Getting out the door each morning can be a challenge, especially now that school is starting up again.  With this in mind, we’ve pulled together some of our favorite ideas for getting out the door with a good breakfast in hand.

 

Oatmeal-On-The-Run!
Instant oatmeal is a filling and comforting breakfast.  Put the oatmeal with your kids' favorite toppings in small, repurposed jars (jam and condiment jars are great for re-use) on the weekend, then all they have to do is grab and go the next morning with a little hot water and a stir.

Ingredients (per jar)
½ cup instant oatmeal
¼ cup any of the following to taste: raisins, dried chopped apples, crushed walnuts or pecans, blueberries, strawberries, etc.
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. sugar, brown or white

You will need ½ cup boiling/very hot water to add to the jar.  Stir and add more water depending on the consistency desired.  Warning: jar will be *hot* so wrap in paper towels to protect hands, or combine and stir in jar and then pour into a bowl to eat.

Serves 1.


Eggs-A-Go-Go!
Kelly, one of our resident bargainistas, came up with this fantastic make-ahead idea.

Ingredients
8 eggs
¼ cup diced onion
½ cup chopped spinach
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Cooking spray

Coat a standard 6 cup muffin tin evenly with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil and set aside.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Beat eggs until fluffy.  Add in veggies and cheese and mix until combined.  Spoon into the muffin tin evenly.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 22 minutes, or until eggs are fluffy and rise above the top of the muffin tin.  Let cool completely, and store overnight in the fridge.  Warm up for 30 seconds in the microwave for a quick and very easy breakfast.  (And you get protein and veggies!)  These last about a week in the fridge.

Serves 6.

We get a lot of questions about expiration dates.  Since we are a extreme bargain retailer, we've had customers assume that we sell expired or bad food.  While it is true that we sell products closer to their sell by dates than a conventional supermarket, we are extraordinarily careful not to sell anything that is spoiled or bad. Above all, we care about our customers' safety and satisfaction.

It's a tricky thing to understand fully, but in our business, some dates are used as guides and some are strict dates.  It's very important to know the difference between expiration dates, sell by dates, and best by dates. Here's some information to help you untangle the difference between each type of date.

Best if used by and use-by date: With emphasis on the "best" qualifier in this term, it means the product should retain maximum freshness, flavor and texture if used by this date. It is not a purchase-by or safety date. Beyond this date, the product is still good, though you should keep an eye on it to make sure it's still fresh.

Sell-by or pull-by date: This date is used by manufacturers to tell grocers when to remove their product from the shelves, but there is generally still some leeway for home usage. For example, milk often has a sell-by date, but the milk will usually still be good for at least a week beyond that date if properly refrigerated. 

Guaranteed fresh: This date is often used for perishable baked goods. Beyond this date, freshness is no longer guaranteed although it's probably still edible.

Pack date: This is the date the item was packed, most-used on canned and boxed goods. It is usually in the form of an encrypted code not easy to decipher. It may be coded by month (M), day (D), and year (Y), such as YYMMDD or MMDDYY. Or it may be coded using Julian (JJJ) numbers, where January 1 would be 001 and December 31 would be 365. In even more convoluted coding, letters A through M (omitting the letter I) are often assigned to the months, with A being January and M being December, plus a numeric day, either preceded or followed by the numeric year. 

Expiration date: If you haven't used the product by this date, toss it out. Other dating terms are used as a basic guideline, but this one means what it says. 

Information gathered from this article on About.com.

Each product is different!  To get more information on expiration dates, including a comprehensive list of products and their freshness time frame, check out this wiki article on expiration dates.  We were really impressed by it. 

Stay fresh!

Monica, owner of the Rancho Cordova Grocery Outlet, will be demonstrating how to make a restaurant-quality steak with ingredients from Grocery Outlet on the news.  Here is her recipe for your reference:

Restaurant-Style Marinated Top Sirloin Steaks
This marinade adds flavor and tenderness to lean top sirloin steak.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup light soy sauce
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup very finely chopped onion (add coarsely chopped onion to small food processor, if you have one, and pulse until almost pureed)
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
Pinch of cayenne red pepper

4 or 5 top sirloin individual steaks (about 5 ounces each), trimmed of visible fat

Preparation:

1. In an 8-cup measure, whisk together balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, honey, olive oil, pepper, Worcestershire, onion, salt (if desired), and cayenne.

2. Place steaks in a shallow glass dish and cover with the marinade. Turn to coat both sides well. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for up to two days.
3. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Lightly coat the grill grate with canola cooking spray or oil. Add steaks and grill 5-7 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the steak and the desired doneness. Throw away any leftover marinade (because it has raw meat juices in it).

Enjoy your delicious steak!  Serves 4-6.

Victor was our most prepared, even-keeled chef.  He came in early to scope out Grocery Outlet and see what our product offering was before he crafted his dish.  Victor is from Puerto Rico, and wanted to pull together a classic dish with tastes of his home.  His dish, Mojito Mofongo, is a dish of mashed plantains with rice.  He paired it with shrimp cooked in salsa.  The dish impressed our judges with its flavor, elegance, and presentation. It was closest to the caliber one would expect from a fine restaurant.  Just goes to show that good preparation and planning pay off!

 

Victor scopes out the Crown Hill Grocery Outlet.

 

 

Victor's ingredients.

 

 

Victor zesting a lemon while STAR 101.5's Jill Taylor interviews him.

 

Alex was outgoing, funny, and had some fantastic culinary ideas.  The judges liked his concept of Chicken Thighs with Beurre Blanc (a sauce made from butter and white wine) and thought his dish was refined, but he got points knocked off for execution.  The judges wanted the rice to be a little more cooked, so when you make his recipe, be sure to check the rice.

 

Though Alex didn't win first place, he made a delicious dish that was inexpensive and paired well with wine.  He's also the only chef who used wine to cook with in his dish. 

Click here to view Alex's recipes.

Click here to see his receipt.

Josh Schimmel-Bristow was our 3rd place winner with his Lemon Chicken with Parslied Rice Pilaf.  Josh was an engaging, personable chef with admirable knife skills.  I was impressed with his talent in the kitchen and his take on classic comfort food.  Of all the recipes, I think his meal would appeal most to our customers with families—it's the most kid-friendly and would make a fantastic fall or winter dinner.

 

 

Josh comes in just under his $20 budget, even with wine and half and half!

 

Prepping the chicken and vegetables.

 

 

 Lemon Chicken with Parslied Rice Pilaf

Click to download a PDF of Josh's recipes.
To see Josh's receipt, click here.

While all of the dishes scored very well, there can only be one winner.  Stay tuned for Alex and Victor's dishes!

On June 5th, Grocery Outlet hosted a Fresh & Frugal Chef Showdown at our Crown Hill store.  Our premise: 3 student chefs from the Art Institute of Seattle compete for tuition money by creating a restaurant-quality meal for a family of 4 (plus wine!), using ingredients solely from Grocery Outlet.

This event was a fantastic example of what creativity and frugality can do when combined.  Our chefs created and executed delicious meals, and they all came in under their goal of $20.  We're even going to post the receipts to prove it!

Follow along this week as we post their dishes and recipes.  In the meantime, here are a few pictures from the competition.

 

 

 

 

Canned food sometimes gets a bad rap.  There’s a misunderstanding about the freshness and nutritional value of canned fruits and vegetables, but much of this bad press simply isn’t true.  Canned fruits and vegetables are comparable in nutrition to those that are cooked fresh or frozen.  In fact, just like frozen food, canned fruits and vegetables are picked and processed at their peak, which seals in nutrients.

Also, canned foods are convenient: since the food inside is usually already cooked, it lessens your cooking time, allowing you to get food on the table faster.

Grocery Outlet has long promoted the benefits of canned food items, and we’re here to show that you can create gourmet-style meals in your kitchen that are healthy, cheap and easy to make.  Here's our first recipe, an easy asparagus soup that you can make in minutes.

 

 

 

Asparagus Soup

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can asparagus
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Blend the asparagus, with liquid, in a blender or food processor until completely smooth.
2. Heat asparagus and chicken broth together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in milk, and bring to a low simmer. Stir in butter to finish, and season to taste with, Parmesan, salt and pepper.

Serves 4.

 

For more delicious recipes, click here to download our Cooking from Cans recipes.  We've even included a dessert! 

Remember: just because it's inexpensive doesn't mean it's any less delicious.  Enjoy!

All of the recent news about earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, and Turkey has caused us to ponder our own disaster preparedness.  Most all Grocery Outlets are in the western states, especially California, which is prone to earthquakes.  Thing is, stowing away all the supplies you need for a disaster can get pretty pricey.  It’s a whole week’s (maybe more) food that you didn’t budget for.  Our question is: how do you prepare for disaster on a budget?  

Jennifer Savage, from the North Coast Journal, has some great ideas in her article on disaster preparedness:
"Go to humboldt.edu/shakyground and click on "Supplies for Seven Days." This gives you standard non-perishable food ideas. Print it out. Fold it up and tuck the list in your purse or wallet. Each time you hit the grocery store—Grocery Outlet is especially great for this kind of stuff—pick up one of the items listed, two if they're on sale. Check it off your list. Keep that stuff in a box or tub labeled 'Emergency Supplies.'"

You’ll need two first aid kits: one for your home and one for your car.  You should stock them with any regular medications/toiletries you use.  Also, you should stockpile some cash, as ATMs might be down and banks might be closed.  Save $5 or $10 from every paycheck.

Remember your pets.  Start stocking up on food and supplies for them.  Pet travel items are good here, like a small litter box for cats, litter, toys, and any medicines or health care supplies.

Getting a hand-crankable or battery-operated radio is essential.  You can keep up with the latest news and get crucial updates.  Batteries are important.  Figure out what appliances you’ll want to operate (lights, radio, etc.), and buy batteries for them accordingly.  Grocery Outlet often has batteries in stock at a fraction of the price you’ll find them for at conventional stores.

Most importantly, make a plan for your family and loved ones.  When disaster strikes, you’ll be prepared.  Keep your loved ones safe and the rest will fall into place.

As the weather chills and the leaves start to fall, come back inside for family dinners.  A warm, satisfying meal together is the perfect way to celebrate the change of seasons and transition to cooler temperatures.  We’ve put together some delicious recipes and ideas for this time of year that will fill up your soul without emptying your wallet.

Ham with Cheesy Shells
You can make this in your slow-cooker or Crock-Pot!

Ingredients:
12 oz. diced ham
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. grated cheddar cheese
Black pepper to taste
1 cup frozen vegetables, cut broccoli or mixed vegetables
3 cups cooked small pasta shells or macaroni
1/4 cup of low-fat evaporated milk

In a 3 ½ - 5 quart Crock-Pot or slow cooker, combine ham, soup, cheese, and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Add frozen vegetables 30 minutes before serving. Add milk to thin; add hot cooked pasta then serve.  

Serves 4.


Other frugal fall meal ideas:
- Host a taco bar!  Set out plates of tortillas, cooked chicken or ground beef, grated cheese, sour cream, salsa, lettuce and tomato, and let everyone make their own tacos.
- Baked potato bar—same idea, different spin.  Bake up a  potato for each family member and load it up with cheese, sour cream, chopped chives, cooked veggies, chili—whatever they like.  Hearty and filling, and the vegetables give it extra nutritional value too.
- Get your kids in on the action.  Help them brainstorm a 5 ingredient-or-less meal, shop for it with you, and then make it together.  Kids like being included and if you keep the ingredients and prep low, it should be pretty easy going.  Ideas we have: spaghetti with meat sauce, mac ‘n cheese with a side of steamed veggies, English muffin pizzas.  Have fun!

Convincing your children to eat healthy snacks can be pretty challenging.  Junk food causes sugar highs and lows, and doesn’t give them enough fuel for homework and play before dinner.  Having healthy snacks at the ready helps your kids stay on track with nutritious eating.

At Grocery Outlet, we’ve got a bunch of delicious snacks that are fun, flavorful, and healthy.  First off is our favorite trail mix recipe.  Let kids help in the preparation—everything is more fun when you’ve helped make it!

Trail Mix
Ingredients
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup dried apple pieces
1 cup peanuts
1 cup cashews
1 cup almonds
1 cup marshmallows (any kind)
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  To store, put in sandwich bags or airtight containers.  Makes 16 servings.

We know you’re crunched for time, so we’ve also got trail mix, nuts, string cheese, granola bars, pudding cups, 100% juice, carrot sticks and other fresh veggies and fruit to cut up for easy, wholesome snacks.

Tip: Organize all snack components on one special shelf in the fridge and/or cabinet, and label it as the “snack shelf”.  Let your kids know that’s their go-to spot.  This helps set new healthy habits.

Going back to school means the start of a new year and a chance to craft some creative lunches for your kids. After the novelty of school wears off, try some of these ideas to mix things up. At Grocery Outlet, we have all the items you need to make these fantastically frugal meals your kids are sure to enjoy.

Cookie Cutter Sandwiches
Sandwiches cut with a large cookie cutter are always fun.  Try fall shapes like pumpkins, stars, and moons.  This technique also solves that pesky crust problem.

Pin Wheel Sandwiches
Spread your child's favorite sandwich filling onto a tortilla.  Roll it up and slice it into smaller pieces. Our favorite fillings are peanut butter and jelly, lunch meat with cream cheese or another kind of spreadable cheese.  If they don’t stay closed once they are rolled, secure with a toothpick.

Cheesy Stars
Use a small star cookie cutter to cut cheddar cheese pieces. In a separate bag provide crackers or apple slices. You can also use the cookie cutter to cut lunch meat.  These are really fun to stack.  Make a constellation!

Dipping
Kids adore dipping so try fresh-cut veggies with either ranch dressing, cottage cheese, peanut butter, or hummus.

Try sending cookies along with a favorite yogurt for kids to dip.  This way they are getting less sugar than they would with a pre-packaged frosting treat.

Fun Chips
Use large cookie cutters to cut a flour tortilla or wrap. Arrange on cookie sheet and toast in a 400 degree oven for 6-8 mins.  Send to school plain or with bean dip for dipping.  Also, try brushing a very small amount of olive oil or cooking spray, then sprinkle parmesan cheese or a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. If you try the cinnamon sugar, send the chips along with a container of applesauce for dipping.

Packaging
Exciting packaging really appeals to kids, but unfortunately, what's inside is not always nutritious. Solve this dilemma by making your own fun packaging: stock up on cheerfully colored re-usable containers, fun party napkins and stickers for plastic bags.  Wrap ribbon around napkins for napkin holders.  Put googly eyes on the outside of containers (juice boxes work great for this). Write them notes—you can write messages directly on banana peels! Put in your favorite jokes, fun facts, or inside jokes.

At Grocery Outlet we understand how challenging it can be to feed your family with wholesome, affordable food, while still keeping mealtime interesting and fun.  We have created two brochures detailing how to feed a family on $3-a-day per person.

The First $3 A Day Brochure has a week’s worth of healthy, delicious meals and snacks. The easy-to-follow recipes and daily meal plans provide variety, nutrition, and above all, a great value!

Our second brochure, 3-A-Day for Everyone builds on the first brochure with recipes organized by meal, so you can mix and match.  We hope this provides flexibility and more ideas to help you prepare healthy, enjoyable meals for your family.

We also encourage your creativity, so if you have any great ideas to share or ways to improve upon these recipes, please contact us!