One thing on my mind most days is frugal cooking. Sometimes I have three adults here to cook for, sometimes five, rarely just two. Never just myself alone anymore. And while everyone contributes, frugality is still always on my mind.
One approach I take is to purchase the “managers specials” in the meat department.
This last weekend, I was able to pick up two packages of cube steaks for a total of $21.39, a quantity of 12 cube steaks portioned out, that’s $1.78 each.
One thing you need to do if you purchase this way is to portion, seal and freeze right away.
Years ago I purchased a vacuum sealer and it works perfectly for this. By vacuum sealing and freezing at 0 Fahrenheit, the meat can be kept indefinitely as vacuum sealing removes all oxygen.
So, on a day I want to serve cube steak (in any form), I pull out the exact number of servings for the number of people I’m feeding that day. Let’s use three as an example.
Going out to eat, the average cost in my area at a budget friendly restaurant is around $15-$18 a plate (plus your drink) per person. For a family of three at approximately $2 a drink (soda or tea), that easily runs over $50 before taxes and tip. And I encourage you to tip your waitress/waiter if you go out to eat, they have a physically brutal job (IMO).
Let’s say our meal is oven fried steak (breaded cube steaks), gravy, baked potatoes and broccoli. The cube steaks for three comes to $5.35. A 5# bag of russet potatoes (enough for several meals) is $4.99. Individually wrapped russets are 99 cents each here so let’s use that. That’s $3 for potatoes. The frozen broccoli is $1.79 for a 16 ounce bag (more than enough for three). The gravy is minimal in cost. So for approximately $11 you have the basic ingredients for a dinner for three. What you have to invest is time.
Thankfully, I enjoy cooking so that’s not a hardship. And while I enjoy eating out, in order to afford that, I need to keep most meals frugal.
How many ways can I serve these cube steaks? Well as above, as oven fried steak, or as a hamburger steak, cooked in tomato sauce with a side of pasta. Or how about pan fried with onions and peppers on a bun?
How can I save time? Sometimes I use a crock pot. Sometimes the instant pot. A lot of times I slow cook in my cast iron dutch oven. One main way to save time is to meal plan. And while I don’t know how many I’m feeding until usually the day before, having that meal plan means I don’t have to spend time deciding what to cook and wondering if I have what I need or need to make a trip to the store. As I live out in the country, that “quick” trip to the store can easily take 45 minutes, with a list. More if I don’t have a list! And that’s time lost.
I didn’t always think this way. I was as unorganized and wasteful as many for a long time. But as groceries get more expensive and disposable income gets tighter, by purchasing in bulk and freezing or canning, I can still afford the occasion treat.
So, what do you do with your grocery budget? Do you live alone and eating out is a social time for you? Do you have a large family and need to watch every penny? Do you have goals you’re saving for and need to trim the excess where you can? I’m curious about what you do and any tips you have for frugal cooking.
Goneaway Quilting 
I love that you posted this. It’s so timely for me. As one human I have always struggled with meal planning, and most recipes are for 4 to 6 people. I do have a Foodsaver (and I use it just like you do), so that helps, but just this week I ran across something about meal planning for 1 where you don’t end up eating the same thing for 4 to 6 days in a row. I’m going to look into it further because I know I waste a lot of food – produce, mainly – and I really cannot be wasting money like that!
Finances were a big motivator for me as well. If I cooked for five every night hoping that someone would eat the leftovers, I would find myself throwing out a lot of food. Even my brother who gravitates to leftovers gets bored with always eating leftovers. Yesterday I bought frozen vegetables at the grocery store, came home and vacuum sealed them before putting them in the freezer. I find frozen groceries at the store tend to go freezer burnt easily in the freezer so I’m hoping that by vacuum sealing them they’ll last a little longer. I’ll use lightly freezer burnt vegetables in a soup, but that’s about the only way they get used, normally when I open them hoping to use them as a side, they’re tossed if they’re freezer burnt, again a waste.