Leftover Reclamation: Sweet Potato Pancakes

My kids aren't crazy about sweet potatoes.  The baby tried one, and then spit it out and handed it back to me.   My middle guy says "ewwww!" because that's the phase he's currently going through.  My oldest will eat a few, but doesn't seek them out.But they all chowed down on these that I whipped up from Thanksgiving leftovers.  We covered them in honey and syrup this time, but you could make them even healthier and put applesauce or other fruit on top.

Recipe:
2 cups wholewheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup pureed sweet potatoes
milk, variable (see below)

Mix the dry ingredients and add the sweet potatoes.  How much milk you need is going to depend on how liquidy the sweet potatoes are.  Just whisk in the milk a little at a time until the batter is about the consistency of shampoo.  Then fry them on the griddle or skillet like normal pancakes. 

I don't have any pictures of the process because it didn't occur to me until the batter was already mixed.  But I do have some pictures of the finished product.  I hope you find this recipe helpful, and that you will share your favorite reclamation recipes as well.

 

 

Mr. Ewww

 

 

 

Wasting Food Isn't Very Thankful

In the aftermath of the Thanksgiving feast, most of us still have some leftovers in the fridge.  But it is getting to the point that these things need to either quickly be eaten, frozen, or end up turning into a furry green monster.  Food waste is a serious problem.  According to some estimates, 40-50% of food in America is wasted.

Some of this comes in the field and at the grocery store, but a lot of this comes from waste in our home.  We let ourselves get distracted and burn the rice.  We prepare too much.  We aren't diligent about eating leftovers.  We don't properly store it.  This wasted food causes a lot more problems than a smelly Tupperware container.  It means wasted money, wasted water, wasted fuel, and wasted land use.  With a little diligence, I believe that we can do better.

What are some ways that you have found to cut down on food waste?



*Artist A Hendree for U.S.Food Administration during WWI

Healthy Eating On a Small Budget

*Creative Commons image by Yvon

Recently some folks in the St. Louis community took something called the "Food Stamp Challenge."  This meant that they would be living on the standard food stamp allotment for one week, which worked out to $1.50 per person at each meal.  This made me curious to see what our family spent on food and so I got the bank records for the previous month,  did a few calculations and came up with about $1.19 per person at each meal.  This included my son's school lunches, as well as Thanksgiving shopping.  And while my mom often gifts us with food, such as her special muffins, we did not rely on free food sources this month.

I understand that if my children were older, they would be consuming a lot more food and so some expenses would be higher.  But I also know that most months we wouldn't be spending so much on special foods like turkey, cranberries, chocolate chips, etc.  There are actually places that I think we could cut expense without nutrition suffering, and those go on my future goals list.  At any rate, I think it is safe to say that (by American standards) this is a relatively frugal food budget.

Some people think that with a budget like this our family must be eating macaroni with catsup, but that simply isn't true.  We have fresh fruit nearly every day.  We eat brown rice and whole grain breads.  We eat good quality meat.  We drink fresh milk and use real butter.  We eat lots of vegetables.  This isn't to say that we are nutrition saints that lead lives of diet perfection.  For example, my kids love hot dogs on white flour buns and occasionally they get to eat them for lunch.  But on the whole, we have a very healthy diet.

There isn't a single magic trick for creating healthy meals without a lot of money.  It is something that I constantly work towards.  I'll be using this blog to occasionally share tips, tricks and recipes to eat healthy without breaking the bank.  I look forward to learning more from my readers as I go forward.

Governments need to tend their own gardens (and stay out of ours!)

An Orlando man has been ordered to destroy his small vegetable garden.  You can read more details about this case here but the basic gist is that the city didn't consider his front yard to be "finished" and "inviting" so they ordered him to pull up his crops.  Unfortunately, this is not an aberrant occurrence.  Across the nation, homeowners have been cited, fined, and even had their vegetable gardens mowed down by dictatorial cities and homeowner associations.  The waste here is plain to see.

First, there is the destruction of all that food.  I was raised in a household that always avoided food waste.  We tried to never put more on our plate than we would eat.  Table scraps were given to the dogs (or pigs if we happened to be raising one at the time).  Vegetable scraps were fed to chickens or composted.  Garden produce not immediately eaten was canned or frozen.  I try to raise my family with similar values.  The idea of destroying that much fresh produce sickens me.

Second there is the waste of so many of this man's resources.  This man put together an irrigation system, bought seeds and plants, and put in hours of his time to create this garden.  Additionally, you have to consider all the money he will have to spend in replacing the lost food.  He's also (indirectly) paying the fuel costs for trucking veggies and fruit from distant destinations.

Finally, there is also the ridiculous waste of city resources.  If I was a tax-payer in Orlando, I would be completely disgusted by the idea that instead of spending their time arresting murderers, thieves and crack-dealers, the police are busy cracking down on unlawful lettuce.  It seems to me that city officials, police, and courts all have better things to do with their time.

I recognize that when folks live in proximity to each other, there have to be some rules for the good of all.  But I think those rules should be geared towards basic health and safety concerns, not towards preventing sustainable, health living practices in order to satisfy the esthetic whims of city hall.

Saving at Schnuck's

In addition to watching for weekly sales, here are some ways to save money at Schnuck's:

1.  Bring your coupons.  Okay, you would probably do that anyway.  But the nice thing about Schnuck's is that most of the stores double double manufacturer's coupons up to 50 cents.

2.  Check your weekly circular that comes in the mail.

• Not only will you be able to see what sales and specials are running that week, but you will also get coupons good at your local store that weekend.  Note that you cannot get these coupons from the circulars at the front of the store.  They are only on the ones mailed to your house. 
• Additionally, you get a heads up if they are running a "meal deal" that week.  With the meal deals, you purchase one item and then get some others free that are meant to go together for a meal.   For example, this past week if you bought smoked sausage, you got a free noodle side dish, a package of frozen veggies, and a brownie mix.

2.  "Like" the Facebook page.  This will give you access to special deals that you can't get otherwise.

• Every Wednesday around 8 am, the Wednesday WOW coupons are published.  The WOW coupons are four coupons that can be printed and redeemed until Sunday of that week.  Note that even though they can be redeemed until Sunday, you must print them on Wednesday.  One of the nice things about the WOW coupons is that they are frequently for fresh meat, produce, or bakery goods whereas most manufacturer's coupons are for processed foods.
• Every Friday, the Drive Time Specials are posted at around 11:30.  The Drive Time Specials are a bundle of items for a reduced price, intended to make your Friday night supper.  An example of Drive Time Special would be spaghetti noodles, garlic toast, spaghetti sauce, and a bag of salad.  You must redeem the Drive Time Special coupon between 3 and 8 on Friday evening.  We are hit and miss about redeeming the Drive Time Specials because they often feature convenience food and soda and I try to avoid both in the house.  But, if they feature food that you would purchase anyway, they can be a really good deal.  I was really happy with the one last week that had ground turkey, cheese, and bread crumbs, along with a recipe idea for meatloaf that used all three.
• Sometimes there are random things that show up as well.  When the Cardinals were in the playoffs, there was a Game Night special for party food.  Once there was a coupon for a free 2-liter of soda.  I also won Cardinal's tickets and vouchers for two free hot dogs and sodas at the game.

3.  Sign up for "Schnupons" and have texts with coupons sent to your smart phone.  Unfortunately, I don't have much detail on those because we only have a TracPhone that we keep for emergencies.  

4.  Sign up for the weekly newsletter.  You get a copy of the circular, menu ideas, and a coupon.    

Why Our Family Shops at Schnuck's

This next few entries will be geared toward my readers that have access to Schnuck's grocery stores.  Folks in other regions, bear with me.  :)

For those in the St. Louis area, you might wonder:  If someone has little money, or is generally frugal why would anyone shop at Schunck's?  Why wouldn't you visit a bag-your-own store such as Shop N Save, Aldi, or Sav-A-Lot?  For many years, I was of the same opinion until I actually took the time to compare the stores in a more systematic fashion.  I understand that not everyone makes the same sorts of purchases that our family does, but for us Schnuck's has proven to be the best choice most of the time.

First, with rare exception, I gave up shopping at Aldi and Sav-A-Lot some years ago.  I did a direct comparison of the items we buy and found prices to be comparable at Shop N Save.  So the idea of paying for a cart, paying for bags, and giving up selection just didn't make sense.  Additionally, I am a big union supporter and so being able to shop at a comparably priced union grocery appealed to me.  Then, for a long time, I primarily shopped at Shop N Save.  I never really bothered to try out Schnuck's because I just assumed that it would always be more expensive.  I can't say at exactly what point I decided to give Schnuck's and Shop N Save a side-by-side try.  Maybe it was due to the frustration of trying to bag my own groceries while shopping with small children that pushed me into it.  Here are some things I discovered:

Shop N Save often has prices that are comparable to, or more expensive than Schnuck's.  The issue is what sorts of food you are purchasing.  Of course, every week there are different sales and specials but in general, Schnuck's tends to have better prices on staple items.  If you are looking to buy highly processed foods like frozen dinners, hot dogs, chips, and soda then the prices at Shop N Save are better.  If you are looking to buy flour, sugar, meat, and produce, then the prices as Schnucks are comparable or better.  Essentially, if you are someone that typically cooks from scratch, then Shop N Save isn't that good a bargain for you.

Schnuck's meat department is far superior.  Prices are comparable or cheaper than Shop N Save, and the quality is MUCH better.  The meat is fresher; there is a greater variety of meat that has never been frozen.  The cuts also tend to be better, which further affects the price.  Often the quantity of usable meat is greater  at Schnuck's.  When you have to trim fat, bones, or connective tissue at home, you must realize that included in the cost per pound is the cost of unedible stuff that ends up in the trash.  We have been particularly pleased with the sausage and bratwurst made in the store.  It is freshly made, has no fillers, and no MSG.  If you are a label reader, you know this isn't the case with most pre-packaged sausage in a tube.

Schnuck's produce department also tends to be better.  Now, Shop N Save often appears to have better produce prices.  But, like the meat, when comparing the cost of fresh food it is important to compare the cost of usable food.  Schnuck's produce is usually fresher and better quality, which means that your family will have less waste in trimmings and less waste from food that spoils before it has a chance to be eaten.  I think this is due in no small part to the fact that Schnuck's has a greater commitment to buy locally grown produce from places like Thies farm and Eckhart's.  It also makes me feel good that waste is being reduced in another way, and that there are fewer shipments of food being trucked across the country, being doomed to rot before ripening.

Besides these general trends, Schnuck's also runs some very good weekly specials through Facebook, e-mail, texts and their weekly circular.  (I will be covering this in a separate post.)

Additionally, the customer service at Schnuck's is far superior to that of Shop N Save.  Some folks might not see how this is related to avoiding waste, or saving anything.  Let me explain my rationale:  even though it doesn't show up on our receipt, we are paying for customer service.  We are paying for the salaries of the cashiers, butchers, bakers, and stockers.  We are making an investment, and we have to decide what sort of service we want.  Schnuck's advertises itself as "the friendliest stores in town" and I have found this to be true.  The folks working at the registers and the service departments have almost always been smiling and kind.  They give FREE cookies to small children (a lifesaver for my crew).  They offer free knife sharpening. Some of the stores will cook fish or other meats purchased for you.  Shop N Save has no comparable programs.

And when problems have shown up, they work quickly to have problems resolved.  For example, a cashier at Schnuck's was confused about the expiration date on a "Wednesday WOW" coupon I brought in.  She called over a manager and the matter was quickly and politely resolved.  At Shop N Save, there was a special where if you bought a certain number of a particular brand of items you were supposed to get a rebate coupon.  When I didn't get the rebate coupon, not only did the clerk not know what I was talking about but he made no attempt to resolve the issue on the spot.  I had to go to customer service and wait several minutes before the problem was finally solved.  I think this isn't even necessarily a matter of kindness, but of training and experience.  I typically find the folks at Schnuck's to be better informed about not only the current store specials, but they also seem to be better able to efficiently handle special circumstances such as a charity purchasing with a tax exempt letter, or a family using WIC vouchers.

Also, Schnuck's bags your groceries and for many folks, this is a huge part of customer service.  Getting three, extremely active boys through our weekly shopping trip is hard enough, without trying to bag groceries as well.  This is also important for elderly or disabled folks for whom bagging groceries could be a real imposition.  I also got offers to help me to the car with my purchases when I was hugely pregnant, and I am sure that other folks got (and appreciated) similar help.

Finally, I shop at Schnuck's because it is a locally owned store that invests in our community.  Again, this isn't directly related to how much money I keep in my pocket but a matter of the value I'm getting for my money. I see the Schnuck's family name again and again in places like the Botanical Gardens and the Zoo.  I understand that Shop N Save also contributes to charity so I'm not faulting them.  But it does put Schnuck's above other, nationally owned chains like Wal-Mart.  I feel like Schnuck's really cares about its customers and its community, something I cannot say about Wal-Mart.

Wasted Vote?

When you look at the raw numbers, your vote usually doesn't matter. I could have stayed home yesterday, or even voted exactly the opposite and it wouldn't have made any difference at all.  I understand this, and still I vote.  I vote in every primary election, every municipal election, and every statewide and national race.  Why do I vote?  Why don't I see this as a waste of time?

There is the argument that if most folks think about the worthlessness of their individual vote, then they wouldn't bother and a relatively small coalition will rule.  There is the argument that in local elections, or crazy anomalies like the Bush v. Gore election that your individual vote DOES make a difference.  But that isn't why I vote.

I vote because voting is a duty.  As a citizen of the United States (and someone attempting to be a generally decent human being) I have a responsibility to care for more than myself and my family.  I have a responsibility to serve.  That's why I teach.  That's why I volunteer for my congregation.  That's why I help run a recycling mailing list.  That's why I give a smile to the Salvation Army bell-ringers, even when I can't afford to give them a dollar.

Voting is just one more way that I care for my community and my country.  Perhaps my vote is largely symbolic, but symbols are important.  It is also symbolic that I would never let an American flag touch the ground.  Symbols mean something.  This is one more way that I demonstrate my love for my country and my fellow human beings.  This is one more way that I show my children we are obligated to respect and care for those who came before us, and those with us now.

Changing time, a waste of time?

So today was the end of daylight savings time and I have to wonder again what is the purpose of this exercise.  The only thing I'm certain about setting the clocks backwards for forwards is that it means that everyone's sleep cycle is disturbed for a week or so.  This leads to a groggier, crabbier, and less effective work force a couple of weeks out of the year.  And the benefits are what exactly?  It seems to me that a better solution than forcing the entire country to reset their clocks would be for more businesses to allow flex-time.   That way, folks could adjust to their individual circadian rhythms as needed.

I suppose I do know of one benefit of changing the clocks twice a year.  For clocks not synchronized with nuclear clocks, periodically adjusting them helps fight time drift.  When I attended Purdue, Indiana did not follow daylight savings time and the clocks in different rooms and buildings across campus would gradually drift faster or slower until they were several minutes apart.  Other than that, I'm stumped to find a concrete benefit.

What about you?  Do you prefer the time shift?  Why or why not?

Couponing: It is Worthwhile?

*Image by SDC 20207

Those of you that know me well understand that I'm a tight-fisted sort of person.  I don't enjoy shopping for the sake of shopping.  My rooms are filled with yard sale treasures, hand-me-downs from friends and family, and items rescued from dumpsters.  I hate wasting money, and I love a good bargain.  You would think that this makes me a perfect fit for the current coupon craze.  While I do occasionally use coupons, I would not call myself a "couponer."  Here are some of the reasons that I choose not to devote much time to the pursuit of coupons.

First, having a coupon doesn't guarantee the best deal.  In many cases, you can get a better deal by buying a generic product than you can by using a coupon.  This is true even when you shop at groceries like Schnuck's, that double coupons.  There are a few products that I really prefer the brand name, such as Campbell's condensed soups.  But for the most part, I am just as happy with the store brand.

Second, coupons are often for products I would never buy.  I remember reading a couponing site about doing the "register roll" at Walgreen's where you could buy products in a certain order and through the use of coupons and register rewards you could get several items without paying any money at all.  That sounded exciting until I looked at the list and realized there wasn't a single thing I wanted or needed on the list.  While it is tempting to get something just because it is very cheap or free, my house is already cluttered with too much stuff.

Third, getting the coupons has proved problematic.  I do not subscribe to the paper.  And while it is possible that I might save much more money from coupons than I would spend on the paper subscription, I have a very hard time making myself subscribe to the Post Dispatch.  Ever since the paper was sold and the newsroom slashed, I feel that the quality had plummeted and have a hard time supporting shoddy journalism. Getting coupons online is also a problem.  Almost all coupon sites (like coupons.com) require you to install a printer before you can use the coupons.  My tech-savvy, security minded husband tells me that these printers are really a bundle of malware that will track your every move.  So installing these printers is a no-go on our home computers.

Finally, I am simply not organized and enthusiastic enough to make couponing worth my while.  I have friends and family that are very good at this and that save a lot of money.  Searching, calculating, and organizing coupons is not fun for me and I'm not good at figuring out how to get the best deals.  It seems to me that it takes a certain type of mind to enjoy couponing and to be good at it.  And I don't think I possess such a mind.

So to answer my original query, I think that the answer must be both yes and no.  For some folks, it is absolutely worthwhile.  They are using coupons for products they would ordinarily purchase.  They have established systems for organizing and using the coupons, and many people enjoy couponing as others enjoy games and hobbies.  For my family, it is not worthwhile for the reasons mentioned above.

What about you?  Do you use a lot of coupons?  Why or why not?

Democracy Inaction

With the election coming up, waste seems to abound.  I wonder how many hours that our elected officials should be spending on serving their constituents are spent washing clean dishes in soup kitchens and kissing unhappy babies?  I understand that we need time to listen to all the candidates and examine their positions, but election season seems to get longer and longer every year.  Other democracies have much shorter campaign lengths and manage to function just fine.  British are closer to 1 month and I don't hear the good folks across the pond clamoring for more time to make a decision.  Let's be honest.  Those of us who aren't political wonks don't really pay much attention to national or local elections until a month or less before the election any way.  It isn't just wasting the candidates' time, either.  It is wasting OUR time with the onslaught of ad after melodramatic ad.

*image by 401(K)

Speaking of ads, this leads me to the other huge waste of American political campaigns:  money.  I suppose on one level, political money isn't wasted.  Money spent on advertising has a huge effect, and can sway elections.  But on another level, it represents a fantastic waste.  Most of money is going to line the pockets of  the CEOs of media corporations, or executives of ad agencies.  Just imagine what our economy could be like if the billions of dollars poured into vicious television and radio ads were invested in small businesses.