How to stretch the food dollar further

Emily Marrison
·3 min read

I’m still not quite used to it. The total that pops up when I check out at the grocery store.

This time of year can be even more challenging as we buy ingredients for special dishes only made during the holiday season or in larger quantities for family gatherings. Also, time crunched schedules may result in more frequent trips through fast food drive-thrus.

The USDA researches the average cost for families each month. In October 2022, they estimated that a family of four people (male and female, 20 to 50-years-old and two children, 6 to 8 and 9 to 11-years-old) spent $223.30 per week or $967.70 per month on groceries. That is on average across the country for what they call a thrifty meal plan without eating out.

Iowa State University Extension has a great online resource “Spend Smart. Eat Smart.” This website is packed full of recipes and tips for trimming food budgets. Other great resources are North Dakota State University Extension’s “Tasty, Healthful Meals on a Budget” and “Celebrate Your Plate” from Ohio State University Extension. Here are a few recipes to try this month that are tasty, healthy and will help to stretch those food dollars.

Quick Skillet Hot Dish

Ingredients

1 lb. ground turkey or beef

1 (5 oz.) package macaroni

1 (1 oz.) package dried onion soup mix

1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans

1 (15 oz.) can corn

1 (10.5 oz.) can tomato soup or 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce plus 1 can water

2 c. water

Directions: Brown ground turkey or beef in a frying pan. Drain fat. Add the other ingredients, plus 2 cups water. Cook at a low heat for 10 minutes or until the macaroni is cooked and all the liquid is gone. Enjoy!

Sugar and Spice Snack

Mix 3 cups toasted oat squares cereal, 3 cups small pretzel twists, 2 tablespoons of melted margarine, 1 tablespoon of firmly packed brown sugar, half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 cup of raisins or dried fruit of choice. Preheat oven to 325 F. In a large plastic bag with a tight seal, combine oat squares and pretzels. In a small bowl, stir together melted margarine, brown sugar and cinnamon. Pour over cereal mixture. Seal bag and gently shake mixture until well coated. Transfer to a baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes, stirring once or twice. Spread mixture onto paper towels to cool. Add dried fruit and stir to mix. Store at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup nonfat milk

1/3 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 tablespoon oil (canola or vegetable)

2 tablespoons maple or pancake syrup

Directions: Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together with a fork in a medium bowl. Beat milk, pumpkin puree, egg, oil and syrup together in a small bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Heat a skillet over medium low heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Pour pancake batter into the skillet using a 1/4 cup measuring cup. Cook until the pancakes have bubbles on the top and the edges are slightly dry, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes more.

Today I’ll leave you with this verse from T.S. Eliot: “When you aren’t in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?”

Emily Marrison is an OSU Extension Family & Consumer Sciences Educator and may be reached at 740-622-2265.

This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: How to stretch the food dollar further