Ka-ching!

Here's the cost of my first two meals:

Easy Chimichangas Thanks to the CrockPot

1 1/2 lb of meat: 5.59 [saved $2.81!] - used half ($2.80)
salt and pepper: free
1/2 cup of water: free
1 diced onion: free
3 heaps of minced garlic: $0.02
I can tomatoes and chiles: $1 – used half
I can diced tomatoes: $1 – used half
brown rice tortillas: 2.69
Avocado: $1
1/4 of Giant's salsa: $.50
1/2 can of olives: $0.75
Shredded Kraft's Mexican cheese (about 1/4 cup): $0.38
Sour cream: $1.22, 2 servings (4 tablespoons): $0.15
Total cost: $9.29 / 4 meals = $2.32

California Casserole

1 1/2 lb of meat: 5.59 [saved $2.81!] - used half ($2.80)
1/2 cup of water: free
1 diced onion: free
3 heaps of minced garlic: $0.02
I can tomatoes and chiles: $1 – used half ($0.50)
I can diced tomatoes: $1 – used half ($0.50)
Remaining Giant's salsa: $3.5
Remaining olives: $0.75
Remaining shredded Kraft's Mexican cheese (about 1/4 cup): $1.62 [I had a “buy $5 worth of Kraft products, get $1.00 off, so $1.62]
18 corn tortillas: $1.20
Festive Bean & Corn frozen veggies: $2.49
Total cost: $13.38 / 6 = $2.23

Turkey and Rice

Turkey: $4.99 [since I bought one, got one free - $2.50]
Brown rice: $0.65 [Got it from the bin @ Whole Foods)
pepper and salt: free
Chicken Stock: $1.99
Giant's brand (3 cheese) – 3/4 of package: $2.00 [$1.75]
3/4 of package of the pepper stir fry (Bird's Eye, frozen veggies): $2.39 [$2.00]
Frozen broccoli, Giant's brand: $2.50

Total: $11.39/6 = $1.90

Augratin Potatoes
Potatoes [I think I used about 3 lbs of potatoes for this gig, so I figured the price to be around 30 cents per pound ($3/10 lb), so $.90).
Chicken: $2.95 [I got one package for $5.89 and the second one ($5.04) for free. Minus 2 dollar coupon for buying meat and I got $1.95 per package!]
Kraft cheddar cheese: $2.99 [Had $1 coupon, so $1.99]
1 1/2 sticks of butter: $0.93
6 tbsp of gluten-free flour: $.40 [I use Namaste's Perfect Flour Blend]
2 tsp dried thyme: free
2 tsp salt: free
4 tsp of mustard: free
1 tsp black pepper: free
3 parsnips: $0.94
green onions: $0.99
1 pint of heavy whipping cream: $2.69
1/2 cup of Silk Creamer: $1.79 [$0.45]
1/4 of Pepper stir fry (Bird's Eye, frozen veggies): $0.59
Frozen broccoli, Safeway brand: $2.79 [So Giant's IS cheaper than Safeway!]
Green beans, Whole Foods brand: $1.79 [compared to the Bird's Eye green beans, which cost me a whopping $2.69!]
1/2 package of the Bird's Eye green beans: $1.35 [The other half was used for lunches, along with the 2.50 baby frozen carrots, which I could have picked up a $0.80 bag of fresh carrots and just steamed them and saved myself $1.70 ... sheesh!]
Total: $17.76/8 = $2.22

Chicken Enchilada Chili

Chicken: $1.95 [I got one package for $5.89 and the second one ($5.04) for free. Minus 2 dollar coupon for buying meat and I got $1.95 per package!]
1 and 1/4 cans of salt-free tomato sauce and other ingredients for gluten-free enchilada sauce: $1.80
2 cans of salt-free Del Monte's bell pepper, onion & celery: $2
1 cup of pinto beans: $2.30 [I threw in fifty cents for the olive oil, garlic, vinegar, and various spices]
1 onion: free
2 tsp of chili powder: free
1 tsp cumin: free

Total: $8.05/5 = $1.61

16 Bean Soup

Package of 16 bean soup: $1
1 onion: free
3 heaps of garlic: $0.02
2 tsp of Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb [Or, one lid full]: I can't remember how much this cost me when I bought it and so I'll just $0.35.
1 can of Del Monte's diced tomatoes: $1
Water: free
Salt: free
Total: $2.37/5 = $0.47

Sloppy Joes

Turkey: $4.99 [since I bought one, got one free - $2.50]
Sloppy Joe Mix (various spices): Um ... I'll throw in $0.80. There was brown sugar, corn starch, and various spices - most of which are free - so I'll be generous and charge myself $0.80.]
Tomato paste: $0.50
1 cup of water: free

Total: $3.80/4 = $0.95

Note: Each one of the containers holds enough for two sandwiches. So that's like $0.48 per sandwich! I bake my own bread and I've never honestly tried to sit down and calculate how much it is per slice of bread... Anyone want to take a stab at it?

So, if we don't total in the cost of bread, the total cost of 34 meals is $66.04. Thanks to coupons and snagging good deals, I saved $12 on meat, $2 on cheese, $0.55 off of my soy milk and $.50 on my V-8 Splash (okay, so the V-8 and soy milk tech. doesn't count but whatever - it still adds up to $1.05 in savings!). KA-CHING!

Until the next time, may your guinea pigs sleep through the afternoon without a temper tantrum!