been to a KFC in the last decade? I’ve only been a few times but was disappointed each time because the chicken pieces have shrunken… a lot. Also, and hey to each his own (I’m definitely guilty of my fair share of food sins), but KFC uses MSG in the recipe for its KFC Original Recipe Chicken. Oh, and last thing, as far as fast food goes, it tends to be pretty pricy.

KFC Original Recipe Chicken

KFC Original Recipe Chicken uncovered by a food reporter from Colonel Sander's nephew and republished with all 11 herbs and spices to make picture perfect KFC chicken at home

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 tablespoon dried basil leaves
• 1/3 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
• 1 tablespoon celery salt
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried mustard
• 3 tablespoons paprika (original recipe calls for 4 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons garlic salt
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 3 tablespoons ground white pepper
• 2 teaspoons Accent Seasoning , optional (I left this out)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 chicken , cut into 10 pieces (2 wings, 2 legs, 2 thighs and 2 breasts each cut in half to make 4 breast pieces)
• vegetable oil for frying
  
  

Instructions

• Note: click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.

  1. Add the spices to a small food processor until they're all uniform in size and the thyme, basil and oregano aren't larger in size anymore.
  2. Add the flour in a bowl with all the herbs and spices and mix with a whisk.
  3. In a second larger bowl add the buttermilk and egg together and whisk until combined.

  4. Add the chicken to the buttermilk mixture for 20-30 minutes.

  5. Remove chicken from the buttermilk soak and let any excess buttermilk drip off.
  6. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture on all sides, then shake off the excess coating.

  7. Let it rest on a cookie sheet for 20-30 minutes.

  8. Add oil to a deep fryer or a large pot that is at least 5 inches high so that the chicken can be fully submerged.

  9. Heat the oil to 350 degrees and fry in small batches for 15-18 minutes.

  10. Remove the chicken from the oil and add to a drying rack on top of a clean cookie sheet.
  11. If you add it to a paper towel or newspaper the bottom of the chicken will steam from the heat and become soft.
      
      

Recipe Notes

• 1. So here it is, in all its glory. I did make a couple of adjustments in my side by side comparison during recipe testing. More details of how/why available in the post above this recipe card.

     I ditched the MSG.
     I reduced the paprika by 1 tablespoon.
     I pulverized the thyme, basil and oregano in my small food processor.
     I added more oil

     Thanks so much to the awesome folks at the Chicago Tribune for this KFC Original Recipe Chicken "copycat."