Crock Pot Piggy Bank
Posted by michelle on Aug 21, 2012 in Saving Money | 47 comments
When I was a dietetics student, I took some food management courses including one that touched on the cost benefits of cooking whole foods versus buying pre-made meals. The results of some of our exercises were pretty astounding. One day, my professor held up a can of Chef Boyardee spaghetti and meatballs and I about died. First of all, I thought she was going to make us eat it, since we did lots of food sampling in this class. Secondly, she told us that it was twice as expensive as her homemade spaghetti with fresh, organic ingredients. I really thought it was possible that my professor was insane, delusional, or just really bad at math. Still, I liked this particular teacher, so I decided to pretend to believe her while she talked about the true cost of not knowing how to cook. At the end of the food lab, I was a full-fledged believer. The can of processed spaghetti and meatballs (I’m sorry, but that honestly makes me gag a little just typing those words) cost $1.09, and her delicious, homemade spaghetti and meatballs cost about $0.50 per serving.
Here’s a list of my ingredients and how-to;
- beef (1 pound of stew meat is what I used) $5
- carrots 1/3 a bag @ $1 = $0.33
- celery 1/5 a stalk @ $1.29/stalk = $0.26
- kidney beans (Canned is fine. I rinse mine first.) $0.79
- tomatoes 1/2 of 3 Roma tomatoes (easy to cut and heartier for stew!) @ $1/lb = $0.30
- new potatoes 1/3 bag @ $2.69/bag = $0.90
- onion 1/2 of 1 large @ $1.00/lb = $0.25
- worcestershire sauce, paprika, sea salt and peppercorn to taste = $0.50 (This is probably a generous estimate, but these items were all purchased long ago and I no longer have the receipts!)
The how-to is a piece of cake! Chop into bite-size pieces and drop those delectable ingredients into your crock pot! Sprinkle on the worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper. I literally eye-ball everything and add these ingredients to taste, and you can too if you’re comfortable in the kitchen! Next, cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours.
Note: the timing guidelines are just that–guidelines. Always, always, always check the temperature of the thickest part of the meat.
As far as budgets go, I think I did pretty well here. Our grocery store was having a sale on assorted meats. Anything with a yellow sticker was $5.00 so long as you purchased at least 3 from the selection. Carrots are usually $1/bag, roma tomatoes were on sale for $1/lb, and the rest of the items are always in season and priced right! I only used half the chopped tomatoes, so 1.5 tomatoes for the recipe, and half the onion. I put the other halves of the chopped tomatoes and onion back in the fridge and used those for taco night 2 days later. As for the 14 meals, there was enough to feed us two full dinners (all 5 of us…and yes, my baby eats everything, including onions and beans!), and Jeff, the baby, and I had it for lunch two days as well.
Still not a believer?
Conclusion
I love to cook with my crock pot, especially when the weather is a bit cooler. Have you pulled out your crock pot yet this year?
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So I see, you’re going by cost per serving, but unfortunately, you can’t buy 1/5 of a celery stalk at the store, you know? And so if we were going to give our kids Chef Boyardee for dinner and they coudl split a can (they’re stil little) that would actaully be cheaper than buying all teh ingredients to make it ourselves (simply because we have to buy the full amount of ingredients… they don’t sell half cans!). However, if we were going to cook all the ingredients we bought and then save the leftovers, then yeah, this math makes total sense and you’re dead on balls right!
TB at BlueCollarWorkman recently posted..Can Motorcycle Semi Truck Accidents Be Prevented?
Oh yeah, TB! You are absolutely right. If you don’t ever cook (or have time….I understand!), then it’s much more for someone like you. Me, I will eat every bit of that celery. We made chicken salad with it as well, so no loss for us. So yes, there definitely is another side to this! Thanks for playing devil’s advocate :p hehe
“So I see, you’re going by cost per serving, but unfortunately, you can’t buy 1/5 of a celery stalk at the store, you know?”
This is a very good point that not everybody has a way around. However, there are solutions for storage (for some vegetables, like celery) if you have enough a large enough fridge/freezer. First, you can clean your celery, chop it, bag it and freeze it. Celery kept this way is no good for presentation, but works fine for cooked dishes–so long as you remember that it will cook more quickly than it did when fresh. Peppers, onions and garlic also can be kept like this, and being able to pull a bag of pre-prepped vegetables (bought on sale, of course) out of the freezer can be a timesaver.
But now that I have a large fridge, what I prefer to do is stand the head of celery in a container (I use a large plastic cup), put a plastic bag down over the whole thing and secure the bag to the to the container; then I stand the container and celery in my fridge. I have had celery keep fresh and useable for several weeks in this way. This method also works well for parlsey and cilantro, although they don’t keep nearly as long.
Back before I got a large enough freezer/fridge, I chopped the celery up and dried it, but not everybody has a way to do that.
Rachel, thanks for the awesome tips! We don’t have a large freezer, because Jeff thinks the cost to keep it running might not be worth it. It gets into the triple digits in our area, and we have no room but in our garage, so it’s debatable for sure.
A small~medium chest-type freezer with a good energy efficiency rating might be a good solution, unless your area is prone to prolonged power outages.
For the health benefits and better taste I would pay several times the price of the chef boyarde. I hate that crap. Processed foods are so full of sugars, salts and preservatives. They really have very little nutritional value. Most people just don’t realize that they can make healthy meals that are even cheaper than the processed stuff. Also the processed food is digested a lot quicker, often resulting in food cravings sooner.
Modest Money recently posted..To Have or to Hold: The Pro and Cons of Investing in Real Estate (Either Directly or Indirectly)
I agree. I’d rather not eat the stuff period. The fact that eating healthy *can* be cheaper if done correctly is just the icing on the organic cupcake!
I love using my crockpot. I also factor in the time it takes to cook. With a crockpot, I can just throw everything in there and I’m good to go. And it always tastes so good!
Michelle recently posted..My Car Costs
It is a magical time machine, isn’t it? Plop ingredients in, go about your day, come back just in time for the dinner you made…while you were gone! Good stuff!
I haven’t used ours more than once since I moved in a year ago… I need to fix that soon! Thanks for the reminder. Our favorite is pulled pork… mmmmm…..
Lance@MoneyLife&More recently posted..What Would You Do?: Should I Pay Off My Car Loan?
Lance, I’ve never tried making pulled pork with it, but I have lots of friends who do that. I will try it soon and let you know how mine turns out.
OH MAN THAT LOOKS GOOD. Even better that it’s cheap… I’ve been “low carbing it” lately to get back down to my playing weight… (just 5 lbs, but whenever I’m busy at work I diet or something like that to at least do “something” for me…). So I might have to skip the potatoes and carrots, but I think we’re going to try this one… very nice.
Nick recently posted..Planning my retirement budget
Jeff is lowER carbing it. He doesn’t do anything to an extreme (he’s just not an extreme kinda guy!)
Ahhhh…. a medium salsa guy… I’m a “hot” salsa guy myself and don’t even think of bringing that “mild” junk around for my tortilla chips (err…. squash slices these days).
This is a perfect “lower” carp recipe though. Good stuff.
Nick recently posted..I hope you really like Angry Birds….
I cannot wait for fall- crock pot time! I love making chilli, pot roast, and vegetable soup. It is such a time and money saver!
Holly@ClubThrifty recently posted..Real Estate Rehab: Confessions of a Houseaholic
I love fall! I love seeing the kids in their costumes, eating all the hearty foods, reintroducing myself to my scarf collection…and the pretty trees!
We haven’t touched the crockpot yet but I am PUMPED to start making soups, stews, and chili! Yummmmmm. Fall and winter are my favorite times of the year.
Cooking definitely saves money. It takes a lot of time to prep, especially if you’re chopping stuff, but it’s so much cheaper and healthier!
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Chopping does take some time. I actually have a mandoline and a pampered chef chopper thing (I don’t know exactly what it’s called!), but I prefer to use a sharp knife and a cutting board. I think it stems from my disdain for doing dishes! Can’t wait to see all your crock pot recipes. We are big fans of your frugal, healthy cooking, Jason.
It’s still 100 degrees here so we haven’t taken it out yet, but you just made me long for fall! I like the prep in the morning and forget nature of the crock pot. By dinner time you’ve forgotten how hard you worked on it in the morning.
AverageJoe recently posted..Getting Out of Debt Isn’t a Goal
Wow, is it really, Joe?! It’s low 80′s here now, and last week it dropped to the freezing cold….70′s. That put me in my crock pot mood!
I love using my crock pot! It’s seriously the best thing ever. I’ve used it once this summer (when it was much much cooler) and made bean and spinach enchiladas. So good! I can’t wait to make some veggie chili once the weather cools off
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Share your recipe for the spinach and bean enchiladas…that sounds PHENOM!
Nice! It really is amazing how much you can save just by cooking stuff yourself. Not to mention the HEALTH factor.
femmefrugality recently posted..How to Make Sensory Bottles
The health factor should make cooking with fresh ingredients in the negatives. Diabetes runs in my family allllll over the place, so let’s see if my healthy eating really prevents disease when I’m older.
I love my crock pot. My favorite crock meals are beef stew and taco soup. Are you a registered dietitian? I didn’t know you were a dietetics major!
Jessica @ Budget for Health recently posted..How Much Protein Do You Need?
Jessica, I’m not registered, but I could work in clinical or consulting dietetics. I was thinking about taking some courses to update so I could work for the school when my daughter goes to kindergarten. That’s one variation of my master plan anyway.
OMG I just judged you hard-core for a hot minute. Then I realized you typed “dietetics” not “dienetics” — THANK GOODNESS. Not that there’s anything wrong, per se, with L. Ron Hubbard…
Kathleen @ Frugal Portland recently posted..Frugal Fun: A Bizarre Gift
I always look forward to your comments! You crack me up! No, I’m not a scientologist, silly girl.
I was just telling my fiance the other day how much I love beef stew (I had a cold so I was craving some hot and hearty food). I’m not the best cook but I’m definitely going to try this recipe – it’s perfect for fall!
Shannon-ReadyForZero recently posted..Introducing… “Better Know a Blogger”
I hope your fiance made you something to help you feel better, Shannon! Being sick is the worst. I hardly ever get sick (knocking on wood), but when I do…I want to be babied. I want soup and hugs and control of the remote!!!!!
I wish this type of thing was pointed out more in high school to people! So many people only see the straight up “cheap” cost of the $1 tin, but you made the same product in higher quality for much less.
Anne @ Unique Gifter recently posted..A Photo Hunt Date Night
Oh and it’s so much better-tasting, too! Thanks, Anne! I’m so intrigued by your photo hunt date night. Jefferson and I could really use a date night! Heading over NOW!
Those yummy babies sound really good! I’ll have to try it soon. I need to buy a crockpot. Normally if it is something I want to let sit for a few hours (stew, spaghetti sauce or chili to name a few) I need to do it on a weekend so I can keep the stove turned on. I’m really hungry now and my chicken salad is just not going to cut it
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Bobbie, I looooove chicken salad! It’s not hearty, but it’s so good. I put some sliced red grapes and walnuts in mine.
Much better than mine-I only had it as I’d added some canned chicken to a salad and with the leftovers of chicken I just added mayo. Not the heartiest or yummiest.
bogofdebt recently posted..Seriously I hate my student loans
I love this. We have a crock pot I have YET to use, but with my boyfriend going back to school and me working two jobs I think it is time. I love how easy it seems to be. Luuuuurve.
Lauren @ LBee and the Money Tree recently posted..7 New Home Budget Busters
Lauren, it is absolutely easy since it cooks the meal for you! When do you usually grocery shop? A lot of people suggest chopping fruits and vegetables when you get home from the grocery store, so everything is ready to go before you start cooking. Get it all done on Sunday, then have it ready to eat (or throw in a crock pot) throughout the week. I thought that idea was brilliant!
We love using the crock pot in the summer because it’s much cooler for the house than turning on the oven.
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Agreed. It does still warm up the house a bit, but it was only in the 70′s that day, so I didn’t mind.
Wow, this post just made me really hungry. I wonder how this is vegetarian? My wife can’t have beef because it gives her migraines (nitrates…).
DC @ Young Adult Money recently posted..Six-Month Goal: I joined the Yakezie Challenge
DC, that’s a shame about the migraines! I didn’t know beef had nitrates naturally occurring! I know there’s sodium nitrate and nitrates from vegetables, but this is new to me. This is why I need to go back to school!
As for trying this vegetarian, absolutely! I might add more beans and maybe a little vegetable stock to make it juicier, since the beef makes up a lot of the juice in my meaty version. Let me know how it turns out! I need to have more meatless days, but I’m such a carnivore…lol
This looks delicious! And much healthier for you too, plus cheaper. A win-win for everyone.
Jennifer, cooking is a win-win for everyone! Unless you’re on dishes duty that night. That’s the only lose I can think of!
Surprisingly enough even with the heat I have pulled out my crock pot this summer; once for lentil soup, and once for split pea soup. Your crock pot creation looks amazing!
Now I’m hungry, I’m going to go make a snack, lol.
Cassie recently posted..Where does the responsibility lie
Yummy…stew! I won’t start making it until the fall though, that’s when I really start craving it.
I love that you go by cost/serving. Often people get caught up on the total cost, not knowing that they are actually spending tons of money. My spaghetti recipe costs $18 to make, but serves 24. It’s amazingly cheap, but the initial sticker tag is a bit scary.
I love mixing finance and food.
JP @ My Family Finances recently posted..Reasons Why Families Need to Get Life Insurance: Take It From a Guy Not Trying to Sell You a Policy
Thats awesome. We usually do a crock pot meal on Sundays but now I’m thinking we should catch another couple of meals during the week. Just imagine if you paid all the money you saved cooking amazing meals at home every month towards your mortgage…I wonder how much faster you would pay your house off?
Eric @ MyCrazyAwesomeLife.com recently posted..Ready, Fire, Aim
Great, Eric! I’m going to use mine a couple times a week as it gets cooler. That’s a good question about the mortgage…I’ll get back to you on that equation.