And oh yeah, the only gas pump we saw yesterday the price was $6.65 a gallon for regular. Now let me all hear you say it.......WOW! Yep shocking I know. More to come....see ya soon.
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Monday, July 18, 2011
Price Check on Aisle 1
Ronnie and I were eating dinner last night (grilled cheese and chips) when he noticed something quite interesting......please note the price tag on this family size bag of doritos. And no that is not a type-o!
And oh yeah, the only gas pump we saw yesterday the price was $6.65 a gallon for regular. Now let me all hear you say it.......WOW! Yep shocking I know. More to come....see ya soon.
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And oh yeah, the only gas pump we saw yesterday the price was $6.65 a gallon for regular. Now let me all hear you say it.......WOW! Yep shocking I know. More to come....see ya soon.
Friday, April 15, 2011
We Went Out Last Night
A week or so ago the teachers from the preschool went to a local hibachi grill for lunch. It had been a looonnngg time since I had been there and had forgotten how much fun it could be, not to mention the excellent food.
So right then and there I decided that I wanted to bring the fam back to eat there and see the kids reaction to the flaming onion tower, etc.
Last night was one of those nights when I really didn't feel up to cooking and despite e-mealz, didn't feel that prepared either, so I suggested we go out to eat. I ran the idea of the hibachi by Brad, and he was up for it. We didn't tell the kids where we were going - I think we did say something like, "It's not Wendy's."
We arrived and sat down at the table with another nice young couple. At first, Poptart was on the edge emotionally. The more our chef-guy rhythmically banged his utensils on the table the more her face became serious. It was obvious to me before long that he was trying his best to make her smile, but I wanted to warn him that that is a delicate balance with Poptart. I was afraid instead of making her smile, the attention would make her dissolve, and I would end up trying to eat my rice with a 6-year-old's head buried in my chest. She held it together though and I believe she even smiled slightly once or twice. She just wasn't so sure about the whole fire - entertaining - cooking process.
Gogurt on the other hand loved every minute of it. He watched intently and informed us he wanted to work there one day. Ummmm, I think you are the wrong nationality, son. Sorry.
Yes, the food was delicious.
But oh my, the bill was frightening.
I knew that the dinner prices would be more than the lunch price I had paid on my previous trip there, but I wasn't prepared that it was more than double per person.
Before we ordered, I noticed there were no $ signs on the menu. It would just look like: Steak 25
I asked Brad, "Is that as in dollars?!" It was too late though. We were in there and we couldn't back out now. So I told my frugal self to suck it up and that what you were really paying for was the experience, not necessarily the food. By the way, have you ever noticed how much food they give you? We brought home three take-out boxes of leftovers!
I must not have done such a good job hiding my shock at the bill - the young lady of the couple at the table laughed an "I can relate" laugh as she watched my expression when I saw the total of our bill. Then you add tip, YIKES!
I'm serious when I tell you that is a once in a year, maybe 2 or 3 or 5 years, place my family will be patronizing.
That's when I realized - there was not another family in there. It was a couple, a mother and daughter (they probably had to leave daddy and other kids home, don't worry, hun, I'll bring you some leftovers), and then groups - you know, where each individual is paying their own bill. When I was in there for lunch paying for just me it didn't seem that expensive. Going in there at dinner paying for 4 was a different story altogether.
I'm totally not stressing over the fact that I could have bought a good buggy-full of groceries for what we spent on dinner last night.
Well, at least I'm tryin' not to.
So right then and there I decided that I wanted to bring the fam back to eat there and see the kids reaction to the flaming onion tower, etc.
Last night was one of those nights when I really didn't feel up to cooking and despite e-mealz, didn't feel that prepared either, so I suggested we go out to eat. I ran the idea of the hibachi by Brad, and he was up for it. We didn't tell the kids where we were going - I think we did say something like, "It's not Wendy's."
We arrived and sat down at the table with another nice young couple. At first, Poptart was on the edge emotionally. The more our chef-guy rhythmically banged his utensils on the table the more her face became serious. It was obvious to me before long that he was trying his best to make her smile, but I wanted to warn him that that is a delicate balance with Poptart. I was afraid instead of making her smile, the attention would make her dissolve, and I would end up trying to eat my rice with a 6-year-old's head buried in my chest. She held it together though and I believe she even smiled slightly once or twice. She just wasn't so sure about the whole fire - entertaining - cooking process.
Gogurt on the other hand loved every minute of it. He watched intently and informed us he wanted to work there one day. Ummmm, I think you are the wrong nationality, son. Sorry.
Yes, the food was delicious.
But oh my, the bill was frightening.
I knew that the dinner prices would be more than the lunch price I had paid on my previous trip there, but I wasn't prepared that it was more than double per person.
Before we ordered, I noticed there were no $ signs on the menu. It would just look like: Steak 25
I asked Brad, "Is that as in dollars?!" It was too late though. We were in there and we couldn't back out now. So I told my frugal self to suck it up and that what you were really paying for was the experience, not necessarily the food. By the way, have you ever noticed how much food they give you? We brought home three take-out boxes of leftovers!
I must not have done such a good job hiding my shock at the bill - the young lady of the couple at the table laughed an "I can relate" laugh as she watched my expression when I saw the total of our bill. Then you add tip, YIKES!
I'm serious when I tell you that is a once in a year, maybe 2 or 3 or 5 years, place my family will be patronizing.
That's when I realized - there was not another family in there. It was a couple, a mother and daughter (they probably had to leave daddy and other kids home, don't worry, hun, I'll bring you some leftovers), and then groups - you know, where each individual is paying their own bill. When I was in there for lunch paying for just me it didn't seem that expensive. Going in there at dinner paying for 4 was a different story altogether.
I'm totally not stressing over the fact that I could have bought a good buggy-full of groceries for what we spent on dinner last night.
Well, at least I'm tryin' not to.
Friday, March 11, 2011
E-Mealz, Part 2
We're finishing up our second week using E-Mealz, and I thought I would update you on how it's going.
On Sundays, I go to the E-Mealz website and print out the menu for the following week. The menu is for 7 meals, and I choose the 5 that is the best for my family. I have noticed (but remember, I've only seen 2 menus so far) that there does seem to be a pattern in the meals. For example, both weeks there has been a pasta dish, a beef meal, a chicken meal, a fish meal, a soup, etc. I don't know if this is true for every single week, but it's true for the 2 weeks I've been doing it. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, I'm just recognizing that pattern.
I absolutely love having a list prepared for me. It's super-duper easy. It takes a few minutes to go through and mark off things you don't need (from the meals you've chosen not to make), but to me, it's nice 'cuz it feels like with everything I mark off, I'm saving money.
But that brings me to the down side - money. The prices they list are not the prices I have found at my local Kroger. There is a disclaimer at the top of the list that the prices are based on average Kroger prices in Alabama, Tennessee, and a few other states. Mississippi is not one of them. And as I'm sure you can probably guess, the prices are higher in my local Kroger, not lower. With that said, I'm not seeing a big savings in my grocery bill. And remember, their list does not include things like milk, cereal, juice boxes, snacks, etc. (I would be curious to know if lists based on Wal-Mart prices are any more accurate. If anyone tries this with Wal-Mart, please let me know - - I just might switch)
The recipes are easy to fix - - I do not consider myself a good cook, but these recipes are easy even for me. I like that it has offered me new things to try. I felt like I was in a real rut when it came to cooking, but this has given me a few new options. Just like night, I broiled cut up squash, zucchini, bell pepper, and onion as a side dish. My family "eeewwwd" at the squash and zucchini, but I thought it was delicious.
I'm making notes on the menus as to whether or not that particular meal was a hit or a bust with the fam. That way if it comes up again on a later menu, I can decide whether or not to include it in our menu. There's only been one bust so far, and at this moment I can't remember the name of it, but it was a tomatoey-chicken dish over rice. It was okay to me, but Brad and the kids could barely down it.
The only other thing I would have to say is this. If you were raised like I was - on peas and cornbread - you won't find any of that kind of food here. There's no fried chicken and turnip green meals (that I've seen yet anyway!) But of course, you can substitute your fresh-from-the-garden peas for any side they've chosen whenever you feel like it!
Overall, I'm liking E-Mealz a bunch. The convenience is definitely what I like the most. I don't know how long I'll use it, but for now I almost get giddy when I go to the computer to see what we'll be eating!
I know, I'm weird!
On Sundays, I go to the E-Mealz website and print out the menu for the following week. The menu is for 7 meals, and I choose the 5 that is the best for my family. I have noticed (but remember, I've only seen 2 menus so far) that there does seem to be a pattern in the meals. For example, both weeks there has been a pasta dish, a beef meal, a chicken meal, a fish meal, a soup, etc. I don't know if this is true for every single week, but it's true for the 2 weeks I've been doing it. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, I'm just recognizing that pattern.
I absolutely love having a list prepared for me. It's super-duper easy. It takes a few minutes to go through and mark off things you don't need (from the meals you've chosen not to make), but to me, it's nice 'cuz it feels like with everything I mark off, I'm saving money.
But that brings me to the down side - money. The prices they list are not the prices I have found at my local Kroger. There is a disclaimer at the top of the list that the prices are based on average Kroger prices in Alabama, Tennessee, and a few other states. Mississippi is not one of them. And as I'm sure you can probably guess, the prices are higher in my local Kroger, not lower. With that said, I'm not seeing a big savings in my grocery bill. And remember, their list does not include things like milk, cereal, juice boxes, snacks, etc. (I would be curious to know if lists based on Wal-Mart prices are any more accurate. If anyone tries this with Wal-Mart, please let me know - - I just might switch)
The recipes are easy to fix - - I do not consider myself a good cook, but these recipes are easy even for me. I like that it has offered me new things to try. I felt like I was in a real rut when it came to cooking, but this has given me a few new options. Just like night, I broiled cut up squash, zucchini, bell pepper, and onion as a side dish. My family "eeewwwd" at the squash and zucchini, but I thought it was delicious.
I'm making notes on the menus as to whether or not that particular meal was a hit or a bust with the fam. That way if it comes up again on a later menu, I can decide whether or not to include it in our menu. There's only been one bust so far, and at this moment I can't remember the name of it, but it was a tomatoey-chicken dish over rice. It was okay to me, but Brad and the kids could barely down it.
The only other thing I would have to say is this. If you were raised like I was - on peas and cornbread - you won't find any of that kind of food here. There's no fried chicken and turnip green meals (that I've seen yet anyway!) But of course, you can substitute your fresh-from-the-garden peas for any side they've chosen whenever you feel like it!
Overall, I'm liking E-Mealz a bunch. The convenience is definitely what I like the most. I don't know how long I'll use it, but for now I almost get giddy when I go to the computer to see what we'll be eating!
I know, I'm weird!
Monday, February 28, 2011
E-Mealz, It's Worth a Try!
I've bought groceries every way imaginable. I bet you have too.
I've made menus for 2 weeks at a time, constructed my grocery list from the menu, then bought the items needed. I've shortened the menus to 1 week at a time and done the same thing. Most frighteningly, I've even walked in the grocery store with no menu and no list and just waited for inspiration to strike as I strolled the aisles. This, I can tell you, is not the smartest way to do it.
I heard someone say once that they don't mind cooking, it's the figuring-out-what-to-cook that becomes a chore. I totally, whole-heartedly agree!
Enter e-mealz.
I heard Dave Ramsey endorse e-mealz on his radio show. I once saw a lady with an e-mealz grocery list shopping in Kroger. And last, a teacher-friend at work was telling us how she signed up for it and so far is liking it.
So I made the plunge. I signed up, for $5 a month, for someone else to plan my menu and make my grocery list. Yes, you heard right. For $5 a month (and you have to pay three months at a time), e-mealz will send you a 7-day meal plan and a coordinating grocery list to go with it. The plan is posted every Sunday which works out well for me since I usually buy my groceries on Monday anyway.
Of course, you can still pick and choose what meals you want to make. For instance, one of the meals this week was cheesy enchiladas, but we just had enchiladas a few nights ago. So I marked that meal off the list. Each meal is numbered, and on the grocery list, beside each item, is the coordinating meal number. Just say cheesy enchiladas was meal #4. I went to the list and marked off any item that had #4 beside it. Also, I rarely, okay never, cook 7 big meals in a row. We are not afraid to eat leftovers, so my family could probably make 5 meals last for 7 days.
E-mealz generates the meals from what your chosen store's sales are for that week. Saving money will be nice, but the convenience of it all will be even nicer!
I can't wait to see if this actually works for me. If it doesn't, I'm out $15 bucks. If it does, I've saved my sanity! (and hopefully some money as well!)
I've made menus for 2 weeks at a time, constructed my grocery list from the menu, then bought the items needed. I've shortened the menus to 1 week at a time and done the same thing. Most frighteningly, I've even walked in the grocery store with no menu and no list and just waited for inspiration to strike as I strolled the aisles. This, I can tell you, is not the smartest way to do it.
I heard someone say once that they don't mind cooking, it's the figuring-out-what-to-cook that becomes a chore. I totally, whole-heartedly agree!
Enter e-mealz.
I heard Dave Ramsey endorse e-mealz on his radio show. I once saw a lady with an e-mealz grocery list shopping in Kroger. And last, a teacher-friend at work was telling us how she signed up for it and so far is liking it.
So I made the plunge. I signed up, for $5 a month, for someone else to plan my menu and make my grocery list. Yes, you heard right. For $5 a month (and you have to pay three months at a time), e-mealz will send you a 7-day meal plan and a coordinating grocery list to go with it. The plan is posted every Sunday which works out well for me since I usually buy my groceries on Monday anyway.
Of course, you can still pick and choose what meals you want to make. For instance, one of the meals this week was cheesy enchiladas, but we just had enchiladas a few nights ago. So I marked that meal off the list. Each meal is numbered, and on the grocery list, beside each item, is the coordinating meal number. Just say cheesy enchiladas was meal #4. I went to the list and marked off any item that had #4 beside it. Also, I rarely, okay never, cook 7 big meals in a row. We are not afraid to eat leftovers, so my family could probably make 5 meals last for 7 days.
E-mealz generates the meals from what your chosen store's sales are for that week. Saving money will be nice, but the convenience of it all will be even nicer!
I can't wait to see if this actually works for me. If it doesn't, I'm out $15 bucks. If it does, I've saved my sanity! (and hopefully some money as well!)
Monday, September 7, 2009
Don't You Love Chick-Fil-A?
Tonight we ate for free. Yes, free. All four of us. If you do not have a Chick-Fil-A in your town, I apologize and warn you - you may not want to read the rest of this. You may get Chick-Fil-A envy.
Last night while watching football, (yahoo! football is back!!!!!), we saw a commercial about getting a free chicken sandwich from Chick-Fil-A. All we had to do was wear a team logo into the Chick-Fil-A and they would hand us a free chicken sandwich.
My family along with about 150 others were waiting in line at our local Chick-Fil-A (okay, maybe not that many). It was a game-like atmosphere, and I enjoyed looking around at all the different colleges and pro teams represented. Mostly in-state colleges, but I did see a Nebraska T-shirt. Go Cornhuskers.
I got my free sandwiches and headed home. And boy did we enjoy them....thanks Chick-Fil-A.....you're great to have in the neighborhood!
Last night while watching football, (yahoo! football is back!!!!!), we saw a commercial about getting a free chicken sandwich from Chick-Fil-A. All we had to do was wear a team logo into the Chick-Fil-A and they would hand us a free chicken sandwich.
My family along with about 150 others were waiting in line at our local Chick-Fil-A (okay, maybe not that many). It was a game-like atmosphere, and I enjoyed looking around at all the different colleges and pro teams represented. Mostly in-state colleges, but I did see a Nebraska T-shirt. Go Cornhuskers.
I got my free sandwiches and headed home. And boy did we enjoy them....thanks Chick-Fil-A.....you're great to have in the neighborhood!
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