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Volume 31, October 2014

The Food Issue

SOLDIER & FAMILY TOOLKIT 1/34 ARMORED BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM

The Pantry

Challenge

Page 9

Adventures in

Couponing

Page 16

Taming the

Dinnertime Dilemma

Page 20

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IN THIS ISSUE

From the Editor: Thanks for reading our Soldier Family Toolkit. The intent of this toolkit is to provide you with available events, deals, resources, and important information. This month’s issue is about food. Next to housing, this is the biggest monthly expense for many households. It can also be the biggest source of stress for many families. This issue has ideas to streamline meal planning and preparation, while reducing food costs. October is one of my favorite times of year. Once the snow comes and the days get shorter, I like to rest and recharge my batteries after a busy harvest time. Rest is so important and I encourage everyone to do the same. Look outside. If it is nice out, stop reading and go for a walk. Winter will be here soon. If the weather is miserable, grab a cup of cider or cocoa and dig into these pages. Thanks for reading.

3 BEYOND THE YELLOW

RIBBON EVENTS & DEALS

5 MCEC FLYER

6 LAW CLINIC

7 VETERANS DAY DEALS

9 THE PANTRY CHALLENGE

12 MILITARY ONESOURCE

ARTICLES

16 HEALTHY

MONEY HABITS

21 BOOK REVIEW

22 RESOURCE LINKS

23 FAMILY ASSISTANCE

CENTERS

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Check out the Beyond the

Yellow Ribbon website and

sign up for exclusive email

updates on monthly local

Beyond the Yellow Ribbon

events and deals.

HOME FRONT EVENTS & DEALS

www.BeyondTheYellowRibbon.org

Minnesota Wild - Wild vs Blues When: Oct. 4, 7 p.m.

Minnesota Wild - Wild vs Coyotes When: Oct. 23, 7 p.m.

Minnesota Wild - Wild vs Sharks When: Oct. 30, 7 p.m.

Minnesota Wild - Wild vs Sabres When: Nov. 13, 7 p.m.

Where: Excel Energy Center, St. Paul

About: Tickets for groups of 8 or more are available for

purchase on a first come, first served basis. All military

personnel can purchase a Lower Level single attack Cor-

ner or Endzone ticket for select home games for $50 each.

Individual tickets will be available at a later date. To se-

cure tickets, contact Lindsay Weier, 651-312-3495,

lweier@wild.com This e-mail address is being protected

from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

More Info: Website

Mexican Consul Alberto Fierro - Hispanic Heritage

Month When: Oct. 4, 6 p.m.

Where: Hangar Conference Center, Camp Ripley, Little

Falls

About: The Minnesota National Guard is proud to host

the Mexican Consul Alberto Fierro. Consul Fierro will

discuss Minnesota's and Mexico's strong ties. There will

also be presentations on the history of salsa dancing as

well as cultural displays, and free food samplings.

More Info: Flyer

St. Croix Festival Theatre - Military Discount When: Oct. 2 through Oct. 26, 2014

Where: St. Croix Festival Theatre, St. Croix Falls, WI

About: Sip a glass of wine and watch professional theatre

in a historical building. The St. Croix Festival Theatre is

offering a 10% military discount to the performance of

"The Miser". More Info: Flyer

Rockie Lynne Concert When: Oct. 6, 7 p.m.

Where: Chisago Lakes High School Performing Arts Center

About: See Rockie Lynne in concert for "Support Our Troops".

Admission: Bring items for our Servicemembers serving in Af-

ghanistan and Kuwait. More Info: Flyer

Drop-In Legal Clinic for Veterans When: Oct. 7, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: VA Medical Center, Minneapolis

About: Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans, in partnership

with the law firm of Stinson Leonard Street, invite you to partici-

pate in a free drop-in legal clinic for veterans.

More Info: Flyer

Operation: Hire a Vet When: Oct. 7, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Where: Bloomington Armory, Minneapolis

About: Schwan's Home Service is hiring military personnel, veter-

ans, and spouses as Route Sales Representatives at four Twin Cit-

ies locations. More Info: Flyer

BeBrave 5k Run/Walk When: Oct. 11, 2014

Where: TPC Twin Cities, Blaine

About: Run a 5k on the beautiful TPC Twin Cities golf course and

support the Minnesota Military Family Foundation & Birdies for

the Brave charities. More Info: Website

Birdies for the Brave

When: Oct. 11 & 14, 2014

Where: TCP Twin Cities

About: Register to play golf in a Birdies for the Brave event.

Proudly supported by the PGA TOUR, Birdies for the Brave is a

national military outreach initiative dedicated to honoring and

showing appreciation to the courageous men and women of the

United States Armed Forces and their families.

More Info: Registration Website

4

Check out the Beyond the

Yellow Ribbon website and

sign up for exclusive email

updates on monthly local

Beyond the Yellow Ribbon

events and deals.

HOME FRONT EVENTS & DEALS

www.BeyondTheYellowRibbon.org

Women of Faith When: Oct. 17-18, 2014

Where: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul

About: Thousands of women are expected to

gather at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul for a

weekend of encouragement and Bible teaching -

with a line-up of powerful speakers presenting

transformative messages designed to help

women move from survival to revival. Save $20

on select seating when ordering on-line. Enter

COUPON code MSP14 to receive the discount.

Offer expires Oct. 16, 2014.

More Info: Website

Beyond the Yellow Ribon Kick-Off Event When: Oct. 18, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Where: Starfire Event Center, Waseca

About: Waseca is beginning the process of be-

coming a Yellow Ribbon City and County.

Please join this important Kick-Off event. See

the attached flyer for areas that still need support

for a successful committee to form. More Info:

Flyer

Drop-In Legal Clinic for Veterans When: Oct. 21, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: VFW Post 612, Fergus Falls

About: Minnesota Assistance Council for Veter-

ans invites you to participate in a free drop-in

legal clinic for veterans. More Info: Flyer

Drop-In Legal Clinic for Veterans When: Oct. 23, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Olmsted County Public Health

Building, Rochester

About: Minnesota Assistance Council for Veter-

ans invites you to participate in a free drop-in

legal clinic for veterans. More Info: Flyer

Responding to the Military Child with Exceptional Needs (RMCEN)

When: Oct. 28 to Oct. 29, 8 a.m. Register Now!

Where: Minnesota Department of Education, Roseville

About: The Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC), a nonprofit organiza-

tion addressing the educational needs of children in military families, presents

Responding to the Military Child with Exceptional Needs. This two day institute

prepares professional educators, social service providers, parents, and commu-

nity leaders to address the additional challenges associated with transitioning

military-connected students with exceptional needs. More Info: Flyer

Drop-In Legal Clinic for Veterans When: Oct. 30, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Anoka County Government Center

About: Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans invites you to participate in a

free drop-in legal clinic for veterans. More Info: Flyer

Duluth's Military Appreciation Week When: Nov. 9 to 15, 2014

Where: Participating hotels, stores, and restaurants, Duluth, MN

About: The Mayor of Duluth has agreed to proclaim Duluth's Military Apprecia-

tion Week November 9-15 with discounts at participating hotels, stores, and

restaurant. More Info: Flyer Website

Disney on Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy When: Dec. 11 to 14, 2014

Where: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul

About: Rev up for non-stop fun with four of your favorite Disney stories at Dis-

ney on Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy. Thrill to high-speed stunts as Lightning

McQueen, Mater and the crew of Disney/Pixar's Cars race across the ice. More

Info: Flyer

Trans-Siberian Orchestra When: Dec. 30, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Where: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul

About: Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) will wrap up 2014 by performing their

rock opera The Christmas Attic live for two spectacular shows at the Xcel En-

ergy Center. Discount tickets on select seating is available until Dec. 19, 2014

online or via the attached order form.

More Info: Flyer Website

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The following restaurants offered free food last year for Veterans in conjunc-tion with Veterans Day. Not all offers occurred on November 11th. Keep in

mind that the lines at these restaurants can be very long. Please call ahead to verify all of the details. Some restau-rants may require a coupon or a code

to receive the offer. Applebee’s Free meal - Nov. 11 Applies to: Veterans and active-duty military Applebee’s offers a special dine-in-only menu for Veterans Day.

Baker’s Square Get a free slice of pie to Veterans and active military, California Pizza Kitchen Contact store for details. Champps Free cheeseburger and fries to Veterans and active military, Chili’s Free meal - 11 am to 5 pm, Nov. 11 Applies to: Active duty and veterans Chili’s is offering a choice of one of six meals on a dine-in-only basis. Beverages and gratuity not included. Denny’s Free AYCE Pancakes - Nov. 11 Applies to: Active military or veterans Available only at participating locations. Famous Dave’s Free or discounted meal - Nov. 11 Applies to: Active military and veterans Offer varies by location. Golden Corral Free meal - 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., November 11th, Applies to: Active military, veterans, National Guard or Re-serves The Golden Corral Military Appreciation dinner will be held at all Golden Corral Restaurants nationwide.

Grand Casino in Mille Lacs and Hinckley Free buffet. Check hours of service. Hooters 10 free wings (Drink purchase re-quired) - all day, Nov. 11 Applies to: Active duty and veterans Offer valid only at participating Hooters. Hy-Vee Free breakfast buffet - Nov. 11 Applies to: Active military and veter-ans Available at participating Hy-Vee grocery store with in-store dining. Krispy Kreme Free doughnut - Nov. 11 Applies to: Active duty and veterans Available only at participating Krispy Kreme stores. Little Caeser’s Free Crazy Bread with ID. Longhorn Steakhouse Free Appetizer & Drink.

VETERANS DAY DEALS

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McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants Free lunch or dinner entrée – Call for dates. Applies to: Veterans This is the 13th Annual Veteran’s Appre-ciation Event at McCormick & Schmick’s. Olive Garden All Veterans and Military Active Duty will receive a choice of 1 of 5 entrees plus unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks. Outback Steakhouse Bloomin’ Onion and Coke – Call for dates. Applies to: Veterans and active-duty mili-tary Red Lobster Free appetizer to Veterans and active-duty military. 7-Eleven Free small Slurpee - 11.m. to 7 p.m., Nov. 11 Applies to: Active military and veterans

SUBWAY Free six-inch sub - Nov. 11 Applies to: Veterans SUBWAY restaurants are franchises, so this offer may not be available everywhere. Texas Roadhouse Free lunch - 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Nov. 11 Applies to: Veterans and active duty mili-tary Dine-in only. TGI Fridays Get a free Veteran’s Day Lunch. Applies to: Active duty military and veterans Tony Roma’s Those who have served and are currently serving receive a free entrée. Treasure Island Resort & Casino offers a free buffet anytime Friday at the Tradwinds Buffet (1-800-222-7077, ext. 2640). You must be a Passport Club member, but it's free to join and you can join on the spot.

Tips Before Heading Out

Review the official site information and rules before heading out. Many websites are listing previous

years promotions that are no longer valid. We link to the official information.

Be sure to bring proof of military service, uniform photo or be in uniform. Proof of military service

varies by company. See the list of states now offering a Veterans designation on a driver’s license.

Pay attention to the dates on the Veterans Day offer as some offers are for the weekend or extended

over several days.

Many of the restaurant free meals are for dine in only.

Many of these promotions include small print that says participating locations only. Unfortunately,

individual franchisees may choose not to participate. Fortunately, some franchisee’s participate even if the

corporate company does not.

Call ahead if you’re unsure about anything.

Thank you for your service!

VETERANS DAY DEALS

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Growing up, we had a room in the basement with shelves and a freezer that were always stocked with food

that was purchased on sale. I have continued the tradition at my house. A pantry challenge is when a person

tries to uses up what they have in their pantry and see how low they can keep their grocery budget for a

month or a few weeks.

Some families do this before the holidays to make room in their chest freezers for turkeys. I used to do this to

empty out and shut off our second freezer for the summer. Some families may feel really frugal and moti-

vated in January.

Step One- Take an inventory. Go through all of your cabinets, refrigerator, and freezers and throw out every-

thing that is expired. Put everything that is close to expiring in a box. Using up these items should be on the

top of your priority list. Make a note to not buy more of the things that were expired in the future.

Step Two- Make a plan. Take out a calendar and put together a list of meals that use up the ingredients. Try

to avoid recipes that require store bought items. Websites like Recipe.com allow people to input up to three

ingredients and get a list of recipes for them.

Step Three- Have fun. Take advantage of your family’s strengths and make this an adventure. The televi-

sion show Chopped, gives chefs a basket of mystery ingredients and challenges them to make the best dish.

Have your own competition at home with two competitive members of the family as chefs and the rest of the

family as the judges.

Step Four- Substitute ingredients. Many ingredients can be substituted or omitted. The internet is very help-

ful with this. Be careful when doing this while baking as changes to recipes could cause big differences in

results.

Step Five- Only shop for the essentials. This is really difficult for shoppers that like to stock up. Consider

asking friends, family, and neighbors for missing ingredients. Some stores also allow you to buy spices a ta-

blespoon at a time instead of a whole jar. Gardeners often have surplus herbs and produce at the end of the

season too.

Step Six- Make things from scratch. This can be lots of fun!

I hope that you found this helpful. Happy cooking!

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11 Ways to Save on Organic Produce

1.Do research. Many people believe

that organic produce is chemical-free or that it is healthier than non-organic produce, which is not true in all cases. Many farms can’t afford to gain organic certi-fication, but are chemical free, while many organic store bought items use chemicals.

2.Learn which types of produce re-quire the most use of pesticides and avoid them. (See next page)

3.Volunteer at a farm . 4.Incorporate edibles into your land-

scape. 5.Let friends and family know that

you are looking for excess pro-duce from their gardens and fruit trees.

6.Eat seasonally. Do you really need to eat watermelon in January?

7.Go to a pick your own farm and freeze berries and other fruits.

8.Take advantage of BOGO sales on things like spinach at stores like Cub.

9.Stock up during a sale. Some foods like carrots store a really long time under the right condi-tions.

10.Join a CSA , Co-op, or food share. 11.Learn how to can fruits and veg-

gies. Canned fruits and veggies preserved at the peak of freshness can be much healthier than their

I have a confession: I am addicted to stockpiling groceries. I remem-ber early on in our marriage when we made every wrong financial decision possible. Money was tight and there were times where I had to put things back on the shelf at the grocery store. I am also a mom that works outside of the home and a big fan of make ahead meals and cooking in bulk. I also have a big garden and freeze lots of fruits and veggies and like to use coupons. This has resulted in the accumulation of over six months of groceries in my basement. We are moving this summer and my husband says two of our three full chest freezers need to be empty before we go. He is also not fond of the idea of moving hundreds of pounds of canned goods. Our normal grocery budget is $400 per month. For some families this may seem like a lot of money, for others it may seem like a small amount. Some families like to buy lots of organic foods and others like to buy lots of premade items. My goal is to spend $100 this month. Perhaps your numbers look much different, but whatever they are write them down and post them somewhere, maybe even Facebook. Below are my weekly updates. Week 0: Time to get organized. I am sorting my stockpile room by expiration date so that I know what is going to expire soon so that I use it up. I have also come to the conclusion that some things are just going to have to get tossed, traded, or donated because they are too random. Traded? Yep. Find someone to trade groceries with and it will save lots of money. This is really good for pricey stuff like cooking oils (who really uses the whole bottle of vegetable oil before it expires?). Week 1: Creative ways to use up cereal. I am making a lot of banana oat muffins from Cheerios. This saves on flour and is an easy break-fast on the go. They are very kid friendly too. Most food companies have recipes on their products or their company website. I spent $25 on loss leaders at the grocery store. Week 2: I have been digging around for old gift cards and frequent points that I haven’t used to see how I can use them towards keep-ing our grocery bill down. I find myself struggling not to buy loss-leaders and with whether or not to buy certain foods in bulk or as needed. Buying a bulk item can really take a dent out of a grocery budget, but can save in the long term. On the plus side, I am at home more often now that I am not going to the grocery store as much. My husband also loves my scratch cooking.

HEALTHY MONEY HABITS

THE PANTRY CHALLENGE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 2014

494 Recipes in a Jar

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9 Months Later... I originally thought I would partici-pate in the Pantry Challenge for a month, but soon it became a way of life. My $100/month grocery budget lasted until watermelon season and then it went to $200/month. I thought it was going to be a chal-lenge and it was, but I am amazed at how freeing the experience has been. I have had to simplify things and learn new scratch recipes. Being disciplined has led to a lot less waste and healthier meals for my family. Things like juice boxes and individu-ally packaged snack foods are a rare treat. We throw out less food and spend more time together as a fam-ily. At this point, I am not sure what the future of our grocery budget is, but I am confident that we will be healthier and happier as a result.

Week 3: My two local grocery stores are having their coupon book sales and normally I would be there every other day. Target is also having a fabulous cereal sale ($1.75 for 3 boxes of the new flavors). It has been really difficult saying no to all of the good deals. One thing to keep an eye out for is gift cards and frequent points for buying particular food items. For example, certain Eggo waffles sold for $2/box at Target right now come with a code inside that gives the purchaser a $5 gift card for every four codes entered. The codes also have a point value that can be used to print $1.50 off Eggo coupons. For awhile, I was buying four boxes of Eggos for $.50 each and getting a $5 gift card, making a profit of $3 for every four boxes I bought. There are websites that explain how to find these sales. Week 4: Never did I expect that this whole process would save me time and cut my errands in half. So far, I have spent $85 of my $100 budget and plan to stick to my goal. Initially, I thought I would probably do a binge shopping trip on the 1st of the month, but now I can’t wait to do this again next month. We have also discovered some new family favorite recipes, including home-made chicken pot pie (The Pioneer Woman). Follow Up: I have heard Americans throw away 40% of our edi-ble food. Often, I think we have good intentions. We’ll get our groceries for the week and then things happen, the chicken isn’t thawed, lunch is ordered at work, or a salad is forgotten about. Grocery saving experts often focus on offensive strategies, such as meal planning and coupons. While all of these tactics are great, I have personally seen the best results in my grocery budget when I have focused on defensive strategies. Keeping food out of the garbage can is a challenge and requires dedica-tion. Keeping a waste diary next to the garbage can help. I used to buy spring mix to have salads, but somehow I would end up eating pizza and have to throw it out. Now, I get spinach, because it can be frozen instead of tossed. I try to plan my meals around “use ups” and then augment that with sale items. Whatever strategy you use, if you are really serious, you will see great results. I have found participating in online forums on the subject to be helpful.

HEALTHY MONEY HABITS

THE PANTRY CHALLENGE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 2014

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MILITARYONE-SOURCE ARTICLE

Organic Food: What You Need to Know

You’ve probably heard that organic food is good for you and for the planet. But you’ve also probably noticed

that it usually costs more. You may be wondering what the “organic” label really means and if it is worth the

higher price.

The answer to that last question is far from clear-cut. The more you know

about organic food, the more you’ll be equipped to make a smart buying

decision. And about that price difference: Organic food is usually more

expensive, but not always. There are ways to cut the cost of buying it.

The story behind the label The “organic” label means something very specific. It means that the food

has been produced under detailed federal rules. Here are a few of them:

Crops must be raised without the use of most conventional pesticides

or fertilizers made from petroleum or sewage sludge.

Organic meat and poultry must come from animals fed organic feed

and given access to the outdoors.

Animal feed must contain no antibiotics or growth hormones.

Genetic engineering and ionizing radiation are also banned.

Selling food falsely labeled as organic can carry a stiff fine—up to

$11,000 for each offense.

Thanks to these regulations, consumers who pick up an “organic” item

at the store can be confident that they’re getting the real deal. When you

see the “USDA Organic” seal, it means the product on sale has at least

95 percent organic ingredients. The U.S. Department of Agriculture

(USDA) has more information on organic labeling here.

But there are some things that the organic label does not mean. It does not

mean the food was necessarily grown locally. (In fact, much organic food

is imported). It doesn’t mean the food was produced at small farms. And it

does not mean the food is any safer or more nutritious than non-organic

varieties. As the USDA points out, “U.S. organic standards and certification do not address food quality.”

“Greener” by design To be certified organic, food must be produced by environmentally sound and sustainable methods. Conven-

tional farming does not have to follow such strict rules.

The USDA says the organic label is not an “eco-label per se.” But it does say its organic standards “are deeply

rooted in environmental stewardship and resource conservation.” Remember, though, that farm practices are

only part of the story. Transportation uses fossil fuels and produces greenhouse gases, so locally produced or-

ganic food is probably the “greener” option.

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MILITARYONE-SOURCE ARTICLE

Organic Food: What You Need to Know

Health claims debated Are organic foods safer and more nutritious? Based on research up to this point, it’s impossible to answer that

question for sure. Dieticians Mildred M. Cody and Robert Earl note that pesticide residues “typically are lower

for organic products.” The Organic Trade Association (OTA), citing a May 2010 report from the President’s

Cancer Panel, says choosing organic food “helps reduce exposure to environmental chemicals that can increase

the risk of contracting cancer.” But the pesticide levels in conventional food do not reach levels that the govern-

ment considers dangerous.

The jury is also out on nutrition. Studies in Britain and France have found that organic crops have higher levels

of phosphorus, iron and magnesium than conventional foods. But the differences are small and may not be

linked to farming methods. They could result from differences in water, soils and growing seasons.

“There’s no evidence right now that buying organic (food) has health benefits over conventional (food),” says

Katherine Tallmadge, a registered dietician and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. But she

adds, “There’s a dearth of research, so we don’t really know.”

Whichever option you choose, Tallmadge says, you should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. “All the studies

show we need to eat a plant-based diet,” she says, and none of these studies “has separated out conventional and

organic food.”

Organic on a budget As any grocery shopper soon learns, organic is usually not the cheaper

choice. But the cost gap is not always wide, and there are ways to narrow

it.

The OTA offers a number of tips, such as buying in bulk, choosing private

label products and joining buying clubs or community-supported agricul-

ture (CSA) groups. (CSA programs are also a good way to support local

farmers.) Buying in season also helps cut the cost of organics, just as it

does for produce in general. Also, look for organic products in the frozen-

food section. These may be quite a bit cheaper than fresh produce, without

sacrificing nutrition.

Resources The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic

Association)

www.eatright.org

Search “organic food”

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service

www.ams.usda.gov

See “National Organic Program” in the left-hand menu; the “Consumers”

link on the NOP page leads to several useful articles.

The Organic Trade Association

www.ota.com

Find articles on shopping for and cooking with organic food.

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MILITARYONE-SOURCE ARTICLE

Eat Right When Money is Tight Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture,

http://www.nal.usda.gov/snap/EatRightWhenMoneysTight.pdf

Many families are concerned about the rising costs of food. Often eating healthier is less expensive than eating

poorly. Planning ahead to cook good food at home means spending less on eating out, and eating more nutritious

food. Read on for tips for how to stretch your food dollars through budgeting, food selection and low-cost recipes.

How much: Money available for food

Know the resources you have to spend on food.

Make a shopping list based on the resources you have to spend.

Buy only the amounts of fresh foods you can use before it spoils.

Consider frozen or shelf stable items that last longer.

Use foods you already have to plan menus.

Add missing foods to your shopping list.

Planning: Making meals with foods on hand Before going to the grocery store, check what foods you already have. Once you know what foods you have, ask

these questions:

What meals and recipes can I make using the foods I have?

Can I mix foods together to make a tasty and nutritious meal?

What foods does my family need for good health?

Then:

Plan what recipes you will make using your list of foods.

Use other foods on your list such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains to complete the menu.

Once you plan your menus, make a new list for missing foods you need to buy.

Shopping: Before, during and after Before shopping:

Make a shopping list. This helps you stick to your budget.

Plan your meals. Planning helps put leftovers to good use.

Look for coupons, sales and store specials.

For added savings sign up for the store discount card.

During shopping:

Don’t shop when you are hungry. It is easier to stick to your shopping list.

Try store brands. They usually cost less.

Compare products for the best deal.

Check sell-by dates.

Buy the freshest food possible. It lasts longer.

After shopping:

Store food right away to preserve freshness.

Freeze food to prevent spoiling.

Divide foods into small portions for children and elderly to prevent waste.

Use foods with the earliest expiration dates first.

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MILITARYONE-SOURCE ARTICLE

Eat Right When Money is Tight Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture,

http://www.nal.usda.gov/snap/EatRightWhenMoneysTight.pdf

Tips: best buys for cost and nutrition Breads and grains:

Look for bargains on day old bread. It costs

less but is still nutritious.

Buy regular rice, oatmeal and grits instead of

instant to save on money, sugar and calories.

Vegetables and salad:

Buy large bags of frozen vegetables. Seal

tightly in the freezer between uses.

Avoid pre-bagged salad mixes. They are usu-

ally more expensive and spoil faster.

Fruits:

Buy fresh fruits in season, when they gener-

ally cost less.

Frozen and canned fruits are a smart choice all

year round.

Fruits and vegetables are usually less expen-

sive when they are in season. Farmer’s markets

always carry what is in season.

Low-fat milk products:

Buy fresh, low-fat milk in the largest size that

can be used before spoiling. Larger containers

cost less than smaller sizes.

Ultra-pasteurized milk has a longer expiration

date and won’t spoil as fast.

Meat and beans:

Chuck or bottom round roast has less fat and

is cheaper than sirloin.

Dried beans and peas are a good source of

protein and fiber. They last a long time without

spoiling.

Look for specials at the meat counter. Buy

meat on sale for big savings.

Buy meat in large bulk packages to save

money. Freeze portions you might not use right

away to prevent spoiling.

Additional resources You may qualify for more than food stamp benefits.

If you get food stamps and have children in school,

they qualify for free lunch and breakfast. If you are

low income and pregnant, breastfeeding, a new mom

or have children under 5 years old, you might qualify

for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits. The

Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a

Federal program that provides food to low-income

persons. Please read on for more information on these

programs.

SNAP—Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Pro-

gram. This program is for eligible low-income peo-

ple and their families. For more information call 1-

800-221-5689. To find your nearest SNAP office visit

www.fns.usda.gov/snap/outreach/default.htm

WIC—Special Supplemental Nutrition Program

for Women, Infants and Children. This program is

for eligible low-income pregnant or breastfeeding

women, new moms, and children under age 5. For

more information visit www.fns.usda.gov/wic/

contacts/tollfreenumbers.htm

School Nutrition Program. This program is for

eligible low-income school-aged children. For more

information, contact your local school or school dis-

trict.

The Emergency Food Assistance Program

(TEFAP). This program is for eligible low-income

persons. For more information visit

www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/programs/tefap/

tefap_eligibility.htm

Other online resources MyPyramid at www.mypyramid.gov. This Web site

offers personalized eating plans, advice to make

smart choices from every food group and help to

balance food and physical activity.

Recipe Finder at http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov.

This website offers over 100 low cost, nutritious and

delicious recipes in both English and Spanish.

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HEALTHY MONEY HABITS

ADVENTURES IN COUPONING Picture from WDIO.com

Items Retail Price

Sale Price

After discounts

Savings %

Pineapple & 2 boxes of Cereal $ 11.96 $ 5.86 $ 0.86 93%

2 Packages Raspberries $ 5.96 $ 4.00 $ 2.50 58%

Day Old Bakery Items $ 50.46 $ 11.97 $ 11.96 76%

S'more's items (Hershey bars, Honey Maid Gra-ham Crackers, and Marshmallows) $ 10.97 $ 5.00 $ 3.00 73%

Small Coffee & Dixie Cups $ 4.48 $ 2.50 $ 1.00 78%

3 Fruit Cups $ 2.25 $ 0.45 $ 0.45 80%

4 bags Peanut M&M's $ 3.56 $ 2.64 $ 1.32 63%

Nitrate Free Bacon $ 39.85 $ 9.95 $ 9.95 75%

4 Jars of Dill Relish $ 7.96 $ 3.96 $ 1.96 75%

Miracle Whip $ 4.99 $ 1.88 $ 1.13 77%

2 Bottles Mustard $ 2.38 $ 1.10 $ 1.10 54%

Almond Coconut Milk $ 3.89 $ 2.99 $ 1.99 49%

Simply Lemonade $ 2.99 $ 1.99 $ 1.24 59%

4 Pizzas $ 19.96 $ 10.00 $ 6.00 70%

Syrup & Pancake Mix $ 6.48 $ 2.99 $ 0.77 88%

5- 8 oz Smart Bal-ance Butter $ 12.95 $ 11.10 $ 1.10 92%

Totals $ 191.09 $ 78.38 $ 46.33 76%

Minus $4 gift card from Cereal $ 187.09 $ 42.33 77%

When people find out I am a couponer, their response is usu-

ally similar to talking about weight loss. They say that they

would love to tame their grocery budget, but ______ (fill in

the blank). According to the USDA, the monthly at home

food budget for my family of two adults and two preschoolers

should be between $568 -$1,107. Our budget for the last year

has been $100-$400 per month and we have been making the

switch to organic. We eat out about 4 times per month and

that money comes out of a different category in our budget.

My strategy is not to be an “extreme couponer,” in fact I find

the show to be really misleading. Participants rarely follow

the rules (such as limit one per customer) and spend weeks

preparing for their show appearance. They also buy their cou-

pons (sometimes spending hundreds of dollars) and coordi-

nate special orders with the store in advance. I am a

“practical couponer” and try to spend as little time grocery

shopping/planning as possible. I do that by cooking in large

quantities with simple ingredients and keeping an eye out for

the best price possible on the ingredients I use. I also know

the store’s sales & markdown cycles and wait for the things I

need to go on sale. I started a couponing group to help be-

ginners and received a phone call from a reporter.

Here is a link to the story she did. http://www.wdio.com/article/stories/s3503385.shtml

I have included the list of items purchased. Since I was given

short notice, I wasn’t able to pull together all of the deals and

forgot two during my trip. I added them to the list because I

purchased them the next day.

Here are the ways I saved money.

Cereal- I used my Kellogg’s rewards points to get $1.50/box

coupons online. They were on sale for $2 and I stacked them

with a $2 off fruit w/purchase of two boxes Kellogg’s cereal

coupon. There are also coupons for free milk/yogurt with the

purchase of cereal that can be stacked too. The boxes of ce-

real also had codes for gift cards. Occasionally, the codes are

good for free movie tickets.

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HEALTHY MONEY HABITS

ADVENTURES IN COUPONING

Picture from WDIO.com

Berries- I am a member of the Driscoll’s advisory board and get coupons for completing surveys. I buy/grow/pick

berries when they are ripe and freeze them for smoothies in the winter. I join the rewards programs for many of

my favorite grocery items.

Bakery- I get bakery items in day old bundle bags or shop at the bakery outlet.

S’more’s- I stock up in the summer and combined the manufacturer coupon in the glossy store flyer with the cou-

pon in the weekly flyer to get all three items for $3. I chose boxes of Graham crackers that had BOGO DQ bliz-

zards in them too.

Coffee/Paper Products- My store has tablets of glossy tear-away coupons that I keep an eye out for. They are usu-

ally for money off another product, such as $1.50 off coffee with the purchase of coffee cups. In this case, the

store and manufacturer coupons were both for free coffee, so it was actually a money maker.

Dry Goods Mark Downs- If the packaging on a product is damaged, my grocer marks the item down. On this trip,

I found three fruit cups for fifteen cents each.

Condiments- Condiments go on sale around the three major summer holidays. I stock up then and use them year

round. Likewise, around the holidays, baking supplies go on sale as well.

Meat- One way to save on meat is to shop in the morning and look for markdowns. I bought 5 packages of nitrate

free bacon that were close to their best if used by date for 75% off. The day we were there, ground beef was

marked down to $2.49 in the 4lb family pack sizes, I also has a coupon for $2 off any beef family packs making it

$1.99 per pound when the regularly priced beef was close to $5.

Juice/Non-Dairy Milks- Websites like coupons.com have loads of coupons for juice and non-dairy milks. I print

them and combine them with store sales and coupons.

Frozen Pizzas- I save coupons from the newspaper and combine them with store sales on the smallest size. My

store carries a $5 version of the pizzas I bought and a $10 version. I waited until the $5 version went on sale for

$2.50 to use my $1 off coupons. I also make my own frozen pizzas at home to save money and lower preserva-

tives.

Butter- My store had glossy flyers with a $2 off coupon for any Smart Balance product. Many of the products in

the store were $6, but I found their butter on sale for $2.22. Butter freezes really well, so I stocked up.

Candy- Checkout lanes regularly have tear-away coupons for money off of candy. I combined the manufacturer

coupons with the sale to get a nice deal.

There are lots of ways to save money on groceries. I highly recommend Steve & Annette Economides book Cut

Your Grocery Bill in Half. See page ___ for the book review.

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HEALTHY MONEY HABITS

TAMING THE DINNERTIME DILEMMA

It is 6pm. What is the stress level in your house? For families with kids, dinnertime stress can be pretty high. The American Sociological Association just published a study entitled the Joy of Cooking? In summary, the increased burden of cooking for a family at home combined with other pressures has a negative impact on a family, mainly the mother. While socio economic issues play a big role in the situation, the stress seems to be similar across income levels. One possible solution to this issue is a chest freezer, or possibly more than one (seriously, I have five). I just purchased another used one for $25. A secondhand chest freezer used efficiently can easily pay for itself in a month for the average1 grocery budget. Space may be an issue, but it is a small price to pay for relieving such a stressful time of the day. A couple of times a month, I do batch cooking to fill my freezers. I choose recipes based on their cost, family preferences, nutri-tional value and ingredient availability (translation: lots of free Swiss chard). In the fall, I make lots of soups and chilies since ingredients are cheap at farmer’s markets. I make 4-10 times what the recipe calls for. Since I work on weekdays, I cook on the weekends. Our current favorite is chicken potpie. Batch cooking reduces food cost, by buying in larger quantities and using fewer ingredients. It takes much less time and re-duces the quantity of dishes. Another plus is that reducing oven use and baking things in large batches saves electricity. An option gaining popularity in recent years is using dehy-drated foods as a part of meal prep to save time and food stor-age space. A 1 gallon can of dehydrated diced carrots yields 27lbs of carrots at a cost of $20. The carrots are already peeled diced and washed and would save more than $7 if the local gro-cery store charges $1 per lb. Similarly, Sam’s Club sells dehy-drated diced onions yields 40lbs of fresh onions at a cost of $27. If 10% of the onion is wasted and the local grocery store charges $.50 per lb, it would cost less than $5 to have the on-ions already diced and ready to go. Another benefit is that you wouldn’t have to worry about them spoiling or smelling up the freezer/fridge.

The Pioneer Woman

Chicken Pot Pie

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HEALTHY MONEY HABITS

TAMING THE DINNERTIME DILEMMA

Cooking can be much more fun with friends. Organizing a group cooking day can further increase the savings and make the process more fun. Last year, I organized a soup swap with some friends to diversify what was in my freezer. It is a great way to try new recipes.

To be really efficient, I get the large cans of beans at Sam’s Club/Costco that are seven times the size of the normal size cans, and I multiply my recipes by seven. This year, we are trying to switch to organic foods, which can be a costly transition. To further save money on beans/rice this year, I am buying what I need dried in 25-50 lb bags directly from the distributor and cooking them myself. The cost for one variety is $1/lb dried and the cost for the equiva-lent canned is $9. This provides a substantial savings in the cost of the product itself. Since the cost of the cooked beans is $.25/lb, the savings are even more dramatic when used in combination with or in lieu of meat. Many grocery experts advocate making a monthly meal plan and doing once a month shopping and cooking. The best system is whatever works for your family, is easiest to use and your family actually uses. Since our plans change so often, I simply plan my meals for 2-3 days ahead, keeping an eye on the forecast and left-overs and perishables to use up in my fridge. This avoids waste and barbequing in the rain isn’t much fun and neither is a turkey dinner in 90 degree weather. As soon as dinner is over, it is a great time to start the dishwasher so that it can be emptied before bedtime. If other family members do this, the cook can make sure everything is ready for the next two nights. I also immediately portion leftovers into individual meals for lunch the next day and freezer meals. I also cook the pasta for the following night so it will be ready to go and make sure that all of the sides are ready to be baked or put in the microwave. With the start of the new school year, it is a great time to reboot family dinnertime. Eating meals together has shown to lower the risks for many different health and social issues. Reducing the stress and cost of meal prep leads to more family meals and lowers financial stress as well.

Pepperoni Pizza Chili Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey, beef, or Ital-

ian Sausage

1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans,

rinsed and drained

1 can (15 ounces ) pizza sauce

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Italian stewed

tomatoes

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1-1/2 cups water

1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pep-

peroni

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 teaspoon pizza seasoning or Italian

seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a large saucepan, cook beef over

medium heat until no longer pink;

drain. Stir in the beans, pizza sauce,

tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, pep-

peroni, green pepper, pizza season-

ing and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce

heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 min-

utes or until chili reaches desired

thickness. Sprinkle with cheese if

desired. Yield: 8 servings.

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BOOK REVIEW CUT YOUR GROCERY

BILL IN HALF

Everybody that buys groceries needs a copy of this book. The Economides Family has made a living preaching their frugal ways. Their second book reveals their secrets to feed-ing a family of seven on a budget of $350 per month. They also detail how they use once a month cooking and once a month grocery shopping. The highlight of this book is that it is written by a married couple that works together with their (now grown) children to reach their goals. The start of the book details their planning techniques for meals and shopping. The real secret to their plan is that they have turned their pantry and deep chest freezer into their own mini grocery store. They plan their meals off of what they have on hand and restock their pantry with what is on sale. This eliminates the stress of trying to plan your meals based on what is on sale. 95% of the book covers strategies to avoid using coupons. There are handy tips like weighing pre-bagged fruit to see which one is the heaviest. As a mom of preschoolers, I appreciated the section about dealing with picky eaters. Their five children are seven years apart in age making them and experts at dealing with children at the dinner table. One suggestion I use regularly is to make foods that are already pre-cut, so that I don’t have spend the beginning of dinner cutting up food. There is also a section on planning school lunches. The middle of the book details how to get the best deals in each food category. (Hint: Make room in your freezer to stock up on cheap turkeys now to avoid paying $4 per pound of ground turkey later in the year). The end of the book has a section for how to feed a family “take out” food for under $15. There are also practical tips on freezer storage and kitchen layout. The suggestions in this book are practical, helpful, and will easily save a family hundreds of dollars a month and thou-sands a year.

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RESOURCE LINKS ARMY / NATIONAL GUARD minnesotanationalguard.com armyonesource.com militaryonesource.mil CHILDREN ADAPT: cehd.umn.edu/fsos/adapt operationwearehere.com mnchildcare.org ausa.org/family mdva.state.mn.us/child guardfamilyyouth.org militarykids.org DISCOUNTS beyondtheyellowribbon.org military.com/discounts/category EDUCATION education4military.com gibill.va.gov militaryonesource.mil militarychild.org EMPLOYMENT esgr.org mn.gov/deed FMLA: dol.gov/whd/fmla HEALTH / MENTAL HEALTH tricare.mil militarymentalhealth.org Counseling 24/7: militaryonesource.mil MARRIAGE AND RELATIONSHIPS Marriage Retreats: strongbonds.org militaryonesource.mil PARENTS OF SOLDIERS bluestarmoms.org operationwearehere.com/Parents.html PET CARE dogsondeployment.org netpets.org guardianangelsforsoldierspet.org SPOUSES & SIGNIFICANT OTHERS militarysos.com spousebuzz.com milspouse.com msccn.org nationalmilitaryspousenetwork.org STRESS MANAGEMENT militaryonesource.mil defense.gov/specials/stressawareness

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