Grocery Shopping: Strategy, Aisle by Aisle

Every single household has different stuff stocked in their pantry. Some of us like to stock up, some don’t. Most of us need to cater to some kind of specific dietary need of someone in our family. You may need to be gluten free, lactose free, heart healthy, low sugar or low carb. Since we all subscribe to different ideas of healthy eating, there’s almost no way for me to get specific enough in this article for everyone. I’m going to do my best to cover options in each section, as well as product selection.

When it comes down to figuring out what specifically your household needs each trip- that’s a whole different ballgame. The factors are endless! How many mouths do you feed, what are they allergic to, how much time do you have to cook, is there enough flour in the pantry for your dinner plans tonight…? See? ENDLESS! When Carina asked me the original question about grocery shopping, she touched on this subject:

“How to grocery shop. I hate grocery shopping because I either buy not enough for the week or I over buy in some things”

That, my dear Carina, is the kinda thing I can only give you tips on! Truth is, I don’t think anyone in the world can manage to make every single trip to the grocery store perfectly successful. We’ve all forgotten something before, and we are all going to do it again… grocery shopping is one of those chores like laundry and dishes… it’s constant. Even if you “do it all today”, you’ll have to do it all again next week! GAH! Don’t get overwhelmed. I guess my real message here, is that you shouldn’t be hard on yourself if you don’t buy enough or forget something… you’re ALWAYS going to have to take another trip to the grocery store. It will never end. So don’t feel badly about missing something!! Just keep your pantry well stocked so that if you DO forget something at the store, you can alter your plan for tonight’s dinner and not need to go back TODAY. (Keeping your pantry full, and writing down an item as soon as you use the last of it- those are the best tips I can give you!)

Another good habit to get into that will help you manage your trips is making a list. Honestly, I don’t do it. BUT- I only shop for two people, and I visit the store every two days, so if I forget something, I just deal for a day and grab it next time. If you have a large family, list-making is crucial to a successful and stress-free shopping trip! There are a couple of different ways to manage your lists. You can write items on your list the second you use the last drop OR you can write items on your list when you have ¼ of the container left. Do what works for you. If you keep a stocked pantry, you won’t need to make sure you grab some “before you run out”.

The other thing you should do is pay attention to the stuff that you wind up throwing away because it’s gone bad. Not buying enough food is one thing, and it’s easy to remedy by hitting up the store again! Buying too much food is always a losing situation. You waste money, storage space… you may even accidentally let food go bad in your fridge, which makes an unhealthy place for other stuff stored in the same drawer. I mean, this stuff happens to EVERYONE, so it’s good to take note when it does. If you’re buying 2 gallons of milk, but throwing half a gallon away each week, start buying 1 gallon container and one quart. You may need to adjust the amount of what you purchase, but you may also have to come to grips with a nasty realization like “I buy all these fresh fruits, and no one ever eats them!” If you find that your family isn’t eating enough of the foods you really want them to eat, it may be time to start looking for some new recipes! Mix up your meal routine, grind up the veggies so small they can’t see ‘em… whatever it takes! If you identify this problem, there are lots of ways to fix it. Take all of these things into account when you are making your list for your next trip!

Produce
The produce section is, of course, where you find all of your fresh fruits and vegetables. Most grocery stores sell some of their produce already prepared for cooking. This section also often contains pre-made smoothies and salad-ina-bag as well as fresh herbs and surprisingly, won ton skins. I know. It’s weird to me too.

A good produce section should be well lit, and smell either like the fresh greenery or like nothing at all. If you notice any musty or mildewy smells, you’re in the wrong place. Also, if you see fruit flys- bail.

Visit this link for my article on how to choose ripe fruits.

I do not often buy the pre-chopped fruits and vegetables. Even though Rick and I do a lot of juicing, I save a lot of money by chopping my own produce at home. That being said, I DO like pre-packaged salad…

Many of us use salad-ina-bag products. We love baby spinach in this house, and almost every trip to the store, I walk out with a bag of it. Be sure to keep your eyes open for grocery store brands, this isn’t a section that we typically associate with “generics”, but many stores have veggies packaged for them, and I find that the difference between the brand name salad and the store brand salad is often $1 or more! When pulling your bag off the shelf, be sure to take one from all the way in the back. The freshest produce is placed at the back, so the older stuff sells first. Makes perfect sense! Beat the system ;) Before you toss it in your cart, look for wilted leaves or too much condensation or liquid. If you see either of those things, dive back in for another bag.

Organic vs Non-Organic is the conversation you’ll be having with yourself all the way through this section. I figure, buying stuff out of the produce department is an accomplishment in the first place, if you don’t buy organic, I certainly won’t come down on ya! It’s more expensive, and the actual health benefits are still being discussed. If you do prefer organic products, here’s an article on what is required for a food to be called “organic” and how to read labeling for those products. The “organic vs non-organic” debate can get a little confusing, so having a little knowledge in advance can help your grocery store confidence!

Bakery
Oh man. I’ll be honest with you. I try my very best to stay outta this place. LOL! Ughhh… it’s like… every day of my life renews my struggle NOT to eat donuts for breakfast… and then every morning that I walk into the grocery store, that amazing smell smacks me in the face. I have two choices: succumb to the sticky, sweet deliciousness, or RUN! So I run… you know… slowly. LOL

Personally, I’ve found that I can make pretty much anything in the bakery, and you probably can too! My cakes may not look as fancy, but they taste even better than the bulk-made baked goods in those cases. You can save money (and impress your friends, family and co-workers!) by making your own baked goods. However, if you are in a rush, it’s good to know that the bakery is right around the corner!

When in this section, if you want to save a little money, ask the bakers if they put out day-old bread. Higher end stores take day-old products off the floor immediately (and probably waste them), but many stores are starting to offer their day-old selections at reduced prices.

Deli This is the department where you can get bulk meats and cheeses sliced to order. Great place! Lots of items are available here that are not typically pre-sliced and packaged for the cases. For instance, one of my favorite treats from the deli is salsa marinated turkey breast. Oh man, it’s so good. When I have them slice any of my favorite meats or cheeses, I always try not to order more than I think I’ll eat in a day or two. I’d rather go back and buy fresh stuff than have things losing its flavor sitting in my refrigerator.

The deli is cool because if you ask politely, they’ll let you try a slice of something you’ve never had before. It’s a great way to diversify your menus without having to buy an entire package of something you’ve never tried before. Nearly every time I am at the store, I ask them if they have a little piece of cheese I can try.

Seafood
I have actually written an article on selecting the freshest seafood before. In the interest of time and space, check it out here if you’re interested!

Meat
The meat department and I have a love/hate relationship. I LOVE to look at all those delicious cuts of meat and imagine the delightful meals I could make that evening! I HATE meat juice. Thankfully, grocery stores are picking up on this and many now have hand-wipe stations. PHEW!

Get to know the butcher at your grocery store. He’s a good guy, I’m almost 100% sure of it. It seems I’ve never met a butcher who wasn’t ready for an enthusiastic and cheerful conversation on how to cook his finest cut of meat. If you have questions about cuts or cooking methods, just ask! These are the pros. They should be keeping their department clean, it shouldn’t smell nor should there be meat juice in the bottom of the cases. That’s one of the best ways to know if you can trust your butcher.

I’m sure you’ve noticed the price of meat going up recently. If you want to save some cash, you can buy meat in bulk. If you REALLY want to save some cash, take the extra step of buying your own meat grinder and learning to grind your own meat. If you already have a stand mixer, you can even find meat grinders that attach to those. Seriously. The more hands-on treatment meat receives, the higher the price, so the more you do yourself, the better. While I was growing up, Mrs. K. ground all her own meat, and made the best burgers on the block!!

If you have a deep freezer, and hopefully a product like a FoodSaver, buying meat in bulk can mean huge savings. Read my article on freezing meat. When shopping in the meat department, the unit price you’re working with is “per pound”. I’ve seen this cause confusion for the uninitiated, when peoples eyes get dreamy as they look over a huge slab of brisket under a sign that says $3.12/lb. That’s probably not $3.12 for the whole piece, most likely, that’s the “per pound” (unit) price. You should find the exact weight and price marked on each individual package, even if they are in a bin with a big price at the top.

When selecting meats, look for bright color and not a lot of liquid in the foam tray. Chicken and pork should be pink, beef should be red. If the color seems dull, or the liquid in the package seems thicker than water, do not purchase that meat! Just like in the pre-bagged salad section, the freshest meat is at the back of the case. Not only that, but the back of the case is colder than the front, which means the meat back there is less likely to be spoiling. Go on and reach to the back for the best package!

Dairy
The dairy section of the grocery store is usually fairly large in comparison to the others. It will include products like milk, sour cream, yogurt, kefir, cream cheese, ice cream, butter… and bizarrely… eggs. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a grocery store that didn’t keep the eggs in the dairy section. Whatever, right?

Much like the sections discussed previously, the dairy section does have a manager, and his job is to keep all the products rotated so that nothing goes bad on the shelves. There’s not a whole lot of technique to share with regard to selecting a carton of milk or a package of butter, but the rule about the freshest products being at the back in the coldest part of the refrigerator is true here too. I always reach to the back for my yogurt, kefir and sour cream!

A quick tip about eggs: when I was younger, they didn’t have these clear plastic egg cartons, and all the eggs came in cardboard. My mom would always open the carton, and appear to count the eggs by tapping each one, which seemed strange to me because it would be easy to tell if one was missing. Finally one day, I asked her what she was doing, and she told me that when she touched the eggs, if any of them stuck to the carton, she’d know the egg had been damaged and the white was making the egg stick to the package. OH! Mrs. K is so smart! From that day forward, it was my job to check the eggs. Great job for the older kiddies.

The Rest of the Store
For the sake of time, and due to the fact that y’all have plenty of common sense, I’m not going to go over the middle portion of the grocery store, though I will list the aisles as they are typically laid out in most groceries. If your trip will be a large one, and you plan to do some stocking up, you might choose to start shopping in middle of the store. It can feel counter-intuitive, but you don’t want all your fresh/cold foods going bad while you wander the aisles. Remember that these middle sections are where the unit price is listed right on the price tags. Take advantage! Most stores stock their generic brand right next to the brand-name brand, to attract shoppers (remember, generics don’t advertise, but that means they must rely on you to look beyond the name brand to find the savings they offer). The middle part of the store is full of all the typical “grocery games”, like the classic “This box is bigger than the rest, but has less product inside”, etc. Understanding unit price will keep you from buying more packaging than food.

The following is a list of the rest of the aisles in the grocery store:

The Middle Section
•Bread/peanut butter
•Cereal/breakfast
•Baking needs/spice
•Canned veg&soups/canned fruits/vinegar/salad dressing
•Pasta/premade meals
•Rice/beans (international foods)
•Crackers/cookies
•Chips/Soda

The Freezer Section
•Biscuits/butter/juice
•Breakfast/chicken/breads
•Pizza/micro snacks (burritos, cheeseburgers)
•TV Dinners/veg/fruit/dessert
Ice Cream

Household Goods Section
•Wrapping/baggies
•Plates/cups/plastic flatware and trash bags
•Toilet paper/paper towels
•Dish care
•Laundry care

Personal Care Section
•Cosmetics/hair care
•Hand soaps
•Shaving needs/toothcare
•Feminine products/sexuality
•Meal supplements
•Pharmacy products

Many grocery stores these days also include a special department for “Natural foods”. It’s like a mini-grocery store, with everything in it that the rest of the store has, but the products on these shelves are natural, organic, chemical-free, etc. This section is also becoming the place where alternate forms of standard foods and cleaning products are kept, for instance, this is where you’d find gluten-free breads, organic cereals, natural soaps and vegetarian selections.

Because this section is an after-thought in most already-established stores, it can be found just about anywhere. Some stores are constantly making more space for these products, to keep their shoppers from defecting to Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. The grocery chain that I prefer in my area has expanded their natural foods selection, tremendously, and now have dedicated employees, specially trained on the products they stock. I appreciate them going the extra mile, and many stores are doing the same. Now, I love Whole Foods, but find the prices there absolutely overwhelming. These days, my regular-old neighborhood grocery store is stocking LOTS of the same products those stores sell, at lower prices. Don’t completely abandon your neighborhood grocery for these specialty grocery stores. The folks who stock local grocery shelves are wising up to the organic food movement, and are adjusting to sell products people are starting to seek out. I do still visit Whole Foods on VERY rare occasion, but because of the thoughtful expansion of my local store, I skip their high prices as often as humanly possible!

***Next article, Grocery Shopping: Checking Out***


Grocery Shopping: The Philosophy Behind Your Choice of Markets

Recently, I asked our Facebook community what they’d like to read about in the New Year, and one of the very first responses was great:

“How to grocery shop. I hate grocery shopping because I either buy not enough for the week or I over buy in some things” – Carina S

That’s actually an awesome question, for LOTS of reasons. I mean, so many, I hardly even know where to start! Many dread the grocery store, and I know why! Each store has different deals, coupons and super-savers. It’s almost too much to bare! I see frustrated women with items in their carts costing them double the same item in my cart costs. Men in suits wandering around wide-eyed and frightened. Many times, I help guys in the grocery store that get lost looking for ingredients in the aisles. They’ll be on their cell phones: “Honey… pick up the phone please… I’m at the store and I can’t find the garlic powder… And what shape carrots do we need..?” Not being a great grocery shopper is nothing to be ashamed of, but it’s something that’s really easy to fix if you weren’t born with a map of the grocery store in your head… In fact, I’d venture to say that I am a more conscientious grocery shopper than most because Mrs. K was pretty neurotic about trips to the grocery store when I was a kid.

Now, when I say that she was neurotic, it’s true. But her method boils down to efficiency. My mother taught me the finer points of grocery shopping. Now that I’ve grown, I can see it all so clearly, but I can also see why people who shop with either of us find that the word “neurotic” explains us best. I have adopted nearly every tip and trick she’s taught me, but you should be warned!! We take grocery shopping very seriously!! But at the same time, because we follow the same course each trip, we can make much of the experience automatic. Having “Grocery Store Confidence” is a wonderful thing! It helps you walk the aisles calmly, so you remember everything, and catch every deal. Secondly, it helps you get in and out with fewer snags. If you walk through the store with a smile, you’ll positively effect everyone who’s nerves are driving them nuts. You’ll help calm frustrated shoppers, and brighten the cashiers day. Knowing what you’re doing helps everyone.

I’m not sure if Carina realized the “can of worms” she’d be opening when she asked *ME* for tips on grocery shopping! HA! :D Honestly, I have SO many ideas to share with you about this subject, this will be a series of articles. I hope the way I plan to break it up will make it easier to search for the info later if you need it.

“A SERIES”, you say, “…about a trip to the grocery store”?

Yes. Grocery shopping occupies a huge section of my brain, why not share it all with you?

My goal is not to tell you “how you should grocery shop”, but to tell you “what I find most efficient” and why. My methods sound nit-picky. They are! But my strategy totally works for me, and like I said, it’s become automatic. You should take these tips and flex them to fit your needs. Grocery shopping doesn’t have to be intimidating. I actually LOVE going. But that’s because I’ve found a way to avoid many of the little, obnoxious things about going to the store.

Pomona, Roman goddess of fruitful abundance


Grocery Store Philosophy

A subject so broad, it needs an entire article all to itself!

One of the first things to think about when you plan a shopping trip, is whether this will be a “daily shopping” trip, or a bulk/stock trip. Most folks with families tend to lean toward bulk/stock trips most of the time. They reduce the number of trips to the store, which is priceless to those with little kids or those who are short on time, however, that does tend to leave the house with less fresh items. Single folks, people who live in the city or those who are really watching the freshness of the food they eat tend to do daily shopping trips, and cook what they buy immediately.

Good news! There is no need to pick a side! The key to a happy kitchen is a full pantry. If your pantry isn’t full, it’s probably time for a stock-up trip. These are the trips when you may walk the middle aisles and actually fill the cart with products like flour, sugar, salt, vinegar, canned goods, oils, extracts, etc. Stocking a pantry properly has got to be a subject we save for another day, but it’s got to be done in every home. When you have a well stocked pantry, you can be flexible with your recipes. If you are out of something and have a way to substitute or change your plan, you can still make a delicious meal with no worries! It’s really all about having options at your fingertips.

I prefer to shop daily when possible. It’s nearly impossible to make a bad meal if you use fresh ingredients and simple techniques! … it may not always turn out the way you plan, but it probably won’t be bad… heh heh :D I have lived in cities that made daily shopping much easier to do, like London and Chicago, where I walked more often and so it was easy to pop into a shop on the way home for some fresh fish. I prefer to be able to shop at “the meat market” and “the cheese shop” and “the bakery” or a Farmers Market when I can. I like to support small businesses first. When daily shopping at a larger grocery store, I like to pick one to stick with, so I can get to know the folks behind the counter so I can get the best deals on the freshest products. It’s nice when the guy who handles the fruit department can tell you that he’s getting a big shipment of the season’s best in tomorrow! You can make sure to take advantage! Check out everything in your area at least once. You don’t have to BUY at every store, but at least walk in, and know what your options are. Here in Houston, some chains sell more variety of certain Mexican foods at lower prices, so I know that if I want to prepare a few meals with those sorts of ingredients, I should hit up those places on a daily trip. It’s good to know what everyone sells and what their average prices are.

When you are looking for the grocery store that you want to use most often, it’s important to factor in their average prices using unit price on a list of regular items. Cost of food differs region by region, so there is no way for me to tell you what you should expect to pay for an item when you walk into your local store. What you can do, is shop the stores in your area for the items on this list, then compare their unit price to see who offers these staples at the lowest price:

1 gallon milk
1 dozen eggs
1 lb butter
1 lb flour
5 lbs potatoes


Choose your Grocery Store well

Why it’s important to choose your grocery store using common sense factors, not emotional ones.

The grocery game is big money. Chains have lots of different ways to lure you into shopping with them. Everything from the music to the colors on the walls is planned in order to entice you. The fancier your grocery store looks, the more likely you are to be paying higher prices there than other stores can offer you. That’s because they spend more money on everything, even the little stuff like their shelving units, and the tiles on the floor in the entry way and freezer section… When any retail store allows their overhead costs go up, their prices will go up as well. Don’t confuse “fancy” with “cleanliness”, it’s not the same. Never sacrifice cleanliness. Don’t feel badly about shopping at a less fancy chain if they treat their meat, fish and produce well. Grocery shopping is a chore, not a holiday. It can be a fun chore, but you don’t need luxury. Cleanliness, freshness, price and selection are the most important factors.

Most grocery stores have a similar layout with the produce, meat, dairy and bakery around the outside edges, and the snacks, pre-made meals and pantry items filling the middle. (now you understand what I mean when I say that daily trips are around the outside edge, and stock-up trips are through the center). I think that a smart woman knows her grocery store. No one likes finding themselves stopping the flow of traffic in the aisles because we can’t find an item on the shelf and no one likes having to backtrack to grab something we missed. Knowing your store not only means that your trips will be more successful, but that you may even be able to help others when they are lost!

Another important factor in choosing a grocery store is whether or not they offer a generic brand of most of your favorite items. I’ve written before about the difference between brand name products and generics. I’m a huge proponent of buying as many generics as possible, because they tend to be very similar, often even made in the same factories as the brand name that costs more. The most major difference is that brand name products must spend money to advertise. Generics don’t spend money on advertising, they rely on the foot traffic the store produces to sell their product, and they pass the savings on to you. You can check the real price difference between items by figuring their unit price.

Unit Price
One of the most important lessons in life!

Whenever you are shopping for a product, PLEASE don’t just buy the brand!! Take a look at the prices. Actually, the most important number is not the big one that you see in bold… you’re looking for the “unit price”. Unit price is how much the product costs per pound or ounce (or other weight/volume measure). This is crucial information for the thrifty shopper! That number is your key to savings!! To find the unit price, you can do some quick math on your cell phone calculator (or just look on the tags on the shelf, that’s usually faster).

cost ∕ amount of product = unit price

Let’s do an example, thinking about cereal boxes. The boxes are almost all the same size and generally contain the same amount of product- but not always, so DO check! Let’s say we have two boxes of cereal, each with 11.5 oz of product inside. One costs $3.50 and one costs $3.75. The cheaper box is the one for $3.50. That’s because both of the boxes contain the same amount of product. Right? Easy. Just take one more step and save more cash!

Let’s look at another two boxes of cereal. One box for $3.55 with 9.5 oz of product, and the other costs $3.75 but has 12 oz.

First Box of Cereal

$3.50 / 9.5 oz = .373 (37 cents per ounce)
Second Box of Cereal
$3.75 / 12 oz = .3125 (31 cents per ounce)

You may be spending a few more cents to make this purchase, but you are getting more food for your money. A better deal is EASY to find if you know how to use unit prices!!

Timing is Everything
Never underestimate the ease of a well-timed trip!

If you know your grocery store well and want to avoid lots of hassles, try to make your shopping trips early in the morning. The grocery store is awake way before you are, baking fresh breads and donuts, slicing and packaging meats and loading the shelves with fresh fruits and vegetables. You’ll be able to get fresh products and speak to the managers of these departments if you can make it in early. If you don’t see something that you are looking for, politely ask! The folks behind the counter will be happy to help!

I also find that there are very, very few shoppers early in the morning. I prefer that, because then if I want to stand and chat with the butcher or spend a few minutes standing in the aisle comparing prices, I’m not slowing down other people’s shopping experience.

Around the holidays (or before big events like the World Series or the Super Bowl), I plan further in advance. I DO NOT like to go to the store for last minute stuff around the holidays. In fact, most of the time, I WON’T go. This past season, my grocery store was so packed for the entire week prior to Christmas, I couldn’t even find a parking space when I went to pick up Chinese from the place in the same strip. I couldn’t believe it! That whole week, every time I passed the store, there were cars parked in the grass and on the curb… it must have been absolute MADNESS in there! I plan my holiday meals in advance, and stock up on items I frequently run out of when I’m cooking like crazy- butter, flour, sugar, brown sugar, canned pumpkin, graham crackers, cream cheese, chocolate chips etc… If it’s the night before Christmas, and I’m out of an ingredient, I either find a substitute or make something else! It’s good to be flexible, keeps me from being frustrated instead!

My favorite time to go grocery shopping is when it’s raining. NO ONE wants to go shopping when it’s raining out… but to me, it’s only a little water! If it’s raining on a weekday morning, sometimes, I go to the grocery store even if I don’t really NEED to, just because I know it will be empty ;)

***Next article, Grocery Shopping: Strategy, Aisle by Aisle***


NSW’s 2011 Holiday Giveaway

Hooray! It’s the Holidays! Bonnie and I have always loved this time of year. The food is good and the family and friends are close!

No matter what your spiritual path is, we think it’s a beautiful thing that most folks take a little time off at the end of the year to show thanks to their fellow man. We think it’s so amazing that there are so many different ways to celebrate compassion and love!! How fortunate we are!

In this time of giving, it is important to think about those in need. These last couple of years have been difficult ones, and there are more children now than ever that will go without some kind of gift this season. That is REALLY a bummer. Every year, I like to do whatever I can to touch just a couple of less fortunate children with compassion and love. Last year, we donated “Password Journals” to Operation Homefront, and put smiles on a few kids faces. Awesome! This year, we will be donating a cool product from Leap Frog, the “My Own Leaptop”, and we are asking your help!

We want to do another giveaway for our fans in conjunction with this particular charitable donation. We would like more people to know about the quarterly contributions we are able to make with the help of our readers. As you know, we still give 100% of the click-through money we get from Amazon.com to non-profit organizations. To date, Not Stepford Wives readers have clicked their way to over $200 in donations to various charities. The more readers we have, the larger our donations will be! Please help us get more “clickers”! We are asking you to “like” any post from Not Stepford Wives on Facebook. Yep, that’s it. It helps us draw attention to our mission by getting our messages to the top of the Facebook feeds. By liking ANY new post on our Facebook page now thru December 15th, you will automatically be entered in this years drawing for the “My Own Leaptops!” (**please note, you must be a fan of NSW’s on Facebook to win!) TWO winners will be selected at random on Thursday, December 15th. I will contact them directly to get their address and choice of “boy or girl” toys. Then, we will donate the other two toys to local needy kids!!

We’d also like to remind you that we are currently collecting click-through money for Toys for Tots. We have collected just over $27 for them so far. Please click any of our Amazon.com links before you shop to help us contribute more!

Happy Holidays
with Peace and Love,
Tess and Bonn

For information on previous charitable gifts, visit this page.

If you’d like to find out more about our mission of charity, please visit this page.

You can find more information about Toys for Tots on their website, please visit them here here.

The information on Toys for Tots track record for using donation funds can be found at Charity Navigator.


STAT! Pudding Pie

Thanksgiving emergency! More people showed up than expected! We need more pie! STAT! Well, ok… that’s probably not very realistic, because it’s pretty rare that anyone runs out of desserts at a Thanksgiving meal… but you know what I mean! If you need to bust something out quickly, this pudding pie super perfect. It’s one of the fastest recipes to throw together that I know, and you probably have everything you need to make it in the house right now! The trick to this thick pudding pie is ice cream. Yep.

Honestly, I do prefer homemade pudding. It’s easy to make, and always seems to impress, but let’s be honest. Sometimes you need to make something REALLY fast, and don’t have time to let pudding cool and set. This recipe is cool because as long as you use a really good ice cream as a base, this pie is sure to come out AMAZING, no matter what flavor you decide to make it. In this particular case, I make it chocolate, but you can use any flavor of pudding that you like. My favorite ice cream brand is Blue Bell. It’s made locally to me in a little town called Brenham, and is easily found in southern states. If you come across it where you live and have never tried it, I hope you’ll grab a tub! Their Homemade Vanilla is an absolute Texas Classic. We’d consider it slightly insulting to have anything else, especially on a holiday table! Even a Texas Sheet Cake is incomplete without it! Anyway… if you want the best pudding pie, use the finest ice cream available in your area.

Crust:
•1 pkg (1 cup) graham crackers, crushed
•¼ cup butter
•3 tbs sugar
•dash cinnamon (optional)

Pudding Filling:
•1 pint (2 cups) vanilla ice cream
•1 ¼ – 1 ½ cups milk
•2 pkgs chocolate pudding (or any flavor you like!)

Take your ice cream out in advance, or use a micro to soften it.

Pour all of the crust ingredients into a pie dish. Use your hands to combine all the ingredients well. Press the crust firmly into dish using your fingers. Place the crust in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

Put all filling ingredients into a medium bowl and blend until creamy with a hand mixer. This will thicken FAST, so use more milk if needed, but allow the texture to be firm. Pour into pie crust. If you wind up making your pudding slightly too thick and it’s ugly like mine, just cover it with whipped cream or Cool Whip before you show it to anyone. You are ready to serve now if you must, but you can also store the pie in the refrigerator for a few days if needed.

You know that phrase “Easy as pie”… I guess this is where it came from!! The idea here is so awesome. The ice cream keeps the pie cold and creamy, which is why you can serve it right away. There are lots of ways to flex this recipe, for instance, since I made a chocolate pie today, I actually used chocolate milk! I could have used oreos to make the crust (didn’t have any, dang!). If you were making a coconut pie, you could use coconut milk! So fun and easy! Let your imagination go wild!


Try a New Stuffing Recipie!

Dressing… Stuffing… whatever your family calls it, every holiday table must have it! (and one of my favorite leftover ingredients!) There are so many different ways to dress a turkey, the tough thing for me is to choose only one recipie! So if you’ve been making the same stuffing for years, or if you’re not sure how to get away from the box of Stove Top, give one of these a try!! Stuffing is a great thing to make when you are short on time. I’d honestly say that there’s not much more involved with making it at home rather than using the box. I have nothing against Stove Top. However, I do think that the minimal extra effort is worth it, especially for the holiday table.

First, let’s start with a few stuffing tips!

This is the most important tip of all, so I’m going to start out with it. You do NOT want to STUFF your bird completely full of stuffing! If you do, your bird will not cook properly. Remember that raw juices will seep into the stuffing, so you NEED the center of that stuffing to get to 165 degrees in order to cook the juices in the stuffing to kill all bacteria. If you plan to cook your stuffing IN the bird instead of seperately, remember not to pack it in tightly! My family typically stuffs a little, and then cooks the rest seperately. Before serving, we mix the two together, so all that nice roast turkey flavor is combined with all the stuffing.

On a seperate but equal note on stuffing the bird; do NOT forget to take the bag of gibletts out of the bird before you stuff and roast!!! I imagine EVERYONE has done this at least once, and it kind of stinks! Don’t forget to grab it out of the cavity when you are rinsing the bird! hehehehe. Though… if you DO forget, it makes for a classic family story.

If you are going to stuff your bird, you might want to think about making your stuffing a little more dry than you would if you were just baking it alone. This is because those turkey juices will seep into the stuffing as the bird cooks. If you make it super moist to begin with, you’ll wind up with a paste, and again… it’ll be another classic family story! (can you tell that we have quite a few “classic stories” in our family?)

If you are making the stuffing from scratch, slice your bread thinly and leave out overnight if you have a good place to put it. This is the time of year that little mice are starting to come in from the cold… I’m not a big fan of leaving food out on the counter. If you feel the same way, you can toast your bread dry in the oven. You’ll need to again, slice the bread thinly, and bake in the oven on it’s LOWEST setting for at least an hour.

Mushroom Bacon Stuffing

•¼ cup butter
•2 cloves garlic
•1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
•1 onion
•1 cup celery
•¼ cup crumbled bacon
•4 cubs dried bread cubes
•¼ salt
•¼ tsp paprika
•½ tsp poultry seasoning
•¼ tsp oregano
•2 tsp parsley
•½ tsp sage
•1 ¼ cup chicken stock

First, brown the garlic in butter. Add mushrooms and sauté. Add the rest of the vegetables and simmer until they start to soften.

Lower the heat and add the bacon, bread cubes and spices. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes.

Add chicken stock and combine well. Cover and continue to cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Then bake in a casserole dish at 350-375° for 30 minutes.

Almond Apple Stuffing

•2 cups diced granny smith apples
•1 ½ cups sliced almonds
•¾ cup chopped onions
•¾ cup chopped celery
•4 Tbs butter
•1 tsp cinnamon
•½ tsp poultry seasoning
•¼ tsp salt
•6 cups whole wheat or oatmeal bread cubes
•1 cup golden raisins
•1 egg
•1/3 – ½ cup of apple juice/apple cider

Start by sautéing the apples, almonds, onion and celery in butter for about 5 minutes, then remove the pan from heat.

Toss the bread cubes with the spices and the raisins. Next, combine the dry ingredients with the wet.

Stir in the egg (beaten) and 1/3 cup apple juice/cider. (add more liquid if needed)

Stuff your turkey, or bake in a casserole dish at 350-375° for 30 minutes.

Sausage Pecan Stuffing (this makes A LOT of stuffing- for 21-24 lb bird)

•1 loaf bread (dried, cubed)
•1 lb pork or turkey sausage
•3 medium onions, diced
•1 1/2 c half and half
•¾ c celery
•2 eggs
•2 c toasted pecans
•¼ c brandy
•¼ c parsley
•2 t sage
•1 ½ t thyme
•¾ t rosemary
•salt and pepper to taste

Brown your sausage. Be sure it’s well crumbled. Remove from pan, but leave drippings.

Saute onions and celery in the drippings. Set asside with the sausage.

Use the brandy to glaze the pan. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Everything on the bottom of that pan is concentrated deliciousness! Get it all!

Soak your dried bread in the half and half for about 15 minutes. After the half and half has been absorbed, use a collendar to squish the excess liquid out of the bread. Try to squeeze it reletively dry, so that it’s no longer dripping.

Combine all ingredients and place in a greased casserole dish. Cover and bake in a 375° oven for 30 minutes, and then uncover and bake for an additional 20 to crisp the top.