Explore the Ethnic Aisle to Save Money at the Supermarket

September 13, 2010

Imported food often comes with gourmet price tags.  Not so in the grocery’s international section, where food can be had for less than better-known brands.  An added plus:  no special trips or coupons. In an article this week at Buttoned Up, I talk about how to Explore the Ethnic Aisle to Save Money at the [...]

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Bon-bons: Our Family’s All-Time Favorite Cookie Recipe

June 29, 2010

These cookies have been a family favorite ever since I spotted them in a Betty Crocker cookie book my mom gave me when I was a pre-teen.  (My mom kept the famous cookie book and it’s now in my possession, as you can see.) The whimsical look and buttery taste of these cookies are irresistible. [...]

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Host of Food Network’s ‘Ten Dollar Dinners’ Shares Tips & Recipes

April 28, 2010

Carbs have a bad rap these days. All those protein-pushing fads like the Atkins and South Beach diets have taken their toll on how we see bread and pasta. A believer (not always a doer) of “all things in moderation,” I eat my share of carbohydrates like pasta, rice and wheat. (Do I have a [...]

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Reusing Disposable Water Bottles: Cheap but Safe?

April 15, 2010

As a frugal, earth-conscious and hydrated mama, I had been re-filling plastic water bottles instead of buying new ones.  But when I started writing this article for Buttoned Up, I re-evaluated my choices. Read what I found out and a review of helpful alternatives in the full article. Where do you stand in the disposable [...]

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Take a Bite out of Big Apple Food Costs (at BabyBites)

April 1, 2010

When I moved to Manhattan, I never could have imagined that I would someday miss grocery shopping in this often teeth-clenching City. Trials and Errors I remember the very first days, when I would underestimate the weight of my bags and the distance home, only to arrive to my apartment with arms on fire and [...]

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What Happens When Kids Know More About Good Food?

February 5, 2010

I confess that my daughter, Sofia’s, favorite food is Cheetos. This is a difficult disclosure for me, since I spend a lot of time and energy (and, why not, love because I actually enjoy) cooking meals for our family. I cook every night of the week (we usually go out once a weekend), make breakfast [...]

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The No-Coupon Solution to Saving Money on Groceries

January 11, 2010

At Buttoned Up today, I list some of the ways I try to spend less on food in The No-Coupon Solution to Saving Money on Groceries. (If you’ve read my post Are Grocery Coupons a Waste of Time?, you know I’m not a big fan of this method for saving money at the supermarket.) I hope you’ll [...]

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“Mom, can you please buy some more kale?”

November 22, 2009

I kid you not, my kids have said this numerous times since I served them Kale Chips.  I have to share this recipe with you because: It’s hard enough to figure out what to do with this tough, curly vegetable that’s supposed to be so good for us. When kids love dark leafy stuff, you listen. [...]

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Are Grocery Coupons a Waste of Time?

October 27, 2009

My grandparents were masters of coupons. My grandmother spent Sunday morning clipping and organizing coupons in a little purse with tabbed dividers labeled with bits of masking tape. My grandfather would go through them every week and remove those that had expired. They would visit two or three grocery stores at a time, trying to [...]

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3 Super Fast Pasta Sauces Kids Love

October 24, 2009

Impress your family with a delicious home-made meal, with ridiculously little effort on your part. Each of these pasta sauces requires no chopping, has no more than three ingredients and costs less than $1.25 per serving. Not only are they easy, they are authentic.  My husband is Italian, and these recipes have also been tried [...]

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