Menu Planning Monday 7-20-09

Monday: Mushroom a la Stroganoff and Cream Cheese Squares
Tuesday: Crockpot Beef Stew
Wednesday: Hamburgers
Thursday: Spaghetti
Friday: Calzones
Saturday: Mexican Chicken Lasagna
Sunday: Apple Cheese Pizza and Eggs

Teaching My Kids at Publix and Saving 81%!

I actually took the whole family shopping with me today! I would give the boys an assignment and they would go with dad to find it. I let them pick what they wanted from the bakery since I had a $2.50 off $10 coupon from Kroger. My 8-yr-old actually paid attention this time to the screen as we checked out and was announcing to all that could hear him about the money we were saving. It was fun and hopefully a learning experience for the kids. Here is what we purchased:



8 McCormick Grinder Seasonings, $1.99 BOGO
-(8) $1 off any McCormick Spice “Nothing Goes To Waist” booklet
Final Price: FREE

2 Fresh Express Salad Blends Baby Spinach, $2.79 ea
-$2 off $5 in Produce printable (Food Lion)
-(2) .75/1 IP Qs
Final Price: 1.04 ea

Milk, 2.25
-.75/1 IP Q
Final Price: 1.50

10 Kool Aid Packets, .20 each

2 Publix Brown Sugars, .85 ea
-MF Q Buy 10 Kool Aid, Get $2 Off Sugar
-(2) Food Lion Tearpad Qs Buy 5 Kool Aid Get $1 Off Food Lion Sugar
Final Price: Free plus 1.17 overage

Duncan Hines Cake Mix, 1.59
-$1/1 Food Lion Q
Final Price: .59

4 Reach Dental Floss, 1.49
-(4) $1/1 Publix Qs
-$3/3 MF Q
-$1/1 MF Q
Final Price: Free plus .51 overage

3 J&J Med Products, 1.79
-(3) .50/1 MF Q, doubled
-$5/3 Publix Q from "Back to School Savings" Publix Green Advantage Buy
Final Price: Free plus .88 overage ea

3 Bandaids, on sale 2.19 ea
-$5/3 Publix Q from "Back to School Savings" Publix Green Advantage Buy
-(3) $1/1 MF Qs
Final Price: Free plus .48 overage ea

Sudafed OM Spray, 6.99
-$2/1 IP Q
Final Price: 4.99

5 Tylenol Arthritis, 3.48
-(5) $2/1 MF Q
-(5) $2/1 Publix Q from Summertimes Savings
Final Price: Free plus .52 overage ea

4 Bush's Beans, .97 BOGO
Final Price: .49 ea

L'Oreal Haircolor, 9.99
-$5/1 Publix Q
-$3/1 MF Q
Final Price: 1.99

3 Danonino Yogurt, 1.66
-(3) $1/1 MF Q
Final Price: .66 ea

7 New York Texas Toast Croutons, 5 oz, $1.49 BOGO
-(7) .50/1 MF Qs, doubled
Final Price: Free plus .25 overage ea

Digiorno Flatbread Melt, 2.50
-Free MF Q
Final Price: Free

Publix Honey Wheat Bread, 1.79
-Free Coupon from HG Hill Advertisement in Franklin Review on Wednesday
Final Price: Free

Publix Eggs, 1.29
-Free Coupon from HG Hill Advertisement in Franklin Review on Wednesday
Final Price: Free

8 Cesar Dog Food, .67
-(2) B3G1 Blinkies
Final Price: .50 ea

6 Sheba Cat Food, .99
-.50/6 MF Q
Final Price: .82 ea

4 Washable Crayola Markers, 3.69 BOGO
Final Price: 1.85 ea

Tuscan Garlic Loaf Bread, 3.99
Tres Leche Chocolate Cake, 6.19
-$2.50/$10 Bakery Purchase Kroger Q from mailing
Final Price: 7.68 bakery purchase

-$5/$50 from HG Hill Advertisement in Franklin Review on Wednesday

Total before sales/coupons: 159.33
Coupons: 97.96
Sales: 30.57
OOP: 30.80 (including $9 in tax, saving 81%)

Do You Need Kleenex for School Supplies?

Go HERE to print a Target Coupon for Kleenex facial tissue single packs, Excludes trial size - $1/3

Go to Coupons.com to print .50 off of 3 boxes or 1 bundle pack. Use ZIP code 30303 if your ZIP does not show coupon.

Use both at Target or Publix (if yours accepts Target Qs) for cheap Kleenex.

$5/$25 Walgreens Coupon Today Only

Go HERE to print your $5 off of $25 purchase at Walgreens good through today only.

Big Lot's 20% Off This Sunday Only

Big Lots is offering a 20% off Coupon good this Sunday for your entire purchase. This can be a great opportunity depending on what you need. A couple of years ago we purchased two Ashley sofas that they had for sale at a great price using this coupon. Big Lots also usually has good prices on can goods.

Bought Band-Aids to Get Milk!

We were totally out of milk, paper towels and coffee creamer. I haven't had time to come up with a great scenario but really didn't want spend a lot of money (especially after the excesses of vacation). So after being inspired by I Love Publix I made a quick trip to Publix! It went very well, except I purchased the wrong variety of creamer which was not BOGO. Even with that, my total before taxes was a negative, which was really cool! Here is what I purchased:


2 Coffee Mates 32 oz French Vanilla (Original is BOGO, oops), 3.27
-(2) .55/1 IP Qs
Final Price: 2.72

Publix Milk, 2.25

5 Viva Paper Towels, regularly 2.29, on sale 1.89
-.50/1 MF Q, doubled
Final Price: .89 ea

12 Bandaids, on sale 2.19 ea
-(4) $5/3 Publix Q from "Back to School Savings" Publix Green Advantage Buy
-(5) $1/1 MF Qs
-(7) .50/1 MF Q, doubled
Final Price: Free plus .48 overage ea

3 J&J Med Products, 1.99
-(3) .50/1 MF Q, doubled
-$5/3 Publix Q from "Back to School Savings" Publix Green Advantage Buy
Final Price: Free plus .68 overage ea

Tylenol Arthritas, 3.48
-$2/1 MF Q
-$2/1 Publix Q from Summertimes Savings
Final Price: Free plus .52 overage

-$5/$50

Total before sales/coupons: 70.24
Coupons: 55.10
Sales: 11.99
OOP: -1.13 + 4.18 tax =$3.15 (saving 96%)

Bargain Meal of The Week 7/17/09

It's time for another week of Bargain Meals! Erin over at $5 Dinners (a great read!) is hosting a gathering of bloggers all over the internet, creating frugal meals straight from the sales circulars of their favorite stores. Check it out for even more inspiration. I contribute every Thursday for the current sales at Publix, which run from Wednesday to the following Tuesday. Keep in mind that you do not need to purchase two of a product to get the buy one get one price. Publix marks down their products to half price for the BOGO deals.

In my never ending quest to find tasty and healthy recipes, I came across this one. I love mushrooms and am happy to see that they are on sale this week. For this recipe you need to purchase three packages of mushrooms, a couple of onions and various other herbs. Don't forget to use the Food Lion $2 off of $5 produce purchase.

Items on sale that can be used in this meal:

Baby Portobella Mushrooms 8 oz package, 2/$3
-$2/$5 FLIP Q

Mushrooms a la Stroganoff

From "Eat More, Weigh Less" by Dean Ornish, M.D.
Yield: 4 servings

• 1 C. dark vegetable stock (or beef stock)
• 1 1/4 lbs. mushrooms (3 8-oz packages)
  
• 2 C. sliced onions
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. dry sherry (optional)
• 1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• black pepper
• 1/2 C. nonfat plain yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 6-oz package egg noodles

1. Trim away stem ends of mushrooms and wash. Slice thinly and set aside.
2. Put onions and garlic in large sauté pan with 1/2 C. stock. Simmer, covered, until onions are tender, 10-15 min. Stir occasionally. Add mushrooms and simmer 5 min, stirring occasionally. Add sherry and cook 2 min.
3. Stir in paprika, cayenne, lemon zest and remaining 1/2 C. stock. Simmer, uncovered, about 10 min or until reduced by one-third. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let sit 5 min. Stir in yogurt, dill and parsley. Heat on low heat.
4. Cook noodles. Reserve about 1/3 C. cooking water; drain noodles. Stir noodles into mushroom sauce, adding some of reserved water if needed to coat noodles. Serve immediately.

Note: A tablespoon may seem like too much paprika, but the entire amount should be used. Not only is it a flavor and color agent, but it also serves as a thickener.