Let's talk About Money!

Seriously, I've been too busy to blog. Baseball is starting, basketball continues, school activities are ramping up, and my allergies are so bad I would like to poke my eyes out! My kids now take for granted that they get to have milkshakes for dinner every Monday, but we are glad that we have joined the ARC and are at least all taking steps to work off those shakes (or in my case, it's fries that are the problem...).

I could talk about fries all day, and potato chips, too, but really let's talk about MONEY. In good times, people don't talk about money in polite company, but times are tight for ALL of us, so what else is there to talk about? If Warren Buffett lost money last year, who among us should be embarassed about the fact that we are at least a LITTLE BIT POORER than we were last year? And who isn't talking about the AIG bonuses? Since none of us great Columbians managed to negotiate a $6.4 million bonus, we should all be thinking about how to make the most of what we have.

Food is a HUGE part of every family's budget. And while many people think our service is too expensive, the bottom line is they missed the boat! Dinner stress comes from figuring out what to make, trying to find the right ingredients and getting everything ready. We do that, we do it well, and at a great price. But, sure, when we are trying to make every penny count, consider these strategies to
S-T-R-E-T-C-H your food budget with Columbia's Kitchen!

1. Most of our entrees have plenty of marinade, so you can easily add another serving of protein. Buy chicken breasts and cut each piece into three flat portions, and freeze between layers of plastic, then when you bring home your entrees, add extra protein before you store them in the freezer. Do the same with pork chops, just buy thin sliced ones. You can also add a second pork tenderloin, but fish is a little more tricky, sometimes you might have to transfer them to a bigger bag, or pan but you can still add another piece of fish with no loss of flavor.

2. Kids don't really eat anything but starch anyway, right? So buy extra penne, small shells, spaghetti, and curly egg noodles and cook extra when the entree calls for it. We usually give you plenty of sauce, and without more pasta, in my house most of it would get thrown away--we get two whole meals out a regular order of spaghetti and meatballs and one of my customers told me the other day that she cooked extra egg noodles and mixed it with the creamy chicken and noodles and everyone was happy.

3. Also, our vegetarian customers also know that we make some great sides, but out meat eater friends should consider that adding your favorite protein to one of our sides can make a perfect dinner on the cheap. Our macaroni and cheese is yummy just the way it is, but you can dress it up just like the box kind. Add ground beef and salsa or chili beans, or tomato sauce and make your own version of hamburger helper. Asian green beans are great with rice, but you can also add sliced chicken, beef or shrimp for an easy Asian stir fry. And who could live without those great grocery store rotisserie chickens. Add a side of our Greek rice casserole, supreme potatoes, or homestyle green beans and dinner is done.

4. Also have extra cheese--we like to keep two universal blends in our house, Mexican and Italian, but you can do what works best for you. And, most important, we love those new Steamfresh vegetables. When they go on sale for $1 a bag, stock up, fill your freezer and you will always have vegetables at the ready with every dinner and you will never have waste--no more "melted" peppers or brown cauliflower!

5. Finally, consider making a lifestyle change and joining our Supper Club. Our top 75 customers enjoy special savings and flexibiliy when they commit to spending (thereby saving themselves a lot of money, stress and time!) at least $50 or $100 per month with us.

At Columbia's Kitchen we know your stuggles--with time, money and everything else. Don't be afraid to ask us for other S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G tips for your favorite foods--that's what we're here for--to make your life more satisfying in every way! Now back to perfecting the March Madness potato skins! Have a great weekend, Lisa