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Robinsbite: October 2009

Monday, October 26, 2009

10 Easy Ways to Save at the Grocery Store with Lauren Marek (and RP's bubbly commentary)


As I write my own grocery list for the week, guest blogger Lauren Marek's comments are speaking loud and clear! Check out my own chatter next to her excellent points!

Way to Save Money at the Grocery Store

We are all trying to cut back on our spending these days. Food is one of our biggest monthly expenditures, so why not find easy ways to save, but still get the high quality foods that you like?

Here are some easy tips to save money on groceries:

1. Watch the scanner at checkout. Did you know that Americans lose 1 to 3 BILLION DOLLARS in pricing discrepancies each year? Make sure that the price on the food matches the price on the scanner.
RP says: Seriously folks-watch this closely. I have found many an error by doing so and thereby saved money!

2. Make your own mixes. Pre-made mixes are expensive, and not as good! Bring out your inner Martha Stewart and mix up your own brownies!
RP says: I love www.epicurious.com and www.thekitchn.com for recipes.

3. Keep track of what you have at home. How many times have you showed up with a just purchased item, only to realize you already had 2 at home?!
RP says: Sadly, I do this all the time-I recently had 5 boxes of Triscuits in my cupboard. Seriously!

4. Eat first. You have heard this over and over: if you shop hungry, you buy more.
RP says: this is true. Especially during Halloween season. Those mini Kit Kat's and Reece's may be calling your name, but remember that just a few of the "minis" become a full blown extra large candy bar faster than you know!

5. Grate and chop your own foods. Pre-grated and chopped cheese, meats, carrots, etc. are expensive, and it's just too easy to do it yourself to justify the cost difference.
RP says: Do this on Sunday. You will thank yourself by Thursday when you are temped to call Pizza Hut for take out.


6. Watch out for aisle manipulation. Grocery stores purposely put the diary and meat products in the back of the store. Why? They want you to walk through all of the aisles and face the temptation of all the fun colored, new products on the way. Keep this in mind next time you're making a quick milk run and avoid the maze.
RP says: Those food marketers are smart cookies. Just take a look at how big the chip and soda aisles are these days.

7. Beware of bulk. Just because it's packaged in bulk does not mean it's necessarily a better deal. Before you buy that year long supply of marshmallows, try bringing your calculator to find out if it's really cheaper.
RP says: if you do buy in bulk, repackage into correct portion sizes when you get home. Just check the label for proper serving sizes.

8. Eat more beans! Beans are not only cheap, but they're a great source of protein and fiber.
RP says: I heart beans. What more needs to be said?

9. Make a coupon file. Instead of cutting them out and throwing them in your purse to forever be forgotten, make a coupon file and look in it for the items you need before you hit up the super market.
RP says: I am not a coupon queen, but I am getting better. It's amazing how much you can save if you are looking for the RIGHT coupons. Don't clip something you don't buy just to get the discount!

10. Cut back on bottled water. According to the New York Times, "Almost all municipal water in America is so good that nobody needs to import a single bottle from Italy or France or the Fiji Islands. Meanwhile, if you choose to get your recommended eight glasses a day from bottled water, you could spend up to $1,400 annually. The same amount of tap water would cost you about 49 cents." This is not to mention all of the plastic Americans are wasting...
RP says: I do drink Dallas water on a daily basis and I feel pretty good.

This last tip from me doesn't save money per se, but it does save the environment. Hoping up right now to put my recycled bags at the back door so I don't forget them!

How do you save at the grocery store? Post a comment and let us know!

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Thursday, October 15, 2009

Just Another Thing to Clean? Think Again with Clean Food

You are in a constant state of cleaning. You clean your house, your car, your kids, yourself. What about your food? Are you eating clean?

Check out the new book by Terry Walters, Clean Food. Here's the scoop:
  • Holistic approach to cooking
  • 223 featured recipes
  • focus on whole, minimally processed foods
  • sustainable, local foods
  • organic vs. conventional
  • Props from Mario Batali
A few of the recipes:
  • Shiitake Mushrooms and Bitter Greens in Filo
  • Stovetop Barley with Sweet Vegetables
  • Sweet Dumpling Squash with Orange-Scented Quinoa Stuffing
  • Crispy Rice Squares

Here in Dallas, the book signing is sponsored by edible DFW.

WHAT: Book Signing by Clean Food author Terry Walters
WHERE: Barnes & Noble 7700 Northwest Highway
WHEN: Monday, October 19th at 7:00pm.
WHAT ELSE: Terry Walters will be doing a cooking demonstration

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Friday, October 2, 2009

A bit more on the Egg Story.....

Let me clarify a few things in that last post about my love of the hard boiled egg.

The American Heart Association revised their dietary guidelines in 2000 to emphasize an overall dietary pattern for good health. There is no longer a specific recommendation on the number of egg yolks a person may consume per week. However, the recommendation for healthy American adults does limit cholesterol intake to less than 300 mg per day. One large egg=220 mg cholesterol per day. You do the math.

Remember that eggs are one of the most perfect foods found in nature. Not only are their rich in protein, B vitamins, iron and other minerals, they have no carbohydrates, and no trans fats. And, they are inexpensive and are widely available to boot.

The take home message here? It's not your eggs that are causing your increased cholesterol levels. Take a look at the rest of your diet before you say no to the egg!

Eat Your Eggs!

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