Eating for 30 Days on a $100 Budget? Part 2 (Days 2 to 5)

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[@meaghan929]

The struggle of "I don't feel like cooking" is real!!!! I ordered Chinese food for dinner tonight. 🤫 Thank you for being authentic. When I'm freezing meals that I'm worried might be soggy when reheated, I layer them with the "wettest" ingredient on the bottom. Gravy, then potatoes, then breaded cube steaks on top. You could even put a sheet of parchment paper between the potatoes and the meat. Thaw the meal, and re-heat the meat in a skillet to crisp it up a bit, and reheat the potatoes and gravy in the microwave. Just a thought! 😋

[@punkchild27177]

I cannot thank you enough for your videos. I think a lot of people don't understand how much time and mental energy it can take to stretch a budget. You are taking the time and mental energy for so many of us, and I appreciate all of the effort that you use to save the rest of us tons of time/money/exhaustion. Thank you so much!

[@donnismatthews4910]

You help me feed other people! Because I don’t have a lot but I eat what I want with in reasonable price! But I give families food with your recipes!

[@mamat1213]

Exactly!!! God bless you!

[@ayronsmama05]

My mama born 1928 made the best biscuits and gravy. I remember my mama asking my brother if he wanted gravy with his eggs and biscuits one more. And he asked me if I could make my gravy instead. Well mama was ticked and immediately got defensive and said "Who the heck do you think taught her how to make that gravy?" Well I'm now 55 and about 3 years ago I figured out that our gravy wasn't the same and to me hers was sooo much better. I made milk gravy and mama made water gravy. I saw this older cook on a video making it and I was like "No Way!" I went straight to the kitchen and made it and literally cried!! I now make mama's gravy! It's about the salt, pepper and bacon grease ratio. I couldn't measure but I can hear her saying "That's enough now!" Miss her to high heaven!

[@MarthaDelvalle-dm5vu]

Great idea! I never thought of that

[@buffypearce4735]

Oh how I miss my mama's meatloaf!!

[@marthafeagans2257]

Making gravy is such a skill! I’m a southerner and frankly, a bit picky about gravy. My daddy made the best! He used half milk, half water, and it always came out perfectly! It’s a wonderful thing to feel their love after their gone, simply by making the dishes they taught you to make. “About like that.” “You’ll know bc it feels right.” “Take your time. It goes wrong before it goes right.” “Gravy takes time to learn, but once you do, you’re just fine.” I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one with such memories. How lovely.

[@0wlyssa]

I love recreating those old recipes from loved ones no longer with us - and the feeling that they're watching over us while we're making it to let us know, "Okay, that's enough!" or "No, no, add some more - don't be stingy!" (That last one is 100% my grandma whenever I make potato and cheese pierogi, lol)

[@cygna1237]

@@0wlyssa I wish i could recall my grandpas chili. He made the best. No matter what I do mine doesn't turn out the same.

[@mrsbluesky8415]

I related so much when you said “I don’t feel like cooking tonight” but you knew you had to. It’s universal and you still made a great meal.

[@veronica978]

I usually use any leftover flour to make the gravy, that I used for the breading so I’m not just throwing it away. It’s already seasoned and you’re using it with the meat you’re cooking anyway. It’s not sitting where the juices from the meat are going to go bad until you cook it

[@DollarTreeDinners]

That's a great idea! I hadn’t considered that

[@naelyneurkopfen9741]

I throw that excess flour in the freezer, if I'm not making gravy right then.

[@hannakinn]

My grandmother always used or frozen that flour. People that lived thru the depression and the war rationing years, they did a lot that makes sense now in these times of inflation and food instability.

[@veronica978]

@@hannakinn that's why I do it. My mom was born in 1935 ( my bio grandmother) and she would fuss because I "wasted the flour when I was cooking it anyway... needless to say that only happened once lol

[@jenniferhutson4543]

Genius!

[@vixenjenocidal]

My ex was a meat cutter at Safeway. When they run ads, *all* stores must run them and all meat depts must order for the ads. Certain cuts/meats sell better in different areas... Chicken breast vs. dark meat, steaks vs. budget cuts, etc... try going to an affluent neighborhood store the day before ad drops. I once got 10lbs of chicken for less than $2!!! 😮 I would have loaded up if my freezer wasn't already full. 😂

[@matxalenc8410]

I notice stores in well-to-do areas have better deals and supplies - including Dollar Tree.

[@cygna1237]

I always watch Save mart just during times I know when chicken will go on sale. They are usually on the better parts of town, their chicken are Two for one, so i can get two family packs of drums, thighs, for 5 dollars or less. I've gotten them as low as 3 and where I'm at, that's half price.

[@LynneMadison0731]

​@@cygna1237 That is such a deal!😊

[@cygna1237]

@@LynneMadison0731 Yes it is. :) I stock up!

[@kat-napzzz]

As a chronically ill person, I also use the squirrel away method. That way I have precooked meals for bad days. I’m glad you’re showcasing this idea. Sometimes when I make meat, I season one piece with Mexican seasoning and feeeze it. That way I have an instant taco filling ready to go.

[@la_diva_maria]

Thank you for showing the struggle of not wanting to cook and dealing with repetition. For the days when i struggle to cook, i always have peanut butter and jam, and/or a package of bologna. Bar S is a decent brand and is very inexpensive. I always have a package or two in my freezer. I also always have flour, so there are times when I’ll make a few tortillas for “bread”. Lol. Thank you for all of the work, thought and care. You’re amazing!

[@mcclungsonwhite7377]

My kids love bar s. I keep packages in the freezer for weeks I can’t find healthier alternatives!

[@cygna1237]

@@mcclungsonwhite7377 Bar s Chicken bologna makes excellent egg/bologna sandwiches, a breakfast meat, and good side for a grilled vege plate.

[@tinashort9098]

I have the easiest homemade bread recipe!! 3 cups AP flour 3 tsp rapid rise yeast 3 tsp kosher salt 1 1/2 cups very warm water Mix drys together Add the water Cover and let sit on your counter for at least 4 hours Heat oven to 450 Put the very wet dough, add flour to be able to get it into a loaf pan, into a loaf pan. Cover the pan with either foil or another loaf pan. Bake covered for 30 mins, uncovered for about 12 more minutes. It’s really very easy. No kneading, just rising. ❤❤

[@deborahthatcher9511]

Going to try this...ty!

[@evem4876]

Ty for sharing ur bread recipe , I never make bread this will be a first with ur easy great recipe ...I bet it's yummy ty 🌷

[@asmradventureasmr]

Question, you don’t have to mix the wet with the dry ingredients or do you? 😊

[@tinabartle8225]

Thank you for sharing

[@brookiebakerie]

​@@asmradventureasmr Not my recipe, but you're gonna need to stir the water into the dry ingredients to make a very wet dough. Then go on to the next step.

[@kerrigomez8445]

Just a reminder that you could do the 5.00 off 25.00 for Dollar General on Saturday. If you can purchase 1.00 or 2.00 foods it could help stretch the budget. Also, you can use the other digital coupons on the app to lower your out of pocket cost.

[@proudmammaof6148]

This is a great idea.

[@claireworld_]

Wow didn’t know that. Thank you!

[@marymitchell8717]

I swear I ALWAYS forget to go on Saturday... ugh. Great idea!

[@bridgetgreene2457]

Cube steak is a tough cut of meat , it is a low and slow type of either crock pot or oven meat , even insta pot ! You could put the meat in the gravy after frying and put in oven for about an hour, or until the meat was tender . The crust wouldn’t be crispy, but it would be fantastic and tender . Just my suggestions… I think you do a fantastic job on your budgeting and shopping for a week at a time ! Thank you for sharing all of your videos and knowledge.

[@dianejasinski593]

I was told to cook cube steak just like you explained,first time I made it,I did it the same way Rebecca did it and mine was tough too!!next time I make it,I will do it the way you explained,thank you for your input

[@soniajohnson8896]

I cook cubed steak in slow cooker . I don’t even brown it first. Just bread it with seasoned flour and pour over a can of cream soup or jar of gravy. It is always tender. I used to battle with tough cubed steak but now I don’t.

[@traceye.1367]

I always use my meat tenderizer mallet on the cube steak before cooking.

[@TexasBlueBonnet61]

@@traceye.1367 ~ I do that, too. "Beat the tar out of it!" as my Gran used to say. Also a little Adolph's tenderizer. That's when I want crispy crust on my chicken fry. Otherwise, I do smothered steak & gravy, like @bridgetgreene2457 suggested.

[@KrystyneY]

I hate cube steak!

[@hayleyl9396]

When making mashed potatoes if you save some of the cooking water you can use that to help mash your potatoes and use less milk and butter. It's not AS rich and creamy but they are still very good. ETA: I really love how intentional you are with your budget, your ingredients and working variety into what you make.

[@kyndalltrickett1945]

I just found a new little hack on my own money-saving journey! I got a bag of the Martha white muffin mix in double chocolate chip and made mini mug cakes. Just take about a quarter cup of dry mix and put it into your mug, mix 1oz of milk into it and microwave for 45seconds to a minute. we topped ours with peanut butter. Two dishes only and an easy dessert when you don’t want to cook anything!

[@kyndalltrickett1945]

And $0.38 per little cake is so cheap for a dessert

[@situzen185]

Food banking is a great idea! My sister laughed at me because I freeze tiny amounts of food for later use. For example: My husband will leave just a bite or two of meat on his plate, which I then freeze. Small amounts of veggies, rice, fresh herbs are put in an ice tray. These are delicious additives for soups, casseroles, pasta, etc. and need very little extra seasoning since the leftovers were already seasoned. In hot weather or on a busy day my husband has an assortment of the saved bites of meat served on top of his summer salad.

[@tracieschrock9519]

i had a friend who kept 2 empty icecream buckets in her fridge and one was for meats and 2nd was for veggies.. starting on Mondays any meat or veggies left from dinners went into the assigned buckets and on Sundays she made what she called "fridge" soup she put it all in 1 pot and added items if she needed to, added canned tomatoes and broth for a pot of soup and made cornbread...she did this year round. she wasted nothing!!😊

[@stephaniebaker4024]

I have come up with some of the best meals doing this. My husband asks what is this called? No clue food lol

[@tracieschrock9519]

@@stephaniebaker4024 my sister and i came up with a meal we called 'stewp' it's just can of chunky beef veggie soup (gravy type), canned beefstew, 1 can mixed veggies (drained), 1 can of diced tomatoes, and some brown gravy mix...just threw it all in 1 pot heated and made cornbread to go with it and littles got a grilled cheese if they didn't want cornbread 😋....actually we still make this...LOL just on a smaller scale, kids are now all grown... i make a simple meal out of instant potatoes and a can of chunky beef veggie soup...make potatoes put on plate and serve the heated soup on top with a slice of butter bread w/applesauce for dessert...yummy

[@sonjakindig1720]

Another way to save milk is to use 1/2 milk and 1/2 broth. It makes a better tasting gravy!

[@missysmealsmayhem]

I keep powdered milk in the house too for things like gravy, baking, and making yogurt.

[@lindaandrusko508]

You may know this, but when bananas are very ripe, you can refrigerate them. Although the skins will turn very dark, the ripening process stops, so they don't get too mushy. Great video. :)

[@robertadunaway7030]

I do this all the time to make the banana last longer.

[@user-re6hn9kg7q]

You can also mash them and freeze them to use later. I've even thrown whole bananas peel and all in the freezer. They peel very easily when slightly thawed.

[@eviemartin1756]

Chicken pot pies are wonderful for leftover shredded chicken, I use 1/2 can of mixed veggies and 1/2 can cream of chicken soup topped with biscuit dough. Once the biscuits are baked pot pie is done...good for at least a couple meals.

[@asmradventureasmr]

That’s a nice easy recipe, thank you 😊

[@eviemartin1756]

@asmradventureasmr when I buy a roasted chicken from Costco, there's always lots for 1 person, so I portion off to different meals. When I have mashed potatoes left over, and I have corn tortillas, being latina, there's a dish called taco de papas. (Potato tacos) crisp the tortillas in a little oil, not much needed. Fill with the potatoes and top with fixings like a meat taco. No lettuce, cabbage works great. Very inexpensive.

[@asmradventureasmr]

@eviemartin1756 taco de papas sounds good. I like their chickens too & shred the chicken off the bone to use for the week as well. A big money & time saver.

[@MsV3]

I buy chicken thighs in family packages and portion them out in two for freezer bags. I roast them in the oven for two meals because I’ve had to learn to cook for only myself as a widow and empty nester. I also have a comfort food side I just started making. A box of Stove Top or generic brand with half a bag of frozen mixed vegetables. It’s hearty, it’s comforting, it delicious and makes at least four servings. It also freezes well.

[@scook5599]

That's a really great idea mixing the boxed stuffing with the mixed vegetables. Would make me feel less guilty about eating the stuffing and make it a bit healthier too!

[@yvonnepalmquist8676]

Anytime singles have made comment regarding cooking-for-one I have suggested this "squirrelling" method. Divide a full recipe in half (2 servings instead of 4) and have a leftover in the same week... or do a full recipe and freeze half for later in the month. Before you know it, the variety will take care of itself and you only have to do leftovers once on 1/2 recipes, and given freezer space and time, eventually you don't have to do leftovers at all if they bother you (you can eventually squirrel away all but one meal at a time.)

[@Yesica1993]

Good idea! Also, I promise you that when you're ACTUALLY broke/hungry, you won't mind eating the same things even a few times a week.

[@sallyjean1472]

I love all your content and watch all your videos. But - this series is the most helpful to me. I'm a senior, living alone and on a very fixed budget. I love that you show your shopping and then what you make with what you bought. And you show your receipts to keep it real. Some ideas -- I'd use some of the cooled potato water, add flour and set on my counter to make a sourdough starter for later in the month. Check out how to make SD --it's really easy. Great for SD pancakes later with that strawberry preserve as a topping. And if I was buying flour - I'd swap the muffin mix for baking powder at DT. Then use your flavored instant oats, flour and baking soda to make a simple muffin. if you had some money, but DT sugar and cinnamon and you'd have Snickerdoodles for a snack or just oatmeal cookies or PB cookies. As a single, I'm now thinking of a HalfDozen of baked goods like muffins/cookies rather than a full recipe. Keep up the great work.

[@DuchessOfQuilt]

Another thing I do with potato cooking water is to use some of it to make my gravy.

[@feliciaharbach610]

Thanks for the potato water tips!

[@Kelly-tp1wq]

I've seen tiktoks for "glizzy" bacon. Hot dogs sliced with a potato peeler and cooked in an air fryer. Might be an cheap side for your eggs. I also freeze banana chunks for a cold treat.

[@yvonnepalmquist8676]

Cool. I fry bologna because that's just delicious... but I'm going to have to try this hotdog hack.

[@spencerhasting1258]

Fried hotdogs was a breakfast staple for me growing up!

[@patvance6205]

I haven’t heard of this but want to try it now! Also thought of adding a little brown sugar and hot sauce to them for a flavor change

[@MmmmTwoTacos]

Pay tbe freezer❤ My freezer is my account❤ wonderful mindset. You are amazing. Thank you Rebecca.❤

[@hannakinn]

Tips for more tender country fried steak, use the meat tenderize side of a meat mallet to pound the steaks thinner (or use the more modern needle type meat tenderizing implement) then sprinkle the steaks with Adolph's unseasoned meat tenderize, do not salt the meat and let sit at least 15 min before breading. For the best coating, season your flour well, dredge steak in flour then egg/milk mix, then flour then egg/milk mix then in fine bread crumbs or panko, fry in oil then drain on a rack over a sheet pan (keeps it more crispy than if you put it on paper towels). My chef friend of 20+ years taught me that way to prepare country (aka as chicken) fried steak. Also he said when you do the 1st flour dredge really use your fingers to work the flour into the meat, it's more than a simple dredge, he swore it really made a difference. He learned to make country fried steak like that when he worked at a famous Kansas City restaurant, so that method is a secret (shhh) 😂.

[@susanjane4784]

Grilled peanut butter sandwiches. I know, I know, even the idea makes some people upset. But for many, it is a nice change up from grilled cheese. Another option is to season the inside with the cheese before making the sandwich -- a little garlic, paprika, season salt, or something can make a difference. Also, less cooking is to create an open-face melted cheese sandwich under the broiler, in the toaster oven, or in the air fryer -- the cheese caramelizes and if patient can get a little crunchy.

[@hannakinn]

I lightly toast bread in the toaster then spread with peanut butter and broil it in my toaster oven. The peanut butter texture changes when it is broiled and it is so good with preserves or honey. Chunky peanut butter is really fantastic on toast like this. My friends mother used to fix big slices of her homemade sour dough bread for us like this, she used her home-made black berry or peach preserves. A slice with a glass of milk or coffee was perfect and memorable. RIP Maudie you were a good mom a sweet lady and a fantastic cook.

[@tinabonilla8902]

I like to make grilled pimento cheese with pickles inside the sandwich before grilling.

[@kathleendonnelly6077]

Interesting - I was reading that people make grilled fluffernutter sandwiches and then I saw your comment. Will have to try grilled peanut butter.

[@darleneredbird4]

I make grilled cheese sandwiches with a scrambled egg in the middle. Could eat as a breakfast sandwich or for lunch. So good!!!

[@shariwuebben7280]

I don't grill peanut butter sandwiches, but I toast the bread. My grandson (almost 4) thinks it's the best thing ever!

[@realong2506]

When I make country fried steak from cube steak I pound the steaks with a mallet to help break down the tough fibers and little bit of gristle that is always present. It does help to make them a bit more tender.

[@amandakaake4275]

This is what I was going to say too.

[@SaikaiDesu]

My grandma used to make cube steak with onion soup mix. She would fry the steaks first with flour until they got golden brown. She’d put them in a baking dish, mix up the onion soup packet with water, pour it over the steaks to cover. Seal the dish with foil and bake them in the oven until they were fall apart tender. She passed when I was young, so never got the full recipe, just what I can remember watching her in the kitchen.

[@lacyalexander1047]

Some grocery stores that have bakery departments discount there bakery section breads. I’m not a big bread person so I freeze bread and reheat each piece as needed in a toaster oven. Saves money and sometimes you get unique varieties of bread like seeded breads, pretzel buns, and even sourdough or ciabatta.

[@jodybanning6907]

After you fried your steaks and made your gravy place them in oven safe dish. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. My mom made this in her cafe. She called it oven steak.

[@asmradventureasmr]

That sounds good 👍 😊

[@blueskymoments]

Thanks for sharing!! I'm going to try it ❤

[@intuitivegina]

I live on a fixed income and had quite a few disasters happen since COVID. Has put me on a very tight budget. And I basically do just that I live on 100 to 124 of groceries a month. When it goes up to 124 it's usually because I have bought a ton of meat and I am freezing it. Otherwise I live on less than $100 a month. I make everything from scratch for that reason. The only thing I don't always make from scratch is pasta

[@SerenaVictoria85]

When you didn't want to cook, i felt that in my soul. Yes, i need to budget. But honestly, a lot of the days, I'm so exhausted and/or too overwhelmed to cook for me and the kid.

[@DollarTreeDinners]

It’s so real to want to save money and still not want to cook. It’s mostly the cleaning up afterwards that gets me stressed when I’m tired

[@lindanelson4526]

@@DollarTreeDinners The coming up with an idea of 'what' to cook is my problem.

[@elainemagee516]

​@@lindanelson4526I think what really helps me a lot is I already have COOKED chicken, ground beef, rice, pasta, sauces and assorted vegetables in my freezer so there is no prep involved. Pull out a package of cooked beef or chicken . Pull out a package of cooked rice or pasta and a vegetable and or sauce heat and dinner is ready ! ! !

[@here4you2024]

@@DollarTreeDinners I'm a 'Morning person' and I never mind the suds and bubbles, so I rinse dirty dishes and let them sit to enjoy the clean warmth in the morning. After I wash out the sink to shine and then I treat my hands and nails to a good bit of hand cream to start the day. It feels like a bit of 'self-care'. To tenderize the steaks? I'd make a buttermilk by adding 1t vinegar or pickle juice or an acid to the milk to coat. I'd let it soak in that until it absorbs it or about 20min and then I'd dip them into seasoned flour and fry them. I think that bit of time would really make a difference and it would taste like country fried steaks. If you like spice? You could add hot sauce or chili peppers to the coating mixes.

[@wendypursel3142]

@@DollarTreeDinners Clean up is the problem for me. I started cooking extra at meals to bank it in the freezer. I'm at a point where in the 5 good hours I have in a day due to medical issues , I take a day to cook a whole bunch of meals, clean up once and can coast for a week or two between cooking sessions. It has taken me awhile to find the correct storage containers for me. Also a lot of meal prep videos show one meal for 7 days, those are not for me but I have found bits and pieces in them to help me. Thank you for showing the truth of not feeling up to doing something we need to show the real. We all experience these feelings but we don't always see them in others.

[@hospitalcakewalk]

I'm addicted to this channel/ videos. Do i need to use them? No. (thankfully, i could have prior to youtube tho, lol) but i LOVE them!!!!!

[@DollarTreeDinners]

Glad you like them!

[@pigoff123]

I am addicted too even though I can't cook most of the meals.

[@hospitalcakewalk]

@@pigoff123 I work 5- 6 days a week, 8-12 hour shifts in healthcare so I don't really want to cook on my day off XD I dont wanna do laundry either but i force myself to do that. lmao.

[@funniful]

I’m addicted, too! I JUST got up and made me some whipped butter and oil! I added seasoned salt and pepper.

[@elyseboulanger6463]

When I want to relax, I love watching your channel. You really do provide relatable and creative content. I appreciate you!

[@loriloristuff]

Okey dokey- one of my "side jobs" was working Meats in Albertson's (Jewel in my case). There should be somewhere in Food Lion an old end cap freezer, with a sign marked REDUCED. As meat goes out-of-date, it gets marked down. It *can* be a daily deal. You are generally best going to check out reduced meats around 8:30-9 am IMO. It gives the Meat Dept time to sort the cases if they haven't done so the prior evening. Me? I have access to Aldi, Woodman's (HyVee), Meijer, Festival, Pick n Save, Jewel, Dollar Tree, Dollar General, an Asian store and a store that I use that specializes in products from Mexico (there are 8 in the area). I asked the Meat Dept people what days they get rid of their meat, and when, relating my own experience. So I have a little list in my phone on when meat gets reduced and where, as well as current full retail prices on cuts of meat we eat (obviously, Dollar Tree and Dollar General don't discount frozen meat). Aldi puts their reduced meat with the regular meat. All the other stores have a reduced bin. It occurred to me, that maybe your next challenge could be to use the stove as little as possible for a month, along with the budget. I was thinking of people who don't have access to a stove but do have access to a microwave, possibly small appliances that can be plugged into an outlet. Yummmm on the chicken fried cube steaks! The leftovers might be not as tasty as fresh, but is a chicken fried steak ever nasty? No.

[@heidieho4470]

Love the no oven/stove idea. Or limited use. This group is wonderful 🎉

[@leesh2684]

I don’t make enough Money for all my expenses to live stress free /comfortably but I don’t make the amount that qualifies for food stamps. Great ideas and I do need to make a lot of these ideas to help my budget.

[@leslieyoung3268]

Can you get help from a food pantry?

[@melissagarr4907]

Cube steak: I've never actually tried this, but it occurred to me while watching that you could probably tenderize this cut by velveting it the way that Chinese restaurants do, with like baking soda for 30 minutes. Then you could do the flour-egg-flour-fry and still get the crispy outside but have the meat be tender.

[@osromatra]

I also want to suggest purchasing mayo. It's an extremely versatile ingredient and a replacement for many things. You can "butter" your grilled cheeses with it to toast it or to put in mashed potatoes instead of sour cream or butter to make it creamy. There are also recipes to making simple rolls or biscuits with it. So it's more than a condiment.

[@TXJan0057]

If you heat your milk in the microwave before adding it to the gravy it blends better. I always use a tenderizer roller or mallet on my chicken fried steaks or i marinate them in brine thwn rinse off before breading and cooking. Beef toughens worse when heated from a very cold temp best to let it come to room temp before heating.

[@maryegerton6848]

I LOVE this!! You don’t even know! I get what you are doing and I get the bread thing. At Dollarama 🇨🇦 a loaf of sandwich bread goes for $1.94. If I get four loaves for a month, it will cost $7.76. A bag of flour is around $6.00 and you need yeast and then you have to make it. Your way is better. I love a peanut butter sandwich for lunch. Easy peasy and keeps me full for hours❤

[@annesrecipebox]

when I'm budgeting my milk I will use evaporated milk for my cream gravy. I add a can of evaporated milk into a large mason jar then add equal amount of water. Use the reconstituted milk for cream gravy, milk for your coffee or baked goods that call for regular milk.

[@sherryjoiner396]

I do that for my gravy. I like it better than fresh milk. ❤

[@juliahardy1]

To tenderize meat you can “velvet” in a baking soda marinade. Mix a few teaspoons of baking soda dissolved about 1/2 cup water. Toss meat in marinade and allow to sit at least 30 minutes, up to 12 hours. Rinse well (important!) and pat dry. Cook as usual. I use this on flank steak before making stir fries and it is as tender as a much more expensive cut. Also great to use on pork.

[@nuttmeg06]

The key to getting your breading to stick is to put them in the fridge after breading for a half hour or so.

[@champagnemommy]

Sometimes when I don’t want to cook I make a banana shake using half milk and half ice with sweetener. And I’ll eat that with peanut butter toast. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@ritaadams8379]

Okay, my tip for saving money at the grocery store (that I got from Southern Saver) is to shop the sale. Let's say you buy spaghetti sauce once a week. The store is generally on a six week cycle. So week one it might be $2. Week two - $1.75. Week three is the big sale so it's $1. Week four it's $1.50. Week five, it might be $1.75. Then week six it's $2 again. If you buy six jars the week it is on sale for $1, you've saved several dollars over a month and a half. I know a couple of dollars doesn't seem like much, but if you do this with everything that is shelf stable, it can cut your bill in half. The bonus is that after a few weeks, you have a stocked pantry in case of emergencies... bad weather, illness, job problems....

[@twinnish]

When I make the spreadable butter, I usually do almost half-and-half, but just a little less oil than butter, 8 tablespoons butter to 7 tablespoons of oil. it isn’t as buttery but it’s really just fine and it’s just like the stuff you get in the store that’s mixed It still has a spreadable consistency, and that requires more oil. It makes it less expensive and it also makes it work the way you want it to. And added benefit is when you’re cooking things like eggs or potatoes you get the butter flavor but it’s got a higher smoke point so it’s less likely to get too brown or burn

[@kimstuff2086]

My freezer is always full, it’s a life saver! One thing that helped me in those “I don’t wanna cook!” moments is to plan ahead for them. I know my will power sucks and I’ll order take away if I really don’t want to cook, even if I can’t afford it. But having something easy like pasta, or a whole meal in the freezer ready to go in advance is the way to go. Preparing for those moments in advance has helped me avoid spending more than I wanted to so many times

[@MmmmTwoTacos]

I buy 10 bags of flour at a time i keep each bag in a plastic bag and keep them in my refrigerator. I order my flour from Target I buy Good& Gather it ships to my address. Yesterday I made Yemen flat vread which only calls for flour salt water and butter or margarine😊 target ships for free on orders 35 and over.

[@marinaridley4186]

The boiling potato water was already enriched with potato starch. Might have been a good add in on your gravy.

[@DollarTreeDinners]

I did save some potato water in case I needed it for the mashed potatoes, I didn’t think about using it in the gravy

[@kerrigomez8445]

I thought about adding it to the gravy too

[@bethbrec]

When you talked about buying flour and yeast in the future it reminded me of a video I watched elsewhere in the past few years. That person used a bread dough recipe (I think for two loaves) and formed that dough into a few hambuger buns, a few hoagie buns, a small French bread style loaf, dinner rolls, and maybe something else (like a flat-bread maybe?). Baked those then froze what wasn't used right away. This provided lots of variety in planning the rest of their meals in the future without having to buy full packages of any one type of bread product. Hope this is helpful info.

[@eileenknoblock9626]

You were so close to making Elvis' favorite sandwich!! Put the butter on the outside of the bread (like a regular grilled cheese) but put peanut butter on the inside of the slices and before you close it up, put your sliced bananas. It's even better if the bananas are softer. If you have Hazelnut spread, put that on there too! Then fry in a skillet like a grilled cheese. Sincerely - a livelong Memphian!

[@user-rf1zf5jb9c]

I know this sounds a little leery, but if you put bananas in the refrigerator they will last longer. We have started eating repetitive and it has made things so much easier because I came up with a plan. 2 days we have wraps, 1 day we have salad, then the next night I make a meal of tacos, baked potatoes, stir fry, etc. We don't eat much meat, so this works well for us and I don't eat it at all. So for substitutes on my wrap, I will use avocado when I have some. This is keeping costs way down and I also have a better idea of what to grow in my garden. I am sure we won't do this forever, but my dad has diabetes and we are trying to keep his blood sugar low. So far this is working for us. We don't eat breakfast and I eat leftovers or soup for lunch and my husband and dad have a set type of lunch that they eat everyday. Thanks for another great video. See you next time.

[@lindanelson4526]

I was also going to give the tip for putting the bananas in the refrigerator. I let them get almost as ripe as i like them, then put them in. They will look terrible but when you peel them, they are perfect.

[@ritaadams8379]

Another tip, when I am out thrifting, yard saling... I look for small casserole dishes 8x8 instead of 9x13. Then, when I make a casserole, I divide it into two dishes. I bake one and freeze one. Because it is just me, an 8x8 is still enough for dinner and a leftover lunch. If I do a 9x13, I'm eating leftovers for days.

[@luckyrobinshomestead]

If you use the potato water to make the gravy it will be really good and you don't have to waste your milk on it. You'll get all the nutrients that boiled out of the potatoes as well. Then if you don't have enough potato water to finish the gravy or the starch makes it too thick you can add some extra water or homemade broth. I put extra water in the potato pot to make sure I have enough to ladle out towards the end of the cooking process to start on the gravy before the potatoes are done. I grew up doing this and still do it since it saves money on milk. I actually prefer it to milk gravy, even if milk gravy is standard with chicken fried steak.

[@traceywhaley9577]

I love the "savings accout" concept!

[@ahhhlindsanityyy]

So true about using the freezer as a piggy bank! It would definitely ease the mind to know that you always have a back up waiting for you in the freezer. I love eating frozen banana slices on my peanut butter toast, that way if they are mushy it's not noticeable. It kinda gives ice cream for breakfast vibes too. I recently saw someone use those end of the loaf bread slices to make granola along with some oats. Haven't tried that, but I do save the crumbs at the bottom of the cereal bag to add to my homemade granola. That soup looked so good!

[@charylliss3741]

Don't forget celery is a very cheap vegetable that adds flavor, nutrition and is a good healthy snack. It lasts a long time in the fridge and can be chopped and frozen.

[@KJDogluv]

It’s expensive. I pay $3 lb

[@regardenthare]

Location and store will dictate price. Here it varies from 2/$1 to $2/lb.

[@charylliss3741]

@KJDogluv wow! I have never seen celery that expensive. Regular celery everywhere I have lived has always been under about $1@lb. More ($2)expensive after season of course.

[@rajimac]

It doesn’t have much nutritional value though . I’d rather go for a dense green .

[@carlenekalebaugh864]

It doesn’t freeze well either except for maybe soup

[@mariandreaduncan2172]

"Skooch"; you ARE a southern girl!

[@kathleenbasista5612]

Love Scooch! I (Northern girl) say that, too! Love Love Love your videos!

[@abaigealduda2756]

I really appreciate that you clearly title and number your episodes. I'm a fairly new viewer (just a few weeks), and it's very easy to find previous series and watch them in order. Thank you!!

[@emmyali920]

Rebecca, I appreciate you and your videos SOOOO much. I'm a single, empty nester and I'm trying so incredibly hard to eat on a budget. I'm getting up there in the years and I need to SAVE SAVE SAVE.... so this such a great help. To see that you can do this, I definitely can. I've always been a budget gal, and discount meat is the ONLY way I eat meat. If it's not marked down, I don't buy it. I go super early in the morning on Saturdays and grab up whatever I can for under $5. I stock up my freezer and then "shop the pantry/freezer" almost all month. These give me ideas of meals that I don't usually have in my rotation. Thank you for all you do!!

[@allyrooh3628]

It’s in the high 90’s here. Cooking is not on my agenda during the day. I do, however, batch cook at night. I don’t mind heating up my kitchen & then going to bed. Just a thought, for the same’ish $$ you could make Salisbury steak rather than cube steak & it’s much more tender. Live this challenge!

[@cygna1237]

Tip for singles or widows.. If you want fruit, get a can of sliced peaches in juice, reserve the juice, spoon out four slices, you'll get four deserts from a 15 oz can. You can caramelize them in butter or marg and if you have a banana do them both together. YUM.

[@rajimac]

Maybe tenderise the steak and make like a beef schnitzel with its. Flatten it out and then flour and egg it. Also don’t stress about it. It’s great to do these challenges but don’t force yourself to eat stuff if you don’t feel like it. We won’t be cross with you. You have to enjoy it too. ❤️

[@deborahthatcher9511]

Agreed!

[@susanpridmore7798]

Tenderize it more at home. I do my country fried steak a different way. I fry like you did, make my gravy not with milk but water and beef base. Add a sliced onion and replace meat into the gravy and cook until tender. I turns out well and you can use mashed potatoes or rice. Try that. Love your video's. I am from Alabama so I get the battering thing.

[@thishungering1]

If you dabble into making yeast dough, pizza dough can be quickly mixed and then kept to rise in the fridge- use as you need it as long as you use it all up within 5 days. Naan cooks super quickly on the stovetop as well for a change of pace over sandwich bread.

[@Lewlewbelle]

My mom makes the best steak and gravy. She breads the steak with flour then gets a good crust on each side. The steak is not completely done at this point. She then covers the steak with water and simmers it for 45 min to an hour or so. When the steak is tender she removes it to a plate and then makes her gravy with the remaining water. Place steak back in gravy and let simmer a little while :) Everyone always brags on her fork tender steak ❤

[@ginabeena6757]

I have had great luck with tough cuts meat by putting them in a ziplock bag, one or two teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce and then sprinkling meat tenderizer over it. Shake it up, get as much air out as possible, and let it sit in the fridge for an hour. It really does make it tender and delicious.

[@dana7937]

I can't have dairy. When I make mashed potatoes, I add a little bit of boullion to them while they are cooking. I then use some of the water when mashing them. It gives them a good flavor. When I make pan gravy I use boullion and water for the liquid. I think it would be cheaper than using milk.

[@deborahthatcher9511]

I can't have dairy either. Some things I can use milk alternatives...some things I can't. For instance - it's hard to find all types of cheese non-dairy/ as well as things like cheese or Alfredo sauces. I still get lots of great ideas from Rebecca videos! I really enjoy her/ her approach/ her attitude and her kind demeanor!

[@lexicaprise1216]

Onions can tenderize meat because they contain proteolytic enzymes that break down protein. For best results, the onion should come into direct contact with the meat, so you can try these methods: Marinade Grate the onion in a resealable bag or glass or ceramic bowl to capture the juice, then add the meat and other ingredients. You can also add lemon juice to the bag. Marinate in the fridge for at least a few hours or up to a few days. Coating Dice or pulverize the onion and mix it with salt. Before cooking, coat the meat in the mixture and let it sit for at least 30 minutes to an hour. You can also try scoring or pounding the meat with a mallet first. This technique is traditionally used in Japan for Chaliapin steak, which can be so tender you can tear it apart with your fingers. That’s from googling it because I remember hearing onions can tenderize meat and I’ve heard of it used in Japan. Sorry Ik it’s a huge comment but I figured an onion would be a cheap and tasty option! Hope it helps and maybe will come in handy one day. ❤

[@TheReganasaur]

Reheating breaded things in the oven rather than the microwave helps a ton, and storing the gravy separately.

[@cnk2hoo]

Or airfryer, if have. So great for leftovers!

[@ronnawatts7779]

I always do an extra pounding to the cube steak to help break down those fibers in the meat, it usually works pretty good!

[@christinaplainandsimple1109]

OK the idea of paying the freezer first is such a great tip. I'd never thought of it that way, but what a mindset shift!

[@kristinanoble1498]

I'm in the middle of watching this and when you fried the potatoes you said "scootch" girl thank you for that. People always laugh when I say that, but I'm from KY it's a word in the south 🤣 and love these food ideas!!

[@lindanelson4526]

I'm from Arkansas and it was definitely in our vocabulary.

[@sherrylewis9327]

We "scootch" in Nebraska too

[@sarahwar3538]

I absolutely love the idea of the roasted veg soup!

[@tungstensmum1491]

It’s a great way to use up veg you’re not necessarily fond of. If I end up with a winter squash I don’t love, or parsnips, etc from my farm share box? Roasted vegetable soup is on the menu! Especially good with shaved Brussels sprouts and roasted chickpeas for garnish

[@eathomelive]

Great job. I love the idea of banking things in the freezer. Also, you can save the chicken skin for the stock. It adds body and flavor to it. On the CFS, even if it comes tenderized, you need to take the spiked side of a meat mallet, and go after it a bit more. It needs to look pretty rough for CFS.

[@The3Storms]

Also good to crisp up again in a pan/oven to use as a tasty garnish. A kind of chicken bacon.

[@eathomelive]

@@The3Storms Yummy!

[@juniormaciel9168]

I really like your honesty and willingness to show even when you aren't in the mood to cook (because we've all had those days), and that mistakes will be made, but that it's a part of life. Thank you for sharing all of the experiences, it makes everything feel more grounded in reality.

[@jasonsmart3482]

Can i just say I love your videos. Im in the UK but find your presentation perfect its not patronising just hey we are in this together lets make good food to enjoy on what we can afford on a budget. Whilst sometimes the food can be very American its fun to try new stuff - currently loving breakfast sandwiches and green bean casserole from previous videos. your recipes are easy and cheap to adapt to a UK palate . Hate food waste so the freezer is your friend agree so much on that one. hope to find new food gems to enjoy and more tips going forwards.

[@marthafeagans2257]

This past winter my area had record lows for almost three weeks. We did fine for the first week and a half, but then a day came where we had appointments and obligations so we weren’t home for the larger part of the day. Even with the tap dripping, pipes wrapped, all the precautions.. we had pipes freeze. And they stayed frozen for over a week, because the temperature kept dropping. Our driveway is about 100 yards long, downhill. With sheet on sheet of ice, there was no way to drive safely. My hubby had to park at a friends house about 1.5 miles out and walk home because there wasn’t another way to get here. Even that was extremely perilous. Living in the south it never occurred to me we would have these kinds of issues, but it happened. Thankfully, I had freezer meals, a full pantry, and more than enough to feed us for the two weeks we couldn’t leave, let alone get to the store, or anything else. Thankfully it had snowed significantly before the major freeze so we were able to have water regardless of the situation (bottled for drinking and cooking but still). Pantry/ budget cooking isn’t just a fad. It’s a skill that allows folks to thrive instead of barely survive. We ate well, never missed a meal, and my kids were loving all of the baking I did. Series like yours show the feasibility, the opportunity for creativity, and the determination to thrive rather than get by. Not everyone was taught these skills so seeing them like this is a lovely, lovely thing. Well done, dear. You’re killing it! 😊

[@juliehowman3912]

I live alone, have to eat frugally and do not have a freezer to store my food in. I used to cook 3 complete meals for 4 to cover me for the week, however of late I’ve been doing things a bit differently. I use the ingredients from those recipes to create meal components that I then mix and match. For example this week was cottage pie. With the peas, carrots and sweetcorn that would be with the ground beef in the cottage pie, I split them 3 ways, 1 portion for the two cottage pies I made, one third as individual servings and the third I cooked together with half an onion and one third of the tin of tomatoes. Then the ground beef I stretched using cooked lentils, the remaining half onion to made the cottage pie base, two burger patties and 4 meatballs. The potatoes were mashed, for the cottage pie, but I also made chips, and potato au gratin so from very few ingredients I now get more versatility. The lentils and tvp cuts and grinds are inexpensive and go a long way. Finding these quick wins are energising and stimulating as you need to work out how much is a portion, what can I do with it and is that the best use of resources. Also when making burgers, meatloaf or meat balls using stuffing mix as the binding agent rather than breadcrumbs is cheaper and more flavoursome. Also at my food bank I can select my ingredients to a degree and usually opt for tinned vegetables, rice, pasta, flour and oil. In these times of great financial burden one needs to stretch a dollar…

[@KarenBowers4]

I stop buying beef cube steak, pork cutlets are better, cheaper and more tender. I bread my cutlets buy using mayo then flour the breading stays on much better. If you bread them then put them in the fridge for 1\2 an hour that helps too. I'm really enjoying this series.

[@The3Storms]

Have you tried mustard frying? I only learned about it when eggs got so expensive a couple years ago. Works lovely with pork, chicken, or fish. Thanks for the mayo tip!

[@RaidingRainbow]

“If you want to imagine some green beans on the plate feel free” Going to use that one tonight 😂

[@FranfromFL]

That's the best way to save money. Just imagine the food on the plate. Ha ha.

[@ritascott7901]

A technique my mom taught us was to use the potato water as the add in to making gravy. You can still add milk for a creamy texture, but the tater water adds flavor & potato starch.

[@thespoilercritic3478]

I tried your sushi tuna bowl the other day for lunch.. just minute rice, 2 cans of tuna , mayo, sirscha, and cut cucumber. It was awesome! But man, that was alot of food 😂 all your videos are awesome

[@user-ds8jz5mm2h]

Bake slowly for tenderness with the gravy.

[@ruthsnively7248]

I love your videos. You are so encouraging and uplifting. Thank you.

[@stephikarolyi8706]

Thinly slicing the thin meat and doing a beef and broccoli is something I grew up on with my family of 7. My mom used whatever vegetables she had around usually tomato, onion, green bell pepper, or just onion and broccoli, I'd do cabbage, onion, and broccoli if I'm really wanting bulk but if I have no money I'd go for just plain frozen mixed veg and onion. The sauce is literally just broth (can be just water) + a spoonful of cornstarch (any thickener will do) + oyster sauce (which is actually pretty cheap and super flavorful). If you have it ginger and garlic fresh or powdered gives the best flavor but black pepper does wonders. Cook up your meat, veg, add the sauce, and serve over rice or any kind of long noodles. Super easy, flavorful, and fast.

[@MygirlsGJPB]

I feel like this is what I missed out on not having home economics in high school.

[@sonyavincent7450]

My country had compulsory cooking for the girls in the last two years of primary school. (Elementary in the USA)

[@tanyadavis6513]

Look for actual cubed steak. That was more of a tenderized steak. Cubed steak will almost fall apart taking it out of the package. A different alternative is cubed pork steaks and normally cheaper. I would have chuncked up the bananas and froze them. Then added a little milk to the frozen bananas and blend. It makes great banana ice cream like this. More milk and you have a banana shake.

[@charlamagnefrancis5719]

I love your videos I was wondering if you can make a series for diabetics ? Maybe a daily plan and see if it gets good reactions ?

[@chrstdvd]

I sure am happy I am not the only one who gets “not in the mood to cook”. I get a pack of Food Lion Hamburger buns and the frozen Food Lion Chicken Patties for a quick meal for those times I am not in the cooking mood. And you seem to be finding out why I cut recipes way down cooking just for one. I like food cooked fresh, not so keen on leftovers.

[@angelajones7321]

A mashed potato tip: save some of your water they were boiled in and use it instead of the milk. I became lactose intolerant at the age of 42 so learned to improvise🙂

[@BabsAmato1]

Rebecca, you’re the GOAT of budget cooking. I look forward to your videos so much. As I am blessed and do not have to worry about how much I spend on groceries, I do love seeing what is possible. Thank you so much for all the hard work you put into each of your videos and how much you help those who are struggling. Again, thank you so much for all you do. Food insecurity is a real problem, especially in this inflated economy. Keep up your great work.

[@hippie2mars]

My great aunt (who passed away last month at age 96) got this recipe from her mother-in-law when she was a new bride and handed down what I consider to be the quintessential recipe for country fried steak. 2 lbs cube steaks or 2 lbs round steaks, that have been tenderized 1 T sugar 1 1⁄2 t salt 1⁄2 c warm water 3 T vinegar 3⁄4 c flour 1⁄2 t salt 1⁄4 t black pepper 1⁄2 c vegetable oil (for frying) Combine the first 4 ingredients (the vinegar, sugar, salt and water) in a small bowl. Dip each piece of steak in the water mixture. Mix the 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the pepper with the flour. Dredge each piece of steak in the seasoned flour and place in hot skillet with at least 1/4 inch deep oil. Turn to medium heat and brown each side. Each side is done when you can turn it and it will turn loose from the skillet and the brown stays intact (approximately 8-10 minutes). Immediately transfer to platter lined with absorbent paper towels to soak up excess oil; cover with foil to keep warm while cooking rest of steaks and/or making milk gravy.

[@jillgott6567]

Awesome lunch soup and grilled cheese. I like the idea of " paying" the freezer. Mine is always full. But I am making more of an effort to make meals to freeze now as opposed to ingredients and getting away from using so many freezer bags by themselves. And, lol labeling what the ingredients are. 😅 Cubed Steak is a great meat to buy. Leftovers can easily be sliced up for Steak and Potato Soup, Stirfry, Casserole or Fajitas. Most bags of bread contain 14 slices, Daves Killer thin slice had 21 slices . I can purchase them at an outlet for $3.50 or less and they are extremely nutritious. However, I do not purchase them often as I am trying to moderate my carbs Great video love the challenge 😊

[@eathomelive]

You can wash freezer bags and reuse, as long as they don't have raw meat in them.

[@marymitchell8717]

I too struggle with the labeling!! I'm getting better though! I also did my meal prepping for lunches today (PB&J this week bc it's SO HOT!) and literally counted the slices of bread for how many sandwiches it would make bc they had 2 different ones on sale for the same price! 7 sandwiches vs 10 is 3 lunches I don't have to go out or find something else!

[@janet36603]

When bananas are going to go bad before I can eat them all, I just peel them and put them in a freezer bag whole and use them with some milk to make a "milkshake" or a smoothie. It's easy to break them up to put them in a blender or just break off a little bit if you don't want to use them all

[@TexasBlueBonnet61]

I was just going to say, Frozen bananas and milk blitzed in my bullet blender is a great breakfast! Sometimes I add some peanut butter. I'll have that and an egg for protein.

[@FairyRosee_]

I appreciate the hearty servings in your videos! A lot of the budget videos I see have a literal cup of soup as a whole meal, and I have too big of an appetite for that to be realistic.

[@ayronsmama05]

Oh also I bake chicken like you did. Remove the skin and bones and when you go to use the scrap bag, roast it all in the oven 1st then slow simmer for broth, mama taught!

[@eathomelive]

If the chicken is already cooked, you can skip roasting the bones. If the bones are raw, then you need to roast them.

[@DuchessOfQuilt]

I like to brown the chicken bones, even if they were already cooked once. It adds so much extra flavour to the broth!

[@0wlyssa]

Using your freezer as your savings account can be such a lifesaver when money is tight! Whenever I make things like soup, ziti, or anything that's casserole-style, I try to make 1.5x or double the recipe so that way I can squirrel away portions for a rainy day. Not just when money is tight, but also when my ADHD is kicking my butt and the fatigue is real, because that's usually when we cave and order in. 😂 Loving this series and can't wait to see the next video! xx

[@yvonnepalmquist8676]

When low/no milk, instead of mashed potatoes, simple boiled potatoes are lovely, too. Especially with seasonings like your garlic & herb.

[@user-od2gf1kt5r]

I absolutely love your channel. Thanks for the honesty and great ideas. Good to know I’m not the only one who sometimes just doesn’t feel like cooking and cleaning everything up 😅.

[@janiceh4521]

I love the “I don’t wanna cook” stump. As someone with physical limitations but varying pain there are days I can make myself cook something quick but days that it is a frozen pizza, sandwich or air fryer which is not always financially conducive because a frozen pizza is about $2.00 on sale for a decent tasting not great one. I hope you have more kinda little cool options that’s not sandwiches or frozen prepackaged. Thank you for all the effort and great ideas you share on a budget!

[@michellevietor]

I **love** these videos! Some of my favorite meals were just throwing stuff together in the cupboards that may or may not work together. These remind me of those days, for better or worse. 😂❤

[@giancarlamacaluso]

The crispy hash browns with an egg on top looks delicious. I love eggs for dinner.