My grocery budget for a family of 4 is $330 each month. This real food budget includes food, toiletries, household items as well as health & beauty products. This post is our monthly budget accountability session, where we share what we spend on food. Today marks the end of February 2015. You can read previous Counting Crumbs reports HERE. ----- Have you ever been in fog so thick, you couldn't even see the ... Continue Reading
Archives for February 2015
Ultimate Troubleshooting Guide for Baking Bread
The feeling of successfully making my first loaf of homemade bread was euphoric. Mr. Crumbs, the company we invited over for dinner and even the kids were amazed. "You made this?!" they asked. Like a proud mother hen, I was beaming over that bread. Little did they know that just a few days earlier, my loaves were about as tasty and dense as a hockey puck. ... Continue Reading
4 Ways to Fight Against the Rising Cost of Milk
Eighteen months ago, one gallon of organic milk cost $5.49. Last month I paid $6.99. The cost of organic milk has gone up $1.50 per gallon since October 2013 and I wouldn't be surprised if it kept going up. There are a number of factors that fall into play here, including: the general cost of raising organic animals, so that they produce milk according to USDA organic standards the gain in popularity of ... Continue Reading
DIY Homemade Conditioner
One of my goals for this year is to figure out a better hair care routine for both myself and my daughter... But it seems like a vicious cycle! You shampoo, you condition... something in the conditioner makes you have to shampoo again so the cycle starts all over. After some research, I figured out that using conditioner isn't THE reason why we have to continuously shampoo our hair, but I do know that using ... Continue Reading
Ultimate Guide to Freezing Bread, Dough and Other Baked Goods
I love fresh bread... but I don't always love the time it takes to prepare it! Which is quite the conundrum since cooking for the freezer is one way we can be more efficient in the kitchen! With bread on the brain, this week's newsletter included 5 exclusive tips to help you find time in a busy schedule to bake bread from scratch (you can subscribe HERE to have tips sent automatically to your inbox every ... Continue Reading
Perfect Crostini for Soup: Recipe
Welcome to Soup-landia, otherwise known as February! Actually, I live in Houston, and we've only dipped into the 30s a few times this winter, which I know sounds like a dream to some of you (Check back with me in August and I'll be living on popsicles and wishing for a taste of the weather where you live!). Whether you're up to your rooftop in snow, or just enjoying the occasional cold front to make you feel like ... Continue Reading
Fiscal Fast: Halfway through February 2015
Cover image courtesy EverydayHDR. Written by Mr. Crumbs. How’s everyone doing with the fiscal fast this month? We hope you’re faring better than we are… For starters, I wouldn’t call this fiscal fast a flop, but the experience hasn’t been nearly the same as our first one. We’re still within the rules (more details below, and you can decide), but it has definitely been somewhat of a let down. ... Continue Reading
13 Tips for Cooking Real Food for One Person
I've been married for almost nine years. Before marriage, I lived with two other roommates. Before that, I cooked for my sister and parents. Essentially, my experience on cooking for just one person is pretty limited. I've almost always cooked for at least one other person and haven't had to consider the difficulties that come with cooking for just one. But for many of you, this is a big deal. Several of you ... Continue Reading
A Beginner’s Guide to Using Yeast
Anytime I ask someone why they don't bake bread, they usually offer one of two excuses: Either they don't have enough time, or they don't know anything about yeast. Well, we solved the first issue with Overnight Artisan Bread. One of the easiest and most hands-off bread recipes known to man, even the busiest schedule can handle a loaf or two of a wanna-be sourdough boule. The second issue is just a wee bit ... Continue Reading
Top 11 Frugal Gluten-free Foods to Buy at Aldi
Do you have a hard time finding frugal foods for a gluten-free diet? We eat a real food diet, which for most of the family includes lots of frugal foods like eggs, oatmeal and homemade baked goods. However, for my youngest son and my husband (who suffer from multiple food allergies), these foods cause terrible reactions and are completely off-limits. Thankfully, we have found lots of healthy and frugal ... Continue Reading
