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Eating on a Budget: How to Make Cost Effective Meals

Whether you are a student looking to save some extra money, a young family saving for a holiday, or just want to be able to spend less money on meals, this is the article for you. Having to even think of three meals a day is difficult, and when you think of how much it all costs to have a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner- it can have a troll on your wallets! In this article, we will be making budget meals, delicious meals! Now, let’s figure out the main ingredients to make a cost-effective meal.

Coupons!

Yes, it may be obvious but coupons are a great way of saving that extra bit of cash, with big supermarkets always offering some sort of loyalty program which is free to join and take the benefits. Some coupons can even be found online with a simple google search, and St Coupon Codes seem to do the job well! The ability to search and find coupons to use at a variety of different shops is amazing! You will definitely find a coupon code for your local shops.

Pasta and rice- everything nice

You may be thinking that pasta and rice are very boring and bland dishes, but that is not true! Pasta and rice are extremely cost-effective and give great amounts of fiber and energy to keep you going throughout the day. The fact they could be incorporated into so many different styles of dinners is perfect to configure the most cost-effective meal. From a simple curry to an Italian al fresco, to a Mexican chili- rice and pasta will be right up your street and goes well paired with any dish.

Buy bulk!

When purchasing food items that tend to be expensive, always go for the bigger portioned packages. For example, if you were cooking one meal with chicken breast, do not buy the 2 pack of chicken- buy a kilogram worth of chicken and freeze it! It works out as cheaper and by freezing it you are stopping it from going off but are also saving yourself the money in the long run. It is important to think ahead, by doing this you will also be saving the hassle of thinking of more dinners as you will remember you have chicken in the freezer. This is also the case with rice and pasta, buying these items in bulk as they do not go off quickly and it works out as cheaper in the long run.

Think about where you are buying from

We all know that some supermarkets are much more expensive than others- so maybe keep that in mind when you are shopping around? You do not want to be charged more if the quality is the same but the brand is different- don’t be a snob, save that dollar! This is also the case for certain food products- do not think that just because it is a popular brand it will be nicer than the cheaper option. Most of the time this is not even the case- try it yourself and it will become a positive habit of second thinking when choosing the more expensive option!

All in all, think carefully about what you put in your basket– when doing food shopping, the small items always add up somehow and make the total much more than we think! (happens to me all the time). Remember also that just because they are branded does not mean they’re good! The cheaper option will definitely thank your wallet!

Cooking Debate: Is Smoked Meat Tastier than Grilled

With so many people looking for ways that they can change how they cook meals on a daily basis it can be hard to choose which cooking method you are going to use to create a delicious meal. There is much discussion around whether smoking meat or grilling meat is the best, but the truth is that both methods are great ways to ensure you and your family have a healthy and flavorsome meal.

When it comes to cooking meat everyone has their preference in terms of the right way to do it, but changing things every once in a while can be a great way to add variation to your diet. The possibilities are endless as you can alter the cooking method to your needs and flavor preference.

Smoking Meat

Smoking meat can be daunting if you are someone just getting started with the process, there are some thighs that you will need to invest in before you attempt your first try at smoking meat. In order to get the very best results, you will need some form of smoking equipment, whether you choose to invest in a more affordable smoker which will require you to burn the wood yourself or you opt for an electric smoker which does the process much quicker, you will need to make the decision before you even think about cooking your first kind of meat. There are many ways to learn about the masterbuilt electric smoker, but doing some initial research into what would be the best fit for your lifestyle is definitely the right way to go.

Grilled Meat

Grilling meat is a much easier process than smoking, it would be a suitable cooking method for someone who has to cater to a large family as it takes very little time and is very easy to do. Using a grill to cook meat is very unique in comparison to the normal oven cooking method as it generates flavor by adding a charred effect to the meat you are cooking. Grilling is a great cooking method for meats like beef, pork, and chicken as it adds a smoky flavor that really cannot be replicated by anything else. Simply take your chosen meat and add some form of the marinade to retain the meat’s moisture and inject some extra flavor into your dish.

Differences Between the Cooking Methods

The big difference between smoking and grilling meat is that smoking utilizes the heat and the smoke generated from burning wood to create a texture and smoky flavor that cannot be replicated by any other means. Grilling is more of a quick and easy method for cooking meat which doesn’t require much attention other than monitoring the meat to make sure it is cooked properly. If you want to add flavor to your smoked meat then you can add seasonings and even burn some herbs and spices within your wood, if you want to add more flavor to grilled meat then it would be better to use a sauce to prevent the meat from going dry.

Which is Better?

The question of which method of cooking meat is better is totally down to your lifestyle and personal preference, based upon the different ways you can add flavor to your meat I would recommend you choose the method which suits your families day to day life. Grilling would be great for those with little time to cook and large families whereas, smoking meat would be suitable for someone with the time to invest in creating a very unique dish that you can be proud of.

Staying Healthy: How to Properly Store Your Food

Knowing how to store food properly is just as important as knowing how to cook it. Being able to store food helps free up lots of your time during the week as you can cook a meal on one day then eat it for several days after, this also leaves you with a lot less washing up to do too. If you want to take it a step further many people have mastered meal prepping and prepare or cook all their meals for a week on one day, The key to doing this is ensuring you have the correct storage tools and know-how to store your food. Storing your food correctly helps to preserve the nutritional value of your meals and ensures the food still tastes like quality food. Storing your food incorrectly can cause your food to spoil and this can even lead to foodborne diseases. On top of this, it makes your grocery shop more costly as you’re having to rebuy things that have spoiled. That’s why we’ve found all the most important tips and tricks to make sure your food is properly stored.

Fridge

When storing your food in a fridge most people use Tupperware as they think this is the best form of storage to preserve your meals but really you should preserve your food with a vacuum sealer. Using a vacuum sealer instead of traditional storing methods vastly increases the amount of time food can be left in the fridge before being consumed. When using the standard storing methods food only lasts between 1 and 3 days before it’s no longer safe for consumption, with a vacuum seal food can be left in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, this is a significantly longer time and is extremely helpful if you like to prepare your meals in advance. Where you store your food in your fridge is a big factor in how to store your food properly and keeping it safe for consumption. The food you prepare needs to be kept in a separate part of your fridge from raw meat. This is because raw meat contains harmful bacteria, if raw meat mixes with your pre-prepared food you could get food poisoning. Meal prep and leftovers should be kept at the top of your fridge, dairy products should be kept in the middle, and raw meat should be kept on the bottom as this is the best place to prevent any cross-contamination, the drawers are where vegetables should be stored.

Freezer

Similarly to the fridge, food that has been vacuum-sealed lasts much longer in the freezer than it does with the traditional storage methods. With other methods food lasts around 6 months or up to a year in the freezer, when vacuum sealed it can last on average 2-3 years which is amazing news for food prep lovers. The freezer poses different threats to food preservation than the fridge, one of the biggest problems with leaving food in the freezer is food dehydration, this is less likely to happen to the food that is stored in air-tight containers. Meat again can cause problems due to the bacteria, to make sure your meat stays safe to consume make sure you use freezer wrap on it before storing it in the freezer. It is also not advised to refreeze meat that has completely thawed, whilst it is safe it ruins the quality of your food as a lot of moisture is lost. The best temperature to have your freezer at is –18 degrees Celsius.

How Stress Affects Your Eating Habits and How to Deal With It

If you are someone that has ever experienced stress, you will have also experienced reaching for a sugary snack to take the edge off. Unless you have an incredible amount of self-control, it is likely that you would have found comfort in junk food during a time of immense stress, but why does our body resort to junk food as a means to relieve us of that feeling of stress?

Stress Eating

Do not worry, you don’t reach out for sugary snacks due to your own personal gluttony. When we experience stress, our body releases a handy little chemical called Cortisol. Humans produce this hormone in order to trigger our ‘fight or flight’ response that is caused by feelings of stress. This is created due to our body’s natural need to survive, so when we feel stressed, we instantly go into survival mode thanks to this hormone which may help during situations of actual peril.

However, if you are not in a situation of peril, this hormone can actually prove to be quite inconvenient. This is because, as well as making you more prepared for any dangerous encounter, this hormone also makes you crave salty and sweet foods. This explains why you are bound to search for a snack when you are feeling a bit anxious and have nothing to worry about if you aren’t pushing it too far.

However, if you are someone who is often exposed to stressful situations, then the effects of this hormone can be quite detrimental. This is because you are likely to consume more unhealthy food that may lead to obesity or other health and organ issues.  This is often an issue experienced by people who work in offices or other desk jobs. This is because these are very stressful work sectors that don’t allow you to gain much exercise as you don’t really have the chance to walk around and burn off any calories that you may consume.

Leptin Resistance

Another section of people that may suffer more from the effects of stress is those of us that suffer from Leptin resistance. Leptin is within all of us and basically tells us when we are consuming too much food. Depending on your size, your body will allow you to consume a certain amount. If you are someone who is overweight, your body will try and tell you to eat less in order to remain healthy.  However, if you are someone that suffers from leptin resistance, then your appetite will be slightly out of control and your body will not be able to tell you when you should stop eating. Which can be extremely detrimental to people who experience a lot of stress. If you are someone who relates to this uncontrollable appetite, then you may have leptin resistance. If you think this applies to you, then you can learn more about leptin resistance online. It is nothing to really worry about and can be easily managed once you acknowledge that you have to deal with it.

How One Stay At Home Dad Is Changing the World of Cooking Forever

Five years ago Gary Briggs was just your average working father. He would leave for work at 8 am and return just after five to enjoy a meal with his whizz of a cook wife and two children. Gary was about as useful in the kitchen as a lawnmower, and so the daily responsibility of feeding the family was left to his wife, not that she minded.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck in 2015 when Gary’s wife was killed in a road traffic accident. Not only was Gary dealing with the emotional pain produced by the loss of his wife, but he also had a long line of responsibilities that he had to deal with, along with working full time and caring for his children.

A New Outlook

Gary coped with his newfound responsibilities, but admittedly neglected one of his new roles in the household – the role of chef. With Gary working so much, he found it difficult to find the time to cook up the meals that his wife used to and subsequently resorted to freezer food and takeaways more times than he cares to admit.  Gary and his children were not getting the vital nutrients that they needed and the final push to make a change came when his youngest child, Katie, was diagnosed with Anemia.  This meant that Gary had to start putting more effort into making foods packed with iron and other nutrients that they had been seriously lacking since his wife had passed.

Gary started off by doing what he thought was the smartest move, which meant going down to the local WHSmith and buying as many cooking books as he could. However, he quickly learned that reading a method and seeing a couple of pictures does not always equate to a quality meal and he is sure that his children would agree.  After weeks of failed attempts and nearly a hundred pounds spent on last-minute takeaways, Gary found himself in a rut. This was until his children introduced him to the world of youtube cooking.

Teaching an Old Dog

See Gary is a bit of an old body and his only experience with Youtube had been catching a glimpse of whatever Minecraft video his son was watching. So when he found out that there were thousands of people making instructional videos on how to cook delicious dishes, he was excited to get stuck in.

Gary studied these videos very carefully and within months he was a whizz in the kitchen, in fact, he started to host a weekly night for his friends to bring their children to feast on his new culinary invention. After a while, people started to encourage Gary to start cooking professionally, as he obviously had the natural talent to do so. Gary considered it, after all, he had been unhappy with his job since his wife had passed and had been looking for something to do. However, working in a kitchen would require years of training and would mean that he would spend even more time away from his children, which he wanted to avoid as much as he possibly could.

The Channel

Then it hit him, why not start a youtube channel much like all the ones that had inspired his own cooking? With the help of his children, Gary set up a youtube channel and started posting videos of himself brewing up his culinary concoctions. He was a big hit, due to his charming personality and clumsy cooking techniques.

Quickly he became an overnight sensation and was able to quit his job and comfortably support his family on the earnings he had been making from youtube. Not only is he managing to support his family from the ad revenue gained by youtube, but he also sells merchandise to all of his loving fans. You can get your hands on funny baking aprons with his face and popular quotes on them, along with oven gloves and your very own chef hat. Gary is showing the world how you can make a profession out of your passions and how men can survive in the kitchen without the help of their wives. If you like what he does, what’s stopping you from jumping in the