Back to School Sales

I’m excited about what’s on sale this week. And this back-to-school sale isn’t about backpacks and school supplies. It’s on dinner supplies that can get us one step closer to dinner success this school year. Right now ground beef is $1.99/pound in the Chicago suburbs, about a dollar less than it has been the rest of the year. As an added bonus, pork roast is $1.50 pound. This is fantastic just in time for the school year and after-school activities. It is time to stock up on both. Being prepared for busy weeknight dinners during the school year does not mean you have to revamp your life, commit to a new “plan” or otherwise stress yourself out. It just requires thinking ahead, and playing the dinner game on the offensive. Come to the game prepared to win. For example, if your family likes ground beef and/or pork for dinner, there are a multitude of options you can make just by having those two basic ingredients on hand. The 70 Meals, One Trip to the Store cookbook includes 20 recipes that are based on ground beef. Since the recipes all include only items you are likely to have on hand at home (whether or not you use the book’s shopping list) that means without stress there are any number of dinners you can make using ground beef, such as tacos, enchiladas, spaghetti and meatballs, salisbury steak, chopped steak, hamburgers, beef stroganoff and more.

There are also many, many ways to cook a pork roast. My favorites include shredded barbecue pork in the crock pot or pork roast with mango salsa, or teriyaki glaze, and use the leftovers another night that week to make one of the many dinner duos from 40 Dinner Duos that include pork, such as pork fried rice, or chipotle pork sandwiches.

Shop smart for yourself this back-to-school season, not just for the kids, and prepare yourself with cabinets full of Smart ingredients that add up to dinner success.

September’s blog posts will focus on quick and easy weeknight dinners such as crock pot cooking and cook once, eat twice. Please share our blog link with any friends you think might be interested in these recipes. We appreciate it!