by Lori Wuellner
Trying to cut back on expenses this holiday season? It can be a challenge but holiday and party meals don’t’ have to cost a fortune. With creativity and planning, you can scale down food purchases without cutting back on the fun and festivities. Here are some ideas.
Plan: Establish how much you can afford to spend. Want to invite more guests than you can comfortably afford to feed? Hold a potluck. Ask family and friends to bring a favorite dish and copies of the recipe for it. Bonus: everyone gets to try new foods.
Downsize your menu: Consider your budget along with what’s on special and seasonal at the grocery store. For example, plan a meal consisting of two or three kinds of homemade soups and one crowd-pleasing snack such as popcorn with raisins or the Bean Nacho Dip that follows. Add a few kinds of bread and hot cocoa or an unsweetened beverage to complete the menu.
Shop wisely: Use a grocery list. Watch for sales. Grocery stores periodically have great discounts on basic holiday foods. Use this to your advantage, but only buy items you need and avoid the “extras” that are not on your list. If you’re serving fewer menu items, you’ll need to buy greater quantities of each. This means you can buy ingredients in bulk, which can be a great way to save some cash. Look at the unit prices to ensure you’re getting the best deals. In the store, look for bargains on the top and bottom shelves.
Coupons or generic brands? By buying generic or store brands, you could save 40 percent on your groceries. If buying name-brand foods, check for coupons in newspapers and on the Internet. Use coupons only for foods already on your grocery list, and on the store’s double or triple coupons days, if available.
Make your menu do double duty. We lose money whenever we throw away food because it spoiled before we could use it. Be creative in using leftovers. For example, use leftover dip as a sandwich spread instead of the usual mayonnaise, or sprinkle broken chips into chili or on top of a casserole. Give the Turkey Tostadas a try as a way to use up leftover turkey.
(Source: Dining on a Dime, Eating Better for Less, November/December 2016)
Lori Wuellner is a Wyandotte County Extension agent, Family and Consumer Sciences, K-State Research and Extension, 1216 N. 79th St., Kansas City, Kan. Telephone 913-299-9300, email [email protected].
Bean Nacho Dip
Ingredients:
½ package low-fat cream cheese (about 8 ounces)
½ can low-sodium vegetarian beans (undrained, about 8 ounces)
½ can tomatoes (chopped, about 8 ounces)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ pound shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spread cream cheese on the bottom of an 8×8-inch baking or casserole dish.
3. Spread beans on top of cream cheese.
4. Combine tomatoes, garlic and onion powder, and spoon on top of beans. Sprinkle with cheese.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve with baked tortilla chips and fresh vegetables.
Nutrition Information (serves 12): Total calories-100; total fat- 5g; Sodium- 190mg; Protein- 7g. (Source: What’s Cooking in the Market?)
Turkey Tostadas
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked turkey (cut into bite-size pieces or 2 cups ground turkey, browned in a skillet and drained)
2 tablespoons taco seasoning (or chili)
1½ cups water
4 corn tortillas
¼ cup refried beans (low-fat or fat-free)
¼ cup Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (shredded, low-fat)
½ cup tomatoes
½ cup lettuce (chopped)
2 tablespoons onion (chopped)
½ cup taco sauce
Plain yogurt (low-fat or fat-free optional)
Guacamole (or mashed avocado optional)
Directions:
1. Wash and prepare vegetables.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, combine turkey, taco seasoning, and water.
3. Bring mixture to boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Place tortillas on a cooking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 4-7 minutes or until tortillas are crispy.
5. Spread tortillas with a tablespoon of beans. Top with ¼ meat mixture and cheese.
6. Return tortillas to oven to cook for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted.
7. Top with tomatoes, lettuce, onions and taco sauce. Garnish with yogurt and guacamole, if desired.
Nutrition Information (serves 4): Total calories- 230; Total fat- 4g; Sodium- 420mg; Carbohydrates- 20g; Dietary fiber- 3g; Protein- 26g. (Source: What’s Cooking in the Market?)
