You might be surprised to know that there was a time when we had to send our kids off to their grandparent’s due to lack of food and money.  It was hard and I never want to revisit that time again but it did teach me something.  It taught me to stock up on the most important & most eaten things and everything else comes after.  It also taught me that you don’t have to go without flavor just because you’re rationing or because you are trying to be frugal.

I’ve compiled a list of tips to help you cut costs on your grocery bill, stock up and still be able to add some flavor to the menu!

Pantry items to have on hand for flavor!  I buy a lot of this at Sam’s Club in bulk and supersized to save money.  Just be cautious and make sure you’re getting a good deal.

• Ground Pepper  (MUCH cheaper at Sam’s than at the grocery store.)
• Garlic Powder
• Ground Cinnamon
• Chili Powder
• Sugar
• Minced Garlic in a jar.  I know, I know..fresh is the best but this lasts longer and has just as much flavor!
• Oil (Olive & Canola)
• Onions (They last a long time and they are inexpensive)

Tips to help you cut the costs on your grocery bill.

• *Cut the beef out. Fortunately, our beef is supplied as part of our income here on the ranch so we don’t have that expense, but if you want to save some money, buy chicken or even go meatless.  Eat more rice, beans, and pastas.  They are more filling anyhow and and easy on the pocketbook even in their super-size, which I recommend.
• *Buy big and in bulk. Like I mentioned above, a regular size can of pepper runs me around $3.50.  At Sam’s Club, I pay $4.00 for almost 3 times the amount!!!  HUGE savings.  This applies to so many things.  Cereal, milk (I freeze gallons of milk all the time), eggs, rice, and pasta.  I know those Quaker Oats Instant packets are handy but try buying a big container of oatmeal and add your own flavors, using fresh or frozen fruit.  It’s just as easy and you can make as little or as much oatmeal for more than half the cost as buying one of those box of packets!
• MAKE A LIST! Something that has reduced my grocery bill is my handy dandy notebook Smartshopper.  Yes you can use a notebook, and that is perfectly fine but I have to say, I LOVE my Smartshopper.  When I need something, I just record it in and print it out.  Having  a list reduces the chances of you buying items you don’t need or not sure if you’re out of or not.  This  can be a huge money saver.  I find that most people lose their list or forget to write it down because you don’t have a pen or paper handy but with the smartshopper, I walk over immediately and add it to the list.

Finally, COUPONS!!! I can’t say it enough people.  Even if you only have a coupon for $.55 off, it adds up over the month/year and can reduce your grocery bills by quite a bit.  I always check out Alyssa for updates on the upcoming inserts in your Sunday paper.  She knows the scoop ahead of the time and can help you determine if it’s worth getting a paper at all or getting 3 or 4!  You can always print coupons, just be sure to check back regularly because they are always adding new ones.

Check out womansday.com for more ideas on cutting costs and recipes to help you save money by not buying premade!

Cereal is huge in this family. We eat hot and cold cereals and at different parts of the day, not just for breakfast either so making sure that the kiddos are eating something of a healthy nature is at the top of my list. And with my weight loss journey, I’m finding that a handful of Honey Nut Cheerios seems to satisfy my craving easily and it’s much healthier than that chocolate cake.

General Mills is the maker of several other favorites like my husband’s Lucky Charms so I’m excited that they want to inform us on eating healthier and save us some money too!  I’ve become more wary of what’s in my food lately because I am trying to eat healthier and teach the kiddos to do the same.  Some facts for you that you might not know:

• *Are you aware of the recommended amount of calcium and vitamin D your child should get each day? Better yet, did you know the American Academy of Pediatrics recently doubled the vitamin D recommendation for children? Approximately 75% of kids today don’t get the recommended levels of calcium and vitamin D — two key nutrients for bone growth.
• *Not to worry though — as a parent, you can easily help your child get more of these two nutrients by looking for calcium and vitamin D fortified cereals, milk and juice. All General Mills Big G kid cereals (including Kix, Lucky Charms, Trix, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and more) offer a good source of BOTH calcium and vitamin D in each serving.
• *Additionally, a recent report in a leading consumer magazine ranked kid cereals by nutritional content, and all nine General Mills Big G kid cereals included in the report were ranked in the top half. All Big G kid cereals have at least eight grams of whole grain per serving (at least 48 grams are recommended daily), and all have 12 grams or less of sugar per serving.
• *Cereal is one of the most nutritious breakfast options a kid can eat. Most cereals have about 100 – 130 calories per serving and provide at least 10 key nutrients. And, ready-to-eat cereal is the number one source of whole grain in American diets.

You can learn more at the Grow Up Strong and see just how General Mills is trying to make difference to educate us all on their cereals.  You can also print a coupon at the their website or at my favorite coupon spot for  coupons of $.55 cents off of  Reese’s Puffs Big G cereal, Cheerios Big G cereal and Lucky Charms Big G cereal.  There are more coupons for Total and other fabulous General Mills products so check that out.

Something else I love about General Mills that you probably already know but may or may not use is their Box Tops 4 Education program!  Each box top is worth $.10 which goes to your school.  Might not seem like much but if you figure how many General Mills products have this on them and the amount you use all year, it could be make for a nice donation.  And don’t be afraid to bring that up at the next PTA meeting.  Encourage participation by setting up “drop boxes” at different locations like the local mercantile or a parent’s home so that when a good bundle has been saved, they can be dropped off at a location closest to them for convenience and help with donations!

Now I’m off to eat my own midday snack with Honey Nut Cheerios!  Do you have a favorite General Mills cereal? Learn more about their products and how they are trying to nourish our lives through their cereal!

Meet guest poster Dana from The Homesteading Housewife: YOU might know Dana from her appearance on Wife Swap but she also happens to be a great cook!

I run our small family farm almost by myself because the Man-of-My-Dreams is working out of state.  There is always something going on.  I have 5 kids.  I have 5 hungry kids!  So I am always thrilled when I can make something quick and easy that my kids actually all love!

These Cereal Bars fit the bill!  They are quick and easy, and super tasty.  What kid doesn’t love toasted oat ring cereal?  Toss in some chocolate and peanut butter and you can’t go wrong!

Super-Easy Cereal Bars

INGREDIENTS:

• *1/2 cup peanut butter
• *1/2 cup sugar
• *1/2 cup honey
• *3 cups Cheerios cereal
• *1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
• *1/2 cup salted peanuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1.) In a small sauce pan, bring the honey & sugar to a boil over med heat. As soon as the sugar is dissolved remove from heat.

2.) Stir in the peanut butter until well blended.

3.) In a separate bowl, combine Cheerios, peanuts & chocolate chips.

4.) Pour the peanut butter & honey mixture over the cereal mixture… Stir until well coated.

5.) Spread into a buttered 9×9 pan

6.) Let cool, cut into squares and enjoy!

Sooo simple, yet pretty and delicious, these ‘tartlets’ take minutes to make.  Perfect for any holiday or special days because they can be shaped into rounds, squares or hearts.  Make sure that you only use the very best chocolate.

This recipe is part of the California Walnut Board’s Smart Menus Program.  A program geared towards helping families make smarter food choices.  Walnuts are filled with “good fat” and satisfy your hunger cravings longer so that you aren’t snacking on things one right after another.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1 cup puffed brown rice cereal (brown Rice Crispies-type cereal)
• 4 ounces dark chocolate, melted
• 36 fresh raspberries
• 6 sprigs of mint

DIRECTIONS

Arrange six cupcake papers on a baking sheet or in a muffin pan; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the walnuts and rice cereal; mix well. Add the melted chocolate and stir until all is well coated. Divide evenly among the 6 paper-lined cups and press gently with the back of a soup spoon to compact into a “crust”. Arrange 6 raspberries on top gently pressing them into position while the chocolate is still warm. Garnish with a sprig of the mint. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Remove from the paper liners and place on a serving platter or individual serving plates.

Can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 36 hours.

Serves 6

Recipe courtesy of Tina Salter for the California Walnut Board

Hi, my name is Lori and I’m a cereal-a-holic.  Yep, cereal junkie born and bred!  I don’t know what it is about cereal but I could live on it frankly and when I saw Cereality, I could have just died.  My dreams of eating cereal daily could come true!  When I was pregnant with little man, I ate cereal day and night.  It was the only thing I craved nonstop.

Not only do they have all the best cereal flavors, they also have hot cereal, all kinds of toppings, parfaits, smoothies, coffee and teas!  You can even create your own flavor!!!  OMG, how cool is that.  I’m telling ya, after watching this on the food channel, I want to open my own store here!

Have any of you heard of this place or love cereal as much as I do?