Rialto chef Jody Adams gave lots of Boston-area reporters and parenting writers* a cooking demo in her restaurant, what I am totally going to try to re-create in my own kitchen tonight, from her cookbook "In the Hands of a Chef."
(*MM included, weird, I know. A woman from WBZ asked, "What's a Melting Mama?" I tried to explain. But, my 'business' cards that I made to sort of answer this query came via Zazzle last night when I got home, and it's sort of hard to explain what I thought was a bad nick-name choice. She thought it was cute, and was a website for women, melting under stress.)
Adams says:
"I think people are looking for convenience and health food, and I'm a big advocate of being prepared,"
Adams partnered with Stop & Shop for the luncheon of Chilled Smooth Corn Soup with Tomatoes, Avocado + Lime, Minted Romaine Salad with Grapes, Ricotta Salata + Slivered Almonds, Peppered Chicken (Cooked Under A Brick) with Hot & Spicy Ginger Sauce, and Honey Ricotta Cheesecake.
While we were fed, she prepared the peppered chicken dish, and answered questions from some of the parents in the group about overcoming their kids' picky attitudes towards foods, and sensory issues. She discussed how the ingredients for this dish were easily found in a typical grocery store, and please when you can, know where your food comes from, to buy naturally raised animals for meats and organically.
Needless to say, the meal was delicious, and I want to go back and eat there, often.
The peeps from Stop & Shop were there to discuss "Saving Time & Money" in the Supermarket, and provided lots of tips for us as parents, and in general as people trying to save a buck, with or without kids.
Some of the tips I found helpful, some things I already do, some I should probably, um, start:
- Keep a running list of items you need. (Yes, I do this. As you run out of something, toss it on the list. Teach your family to do it as well, this way when you go to shop, you aren't throwing crap in the cart that is unnecessary, and you know what you need.)
- Check your store's flyer for items on your list that may be already on sale. (Um, no. I have NEVER done this.)
- Plan four dinners in advance for the following week. (About that? Um. No. I try, I do. But.)
- FOLLOW THE LIST. (They say, it sounds basic, but it works. It does.)
- Review Coupons, but only use them carefully, for items that you were GOING TO BUY ANYWAY, and decide whether using the coupon for the item is a good buy based on he unit price of the comparable item including store brands, which are always cheaper.
- Buy ON SALE and ONLY IN SEASON. (Again, sounds simple, and it is. Pay attention.)
- SHOP BY UNIT PRICES, not by BIGGER IS BETTER.
- Repackage your own single-serve packs. Convenience costs A LOT.
- Buy in BULK and FREEZE, three months at a time as a general rule for small packages, thin or ground meats, veggies or cooked foods.
- Don't buy more produce than you will use. IT ROTS.
Stop & Shop specific tips:
- Take advantage of time saving technology, personal scanners, deli kiosks, electronic produce scales with stickering devices, and self check out, get you in and out, faster.
- New parent friendly check out aisles, coming soon. I won't call them kid friendly, because you did not design these for my kids, you designed them for ME. NO CANDY. Woot. Thank you. I love you. But, please add balloons and drop the snack options says MM. Why? I do not need another opportunity for a fight on my hands at the check out over animal crackers. We generally eat our way through the store anyway, and arrive at the checkout with a open box, banana sticker and wrapper. (4011 is the PLU for bananas, but they are usually 69 cents a pound, and I buy 5-6 lbs at a time, and I always tell the cashier to ring one again.)
- And, Starbucks? Yes. Thanks. I will. :) Shopping is fun again.
Saving money - it's a lot of common sense - and a little more time spent before you head out to save you money - but not really - just simply keeping a list on the side of the fridge door would suffice for most, and maybe getting back into couponing, seeing as Stop & Shop told us that it's up 56% lately.
I got my scissors back out. I haven't done it in years.
