Reader Winners: Money-Saving Recipes

Below you’ll find the names of the two lucky winners of “Money-Saving Recipes.”

If you missed my review, this tiny cookbook is packed with 127-paged of recipes for breads, desserts, main entrees, soups and salads, and sandwiches. “Money-Saving Recipes” is a compilation of the authors’ favorite frugal recipes. Each recipe comes with an introduction that includes thrifty tips. Most of the recipes are one-pot meals, which reduces clean up.

I asked you to share who does the dishes in your home and this is what the winners responded.

Lynda Del shared her families rule.

Our rule is if one does the cooking, the other does the dishes. I tend to be the one who cooks more often

Nina K said she does the dishes, but doesn’t really like it.

im the dishwasher at my house. im patiently waiting for the day that my kids are tall enough to reach in the sink!

Winners, I hope this tiny cookbook cuts down on your clean up time and your grocery bill. Send me an email with a shipping address so I can send you your copy of “Money-Saving Recipes.”

If you didn’t win, you can buy it on Amazon for $7.95 or win one of 8 copies that will be given away as door prizes at the Festival in LA on June 25. Thanks to all of you who participated in our lighting book review giveaways.

Albertsons and Shortcuts Coupon Challenge!

Want to test your coupon know-how? Take the Coupon Challenge, a fun contest to see who can find the best deals using an Albertsons circular and Shortcuts coupons at Frugal Festival Food! on June 25 in Canoga Park.

The first person who finds all the deals wins a gourmet food basket worth $300! The basket includes a $100 Albertsons gift card – wowee! On top of the prize, the winner will receive a $100 donation in their name made to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, a gift made possible by Albertsons and Shortcuts.

The Coupon Challenge starts promptly at 12:30 p.m. in the Cafeteria so don’t be late!

Get your tickets to the Festival now!

Today’s giveaway: Money-saving recipes

If you’re searching for tasty, money-saving recipes, you’re in luck. Gooseberry Patch sent us their “Money-Saving Recipes“ cookbook. To win one of two copies we are giving away, see below.

Authors Vickie and JoAnn started Gooseberry Patch after many conversations over their backyard fence. Back in 1984, they were neighbors raising small children. They discovered their shared interest in cooking and began work on cookbooks. “Money-Saving Recipes” is a compilation of their favorite frugal recipes. They write:

If you are looking for some delicious, budget-friendly recipes for family meals, you’ve come to the right place!

The 127-page cookbook is tiny, but packed with delicious recipes for breads, desserts, main entrees, soups and salads, and sandwiches. The small size of the book is convenient as it’s not flimsy and you can cart it around the kitchen easily.

Each recipe comes with an introduction that includes thrifty tips. One of my favorite things is that most of the recipes are one-pot meals. I love cooking, but not doing dishes. This makes clean up a breeze. How does Pizza Mac and Cheese sound for a hectic weeknight when you have to pull dinner together fast? Or Tomato-Beef Stew for a homey weekend?

If you’d like to win a copy of “Money-Saving Recipes” leave a comment letting us know who does the dishes in your home. Winners will be revealed tomorrow, June 21. You can also win one of 8 copies we are giving away as door prizes at Frugal Festival Food! on June 25 in LA or purchase the book on Amazon for $7.95.

Reader winners: Wildly Affordable Organic

Below you’ll find the names of the two lucky winners of Linda Watson‘s “Wildly Affordable Organic.”

In my review, I described how Watson set out to prove she and her husband could eat healthy on a tight budget. In the 235-page book, she shows you can do it too. Watons shares tips and tricks she’s learned, seasonal menus, shopping lists, and recipes to ease into a greener lifestyle. If you’d like to learn how to shop for organic food while on a budget, this book is for you.

I asked you to share what steps you’ve taken to save the planet while staying on a budget and this is what the winners are doing.

katswan is gardening.

I make my own compost and grow rogue veggies….I just dump my fruit and veggie trimmings into a hole I’ve dug in the backyard, the worms come racing to it and before you know it I have a beautiful spot to plant a seedling! Although, I usually have wild plants sprouting up from this source….spaghetti squash, butternut squash, onions, potatoes, avocado trees, leeks, beets, carrots, tomatoes, peach tree and chestnut trees just to name a few!

Sue W. is trying to buy more organic foods.

I always compare the prices between organic and non-organic grown fruits and veggies at the store. I’m really surprised when the organic is only a few cents more. It makes me feel really good about my purchase!

Winners, I hope this book helps you enjoy organic foods and their benefits while not breaking the bank. Send me an email with a shipping address so I can send you your copy of “Wildly Affordable Organic.”

If you didn’t win, buy it on Amazon for $11.20 or win one of 8 copies that will be given away as door prizes at the Festival in LA on June 25. Don’t forget to check out today’s giveaway of “Money-saving recipes” for another chance to win!

Frugal Recipe contest ends today!

smcgee / Flickr

We’ve already received some mouthwatering recipes, but if you haven’t gotten around to do it, today is the last day to turn in your frugal recipes in our ONLINE Frugal Festival Food! contest. By submitting your yummy recipe you’ll get a FREE copy of the Frugal Festival eCookbook. You’ll also have a chance to get your recipe published! How cool is that?

You could also win gift cards from Restaurant.com, Basic Coupon organizers from The Coupon Wallet, and AllRecipes.com memberships. If you don’t know how to cook, there are other ways to participate.

Remember to include your name and state, a sentence or two as to how the recipe came about, and an estimate of how much the recipe costs to make with your submission. We are looking for original recipes, if they are adapted from a book or online please state so.

Contest ends today! Hurry, there’s still time to submit your recipe by leaving a comment or emailing us. If you are heading to Frugal Festival Food! on June 25 in LA, you can also drop off your recipe. Good luck!

Timeline of Festival Events

Door prizes are first-come first serve! Credit: R Berteig/Flickr

Here’s what’s happening at Frugal Festival Food! on June 25 in Canoga Park. Scroll down for a list of on-going activities.

11 a.m. – Festival opens! Door prizes are first come first serve!!! Food swap starts at 11 a.m. as well.

11:30 a.m. – Early Bird Raffle prize – a $100 Target gift card from Shortcuts.com! Admission includes one free raffle ticket so everyone is eligible to win.

11:40 a.m. – Food Preservation session with Registered Dietician Heidi Diller of Albertsons.

12 p.m. – Coupon Class with Tia of Tia Saving Cents.

12:30 p.m. – Coupon Challenge sponsored by Albertsons and Shortcuts! Who will find the best deals the fastest? Prize is a $300 gourmet gift basket!

12:45 p.m. – Albertsons fresh fruit samples – peaches, nectarines, and plums!

1:15 p.m. – Raffle starts. Prizes include a $300 Albertsons gift card.

2 p.m. – Festival ends. Go home and enjoy your prizes and SWAG bags!

On-going activities:

-Solar oven demo by Homestead Hardware

-Coupon Wallet sales by The Coupon Wallet

-Food demo by 99 Cents Only Chef

-Free food samples from The Stand, Libertine, and Yozen Frogurt

-Coupon and recipe exchange

-Frugal food quiz at BargainBabe.com table

-Face painting for kids (and adventurous adults) by Face Makers

-Chalk coloring area for kids

-DJ Cassette spinning tunes

Get your tickets now!

Today’s giveaway: Wildly Affordable Organic

Think you can’t eat organic on a budget? Author Linda Watson shows you how in “Wildly Affordable Organic.” Not only will you be eating on $5 a day or less but you’ll be helping the planet too.  To win one of two copies we are giving away, see below.

Watson is no stranger to eating on a budget. She and her husband took the “Food Stamp Challenge,” eating on the average national food-stamp allowance of a dollar a meal. Watson writes:

If you’ve wanted to eat like it matters but felt you couldn’t afford it, “Wildly Affordable Organic” is for you. It’s easy to think that “organic” or “sustainable” are code words for “too expensive.” More people than ever want to eat organic food, and the cost of energy is shooting up like genetically modified corn, but eating green doesn’t have to mean eating up all your money.

In the 235-page book, Watson eases you into a greener lifestyle with the Wildly Affordable Organic plans. She shares tips and tricks she learned from taking the challenge herself including seasonal menus, shopping list, and recipes.

What I like the most about Watson’s method is that she believes in taking it one recipe at a time so you don’t become overwhelmed. And most importantly you will not be deprived. How does red bean chili casserole with corn bread topping for din-din sound?

If your mouth is watering and you’d like to win a copy of “Wildly Affordable Organic” leave a comment sharing what steps you’ve taken to save the planet while staying on a budget. Winners will be revealed Monday, June 20. You can also win one of 8 copies we are giving away as door prizes at Frugal Festival Food! on June 25 in LA or purchase the book on Amazon for $11.20.

Reader Winners: Gluten-free on a Shoestring

Below you’ll find the names of the two lucky winners of  Nicole Hunn’s “Gluten-free on a Shoestring.”

In my review, I told you Hunn changed the way her family ate because her son was diagnosed with celiac disease. She began experimenting with gluten-free cooking and came up with 125 mouthwatering recipes that are less expensive to make than buying packaged gluten-free food.

I asked you to share why you’d like to win this book and this is what the winners shared.

Sandy was recently diagnose with a gluten intolerance.

I am struggling to find yummy meals to prepare for myself and my family. A lot of the gluten-free prepared meals are super expensive and out of my price range. I would love to win this book in order to learn a bit more about gluten-free meal options and ward of the negative symptoms that come with eating gluten riddled foods.

Vicki has been living without bread.

I recently discovered my intolerance to gluten. I also discovered how expensive gluten-free items are. Yikes! It has been difficult, to say the least. In finding ways to incorporate breads into my life again. Lately, I just live without it. I would love a good cookbook that can teach me how to cook gluten-free, and save money as well.

Winners, I hope this cookbook helps you continue to you enjoy the foods you like and saves you money on groceries. Send me an email with a shipping address so I can send you your copy of “Gluten-free on a Shoestring.”

If you didn’t win, “Gluten-free on a Shoestring” you can buy it on Amazon for $11.05 or win one of 8 copies that will be given away as door prizes at the Festival in LA on June 25. Don’t forget to check out today’s giveaway of “Wildly Affordable Organic” for another change to win!

Don’t forget – Recipe contest submission!

A well-loved recipe. Credit: deb roby/Flickr

Don’t forget to submit a recipe in our ONLINE Frugal Festival Food! contest to win gift cards from Restaurant.com, Basic Coupon organizers from The Coupon Wallet, and AllRecipes.com memberships. Plus, by submitting your original recipe you’ll get a FREE copy of the Frugal Festival Food eCookbook!

Include with your recipe submission your name and state, a brief sentence or two as to how the recipe came about, and an estimate of how much the recipe costs to make. The recipe can’t be taken directly from a book or online unless it is significantly altered (don’t want to infringe on any copyrights).

The contest ends Friday June 17! Submit your recipe by leaving a comment or emailing us. Good luck!

New site to save money on groceries

Talk about new! Save With Savvy launched yesterday and can reduce your next grocery bill by approximately $31.13. I’m thrilled to partner with them at Frugal Festival Food! on June 25 in Canoga Park. I played around with the site and it’s pretty cool how it works! The site does three things to save you money:

• compares prices at your neighborhood grocers
• finds weekly specials
• gives you easy access to coupons

Enter your zip code on the site and check off the stores you like to shop at. Then shop by category. Save With Savvy shows you the exact price for, say, different brands of whole wheat bread, allowing you to comparison shop at home! For any given item, you can see the total cost and per unit cost. It was pretty amazing to see how much prices varied. Fuji apples were $.59/lb at Trader Joe’s, and $1.99/lb at Vons.

When you finish, Save With Savvy will suggest where you can find items on your grocery list for less. The site adds up your total grocery bill and lets you print it out. Takes a lot of the guesswork out of couponing, huh?!

Save With Savvy will be stuffing your Frugal Festival Food! swag bags with pens and magnets. Get your tickets now!