Non cooking months - how to get informed on food deals?

[Radiance]

Hello

I am not cooking these days. I'll go back to cooking later, possibly next year.
My fridge has water, cheese, eggs and some fruit.

I am petite (98lbs) I really don't eat much and it is just me and my toddler who is with me only 50% of the time.
I am paying for lunch delivery at $33/week.
For Dinner I sometimes find deals like $6 pizza, which is two meals
I can have a baja salad from Wendys which sometimes is at $4
Drink is free (water)
Fruits, cheeze and crackers is a good dinner too.
I need to go back to breakfast and snacks, but for now I need to cover mainly lunch and dinners.

How do you get informed of hot deals on decent takeout food?
Thanks!

[snshijuptr]

Try groupon, dealperk, tippr, and other deal of the day websites for meal deals. You can also use restaurant.com for deals, though those usually have a minimum expense so you usually need to bring others along. If you have favorite restaurants you can sign up for their newsletters.

I feel obligated to add that take out is both expensive and unhealthy. You can more easily cook casseroles, soups, etc and freeze them in single size portions. Quart freezer bags and glass tupperware are great for this.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by Radiance

I am not cooking these days. I'll go back to cooking later, possibly next year.

Can you explain what you mean by this?

[marvholly]

This site has a freebies section. I do not know if this was posted there but there is a coupon out there good today only for a free small serving of a new entree at Panda Express. It is probably enough for you for a meal, esp if you add some rice.

[Radiance]

I am not cooking these days. I'll go back to cooking later, possibly next year

It means that for food I either buy prepared food or eat things that dont require cooking or much preparation.

I put my son on school lunch and I buy my lunches at $33/week.
For dinner we usually have:
Scrambled eggs and

• toast (this is easy)
• Fruit and cheese with crackers
• He can have organic apple bars while I have an avocado/tomato salad

The weekends are:
Pizza at dominos
Pancakes form Ihop
Fruit/bread at home

Next year I plan to go back to my plan when I was batch cooking 2-3 times a week and freezing foe the non cooking days. Not now though.

The other day I ran into a coupon for two medium pizzas for $5 each. that is Three meals for us, at least. I made a consious decision not to cook for the rest of 2010 so I am trying to do it in the most economic way possible. I do know cooking is the way to go.

Thanks!

[cicy33]

Originally Posted by Radiance

It means that for food I either buy prepared food or eat things that dont require cooking or much preparation.

I put my son on school lunch and I buy my lunches at $33/week.
For dinner we usually have:
Scrambled eggs and

• toast (this is easy)
• Fruit and cheese with crackers
• He can have organic apple bars while I have an avocado/tomato salad

The weekends are:
Pizza at dominos
Pancakes form Ihop
Fruit/bread at home

Next year I plan to go back to my plan when I was batch cooking 2-3 times a week and freezing foe the non cooking days. Not now though.

The other day I ran into a coupon for two medium pizzas for $5 each. that is Three meals for us, at least. I made a consious decision not to cook for the rest of 2010 so I am trying to do it in the most economic way possible. I do know cooking is the way to go.

Thanks!

Personally I think that not wanting to cook is just fine. Especially if most of the time it is only you. If I didn't have the other two I would never cook! If they are gone for the weekend, I don't.

That being said, two things immediately pop out to me. Firstly, most school lunches have been proven to be unhealthy at best. The other thing is that I am concerned that you are not providing enough nutrients for yourself and your child. mostly what I see is bread, fruit and pizza. no milk, meats, pastas, etc.

Buying a rotisserie chicken from kroger or wherever would be a plus and you wouldn't have to cook it. I think they also sell pastas and stuff that is already made.

Perhaps, include some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? at least the peanut butter has some nutritional value.

other than the pizza I am not seeing any meat. I know that there are vegans out there but meat in general households supplies necessary nutrients. specifically protein. but there are others.

The restaurant my friend owns serves meals that are not super great but not super bad and frequently people eat them for more than one meal. Do you have places like that? Like spaghetti or chilimac or something like that. That is a savings.

[wincrasher]

Heating up a can of soup (for $1) is too much for you?

Putting a family style frozen entree in the microwave (~ $3-$5) too much work?

But you'll get in the car and take the kid to ihop or pick up dominoes and feed him that crap?

Guess they have a delicious holiday spread at Wendy's for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Won't that be merry!

[cicy33]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

Heating up a can of soup (for $1) is too much for you?

Putting a family style frozen entree in the microwave (~ $3-$5) too much work?

But you'll get in the car and take the kid to ihop or pick up dominoes and feed him that crap?

Guess they have a delicious holiday spread at Wendy's for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Won't that be merry!

First and foremost, rude much??? I'm sorry but sometimes the posts on here are blatantly rude instead of helpful. She (assuming she) only has the child part time and perhaps her schedule is really tight right now that this is better for her stress wise or whatever reason. That is her choice. I thought people were here to offer suggestions. Maybe she can't cook or doesn't like it. that being said. you obviously didn't really read the OP post thoroughly.

[It means that for food I either buy prepared food or eat things that don't require cooking or much preparation. For dinner we usually have:
Scrambled eggs and

* toast (this is easy)
* Fruit and cheese with crackers
* He can have organic apple bars while I have an avocado/tomato salad ]



I believe this means that soups and the like are options. and for all we know they go to a family's house for holidays. I also totally understand that cooking for oneself and a small child is sometimes wasteful. I also am seeing that while she does buy pizza, who doesn't?, she also provides fruit and cheese which are healthy. and pancakes are a common option for breakfast even if cooked at home. so other than the pizza I don't see that she is offering total crappy food to her child. a little limited perhaps but overall not a horrible diet.

[wincrasher]

I did read it thoroughly and know the history of posts of this OP.

Considering this OP has in the past posted both about cooking extensively, an austerity budget, and about cutting back to survive on part time work to spend much more time with her child,

I offered several options that not only provide much more nutrition, but also are less time than going out for pizza or pancakes, and would cost a bit less.

Little kids need more than toast, cheese and crackers, pizza and pancakes.

Hopefully they have better plans than going to Wendy's for Thanksgiving.

[Radiance]

wow, I just came back after being away for long and saw this reply...

With all due respect, it is a little judgemental at best. My questions was how to be aware of food deals.
I was going through a lot last year and I was trying to just get to a functioning mode.
I dont see the need to go over the tale of the adversities I faced, right?

In addition this was a temporary situation, I allowed myself a break, and I hold no regrets.

[Jenniferw]

I learned about Social Deal Map from examiner, which is awesome. I just look over the restaurant deals on a google map, and the discount is huge like Groupons, but many choices.