Try-it Tuesday - Calorie Count

About 3 1/2 years ago I had the opportunity to travel abroad for work, followed closely by a family cruise and visit to Walt Disney World meant a lot flights. (I boarded 16 different planes over the course of a month.) It also meant a lot of photos of me, as well as plenty of walking. All of which made me realize how out of shape and big I had become. I started out with walking and trying to eat better, and it didn't take long before I was trying to track calories - and while searching for calorie content on something, I stumbled across caloriecount.com. With a little snooping around, I decided to sign up so I could track my weight and food online. That, along with the support of several online friends, I believe was the cause of my weight loss success. Over the course of about 20 months, I lost just over 100 pounds. Yes, I will to carrying almost half of that again (by product of going crazy during pregnancy....) and am back on Calorie Count to lose that baby weight!

The premise of calorie counting and weight loss is simple, eat less calories than you expend. By answering a few simple questions, I was able to set realistic goals for healthy weight loss. Not only are there hundreds of thousands of foods in their database with complete calorie/nutrition information, but you can also input your own recipes to have them analyzed (and save them for future use/reference). The tracking system also makes it easier to look at your meals and days as a whole, so you can make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need over the course of the day. The program does also work for anyone who needs to gain weight, although since my experience is with weight loss, that is where my focus is.

The site also includes ways to track exercise, tools to help you make a weight loss plan, and community forums for support and have questions answered. And best of all, it's free!

So, in Try-it Tuesday fashion.....

Things I really like about Caloriecount.com:

• tracks both weight and food online
• huge database of food and drinks - including quite a few dining out items
• easy to adjust portion sizes
• the recipe analyzer
• weight and food logs allow you to compare over the long term and show trends
• weight log has a space for comments so I can note things that might have been cause for a weight spike
  
• it's free!
• ability to enter by "hand" items not in the database, and then save for future use
• you can see timelines for healthy weightloss
  

Things I'm not so crazy about

• As with many public sites, if you spend much time in the forums you'll find people who see their way as the only way
• There is almost "too much" available - there are tools and resources I've never made it to
• it's easy to get pretty attached to -- cutting the cord can be a challenge when you are ready

I will say it is pretty similar to other sites - most notably Sparkpeople (also free) and Weightwatchers online (fee based). If you are looking to start a weight loss program I encourage you to check it out.

Mish Mash Monday - Cookbooks

First of all -- whatever Mr. Chewy says, I DO NOT have too many cookbooks. Ok, maybe a few too many. But I have thinned the herd over the past few years. (Sorry to my sister's husband, as they ended up at her house!)I like to read them, and yes, try some of the recipes too. Over the past few years, I'm more likely to check a cookbook out from the library, and decide if it's worth the purchase after perusing it for awhile - often I'm able to then find it at half-price books, or half.com. I do realize that there are now millions of millions of recipes available on the web - but there is just something about that book, whether it's looking at others cookbooks and knowing where the best recipes are by where the book opens to (or where the pages are stuck together!)

So, here are my top picks for cookbooks that get used over and over again here,(in no particular order) maybe they are home to a favorite recipe, a great reference, or just an entertaining read (doesn't everybody read cookbooks?).


Better Homes and Gardens - When I need something basic like a sauce, or looking for cooking times/temps. This is the one that comes out. I know I can count on "the red book" to have a variety of recipes that have been tested over and over again, directions that are easy to understand, and will please most. Also good nutrition information that allows me to create meals as healthy (or unhealthy) as I would like. I have mine, and my grandmas - very different, but both great resources.



Pampered Chef Recipes from the Heart - Not one I use a lot - but it has some great party and brunch recipes. Although the page it opens too is for chocolate pudding cake. It's a great quick recipe that I pretty much always have the ingredients on hand for, so if I need a dessert on the fly - it often gets made. It's the one with the blue cover sold by fundraising groups. A close 2nd from the Pampered Chef collection would probably be the Stoneware collection cookbook (which has a great baked french toast recipe!).


More with Less This is another one that has been around for awhile - about 25 years. This compilation of recipes from Mennonite kitchens around the world focuses on feeding ourselves and the world by examining what we eat and working to eliminate excess calories, meat, and packaging - all the while saving money that can be better spent to help others. Definitely a great timeless choice for chewy families.



Grandma's church cookbook I'm pretty sure there are more recipes in this book than there are people that live in the town, but it's a good one. For awhile I would call my parents and ask questions like: "I'm going to make banana bread, and I have recipes by these three women, which one should I make?" It contains recipes for everything from homemade playdoh to window cleaner to countless cookies and bars, and some pretty good "grown up" slush recipes as well!


Walt Disney World Cookbooks including the one at left have a special place in my collection. One of the highlights of our trips is the unique and varied dining experiences available. It's always fun and a bit of vacation anytime to try to recreate some of our favorites at home. I also have a few of the Food and Wine festival cookbooks. Whether it's Walt Disney World or other travels, a cookbook has become a favorite souvenir. Food is always such a big part of travel - so why not bring it home?



So those are just a few of the cookbooks on my shelves that get repeated use/readings. What are your "go-to" cookbooks?

oops

Oops, for those of you on readers or subscribed - I "oops" published Monday's post - and have since pulled it back for release on Monday. Sorry for any confusion. I think that is a sign I need more sleep!

See you next week!

Thrifty Thursday - Baby Food

In an effort to be thrifty and know exactly what my son is eating - I have been "making" the majority of his baby food. It has been a very rewarding and simple process so far. While I've gotten plenty of input as to "what food when" I have primarily been referencing the following chart from www.askdrsears.com.
So far - everything has been very simple. Bananas and avocados are simply fork smashed and fed. (Although the chewy tot does NOT like bananas.) At right he is enjoying some avocado!





Ripe pears and peaches spend some time in the food chopper.








Carrots, squash and chicken are cooked and then prepped in the food grinder. I received this as a gift - and while it does get used, I wonder if something like a "magic bullet" would get used more and be more effective replacing the chopper, grinder and the food processor that gets used for large batches.


Another favorite has been unsweetened applesauce, which needs no extra preparation.

When looking at how to prepare the food, the website www.wholesomebabyfood.com has been an invaluable resource for cooking techniques as well as simple recipes when you are ready to combine foods. Last week when I was referencing cooking a squash, I found a recipe and ended up making a batch of rice with apple and butternut squash.
While I have dabbled some in making our own cereals - I have found purchasing the cereal to be our best bet. I can get organic cereals for a reasonable price that don't need to be cooked before serving - so we'll go with it.

When making the larger items (squash, sweet potato, chicken, etc.) after preparing the food, I have been using my small spring handle scoop (like a cookie scoop) to dish out approximately 1/8 cup "mounds" to be frozen on a plate or sheet, and stored in a freezer container. I can then pull out the number of scoops I need to thaw and we are good to go. I know most sites/books recommend using an ice cube try - which is also great - but I didn't have one - so I've gone with a tool I already owned rather than purchasing another one.

Has the chewy tot ever had store bought baby food in the little containers. Yes, we were given some as gifts, and some people have had it at their homes for us when we visit. It is great for travel, and I keep a couple of the small plastic containers in the diaper bag for when we are out longer than expected, or in case he gets really hungry and goes through what homemade food we bring. We have also started doing some yogurt, which I am not making at this point either.

Overall, creating the babies food has been very easy and does not take as much time as I had originally anticipated - not at all. I really do appreciate knowing exactly what he is eating and where it comes from. We are also saving money and not using all those little containers. And, before I know it - all this mashing and smashing will be history and he'll be chomping on carrot sticks and sandwiches!

Simple Saturday and Sunday - Buy in season

Ah Summer! Fresh produce - oh so tasty and less expensive - there is a win/win! If you can get to your local farmer's market great! I'm enjoying the great prices on several fruits and veggies right now - including blueberries, peaches, green beans, and more. Here in Iowa - tomatoes and sweet corn aren't too far away either. Those apples and oranges can wait for their season - I'm enjoying the summer bounty now. Amazing that fresh food is one of the few things that is least expensive when it's at it's best.

Family Friday - We're going to the zoo!

Or maybe I should say we are going to the ZOOS and MORE!
This summer we decided to purchase a membership to our local Zoo - Blank Park Zoo. I knew that this summer I'd want to take to boys out and about more since I wasn't working full time. I was also a bit nervous about paying admission, not knowing if we'd have a baby meltdown (or Mommy meltdown!) and would rather do shorter trips more often. Taking this into account, and the fact that we were looking at trips out of town a couple of times over the summer that would include visits to their local zoos - we decided to purchase a Family Plus Membership to the Blank Park Zoo. Our membership not only gives our family admission to the Blank Park Zoo, but we are allowed to bring up to 2 guests on each visit, and we have reciprocal admission (or discounts that is usually 1/2 price admission) about 200 other zoos and aquariums throughout the US. We have already used the discount for Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo on the Chewy Kid's Birthday trip.

We also chose to add a membership to Living History Farms - a local living history museum. We are looking forward to going to an 1875 rules baseball game, and feel like it will be a great way for the Chewy Kid to see and experience a lot of the concepts he'll be learning in Iowa History next year. Grandpa and Grandma are also looking forward to being our "guests" on some of our trips here. With so many special events, I'm glad we don't have to pick which events to go to. Two trips with our family, and our membership will be paid for - and we can bring guests too.

I'll admit it, the Blank Park Zoo is not a huge zoo - but it is a great facility for the Des Moines area with a variety of exhibits. The Chewy Tot enjoyed watching the penguins - they made him laugh. They chewy kid had the opportunity to ask some questions of a zookeeper working with the servals, and as a budding photographer is able to get some great practice with his camera skills.


Although the memberships to both Living History Farms and Blank Park Zoo are a bit of an investment for our frugal family. I know we will be encouraged to get out and bring others along to these great local resources. They are also resources that I think are a great asset to our metro area, and am glad we are able to help support these cultural and educational non-profit institutions, and I'm looking forward to spending a bit of extra time at both over the next year.

Thrifty Thursday - Coupons

I've mentioned in the past that I use coupons to help save on our grocery budget. I don't usually save more than about $5-10 in a week using coupons, but am working on it. I am also one that doesn't focus so much on the amount saved - as often, it isn't as much as the coupon if I compare to a like store brand product. The easiest example is cereal as I tend to use more coupons for cereal than anything.
For the comparisons, please assume the box sizes are the same. I know I can get store brand "tasty o's" for $1.99 regular price. Cheerios are often in the $2.50 range. If I have a coupon for $1.00 off Cheerios, my receipt will show that I saved $1.00, however, since I would have spent a maximum of $1.99, I really only "saved" $ .49. Big brand cereals often go on sale for anywhere from 3 boxes for $5 to $2 a box. I watch and combine coupons with these sales for the best deals - getting cereal for between $1.25 - $1.50 a box most weeks. We're pretty picky about cereal (frosted mini wheats is about as "sugary" as we get) so stock up when I can combine coupons and sales.

Where do I find these coupons. Yes, I do get some from the Sunday paper. But only when I can procure one free. We can get a free paper when we spend at least $15 on gas at a local station, usually one of the vehicles needs gas on Sunday. Also, I sometimes get my dad's coupons too. Most of my coupons are now found online. Coupons.com and Smartsource are two great resources for coupons that I check weekly. I have also recently heard about Redplum as another site - although it doesn't look like they have as many grocery coupons. If there is a product I regularly buy, I will check their website for printable coupons. Please let me know if I'm missing a great site by leaving a comment below!

If you are truly being frugal, it's important to remember that Coupons don't always save you money! When don't you want to use a coupon?

• If it's a product you wouldn't purchase anyway (or if it's not replacing a similar product on your list) $1 off poptarts isn't a bargain since we don't purchase poptarts.
  
• If you can get a similar product for less. A lot of times, when I can't combine a coupon with a sale, I'm still better off getting the store brand product if there is one. $ .50 off Kraft shredded cheese, if it's not on sale, still doesn't make it cost less than the store brand.

Maybe I'm a bit of a frugal nerd - but there is nothing like the feeling of combining a sale with a coupon, and if you are really lucky, a sale, store coupon and a manufacturer coupon. No, I'm not saving enough for a Mediterranean vacation by clipping coupons, but what I am saving is true savings.

Of course, one consideration is that you have to have a system so that using coupons doesn't take too much time. Last Christmas - my stocking had a coupon sized accordion file in it! I've organized it with the aisles in the grocery store I do the majority of my shopping at, the same way I do my shopping list.I leave the front pouch open, and move coupons I'm going to use there after I put the product in the cart. I check the online sites once a week, after the sale ads come out - and only print the coupons I think might get used. Printing, cutting and sorting into the file takes about 20 minutes - maybe 30 if I'm getting "help" from the Chewy tot! I save the Sunday coupons to deal with at this same time so I'm only cutting and sorting once.

I'm a bit competitive, so the whole coupon thing becomes a game - and sometimes I get a pretty good score. Once, I had a manufacturer coupon for $1.00 off 2 packages of breakfast sausage. I waited until they were on sale for $1.00 each and used my coupon. Now they were $ .50 each. But I also had a store coupon for $ .50 of any meat item. So my total paid for 2 packages of link sausages was $ .50 or only a quarter apiece!

Please let me know about a super coupon deal you've had, or if you have any other sites to check for coupons.