I am amazed at what you can create for very little money. I wish Winco was nationwide. Please keep doing these challenges. I think they help so many people.
I wish there was a WinCo in LA. The closest is across town to Lakewood and it's 20 miles and about an hour with little traffic. More if its bad traffic and if I wasn't doing it for an show episode then it's not worth it because it's super rude and dangerous there.
Wow! 🎉 I hope the viewer who threw down the 🧤 challenge gauntlet is going to be sending you a 🏆 or a 🏅 because you knocked it out of the park. 👍 😂 I couldn't believe how much and the variety of items you got for $5. You are definitely the Queen 👸 of budget meals. 🤩
How much do you think they should have thrown her to sponsor this challenge? I'd say $20 because she has to go a pretty long distance to get to this store. Lakewood or Corona to Irvine is quite a haul.
It kind of reminded me of a poor man's bananas foster. And honestly if the bananas broken down even more that would be just fine. I remember the fruit in IHOP pancake syrups were unrecognizable.
Yes you did. 😁 I don't feel like I did my best with this, but sometimes life's just like that. I'm going to want to revisit this challenge again! Thanks for the inspiration!
I find that a tablespoon full of most of the spices comes out to 5-10 cents. I buy most of my spices from the WinCo bulk section. I'm also really fond of their dehydrated soup veggies and bean soup mixes. I get a lot of stuff from the WinCo bulk section because I travel for work and cook for only myself using my crockpot or an electric burner or a waffle maker in my work truck. Keeping a lot of open leftover ingredients is hard.
@@alishaparr577 that's impressive that you are able to cook in your truck. I like the idea of cooking in a rice cooker also. I forgot how cheap the spices end up being at Winco. It's really such a great resource.
@@alishaparr577did you happen to know it was quite far to WinCo from her location at the time you issued the challenge? From her voice and stress indicators I was able to pick up as an empath, it was like a very heavy burden but also a big challenge she wanted to take on. There's nothing one can't do when their mind is set on it, but the drive was about one hour each way in traffic to LA county (Lakewood). I actually wished she had taken the trip to Corona but it requires a toll road payment (SR-241) and I think that's why she didn't go that way. But it would have been faster.. no LA traffic. Rush hour starts around 3 here.
at the bulk store near me, you can have them tare your jar or whatever and write the weight on the top, and then they can enter the tare into the computer before they weigh it.
That's nice. What store/location? Her/ours won't because there's a lot of people and the area she traveled to is a really poor area far from home so it's full of people who need it
I've done this at other bulk food stores, I've also used really light weight bags and not worried about weight. However, last I checked WinCo's website states that they cannot accept outside containers. They will only allow you to purchase bulk items in the plastic bags they provide 😢 I do think, however, you could reuse the bags and they wouldn't know.
All of these dishes look incredible! It pays to be a scratch cook in these type of challenges!! No one would know they were made on a $5 budget! I wish we had Wyncos in FL!!
I always get hungry watching your videos. So I just made your last pasta with tomato, zucchini, nutritional yeast, onion, garlic and spinach. Delicious. Dinner is done.🎉
Something that may interest you & others is that I wash & reuse plastic bags & take them to stores to buy foods that need bags to purchase them, to try to reduce my plastic bag accumulation. I use them for my household waste too. When I wash plastic bags I hang them on the blind above my kitchen sink.
Just, wow! That makes gardening and foraging a real bargain, though I know some of that some of the $20 is related to exchange rates there is still a difference.
OK, now I am inspired! I made a 'sausage' a few weeks ago from TVP. I had too much for the dish and froze the extra. So tomorrow I am going to defrost it and pan cook it with stuff I already have: zucchini, bell and jalapeno peppers, tomato, onion, nooch, spinach and anything else I come across. I'll serve it over rice because it's too hot right now to boil a pot of water and I have a rice cooker. BTW, I buy my TVP on Amazon. Thanks, Michelle!
We noticed the increased price of olive oil too, and researched why...the price has spiked because of drought and extreme heat in Spain. I'm using ours more sparingly, too!
I bet apples would work with those pancakes too. I don't have a store with bins and that kills my budget. It's hot enough out now that I've lost my appetite for anything that isn't served cold.
@@ArdentMichelleI eat a lot more salads in the summer. Have you thought of cold spaghetti and chopped veggies and I think it's a Tuscan Italian dressing? There's a name for it but I forgot. Feels like inexpensive antipasto to me.
We do have a number of Winco Stores around in Portland, OR... and I do like their bins :) It is amazing what can be done w a challenge :) These dishes all looked wonderful, I will be trying them. thank you for another very useful and enjoyable video. I like the idea that you mixed two different pancake mixes, and it was a great choice nutritionally as the mixes probably had some powdered milk and eggs in them.
Your meals always look great, I like the way you use fresh produce rather than cheap packets. I was thinking about my parent's old place in Spain, at the local shop you could buy eggs individually at so many pesatas each (this was a long time ago!) And take them away in a paper bag and they had peppers, tomatoes and herbs they grew out the back. If you could still do that, it would help budgeting for a lot of people.
love hearing this. 😁 The picture it's creating in my head is a nice one. I've heard the landscape in Spain is very similar to California, which I love...but cost of living is less.
@ArdentMichelle I'm from the UK, but years ago my parents had a holiday home in Spain. It's not as cheap as if used to be, but it's still cheaper than here!
Great video as always and might i add you have the most calming voice, i often listen while im driving. Another cheap meal i actually came up with, you might enjoy. Its a take on lo mein. I used spaghetti noodles, undercooked them a bit and youll see why. I sauteed whatever veggies i had: onions, carrots, bell pepper, onion, frozen peas. Drsined the spaghetti leaving about a half cup pasta water. Added it to my veggies. The sauce liquid aminos(or soy sauce) about 1/8 cup maybe a bit more, 1 T toasted sesame oil, 1 to 2 T brown sugar, 1 T jarred garli or 3 cloves fresh, 1 tsp ginger powder. Then i let the sauce thicken and the noodles finished cooking. Can be topped with whatever u gave but the leftovers were amazing for meal prep. Soery a bit of a long post but maybe someone will find inspiration :)
I hope commenting as we go helps the channel. When you have dry spices it's nice to bloom them in a little oil or grease or ghee. I think i saw something tou had in a little glass pod? It brightens the apices and wakes them up. This is also why you fry garlic ir onion until trabslucent before adding ither ingredients in to develop the aromatics of those ingredients and it makea the diah that much more delicious just to do like five or so more minutes of work for a huge payout trade off
Awesome ! I love the fresh tomatoes !! Great flavor , when i make home made Pizza , i slice tomatoes on crust instead of pizza sauce ! So good ! I look forward to your videos every week Thank you !
I love this!!’ I wish I had a Winco near me!! The closet one is 2 1/2 hrs away! I was in hotter than hell GA for my grandson’s graduation from basic training for the army the whole weekend and had a chance to shop around a few grocery stores. Just to compare prices to VA and there really wasn’t any difference. Everything is so expensive everywhere!!!
Great video, as usual. Your menus never lack appeal. I appreciate that you are mindful of budget and nutrition. I actually flavor soy protein with bouillon to keep dishes nearly vegetarian. The meat eating members of my family enjoy it. I often make a large batch of meatless sloppy Joe's with soy protein. About $5 of ingredients yields the filling for 30 sandwiches. I wish I had a Winco store to rely on! I have found that growers at our local farmer's market will work with my budget if I ex plain that I am frugal, but still value fresh food. They often have second best looking produce they are glad to sell for pennies on the dollar. It is a win win. I really enjoy your channel. Have a wonderful week.😊
@@kenyonbissett3512 I have found success using better than bouillon beef flavor. Specifically, the lower sodium variety. To make it entirely vegetarian, I use better than bouillon mushroom. Stirring it in, then refrigerating overnight helps the soy protein absorb the flavors. I hope you have great success with this. If there is leftover soy sloppy Joe's, a pasta sauce or simple lasagna can be made with it.
Always enjoy your food adventures & challenges. 😊 . Your banana pancakes are like a quick, easy version of banana's fostor. .It's fun to see what one can create with limited ingredients or finances.
👏👏👏👏 Hi Michelle, You did a great job 💯. I loved this challenge, I do the bulk of my shopping at WinCo. I used to shop mostly at Walmart but since we moved down the road about 15+ miles I shop at WinCo. It is usually cheaper on most products than Walmart. Of course I am way closer to T. JOES, And you know I love that!!! If I'm not mistaken you had rice leftover too. Have a great week. Charlotte
Thank you! 🤗 I appreciate this because I felt like I could have done a better job....but sometimes that's how it goes! 😂 The problem is when you want to go to all 3 stores and just don't have the time. 😂
I think someone told me once the salted pasta water needa to taste like the ocean. Otherwise you're right. The pasta doesnt taste good. It sucks in flavor that way. A d dont over boil so its mushy, a little chew is good in noodles but make sure its cooked of course. Its hard to get right but like meat, people overcook it for safety but it's not good like that. Also, remember to reserve the pasta water to add back into the dish to marry the sauce to the pasta or else they dont come together and just wants to fall off each other. It doesn't take much. Reserve a cup but maybe ypu might only need a half ladle per serving. But be mindful of not making the dish watery too.
We used to be able to shop in bulk until people started to poison the food...they pulled it from our shelves. Thank you for sharing. I'm from NY in case you're wondering 😊. People kill each other here ....lol
Thanks again-new ideas for dinners. There is a WINCO about an hour away-I go there when I can. I save money there and usually make a haul since I don’t go that often. I have not paid attention to to the bulk barrels. I buy their 25 lb bags of oats. Also hard red wheat. So many of their WINCO Rand items are GOOD -I try new ones every time I go. Love and happiness from Oklahoma ♥️🇺🇸♥️
Gosh...I did see those big bags of oats. Such good deals. I got some other good deals while I was there but didn't film them because they weren't part of the haul. Like you, I live a ways away so don't get there as often as I would like.
For anyone who might still be hungry there are great recipes to take the banana skin and fry it like bacon 🥓. Since it also takes like bacon it would go with breakfast and to add a bacon flavor to either dinner. Since a skin can weight 1/2 as much as the banana within you would get several ounces more of food. Nutritionally, it contains vitamins, minerals and starch. When every penny counts, I also bring small scissors with me and cut the plastic. I know it’s not much to the weight but every bit helps.
Super impressive on $5 it def can be done on a budget. I only buy fruit and veges that are in season plus I do grow some of my own veges which def helps as the cost of living is crazy expensive
@@ArdentMichelle I grow a lot more in summer and preserve the food for the cooler months. Then in winter (which it is now in Australia) I grow less. I have broccoli, cauliflower, Swiss chard, onions, garlic and lots of lettuce as it’s too hot to grow lettuce in summer here.
Sometimes stores with bulk bins will let you bring in your own jars or bags if you bring them to the register to be weighed first so they can charge the right amount. I love that my local store has paper bags so I don’t have to carry heavy jars and can recycle or compost the bags later.
If you had to change how dry the rice and vegan taco dish was, would you add butter to the rice in the dish as is, put thevtice back into thebpan and fry wirh butter for a softer vut less dry fried rice, or add water to the rice to make it a glutenous type of porridge or soup with the taco tvp as a topping/dry dressing?
I wouldn't have done either. I actually liked it the way it was, but if I wanted to add more liquid, I think I would have added some vegetable broth or a little salsa.
That was a lot of food for 5 dollars! Impressed with what you came up with, looked delicious. I would love to have a similar store, I don't think we have anything like that here in Sweden. That tvp with taco seasoning on rice is going on the menu soon. 😍
Remember when aldi hadbthat hardbm cheese that could be grated into a fine powder? Ots like parm but not as expensive. Pecorino? I forget, but it would have been great in that last pasta dish. Thats how Italians make real alfredo. But with parm. Similar technique. Even with the cheaper cheese
@@ArdentMichelle, have you tried slicing carrots ( I use the baby carrots sliced lengthwise), roll the pieces in oil, season with just garlic, salt, pepper, and roast them along side sliced potato rounds (also rolled in oil and seasoned). My goodness I just tried it and never knew carrots could be so tasty 😋. Very cheap veges.
@@ArdentMichelle, I really hope you do try it. I was never big on carrots unless they were lost in soup or something where they were not noticeable, but, these roasted ones, I could eat every day.
I would shop at Winco if we had one in the Southeast--but we do not to my knowledge...it just isn't here--Food Lion and Sav A Lot are our cheapest grocers...dts/usa
We have some indigenous crops in the SE, but it is not the variety and amount as in CA: in the SE local crops are: tomatoes, green beans, peanuts, oranges, onions, green peppers, potatoes, some soy, some sugar and some rice (mostly in Louisiana--our LA--not Los Angeles) and bananas and sugar are flown in from the Carribean...we have eggs and chickens, turkey and pork...chicken is king--but it is too hot and too wet for a lot of crops: lettuce/spinach (not much) (we do have collards--which are actually more nutritious, but you have to cook them a lot--more like kale); but no large range vegetables (variety); no beef; no milk cows to speak of (one or two dairies--very sparse--no real butter or cheese that is native); no regular potatoes (too wet)--maybe some up in TN in the mountains; no wheat (too wet); very few beans/lentils (too wet); we might (and I say that very loosely) be able to feed ourselves in a large scale crisis, but we would be missing a lot of nutritious food groups and no real exotics...I guess we would learn how...the fish in Florida are plentiful, but not in the Carolinas--very sparse (some shrimp, some oysters, a few native fish like Spats--I said native--they are not widely seen--and largely mud dwellers--not really tasty, but can sustain some life)...we would not freeze to death (like the upper midwest), and we can grow some crops--but the entire country really relies on CA for the vegetables and the midwest for the meat, dairy and wheat...we are not diversified enough...if there is a large scale crisis--I think that you will begin to see a lot more foraging for whatever is coming out of the ground (think mushrooms)...for whatever the government could not provide at that point...we have some crops: but Texas has been under construction and truly, it has hard dirt ground and cannot grow a lot except in the valley near Mexico--the rest of the state is very hard put for growing food--at all...beef is king in the grasslands, what is left of them...truly, we really rely on the Carribean and Central and South America to provide a lot of our foods...if there was a war with Cuba/Russia or Mexico, etc--we would immediately see a shift in how we eat...immediate--like literally overnight...in the past biscuits and rice--and chicken/pork-- were the staples of the SE...tortillas are now a staple--but we don't have the beans to fill them (native bean crops--other than green beans--I guess we would begin to learn how to grow them better and in wet soil)...dts/usa
I priced out at double the cost of $10 because of where I have to shop. But I went with soup made with canned seasoned chili beans, various fresh veggies, and a potato. Breakfast sausage links would make this soup even better. Because I picked a variety of veggies each day's soup would be different. After that, I went with fresh fruit, whole wheat bread on sale, and (of course) peanut butter. I am not the best shopper but it was fun as always!
@@ArdentMichelle I have learned from all those dump it into the saucepan soup makers. The only trick comes down to the size of the veggies and how long they need to cook. Carrots first. Zucchini and spinach last. Of course, the best soup is made from homemade stock made from veggie peelings and bones cooked for several hours.
A store will let you use your own containers for the bulk bins. Just put a piece of tape or a sticker you can write on ,on it. Then bring it to the customer service desk to be weighed. Write the weight on the tape. When you're ready to pay, the cashier will tare the item. This just means taking the weight of the container out of the weight. You just pay for the bulk item.
Winco doesn't allow you to bring your own. Here is their official response on that. "Due to weight of the container and cross contamination issues, WinCo Foods does not approve the use of consumer-owned containers brought into the store for refilling."
I haven't seen the end of the video yet but if you answer by then then ignore this question but what would you have come back for had you known that was the total and you had more energy to fight the crowds and you didn't have your son or the other guest with you? Who was with you? And yeah I get thrown off sometimes too. Right now nothing feels right. It's the full moon on Friday 21 but it affects stuff about a few days before and a couple after more or less. Lunatics. Saturday and Sunday are the worst days to shop midday.
I had Justin with me (oldest son). He wanted to go since he hasn't been to a Winco for a long time. I would have spent more time adding up my budget and adding a few extra spices. Maybe I could have been more creative. It's hard when you're distracted.
Hi, I shop at Aldi's and 2 other local chains. By shopping sales on produce and other items, I can do very well. Today, I found canned vegetables for 48c each. Those will make soup or 3 bean salad a different week. I average about $60/week for our family of 3 adults. Occasionally, I will shop elsewhere for an item I can't find at a usual stop. Tina, Al's wife
All great meals once again Michelle. You can use like 25% beef mince to 75% TVP and most people won't know the difference because the TVP soaks up the beef juices and tastes like beef. I like using zucchini in pasta also. See you next week
I grew one in the past (indoors), but I don't have the time or space for one this year. It was a lot of fun though. I think I showed it in some of my older videos!
I got some other great deals there too. I really need to try to get there more often, but it's a ways from my house so I usually only go there when I'm headed in that direction.
No way could you do this in 🇦🇺Australia as our store prices are much higher. Tomatoes are $3 -4 per kilo and bananas $3-4 per kilo, bulk outlets are few and far between 😊 Nice recipes Thank you a very interesting video
We could do similar at Aldi, but would need to buy the packet pasta and canned tomato’s. Then a little in season vege. But yep we are limited with the bulk options especially with the spices taken into account
People get upset because you use bags from the bulk section? 🙄 anyway, I bought some of the TVP but haven’t used it yet. It looks like meat in your dish. Another successful video!
yeah....I guess it's different in some other countries. 🤷♀️ glad you like this. I got some extra TVP for my storage too. I just put it in a little jar.
About 50 years ago, I read that meat should be eaten sparingly, as a flavoring. My kids are 50, 47, and 43. We ate eggs, a little poultry, cheese, lentils, beans, tvp, and occasionally meat. They drank milk. Most kids in the world don't eat as much meat as kids in the US. Tina, Al's wife
How much was the zucchini? You said you were under budget but the zucchini wasn’t in your grocery pile. Not complaining because you did an amazing job just noticed the discrepancy.
the zucchini was .47 and was counted in the budget. I just forgot to show it because I put it in the fridge as soon as I got home. I'll add the prices to the description area now for you.
I am amazed at what you can create for very little money. I wish Winco was nationwide. Please keep doing these challenges. I think they help so many people.
Thanks so much 💜
I just learned that Winco stands for Washington, Idaho, Nevada, California, and Oregon.
Winco is owned by its employees 👏.
@@michellejugao4091 love winco !
I wish there was a WinCo in LA. The closest is across town to Lakewood and it's 20 miles and about an hour with little traffic. More if its bad traffic and if I wasn't doing it for an show episode then it's not worth it because it's super rude and dangerous there.
You are the GOAT at creating meals out of nothing. It looks like high end meals from a fancy cafe.
Thank you so much 💜😁 glad you like this one!
Wow! 🎉 I hope the viewer who threw down the 🧤 challenge gauntlet is going to be sending you a 🏆 or a 🏅 because you knocked it out of the park. 👍 😂
I couldn't believe how much and the variety of items you got for $5. You are definitely the Queen 👸 of budget meals. 🤩
awe...thanks so much 💜 I actually didn't feel like this was my best work...so I do appreciate the complement!
I'm the one who sent this challenge I knew she could do it, but she knocked it out of the park. 🎉❤
How much do you think they should have thrown her to sponsor this challenge? I'd say $20 because she has to go a pretty long distance to get to this store. Lakewood or Corona to Irvine is quite a haul.
The candied bananas look delicious.
How do you make such yummy meals on a shoestring? Michelle, you have a gift. Thank you.
💜 thanks so much. I'm glad they look good to you! 😁
It kind of reminded me of a poor man's bananas foster. And honestly if the bananas broken down even more that would be just fine. I remember the fruit in IHOP pancake syrups were unrecognizable.
I'm pretty sure I'm the one who issued this challenge a while back ❤. Thanks for playing 😊
Yes you did. 😁 I don't feel like I did my best with this, but sometimes life's just like that. I'm going to want to revisit this challenge again! Thanks for the inspiration!
I find that a tablespoon full of most of the spices comes out to 5-10 cents. I buy most of my spices from the WinCo bulk section. I'm also really fond of their dehydrated soup veggies and bean soup mixes. I get a lot of stuff from the WinCo bulk section because I travel for work and cook for only myself using my crockpot or an electric burner or a waffle maker in my work truck. Keeping a lot of open leftover ingredients is hard.
@@alishaparr577 that's impressive that you are able to cook in your truck. I like the idea of cooking in a rice cooker also. I forgot how cheap the spices end up being at Winco. It's really such a great resource.
@@alishaparr577did you happen to know it was quite far to WinCo from her location at the time you issued the challenge? From her voice and stress indicators I was able to pick up as an empath, it was like a very heavy burden but also a big challenge she wanted to take on. There's nothing one can't do when their mind is set on it, but the drive was about one hour each way in traffic to LA county (Lakewood). I actually wished she had taken the trip to Corona but it requires a toll road payment (SR-241) and I think that's why she didn't go that way. But it would have been faster.. no LA traffic. Rush hour starts around 3 here.
I can’t believe that your channel isn’t MASSIVE. I love all your meals.
She will be soon!! 🎉 😊
Sometimes it takes years
They want partners to do shorts now too and those who don't don't get pushed anymore
Thanks so much!
this is true 👍 now they also expect you to sell their merchandise. 😳
I'm impressed with this menu at $5. Those banana pancakes looked so yummy.
Glad you liked this video! Those pancakes WERE very delicious!
Almost like a fancy dessert at a restaurant.
at the bulk store near me, you can have them tare your jar or whatever and write the weight on the top, and then they can enter the tare into the computer before they weigh it.
That's awesome 😁
That's nice. What store/location? Her/ours won't because there's a lot of people and the area she traveled to is a really poor area far from home so it's full of people who need it
I've done this at other bulk food stores, I've also used really light weight bags and not worried about weight. However, last I checked WinCo's website states that they cannot accept outside containers. They will only allow you to purchase bulk items in the plastic bags they provide 😢 I do think, however, you could reuse the bags and they wouldn't know.
All of these dishes look incredible! It pays to be a scratch cook in these type of challenges!! No one would know they were made on a $5 budget! I wish we had Wyncos in FL!!
Thanks so much! and I wish you did too. Everyone needs a Winco nearby!
With a struggling couple, the non shopper wouldn’t even think they were struggling.
I always get hungry watching your videos. So I just made your last pasta with tomato, zucchini, nutritional yeast, onion, garlic and spinach. Delicious. Dinner is done.🎉
don't you just love the added dimension of the nutritional yeast?
Once again Michelle has excelled at a challenge. It all looks delicious!
Thank you! 💜 Glad you like this video!
Oh, those pancakes on day one! 💛💛💛
Your creativity with food always amazes me. You are truly gifted, Michelle! Thanks for another great video.❤
gosh! 😁 thanks for such a nice complement! Glad you like this one!
I love to watch your show, Michelle! I get in bed Sunday night and watch before I go to sleep all inspired!
that's awesome 💜
Most places of bulk bins will weigh your containers before you start shopping. Just ask them. I love your videos and tidbits!
Thanks so much 😁 Unfortunately Winco has a policy against this.
Something that may interest you & others is that I wash & reuse plastic bags & take them to stores to buy foods that need bags to purchase them, to try to reduce my plastic bag accumulation. I use them for my household waste too. When I wash plastic bags I hang them on the blind above my kitchen sink.
I wash and re-use my ziplock bags. I don't do it 100 percent of the time, but every bit helps.
There’s no store like that anywhere near me! What a handy place. Good job as always 😊 Love your vids
Thank you! 😊
Same! Our stores took out the bulk bins during covid and never put them back!
I save any plastic bags that I get and wash and reuse them specially when I go get bulk foods- That or I use brown paper bags, also from home
that's great that your store allows that. Apparently Winco has a rule that you are not allowed to use your own bags.
I agree about olive oil prices. I actually tied a tiny measuring spoon to mine so I always measure out mine.
I've switched to the olive oil spray, and sometimes just using water instead. It seems to work fine for some things.
that's a great tip to conserve oil 👍
Hi from Australia. Really good shop. What you bought would be $20 here. Well done
Just, wow! That makes gardening and foraging a real bargain, though I know some of that some of the $20 is related to exchange rates there is still a difference.
Thanks 😁
OK, now I am inspired! I made a 'sausage' a few weeks ago from TVP. I had too much for the dish and froze the extra. So tomorrow I am going to defrost it and pan cook it with stuff I already have: zucchini, bell and jalapeno peppers, tomato, onion, nooch, spinach and anything else I come across. I'll serve it over rice because it's too hot right now to boil a pot of water and I have a rice cooker. BTW, I buy my TVP on Amazon. Thanks, Michelle!
ok now you're inspiring me! That sounds delicious. 😋
This all look delicious and you read my mind with the folding in the spinach😋
we need those greens!!
You’re amazing & give me so many ideas. I have a lot of fresh garden vegetables coming in & can always used more ways to use them.
vegetables are my passion 🍆🥕🥑
Winco should create their own bulk reuseable packaging
They do have packages you can buy for the spices but you can’t bring them in and refill them.
Sounds like a great invention.
We noticed the increased price of olive oil too, and researched why...the price has spiked because of drought and extreme heat in Spain. I'm using ours more sparingly, too!
It’s horrible isn’t it, I can’t believe or ever imagined we would have to do that with our olive oil xx
it was so unexpected.
I bet apples would work with those pancakes too. I don't have a store with bins and that kills my budget. It's hot enough out now that I've lost my appetite for anything that isn't served cold.
agreed 👍 and also, I'm with you on the heat. It just rolled in today and all I want are cold, fresh foods!
@@ArdentMichelleI eat a lot more salads in the summer. Have you thought of cold spaghetti and chopped veggies and I think it's a Tuscan Italian dressing? There's a name for it but I forgot. Feels like inexpensive antipasto to me.
We do have a number of Winco Stores around in Portland, OR... and I do like their bins :) It is amazing what can be done w a challenge :) These dishes all looked wonderful, I will be trying them. thank you for another very useful and enjoyable video. I like the idea that you mixed two different pancake mixes, and it was a great choice nutritionally as the mixes probably had some powdered milk and eggs in them.
I wish they were even closer to me because I would shop there weekly. Glad you liked my challenge video!
Amazing! Great job😊. The variety of meals is wonderful. I really enjoyed this. Thank you. Do it again for a week with more money
Glad you liked it!!
Your meals always look great, I like the way you use fresh produce rather than cheap packets. I was thinking about my parent's old place in Spain, at the local shop you could buy eggs individually at so many pesatas each (this was a long time ago!) And take them away in a paper bag and they had peppers, tomatoes and herbs they grew out the back. If you could still do that, it would help budgeting for a lot of people.
love hearing this. 😁 The picture it's creating in my head is a nice one. I've heard the landscape in Spain is very similar to California, which I love...but cost of living is less.
@ArdentMichelle I'm from the UK, but years ago my parents had a holiday home in Spain. It's not as cheap as if used to be, but it's still cheaper than here!
Great video as always and might i add you have the most calming voice, i often listen while im driving.
Another cheap meal i actually came up with, you might enjoy. Its a take on lo mein.
I used spaghetti noodles, undercooked them a bit and youll see why. I sauteed whatever veggies i had: onions, carrots, bell pepper, onion, frozen peas. Drsined the spaghetti leaving about a half cup pasta water. Added it to my veggies. The sauce liquid aminos(or soy sauce) about 1/8 cup maybe a bit more, 1 T toasted sesame oil, 1 to 2 T brown sugar, 1 T jarred garli or 3 cloves fresh, 1 tsp ginger powder. Then i let the sauce thicken and the noodles finished cooking. Can be topped with whatever u gave but the leftovers were amazing for meal prep.
Soery a bit of a long post but maybe someone will find inspiration :)
This sounds great. I'm definitely going to make this!
I hope commenting as we go helps the channel. When you have dry spices it's nice to bloom them in a little oil or grease or ghee. I think i saw something tou had in a little glass pod? It brightens the apices and wakes them up. This is also why you fry garlic ir onion until trabslucent before adding ither ingredients in to develop the aromatics of those ingredients and it makea the diah that much more delicious just to do like five or so more minutes of work for a huge payout trade off
true...sometimes I do this.
@@ArdentMichelle I wished you'd do it more so you have more enjoyment from your food. But I get it. No time.
Awesome ! I love the fresh tomatoes !! Great flavor , when i make home made Pizza , i slice tomatoes on crust instead of pizza sauce ! So good ! I look forward to your videos every week Thank you !
that sounds like such an interesting idea 🤔 I would love to try that.
I made banana pancakes for breakfast this morning thanks to your video!
so good! 😋
Well done! You’re a food genius ❤
Thank you 💜
You did a fantastic job! Well done!! I would gladly eat these recipes 🎉
Thanks so much! 😊
I love this!!’ I wish I had a Winco near me!! The closet one is 2 1/2 hrs away! I was in hotter than hell GA for my grandson’s graduation from basic training for the army the whole weekend and had a chance to shop around a few grocery stores. Just to compare prices to VA and there really wasn’t any difference. Everything is so expensive everywhere!!!
Bidenflation. We need to vote this guy out of we want to have a chance at fixing america. Eggs are still around $5 in so cal
I know...I just watched a UA-cam say she was in 114 weather in Nebraska. It's only been in the low 90's here so far and mostly just the low 80's.
Great video, as usual. Your menus never lack appeal. I appreciate that you are mindful of budget and nutrition. I actually flavor soy protein with bouillon to keep dishes nearly vegetarian. The meat eating members of my family enjoy it. I often make a large batch of meatless sloppy Joe's with soy protein. About $5 of ingredients yields the filling for 30 sandwiches. I wish I had a Winco store to rely on! I have found that growers at our local farmer's market will work with my budget if I ex plain that I am frugal, but still value fresh food. They often have second best looking produce they are glad to sell for pennies on the dollar. It is a win win. I really enjoy your channel. Have a wonderful week.😊
Do you add a beef bouillon cube for flavor?
@@kenyonbissett3512 I have found success using better than bouillon beef flavor. Specifically, the lower sodium variety. To make it entirely vegetarian, I use better than bouillon mushroom. Stirring it in, then refrigerating overnight helps the soy protein absorb the flavors. I hope you have great success with this. If there is leftover soy sloppy Joe's, a pasta sauce or simple lasagna can be made with it.
Thanks Sara 😁 That's a GREAT deal for 30 sandwiches! Thanks for sharing!
Always enjoy your food adventures & challenges. 😊 . Your banana pancakes are like a quick, easy version of banana's fostor. .It's fun to see what one can create with limited ingredients or finances.
that's exactly what I was thinking with the bananas foster. So decadent. Glad you enjoyed this 😁
Actually, the pancakes and the bananas look Fire.❤❤❤
thank you 😁
I love Winco, especially the bulk section. Once again you did an amazing job on this challenge ! Well done !!🥰🍋🍒🍑💐💗✝
Thanks so much! 😊
I would have tried an apple sauce on the pancakes since apples n cinnamon work really well together but Goin to try the banana ones too
that would be great too! 😋
Great recipes and use of the shop options :)
👏👏👏👏 Hi Michelle, You did a great job 💯. I loved this challenge, I do the bulk of my shopping at WinCo. I used to shop mostly at Walmart but since we moved down the road about 15+ miles I shop at WinCo. It is usually cheaper on most products than Walmart. Of course I am way closer to T. JOES, And you know I love that!!! If I'm not mistaken you had rice leftover too. Have a great week. Charlotte
Thank you! 🤗 I appreciate this because I felt like I could have done a better job....but sometimes that's how it goes! 😂 The problem is when you want to go to all 3 stores and just don't have the time. 😂
I'm thinking SamsClub, TJ's and Walmart when I say this.
You did an excellent job! I can’t believe how great your meals looked on such a cheap budget! I would have never thought of what you did!👏👏👏
Thanks!
Thank you so much Charlotte 💜 🥰 I appreciate you!
I think someone told me once the salted pasta water needa to taste like the ocean. Otherwise you're right. The pasta doesnt taste good. It sucks in flavor that way. A d dont over boil so its mushy, a little chew is good in noodles but make sure its cooked of course. Its hard to get right but like meat, people overcook it for safety but it's not good like that. Also, remember to reserve the pasta water to add back into the dish to marry the sauce to the pasta or else they dont come together and just wants to fall off each other. It doesn't take much. Reserve a cup but maybe ypu might only need a half ladle per serving. But be mindful of not making the dish watery too.
The pasta water would go into the sauce of course. Don't just pour it into the pasta.
Update 3 nevermind you did it with the zucchini sauce later. I was in the tomato tvp sauce at the time.
Bravo, AM! Another amazing video.🙂
Thanks so much! 😁
You handle this challenge absolutely brilliantly I really loved this video great big hugs 🖤
Thank you so much 🤗 and right back at ya!
We used to be able to shop in bulk until people started to poison the food...they pulled it from our shelves. Thank you for sharing. I'm from NY in case you're wondering 😊. People kill each other here ....lol
oh no...that's terrible.
Good job!! So calming to watch!
Thank you!! 😊
Thanks again-new ideas for dinners. There is a WINCO about an hour away-I go there when I can. I save money there and usually make a haul since I don’t go that often. I have not paid attention to to the bulk barrels. I buy their 25 lb bags of oats. Also hard red wheat. So many of their WINCO Rand items are GOOD -I try new ones every time I go. Love and happiness from Oklahoma ♥️🇺🇸♥️
Gosh...I did see those big bags of oats. Such good deals. I got some other good deals while I was there but didn't film them because they weren't part of the haul. Like you, I live a ways away so don't get there as often as I would like.
I was impressed with this one
thank you 💜
For anyone who might still be hungry there are great recipes to take the banana skin and fry it like bacon 🥓. Since it also takes like bacon it would go with breakfast and to add a bacon flavor to either dinner. Since a skin can weight 1/2 as much as the banana within you would get several ounces more of food. Nutritionally, it contains vitamins, minerals and starch.
When every penny counts, I also bring small scissors with me and cut the plastic. I know it’s not much to the weight but every bit helps.
great tip 😁
Super impressive on $5 it def can be done on a budget. I only buy fruit and veges that are in season plus I do grow some of my own veges which def helps as the cost of living is crazy expensive
I would love to have a garden. That's so awesome. 😁
@@ArdentMichelle I grow a lot more in summer and preserve the food for the cooler months. Then in winter (which it is now in Australia) I grow less. I have broccoli, cauliflower, Swiss chard, onions, garlic and lots of lettuce as it’s too hot to grow lettuce in summer here.
Sometimes stores with bulk bins will let you bring in your own jars or bags if you bring them to the register to be weighed first so they can charge the right amount. I love that my local store has paper bags so I don’t have to carry heavy jars and can recycle or compost the bags later.
I can't see WINCO willing to do that....but it wouldn't hurt to ask. They are just SO BUSY!
@@ArdentMichelle valid!
If you had to change how dry the rice and vegan taco dish was, would you add butter to the rice in the dish as is, put thevtice back into thebpan and fry wirh butter for a softer vut less dry fried rice, or add water to the rice to make it a glutenous type of porridge or soup with the taco tvp as a topping/dry dressing?
I wouldn't have done either. I actually liked it the way it was, but if I wanted to add more liquid, I think I would have added some vegetable broth or a little salsa.
or even a few drops of Crystal Louisiana hot sauce would have been delicious!
Very nice 🙂
brilliant: thank god for the italians and their pasta...dts/usa
DTS?
Good job!!
You are an awesome cook.
I appreciate that 🥰
That was a lot of food for 5 dollars! Impressed with what you came up with, looked delicious. I would love to have a similar store, I don't think we have anything like that here in Sweden. That tvp with taco seasoning on rice is going on the menu soon. 😍
Glad you like my video! 😁
Remember when aldi hadbthat hardbm cheese that could be grated into a fine powder? Ots like parm but not as expensive. Pecorino? I forget, but it would have been great in that last pasta dish. Thats how Italians make real alfredo. But with parm. Similar technique. Even with the cheaper cheese
Fantastic challange! Great job girl, everything looks rich and tasty!
Thank you so much 🤗
You are the only channel I've found that does emergency food budgeting and actually get fresh produce in the meal.
The others would stretch the $5 to $5.99 and call it good.
Thanks so much 💜
@@ArdentMichelle, have you tried slicing carrots ( I use the baby carrots sliced lengthwise), roll the pieces in oil, season with just garlic, salt, pepper, and roast them along side sliced potato rounds (also rolled in oil and seasoned). My goodness I just tried it and never knew carrots could be so tasty 😋. Very cheap veges.
@@rustyrussell3211that sounds really good. I love roasted veggies. I'll have to try it that way!
@@ArdentMichelle, I really hope you do try it. I was never big on carrots unless they were lost in soup or something where they were not noticeable, but, these roasted ones, I could eat every day.
You really are a expert
awe....thanks so much 💜
💚 once again you nailed the challenge. Thank you 😊
Thanks so much 🥰
Great job!
Thanks! 😁
Amazing job friend ❤
Thanks so much 💜 I'm glad you liked this one! 😁
Fantastic job!!!
Glad you liked it! 😁
Still like the Trader Joe's pasta
Still 99 cents for a 16 oz bag AFAIK and it's from Italy
Great job!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you!! 😁
so inspiring, all your meals look so tasty
Thank you 😁
I would shop at Winco if we had one in the Southeast--but we do not to my knowledge...it just isn't here--Food Lion and Sav A Lot are our cheapest grocers...dts/usa
I think Winco is out in CA because you have so much left over produce and they buy it up...dts/usa
We have some indigenous crops in the SE, but it is not the variety and amount as in CA: in the SE local crops are: tomatoes, green beans, peanuts, oranges, onions, green peppers, potatoes, some soy, some sugar and some rice (mostly in Louisiana--our LA--not Los Angeles) and bananas and sugar are flown in from the Carribean...we have eggs and chickens, turkey and pork...chicken is king--but it is too hot and too wet for a lot of crops: lettuce/spinach (not much) (we do have collards--which are actually more nutritious, but you have to cook them a lot--more like kale); but no large range vegetables (variety); no beef; no milk cows to speak of (one or two dairies--very sparse--no real butter or cheese that is native); no regular potatoes (too wet)--maybe some up in TN in the mountains; no wheat (too wet); very few beans/lentils (too wet); we might (and I say that very loosely) be able to feed ourselves in a large scale crisis, but we would be missing a lot of nutritious food groups and no real exotics...I guess we would learn how...the fish in Florida are plentiful, but not in the Carolinas--very sparse (some shrimp, some oysters, a few native fish like Spats--I said native--they are not widely seen--and largely mud dwellers--not really tasty, but can sustain some life)...we would not freeze to death (like the upper midwest), and we can grow some crops--but the entire country really relies on CA for the vegetables and the midwest for the meat, dairy and wheat...we are not diversified enough...if there is a large scale crisis--I think that you will begin to see a lot more foraging for whatever is coming out of the ground (think mushrooms)...for whatever the government could not provide at that point...we have some crops: but Texas has been under construction and truly, it has hard dirt ground and cannot grow a lot except in the valley near Mexico--the rest of the state is very hard put for growing food--at all...beef is king in the grasslands, what is left of them...truly, we really rely on the Carribean and Central and South America to provide a lot of our foods...if there was a war with Cuba/Russia or Mexico, etc--we would immediately see a shift in how we eat...immediate--like literally overnight...in the past biscuits and rice--and chicken/pork-- were the staples of the SE...tortillas are now a staple--but we don't have the beans to fill them (native bean crops--other than green beans--I guess we would begin to learn how to grow them better and in wet soil)...dts/usa
@@danasandlin2435how do you do the text crossout
it's in the entire southwest. Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon and also Arizona and Oklahoma.
Absolutely great episode, Michelle!
Thank you so much! 💜
Really sad that we don’t have winco in NE Ohio!
Or GA!
@@estherhurst4741 it’s a shame!
I agree...everyone should have one.
Our bulk barn weighs our containers and then we can shop and substrack the price
That's awesome. 😁
I priced out at double the cost of $10 because of where I have to shop. But I went with soup made with canned seasoned chili beans, various fresh veggies, and a potato. Breakfast sausage links would make this soup even better. Because I picked a variety of veggies each day's soup would be different. After that, I went with fresh fruit, whole wheat bread on sale, and (of course) peanut butter. I am not the best shopper but it was fun as always!
Love hearing this 😁 I would like that menu.
@@ArdentMichelle I have learned from all those dump it into the saucepan soup makers. The only trick comes down to the size of the veggies and how long they need to cook. Carrots first. Zucchini and spinach last. Of course, the best soup is made from homemade stock made from veggie peelings and bones cooked for several hours.
A store will let you use your own containers for the bulk bins. Just put a piece of tape or a sticker you can write on ,on it. Then bring it to the customer service desk to be weighed. Write the weight on the tape. When you're ready to pay, the cashier will tare the item. This just means taking the weight of the container out of the weight. You just pay for the bulk item.
Winco doesn't allow you to bring your own. Here is their official response on that. "Due to weight of the container and cross contamination issues, WinCo Foods does not approve the use of consumer-owned containers brought into the store for refilling."
brilliant!
Thank you 😁
I haven't seen the end of the video yet but if you answer by then then ignore this question but what would you have come back for had you known that was the total and you had more energy to fight the crowds and you didn't have your son or the other guest with you? Who was with you? And yeah I get thrown off sometimes too. Right now nothing feels right. It's the full moon on Friday 21 but it affects stuff about a few days before and a couple after more or less. Lunatics. Saturday and Sunday are the worst days to shop midday.
Instead of the beefsteak tomato and factoring in the extra rice and pasta. The full moon threw you off along with the extra person
I had Justin with me (oldest son). He wanted to go since he hasn't been to a Winco for a long time. I would have spent more time adding up my budget and adding a few extra spices. Maybe I could have been more creative. It's hard when you're distracted.
true
I’ve never heard of TVP. It appears to be a great source of protein.
yeah...I like that it's inexpensive in some stores. It's not quite as chewy as the vegan crumbles I sometimes buy but it's still very good.
Hi, I shop at Aldi's and 2 other local chains. By shopping sales on produce and other items, I can do very well. Today, I found canned vegetables for 48c each.
Those will make soup or 3 bean salad a different week. I average about $60/week for our family of 3 adults. Occasionally, I will shop elsewhere for an item I can't
find at a usual stop. Tina, Al's wife
I weigh and write the tare on my containers if jars or my homemade cloth bags otherwise the store bought bags have the tare on the tag
that's great that your store allows that. 👍
What store/location?
All great meals once again Michelle. You can use like 25% beef mince to 75% TVP and most people won't know the difference because the TVP soaks up the beef juices and tastes like beef. I like using zucchini in pasta also. See you next week
Thanks for the info on the beef. 😁 See you Sunday!
Oooh, I would about half an hour after dinner. My insides don't like TVP.
@bettyir4302 that's a shame.
I know you mentioned it before but I haven't heard anything since... Have you started your mini herb garden yet?
I grew one in the past (indoors), but I don't have the time or space for one this year. It was a lot of fun though. I think I showed it in some of my older videos!
I'm just curious: Is TVP less expensive to use than brown lentils. I usually use brown lentils as my meat extender, but I could start looking for tvp.
That's a good question. At Winco, I think they come out around the same price. It might be fun to try with both.
We have a Winco, I’ll,have to start going there, I keep forgetting we have one.
I got some other great deals there too. I really need to try to get there more often, but it's a ways from my house so I usually only go there when I'm headed in that direction.
Great job…
thanks so much 😁
No way could you do this in 🇦🇺Australia as our store prices are much higher.
Tomatoes are $3 -4 per kilo and bananas $3-4 per kilo, bulk outlets are few and far between 😊
Nice recipes
Thank you a very interesting video
Understood. Hopefully you can take the meal plan ideas and still save some money though!
We could do similar at Aldi, but would need to buy the packet pasta and canned tomato’s. Then a little in season vege. But yep we are limited with the bulk options especially with the spices taken into account
People get upset because you use bags from the bulk section? 🙄 anyway, I bought some of the TVP but haven’t used it yet. It looks like meat in your dish. Another successful video!
yeah....I guess it's different in some other countries. 🤷♀️ glad you like this. I got some extra TVP for my storage too. I just put it in a little jar.
For those who don't eat soy would lentils work
yes!
About 50 years ago, I read that meat should be eaten sparingly, as a flavoring. My kids are 50, 47, and 43. We ate eggs, a little poultry, cheese, lentils, beans, tvp,
and occasionally meat. They drank milk. Most kids in the world don't eat as much meat as kids in the US. Tina, Al's wife
I agree with that statement. Americans take everything to excess.
Amazing. I’d probably buy a
Loaf of bread and jar of peanut butter and eat that for all my meals. If I had any money left I’d buy bananas.
That works too 👍 although for this challenge, she wasn't allowing me to shop in the other parts of the store.
❤❤❤
Woooo ❤🎉
Happy Sunday! 🥳
@@ArdentMichelle 1am Monday is when you post for me!
❤
🌱💚
How much was the zucchini? You said you were under budget but the zucchini wasn’t in your grocery pile. Not complaining because you did an amazing job just noticed the discrepancy.
the zucchini was .47 and was counted in the budget. I just forgot to show it because I put it in the fridge as soon as I got home. I'll add the prices to the description area now for you.
@@ArdentMichelle Then you did even better with your meals!!! Thanks for clarifying. ❤️
Controversial grocery hack: if you're buying from the bulk section, write down the PUL code from a cheaper item and use self-checkout.
highly controversial 😂
Why all the plastic, lol. People are so shallow.
TVP 🤢🤢🤢🤢
It's in everything nown 🤮
it's not for everyone 😂