I’m turning over a new leaf, people.
That’s right. My new motto: waste not want not.
You see, after being introduced to the heinous personal finance website: mint.com, I am now fully aware of the horrendous amount of money we spend on things that are just completely unnecessary. Without revealing too much, let’s just say we could definitely be spending smarter and cutting back in areas that aren’t a necessity (ahemBEERahem). Not pointing any fingers…
I too am definitely a major violator, and have seen the error in my over-grocery-shopping ways. Gone are the days of spoiled produce! I refuse to allow meat to go from fresh to questionable to “OMGross what is that smell?“.
So when faced with some 3 day old BBQ Pulled chicken and sprouts that were on the outs- I asked the old question: what to make… what…to…make…
Uhhh… yes please.
And that’s what we call deliciously frugal.
BBQ Chicken & Brussel Sprout Pizza
You’ll Need:
About 1 cup Cooked chicken, coated in bbq sauce (or leftover pulled chicken from this recipe)
Pizza dough
4 oz pizza sauce
1 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella
3 T parmesan cheese
3/4 cup Brussel sprouts, finely chopped
1 T olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Directions: Preheat oven to 425. Coat large rectangular baking sheet with a thin layer of cooking spray. Spread dough across sheet and top with sauce. Cover with mozzarella cheese and then with chicken. Toss Brussel sprouts in olive oil, and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Place sprouts evenly on pizza, then sprinkle with parmesan. Place in oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until crust and cheese are golden brown.
I can’t take credit for this delicious creation, as I’ve been wanting to try sprouts on pizza since I saw them on Macheesmo’s blog. (If you want a really good cooking blog by the way, I highly recommend checking him out.)
And of course what better way to wash down this fridge-cleaner-outer-pizza than with an ice cold brewski.
So I’ve been dying to try Dogfish Head forever now, but apparently so was everyone else in my town because the selection was limited. So I rolled the dice and went for something a little crazy and chose this peach malt brew. I have to say it was way better than any other malt I’ve had, but it was reminiscent of a Bartles & James wine cooler and not so much a lightly flavored beer. Not my fave, but that doesn’t mean I won’t give DH another try. Still tasted good with that pizza though.
Can’t stop my leftover shine.
So help me out! What are your favorite ways to cut back on spending at the grocery whor- I mean store?
October 12, 2011 at 7:14 am
I saw “leftover pizza” and my first thought was, “I never have leftover pizza.” Then I picked up on the fact that the pizza was made from leftovers. Whew! Crisis averted.
Being frugal and OCD, not much of my food goes to waste as I eat a lot of the same things all the time anyway. I check grocery ads, but mostly I just make sure to buy my produce a few times throughout the week to ensure it won’t go bad before I can eat it. Everything else is pretty much shelf/fridge/freezer stable, but I do freak out if it’s close to the expiration date and make it my mission to eat it before that point in time.
It’s pressure, but I take on for the (frugal) team.
October 12, 2011 at 12:16 pm
I didn’t even think of that! Leftover pizza is straight up blasphemy.
October 12, 2011 at 7:37 am
I have a love hate relationship with mint.com. It keeps yelling at me for going over my clothing budget every month…
I’m gonna have to try Brussels sprout pizza. I have only made them once, and then smothered them in teriyaki sauce. Highly recommended.
October 12, 2011 at 8:43 am
I don’t spend a lot of money on groceries… because I eat out so much. Oy. I do like to make cheap pasta dishes and other things that I can pull together from my pantry. Sometimes a lot of fresh ingredients are just too much for me to keep up with. Also, I hardly ever buy meat.
I went to DF last night and finally tried the Punkin Ale. I was not impressed. I really wanted to try the Raison, but ended up getting a 90 Minute IPA because it went well with my dinner. I’m not in love with their beers, but they’re alright.
October 12, 2011 at 12:17 pm
I have 2 pumpkin beers coming up in the next few days I’m going to discuss, one of which was delicious, the other was horrible.
October 12, 2011 at 8:43 am
I think anything would taste good on a pizza… Using leftovers is the perfect substitute for a pizza! I made one yesterday – but on a low carb tortilla…definitely not as yummy.
October 12, 2011 at 8:55 am
Most of the veggies I buy are frozen. Maybe not as delicious as the fresh ones, but big on the money saving (especially at BOGO prices!) and they are a lot harder to go bad. I’ll occasionally cut coupons on my favorite things (especially during triple coupons) and I stalk several weekly deals (Kroger, Harris Teeter, Super Target) before buying anything in bulk (read: Toilet paper, paper towels, detergent, the essentials.)
October 12, 2011 at 12:17 pm
yes, frozen veggies are a must. I try to be creative every now and then and grab fresh produce, but I just don’t have a very good track record with it.
October 12, 2011 at 9:07 am
That pizza looks yummy! I definitely recommend using coupons. Also, research some coupon blogs. Matchup your stores circular with your coupons to maximize your savings. Also, sign up for your stores card and check their website. Sometimes you can add coupons right to your card or earn points for money off your grocery bill.
October 12, 2011 at 12:18 pm
I so need to learn the ways of couponing.
October 12, 2011 at 9:07 am
I just discovered Macheesmo’s site this wk and think I have starred just about every post of his in my google reader. As for mint.com, it’s really sad how much I love it. I would probably marry it if I could since it’s so concerned about my finances and watches out for me. Thats more that I can say for any man about there.
For the store, I am a huge believe in coupons. I cross reference my coupons with circulars to see whats on sale and what I can get for $1 or under. Some people say this is a pain in the ass however I think if you want to save money enough, you can dedicate an hour to this each wk. along with that, if you like a specific product, write the company and let them know. I flat out ask them if they have any coupons and have had only two tell me that they dont send them out. If meat is on sale, buy in bulk. If not, find a friend who has a costco membership and go with them and stock up. I love bulk bins and often buy rice, grains and oats from them b/c they are so cheap. Check out your farmers markets if they are still open and only buy veggies in season. I get Everyday Food by Martha Stewart and they have a section of different meals for the wk using similar ingredients so you dont have to buy a lot, maybe check something like that?
I could go on and on……..pizza looks terrific by the way. Funky toppings but I dig.
October 12, 2011 at 12:19 pm
I have a love/hate relationship with the mint. I scowl when he tells me I’m over budget, but I apologetically run back when I know I need more structure.
And I seriously need to get with the couponing!
October 12, 2011 at 9:08 am
So, I’ve been thinking about this very thing lately. I think meal planning and and actually sticking with it is going to be my new strategy for eliminating waste.
And I would have NEVER thought of putting brussel sprouts on pizza but this looks so good!
October 12, 2011 at 12:20 pm
It WAS so good. I promise.
October 12, 2011 at 9:08 am
Buy the same things every week and get really bored of what you eat. haha.
October 12, 2011 at 12:20 pm
I’m far too obsessed with food
I need variety. It’s a sickness.
October 12, 2011 at 9:09 am
Almost anything can be thrown on some sort of dough with sauce. Pizza… calzone… it’s perfect!
My only really big saving tip is to replace a lot of meat with beans/eggs and to buy frozen vegetables (if they’re out of season). That helped me out tremendously!
October 12, 2011 at 12:21 pm
I definitely need to use eggs more.
October 12, 2011 at 9:58 am
Mmm, brewed with peach concentrate? Looks awesome!
I suggest finding a local produce stand. They’re usually cheaper than grocery stores and you can occasionally stumble across some organic/locally grown goods too!
October 12, 2011 at 10:15 am
Gosh, the grocery store is the one place I splurge for fun food. I do eat my leftovers from dinner for lunch the next day (almost everyday). I do make sure I make a “menu” every week before I go shopping (so I don’t buy a whole bunch of stuff that looks good that probably won’t get cooked). And lately, I’ve been buying my meat from Omaha Steaks b/c it comes frozen and individually wrapped so I only have to thaw 2 things at a time. It’s a little more pricy, but I’m not wasting meat.
October 12, 2011 at 12:22 pm
I was doing the pre-planned menu thing for a while, but I just couldn’t keep up with it. I think my problem is I like to see what strikes me when I walk through the aisles. Which is clearly the root of the problem here… sigh.
October 12, 2011 at 10:21 am
I think if I put sprouts on a pizza Scott may finally propose. Haha kidding, but I think it’d go over super well since I roasted some last night and he was going off on how much he loves them. Anyway, I need to cut back my grocery spending as well. For a while I was really good sticking to sale only stuff and cutting cooopins, but now I’m back to frivolity. I love the Festina Peche. A little out of season for right now. If you like hoppy beers, keep an eye out for DFH 90 min IPA. To me, it’s the perfect IPA. I wish you lived closer! I could give you a four-pack of the Punkin from our stash.
October 12, 2011 at 12:22 pm
hahaha “coopins”
October 12, 2011 at 10:52 am
I hate seeing things go to waste!
Hmm, well even if I had planned on buying something, if it’s not on sale, I find an alternative. My hubby just buys whatever so a lot of my efforts are thwarted!
October 12, 2011 at 1:01 pm
I love the premise behind your blog! My mom is always stealthily making my dad’s meals healthier. She and I are obsessed with brussels and this pizza looks SO GOOD.
October 12, 2011 at 1:11 pm
That looks amazing. You had me at brussels sprouts.
My favorite game is going to the store and only looking at the price on items and trying to buy only things that cost less than $2.50. Sounds weird, but it totally works.
October 12, 2011 at 1:32 pm
Brussel sprouts on a pizza?! I die! I try to plan meals based on what I have on hand/substitute things I do have on hand for things I would have to buy.
October 12, 2011 at 3:29 pm
I try to grocery shop only when I need things. That way nothing gets wasted. The pizza looks good. I love brussells on anything.
October 12, 2011 at 8:15 pm
Mint dot com sounds like the scariest place on the internet. No thank you.
October 14, 2011 at 3:53 pm
I am kind of scared to visit that website in fear of the $$ I probably waste- but I am great on buying a lot of items on sale!
Btw, that pizza looks fabulous!
October 15, 2011 at 11:38 am
As I am on fiscal responsibility plan 2011, my husband and I have decided to purchase grocery store gift cards in the amount of our weekly budget. When they are gone, we are done with “random trips” for needless items. They force us to stick to our budget, and since I purchase them from my son’s school, they also save me $$$ on his monthly tuition. Bonus. We have also instituted a monthly “clean out the freezer week”. Frugality hurts so good.
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