This poster was put out in 1917 as part of a government program to conserve food and eliminate waste during World War I. Besides feeding the US population, food resources were also needed overseas to feed the troops being sent over to fight.
Herbert Hoover was given the ok by President Wilson to develop this voluntary system that he called Food Conservation. Hoover wanted to avoid rationing so a campaign to remind people to not overeat, use all food up and not waste anything was started. The idea of "Meatless Mondays" and "Wheatless Wednesdays" started with this plan.
Hoover was able to reduce food consumption and waste in America by 15% all on a voluntary basis with no rationing!
Not only did the US supply the troops but they helped feed their Allies troops as well. US farm exports to Europe tripled during and immediately after the war. The surplus helped alleviate European citizens experiencing a massive post war famine.
I love this line in the poster....."Demonstrate Thrift In Your Home. Make Saving, Rather Than Spending, Your Social Standard."
Time to get back to the qualities of 1917.
Here is what actually got served last week....
Sunday--Kielbasa on Rolls, Caramelized Onions, Potato Salad
Monday--Chinese take-out for Lunch, then leftovers and appetizers for New Years at home
Tuesday--Lunch out w/Hubs, Leftovers for Dinner
Wednesday--Tacos, Corn
Thursday--Pizza, Caesar Salad, I had soup(not feeling well)
Friday--Subway sandwiches(used a gift card)
Saturday--Leftovers-Chicken and Dumplings/Roast & Roasted Veggies, Ham RollsThe food spending last week?
There was NO food spending.
Nada.
Didn't darken a grocery store's door last week.
$400 food budget goes into this week intact.
As for leftovers rolling into this week--we have 1 helping of Chicken and Dumplings left, Rolls from Christmas and some Taco Filling.
***********************
Here is what is getting served this week.....
Sunday--Baked Salmon, leftover P. Salad, Green Beans(from the garden), leftover rolls
Monday--Chinese take-out(again!), teen had Taco Bell
Tuesday--Corned Beef, Cabbage, Potatoes
Wednesday--Rigatoni w/Meat Sauce, Brussel Sprouts, Rolls(made into Garlic bread)
Thursday--Cheesesteaks, Creamed Spinach
Friday--Roast Chicken, Stuffing, leftover Rolls, Corn, Cranberry Glop
Saturday--Leftovers or Fend for Yourself or Breakfast for DinnerI'll use up the rolls at various dinners, the taco filling goes into the Meat Sauce for the Rigatoni, the Chicken and Dumplings will be my lunch one day. We have some Salmon and Green Beans leftover from Sunday which I'll eat for lunch as well. Saturday we'll have leftover from this week--Corned Beef meal, Rigatoni meal and Roast Chicken meal to choose from for dinners that evening.
Needed at the store to serve this lot?
I'll need a head of cabbage, a roasting chicken, both of which are on sale this week. I'll pick up some fruit too. The leftover roasting chicken will either form the basis of a homemade pot pie next week or chicken salad for sammies(if I find a deal on apples or grapes).
There are some great or good deals this week I will pick up too.....Ground Beef at $2.28 lb, Bacon for $2.98, another Roasting Chicken or two at $.78 lb. and maybe some Catfish at $5.99 lb.
Target spending for the cabbage and chicken? $9.00
Fruit for $7.00.
The stock-ups could go as high as $50 I think.
What's on your menu for the week? Any good deals in the grocers this week?
Sluggy
Our Price Rite had Naan bread on sale for $1.29 and Roma tomatoes for .99 per pound so we're going to be eating lots of pizza/salad combos of one sort or the other (Wegmans sells the stuff for $3.99 a package - yikes!). I have a bad cold and meal plans could change based on whatever comfort food I may feel I need. I needed muffins today....
ReplyDeleteEating the loss leaders can be healthy sometimes! When you're sick you do what works for you, meal plan be damned-that's my motto. ;-)
DeleteWe are actually having a use it up week. Everything in the fridge left over plus I have rotated the freezer for some foods I cooked that I don't want to loose to freezer burn. So everyone knows to take there lunches from the front and I am using up stews and soups tonight and tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteIt is supposed to get warm this weekend so hubby said he wanted to cook some of the talapia and some veggies on the grill saturday/sunday. Since we are cleaning out the garage anyway
My local store here has PP PButter for $1.68 a jar this week.....I immediately thought of you. 8-)
DeleteA warm spell, huh? Maybe I'll dig out those nice steaks from the freezer and get the grill fired up this weekend instead of leftovers....lol
Sluggy
ReplyDeletewill you plan on making stock out of that chicken carcass? Good planning, we're using what is on hand here as well, avoiding food waste. No shopping since Dec (26?) but I will need OJ, milk so far come Sat.
roast that baby, then pick the meat off for the pot pie, then boil that carcass, of course! The chicken and dumplings I am finishing off for lunch was started with stock from the bones when I made chicken enchiladas before Xmas.
DeleteTry adding a bit of vinegar the next time to help extract more gelatin and calcium from your bones.
It really is astounding how much food is wasted in most homes.
ReplyDeleteI remember who bad it was in MY home when my kids were little. They still don't like leftovers but I got smart about hiding stuff in their "new" food. And having a beagle as the "clean up team" helps too. lol
DeleteI'm trying to stay out of the stores as well. So far, we're having lentil soup (freezer) for me + cheese biscuits, chili & cheese biscuits, spaghetti & meatballs, butternut squash soup (freezer)+ biscuits. All with green salads or fresh veggies on the side.
ReplyDeleteCan you tell I'm in the mood for soup? :-) I really need to restock the freezer. My plan is to eat everything that's left over the next week or so, clean it & start fresh. Let's see if I can con everyone to eat the bits & pieces we have left next week!
It is definitely soup weather! I need to defrost my freezer, seriously.....it's bad!lol
DeleteStart getting cagey with the bits and pieces and hide them in the new meals. You can hide lots of veggies in spaghetti sauce. A little pureed this or that in a stock or sauce, they'll never know it. ;-)
We've been flying by the seat of our pants.. haven't really spent a tonne, but I need to get a menu plan into place for the next week or two and stick to it! Makes my life easier, and shopping trips cheaper!!
ReplyDeleteI love my plans. I might not always follow it strictly because life happens but it's great to a framework to work off of, ya know? ;-)
DeleteThank you for the history lesson! And I love that it still applies today. Hmmm maybe the government should use that kind of thinking now in the spending department!
ReplyDelete