I was at a local no-frills grocers a few weeks back and in line in front of me were two women, a middle aged daughter and Mom. Both were quite spry and having a good time, but their basket was FULL of prepacked food, full of chemicals and additives, pizzas, toaster pastries, frozen pancakes, canned biscuits, tiny yoghurts and jello, ready to nuke meat dishes and single serving sides of bread and veggies..
I had a few simple things, some cheap beef to be marinated and cooked, potatoes, bacon, a whole chicken (on special) eggs, flour, sugar, salt, any spice that needs replacing, a huge tub of plain yoghurt I could add a teaspoon of jam to for my own "fruit yoghurt" in small containers. My biscuits and pancakes I'll bake from scratch, same for a loaf of bread. Soup will be bits and pieces left in other recipes, cooked in stock made out of the chicken carcass. Veggies are bought in bulk for the freezer. My bill was 1/3 of theirs and I guarantee I ate better, and healthier. I'd take a bowl of homemade soup or stew and a couple slices of homemade bread with honey from a local hive over nuked processed dinner any day.
Don't rule out other than big box marts. There's a small local grocer near home that has their own butcher and often he has specials that are a real value, and the meat is top quality.
Crockpot Pork with Hot Bacon Potato Salad
In this case, I snagged 3 "reduced" big bone in pork steaks. Yes, they were "reduced," but they're still good, reduced just means you need to cook or freeze in a couple of days and the savings are measurable. The steaks were huge, enough meat for 3 hungry people, or 4 with additional sides, only $2.48. Throw in a crock pot with fresh onion, soup and spices and cook all day while you work or take care of people and things that need tending to.
When it's just about done, cook some potatoes and toss in sweet/sour/savory hot bacon dressing. made with spices purchased when on sale and always on hand. A HOTR version of German Potato Salad. The pork is so tender you can cut it with a spoon and perfect with the bacon. The meal got a "that's a keeper" from the menfolk. Serve with bulk packed veggies and dinner for 3 was on the table for $5 with the spices I had already on hand.
