I’m Jessica from British Columbia, Canada. I love travelling around the world and my province! Sometimes I'm cruising and sometimes I'm heading out with my husband in our truck camper! I'm love exploring truck camper camping in BC and hopefully beyond! I also love meal planning, have a huge garden, do some home canning and love frugal living! I'll be combining some of these interests in some budget grocery and pantry challenges! I am always interested in new things so expect a variety of videos on my channel!
Just the cost of the 3 items - Creamo, butter and cheese come to $18.66. Amazing what points can get you. I set my sister up and she still doesn’t use her points. My store is 100 points =$1 or you can get offered food items for less points. An example would be 300 points for a rotisserie chicken 30 oz ($7.99), milk for 200 points ($3.59), dozen eggs for 200 points ($3.99), 100 points for $3 off produce or 100 points for $3 off fresh meats. You have so much left over, you could include a snack for hungry days.
I wanted to share my Mom's 14 day sweet pickles: FROM FARM JOURNAL'S FREEZING AND CANNING COOKBOOK THE RECIPE MOM USED TO MAKE 14-DAY SWEET PICKLES Adaption of heirloom recipe long treasured in country kitchens 14-DAY SWEET PICKLES 3 1/2 QUARTS (2") PICKLING CUCUMBERS 3/4 cup canning/pickling salt Water 6 2/3 cups 5% strength cider vinegar 4 cups sugar 2 tsp. celery seed 5 sticks cinnamon 2 cups sugar Wash cucumbers, slice 1/16" slice off blossom ends. Cut in lengthwise halves or leave whole. Place in 2-gallon sealed crock. Combine salt and 2 qtrs.. water in 3 qt. saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil. Pour over cucumbers. To keep cucumbers submerged in brine, cover with a scalded heavy plate that fits inside crock! Put a weight on top of plate; a glass jar filled with hot water, capped and scalded, makes a good weight. Brine should cover plate by 2 inches for easy skimming; if necessary make additional brine (3 Tbsp.. salt to 1 qt. water) and pour over cucumbers. Cover crock with clean Terry towel; tie with twine. Let stand 7 days at room temperature: EACH DAY, uncover crock and remove yeast film or mold with scalded stainless steel spoon. If mold forms on plate or weight, wash and scald them. Recover with clean towel. On 8th day, drain; remove cucumbers. Wash and scald crock, plate and weight. Rinse cucumbers; return to crock. Pour 2 qtrs.. fresh boiling water over cucumbers. Add plate & weight. Re-cover with clean terry towel. On 9th day repeat. On 10th day repeat. On 11th day , drain; and remove cucumbers. Wash and scald crock, plate and weight and jar.. If cucumber are whole prick each in several places to prevent shriveling when syrup is added. Return cucumbers to crock. Combine vinegar, 4 cups sugar, celery seed and cinnamon in 3 qt. saucepan. Bring to rolling boil; pour over cucumbers. Weight with plate and jar. Re=cover clean terry towel. On 12th day, drain syrup into 3 qt. saucepan, adding 2/3 cup sugar; bring to a boil and pour over cucumbers. Replace plate, weight and jar. recover with clean towel. On 13th day , repeat, adding 2/3 cup sugar. On 14th day, drain syrup into 3qt. saucepan, add remaining 2/3 cup sugar. Pack cucumbers into sterilized hot jars. Bring syrup to boil, remove cinnamon sticks. Pour over cucumbers , filling to within 1/4" of jar top. Wipe rim clean; adjust lids. Process in water bath 5 minutes. Start to count processing time when water in canner returns to a boiling. Remove jars and complete seals unless closures are self=sealing type. Makes 6 pints!
Our garden here is not doing as well as usual. Too cold and too much rain in June and none since. I have been picking a few cucumbers, and tomatoes. The peppers and eggplant are finally starting. Not a good garden year for us.
You should try stuffing squash blossoms with ricotta cheese & seasonings. I use the basic Italian seasonings & then you put it in an batter mix & fry. It’s so good & easy.
I don’t have particularly green thumbs but somehow basil grows well under my care ❤ I made SO MUCH pesto during summer - I give it as gifts and my friends love it, and ive got plenty stored in the freezer too. It’s SO NICE to have homemade pesto all year round! TIP: if you blanche your basil before you “pesto” it, then it doesn’t oxidize and go black, and it lasts really well 😃
My garden is struggling with heat, cooler temps and torrential rains, a lot of plants got eaten early on. All my squash, a couple sets of beans got completely eaten, 5 tomato plants just disappeared, sunflowers eaten, cabbage eaten tomato plants look healthy but not very many tomatoes and are slow to ripen. The only thing that is having a grand time are tomatillos which I don’t want. I planted one tomatillo in 2020and they are growing everywhere, at the front,back and side of the house and in virtually every pot I have. I keep pulling them out. It is crazy. One of my favourite things to do with Kolhrabi is to mix it with sliced potatoes and make like. Cheesy scalloped potato dish. So delicious! Hope you had a great cruise!
Yes, unfortunately many things are having a tough time this year. Actually every year seems to get harder and harder 😔 I know what you mean about the tomatillos! I planted them once to try them and really disliked them and then they came up for about five years!! The plants look almost identical to the ground cherries so it took me a long time to weed them out! Are tomatillas like cilantro? I really couldn’t stomach them 😖
Hope u enjoyed ur cruise. Giving us the total for July and August at the same time is fine. Don't stress over us. We love you, so we will take it whenever you give it to us.
I am beyond impressed by the green onions! What variety are they? I have no luck growing large green onions. Mine get to maybe a finger thick and promptly die :(
At least you got some produce! Every bit counts, as many people are now saying. We survived a very hard week with Hurricane Debby coming through. Last week we had 6 inches of rain really fast and with Debby we probably got about 12 more. We were so thankful our huge trees didn't completely fall down. Electricity was out for 82 hours, and we slept outside on our screened in porch because it was about 90 in the house. It's harder to survive in mid-70s than when we were younger. I cooked food easily on a one burner Coleman, just opening up jar after jar of good stuff I had already put away. I hope you've had a wonderful vacation, and I'm looking forward to the August garden update.
I couldn’t believe how early that hurricane was! I’m glad you hanging in there anetzband 🧡82 hours is a long time! It wonderful to have your canning to fall back on 👍🏼😀
My radishes all went to seed before they even made a radish. My lettuce and spinach also went bitter before it was even a salad. Strange garden this year. My tomatos are loaded with GREEN tomatoes. I am hoping they start ripening soon as my first frost is Oct 1 but usually by mid Sept my garden is turning brown like the leaves.
We’re still cruising right now 😁🚢 5 new cruise converts coming up I bet! That’ll be fun 🤩 It’s great to see people discovering cruising for the first time 💃🏻 🕺🏻
I managed to get the July Garden Update up and ready! How are your gardens growing in July? Lots of weather events happening! We are away for vacation and I’m hoping the garden is in one piece when we get back home! 🙏🏼 I think we’ll be coming home to a LOT of overgrowth and huge harvests!🪴🌱🍅 🥔
We don't typically have the All Dressed Lays but I have occasionally seen them for some promotion or another. I grab a few bags then and when we go to Canada, I have to have them. The hubs is from Ontario and we go about every other year to visit family.
I always stock up and this is a year long process here. I do wish the prices here in our small city in the south east of Saskatchewan were like yours. Bananas here for example are $0.89 a pound and it has never varied for years.
I stock up to avoid shopping in the winter and take advantage of cheaper prices in the summer for many things here in Canada! There are so many different prices on items across the country! I wonder if you have any items that are cheaper for you there?
my favorite use for zucchini: CHOCOLATE ORANGE ZUCCHINI CAKE Favorite Recipes of the Sutton Families & Friends Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups flour (unsifted) 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 cup cocoa 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 3/4 cup soft butter 2 cups sugar 3 eggs 2 tsp. vanilla 2 tsp. grated orange rind 2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini 1/2 cup milk 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts Recipe instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, cocoa, baking, powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. With mixer beat together the butter and sugar until they are smoothly blended. Add the eggs; one at a time, beating well after each addition. With a spoon, stir in the vanilla, orange peel, and zucchini. Alternately stir dry ingredients and the milk into zucchini mixture, including the nuts as a last addition. Pour into a greased & floured 10 inch tube pan or Bundt pan. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Turn out on wire rack to cool thoroughly. Drizzle glaze over top. Cut into thin slices to serve. GLAZE: Mix together 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 Tbsp. milk and 1 tsp. vanilla; beat until smooth. You can also make in a couple loaf pan and it can be frozen
next time you find bananas on sale make this for your freezer - to take in the camper make in small containers: Banana Brunch Punch Serves: 3 qts. From the Kitchen of: Lorita Sutton Ingredients: 6 med. ripe banana 1 can (12 oz.) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed, 1 can (6 oz.) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed 1 can (46 oz.) pineapple juice 3 cups warm water, divided 2 cups sugar, divided 3 bottles (2 liters each) lemon-lime soda Recipe instructions: In blender or food processor, blend bananas, orange juice, lemonade until smooth. Remove half of the mixture and set aside. Add 1 1/2 cups of warm water and 1 cup sugar to mixture in blender; blend until smooth. Place in a large freezer container. Repeat with remaining banana mixture, water and sugar; add to container. Cover and freeze until solid. One hour before serving, take punch base out of freezer. Just before serving, place in a large punch bowl. Add pineapple juice and soda; stir until well blended. You can Garnish with orange slices & lemon slices if desired. Yield 16 to 20 servings. This is my favorite punch to use for a party or summer gathering!
Here in Missouri I can get groceries and usually an hour under depending on the quantity. It’s a larger grocery hall. It could take an hour or two and they highly suggest that we tip well. Our delivery services will not deliver. If you don’t tip your order will end up getting canceled and I’ve seen that happened to people a lot of times but here they expect tips and they expect good tips. Otherwise like I said a lot of times I’ve heard peoples orders getting canceled. I’ve been watching in the background and super sick but always here and watching and supporting your channel. You’re doing great Jessica 16:21
Hey there! Great to see you 🤗 Sorry to hear your feeling under the weather! I would certainly tip if it was a service that was separate from the grocery store. I’m used to it all being the same people doing it all and there is already a delivery fee included in the order. It’s just a different way they’re doing it compared to my usual grocery store that delivers. 🤷♀️ Thanks for all your thoughts! 🙏🏼
DoorDash ,in my experience, has been really, really bad. We ordered twice from them, and both times there were serious issues with the order (missing items, spilled food, damaged containers). One time I had to dispute the charge, because they only delivered 30% of the order. Never again. Loblaw's quality has declined dramatically as well, due to near 50% staff reduction, and low wages. I avoid their stores . Last time I went there, everything was very poorly maintained, expired products, broken fridges... Enjoying your videos as always.
Honestly, I’ve had the same experience when I tried Door Dash for a regular dinner delivery. Half the order was missing and it was the main meal items! They wouldn’t refund and said we’d have to take it up with the restaurant and were, frankly, pretty rude about it. I never used them again and I’m disappointed that Superstore is choosing them to deliver. It seems like Superstore is struggling lately…😒
We have 2 small freezers, and planned on eating one then refilling. Instead, sales were just too good to pass up, so we filled them both up. Our pantry is pretty good for staples. We prefer 'fresh fruits / vegs' so we haven't replenished the can / frozen ones. If rations ever came into effect, I think we'd be ok
That’s great! I find that if I have the space I do tend to just fill it up! It’s really time to sort and restock! I’ll be getting on it in September, for sure!
I have always stocked up because we live remote. I'm so glad that I am not alone after all. Also a well stocked pantry allows me to bless someone who may be having a hard time. Jessica, I am so glad that you shared your excitement over glass jar. Me too. I have never used delivered services because even service professionals have a hard time finding us, but my guess would be that you would not be able to redeem PC points, as this is an independent service
Thank you for your thoughts! Being more remote is a wonderful thing but doesn’t allow for delivery, of course. I didn’t use this delivery service, that’s just how the store is offering delivery service. I did order through the store’s online ordering site. I’ll have to delve a bit deeper I think 🧐
I did not. They are certainly hired by the grocery store to do deliveries not by me. I always tip my delivery drivers who bring me food but this was a new service I was unfamiliar with. The other grocery store I get deliveries from uses their own union paid workers.
My garden is behind this year but we’ve had lots of lettuce and radishes to eat. It’s was a cool spring here but the food is growing. I just took lots of frozen fruit out of the freezer and made about 6 months worth of jam/jelly for my family for the coming year. One more canning afternoon and I’ll have a years worth. A lot of the fruit I picked for free so it makes for affordable jam.
Yes, all the warmth loving veggies are behind but actually the cooler spring meant great harvests of lettuce and radishes! What a great job! It's such a great feeling to be stocked up! :D
A tip for your natural peanut butter- stir it when you buy it and then store it in your fridge. It won’t separate unless left out. Also natural peanut butter doesn’t contain any preservatives so it if best stored in the fridge. Just a tip so you don’t need to eat the bad for you stuff. Thanks for the great video, I just found your channel last week.
I've never had good experiences with doordash, was treated horrendously by one driver to the point of tears, refuse to use that service anymore. I'll stick with save on, their customer service is amazing.
I agree unfortunately. I used them once for meal delivery and it was horrible :( I was disappointed that Superstore is using them to do their deliveries for them!
I'm in US. I occasionally order from insta cart. It cost more and were taxed, and I always pay 20% tip.. the shoppers are mostly very good and attentive. Frugal and accommodating. Some times I'll add addition tip if they have great replacements or chat for exact likes. It does cost more than shopping in person, but saves me time and the wear n tear on my old body, as I'm on disability. Looks like you have an awesome haul.
Interesting! I've never tried Instacart. I don't mind tipping for that kind of service! One of the difficult things with getting deliveries is getting them to pick good produce!
You may eventually find it difficult to get a door dash delivery to your house if you live out of town and don't tip. Drivers are only paid a small amount per delivery, and they only have to take deliveries that they want to do. If they don't think a delivery is going to be profitable after accounting for the cost of gas, their time and wear and tear on their vehicles, they simply won't accept the delivery.
The grocery store has hired them to do the deliveries so I assume it works a bit differently. I appreciate that Save-On-Foods has hired their own workers (on union wages) to do their deliveries for them rather than contracting it out. I understand that would be true for meal deliveries and I always tip my people like pizza delivery drivers.
For me, a well stocked pantry includes food items that can be used to create well-balanced meals, even when hydro goes out. I stock pantry basics (baking supplies, rice, pasta, etc) that can be used in a variety of recipes, meat & protein alternatives (dried, canned and frozen), fruit & veg (dried, canned & frozen), and various convenience items that do not require cooking in the event there is no hydro. Since we have a well, water is a problem when hydro is out (pump needs hydro to work). So I also like keeping a good stock of bottled water. In the event I had to live off my pantry exclusively, I take comfort in knowing we can do so while still maintaining a healthy diet.
Yes! I tend to stock basics as well in the pantry. I don't buy too many premade foods unless I'm going to be heading out camping. I like I'm really low on canned fruit. I haven't been seeing too many sales on canned fruit. Aha I grew up on a well and it was always frustrating when the power went out (which it often did!) My parents almost never stocked up on any water! We did have a creek on the property but that was a haul to get water lol
I've heard that the Door Dash drivers need a tip if they are going to earn any money because their base pay is low. Don't know if it's true, though, for sure. Yes, stock up if you have the chance.
I would usually agree with you but I'm thinking it's a bit different because it wasn't actually me that hired them it was the grocery store. I would not use their service if I had chosen :( But now I know what the deal it. I wish that Superstore (like Save-On-Foods) would hire union paid workers to deliver their groceries!
I like to stock up on the basics. Rice, beans, pasta, tuna, tomato products, flour, sugar, spices, home canned meat, veg and fruit, and meats, nuts, fruit and veg for freezer. After watching your videos have also added dry coconut milk. I also prefer the Kraft natural crunchy peanut butter. What I need to improve on is water and medical supplies. My tiny garden is just ok. Cucumber beetles, rabbits, squirrels and birds sure do love it. And maybe an unknown neighbour's cat or small dog. Love your videos! Thanks for sharing!
Doordash stinks here in the states and the doordash app usually has a section you can tip and I only tip a 1$ maybe 3$ at Christmas time but we're paupers so we grocery hop different stores & deals using our city's disability bus and instacart sucks like they give you hidden fees like I had a 23$ dollar tree order and they charged us like 50$..and I never knew Kraft made peanut butter lol...but doordash normally pays drivers 20$ an hour where I live and that's good and im disabled so they're doing me a favor.. Oh picante sauce Jessica that's another type of Mexican sauce and it's big here and the difference is usually a little more cilantro and onion or more chopped peppers and it usually has a hint of lime but it's not that much different than salsa infact the Rotel you bought a while ago is basically a poor man's picante sauce but canned..and I always start stocking up for winter during the summer so I don't have to get out no more than I have to but I personally like Amazon for bulk things for my stock up..and I will get a big thing of knorr chicken bouillon powder it's like 5 pounds for 15$ and we can make tons of soup and chicken and dumplings with it I also buy the knorr beef bouillon powder and that's great for winter stock up and those sidekicks can be turned into different meals and casseroles and if you go back to America I highly recommend you check out dollar tree you can get a lot of goodies super cheap like cans of evaporated milk for 1.25 each and your beans and rice and snacks..but if you go to Walmart I suggest their powdered milk very good and very cheap and their canned pasta and veggies and if you get a chance to go to their bulk section you can get a giant can of peter pan like 5 pounds for 8$ but if you get a chance to try a winco you will be in hog and cheap skate heaven and if you get a chance to use a Albertsons take advantage of their 50% off bin if you get an electric meat grinder and a few briskets on sale you can quarter them out and make your own hamburger.. I would stock up on water and that knorr bullion and canned veggies like those pallet sales at Amazon but definitely beans and rice and cereals stock up on canned meat and beef jerky and corn bread mixes and nut mixes and nuts ...I got a huge flat of Heinz beans from England and they were cheaper than at the store I'm weird I'll get food from anywhere if it's on sale and what I don't eat I share with my family and others .. Hey Jessica if you want a good trick for helping your soil this is a common thing with the indigenous people here not sure about Canada but take a few fish carcasses or any kinda fish scraps and put it in your ground before you plant your seeds it's supposed to help and fertilize the soil ..and I don't think your weird for stocking up early I always stock up for winter in summer but it's not cause of paranoia more like I'm lazy and don't want to get out no more than I have to.. especially in winter cause it gets friggin cold here😂
I have tried Doordash before and decided I wouldn't use them for meal delivery like pizza. I was unaware that Superstore was using them for deliveries. I didn't order the groceries through their app. That's interesting to know about Instacart! There always seems to be hidden fees! :( I haven't bought too much food from Amazon. I'll have to check out what they have. We definitely need more cereal! Nut mixes are a great idea too because I'm all out of those. I also hate going out in the winter lol That's the reason I do the Panrty Challenge in January and February! :P
We are in Nova Scotia and we do a winter stock...it starts with buying bulk veggies from local farmers and tons of canning and some will go into cold storage ( just finished the last of last year's cabbages) btw our garden is trash this year,it's just too hot.....but our fruit and nut trees are thriving. You look fantastic ,nothing wrong with how you look at all.
Boy, is the garden ever crap this year! The weather has been all over the place and the plants just don't like it at all! Some things did really well in the cooler spring like lettuce but all my warmth loving crops are struggling! I have no fruit on the trees this year :(
@@twistedfrannie9311 our grapes are bearing heavily and we live in apple country where people are happy to give them away for applesauce and apple butter as well as, brace yourself, frozen apple pie filling. Peel corn slice eight apples. Mixed with cinnamon and sugar to taste. Put it all into a gallon Ziploc bag and shake. When you’re ready to bake pie, put in it in a tablespoon and a half of flour and pour it into your crust. Dot with butter. And if you decide you don’t want pie, you could always cook it into something else. Cobbler, stewed apples, whatever you like
Re natural PB: chuck it in the fridge after mixing it up and it won’t reseparate. Works even better if you mix it in a food processor I’ve heard, but ain’t nobody got time for that. 😂
I'm so glad you clarified they dont have their own delivery. It looks like in Vancouver they use instacart. I wont try this service now that I know the food wont be refrigerated for delivery. I eat gluten free and so most of my special items are sold frozen. Save On Foods is more $ but its worth the better service. I used to use Safeway and you have to shop in store then they pay a outside service to deliver it (I dont have a car and had chronic pain) and everything was always defrosted like it has been in a car for a hour
Instacart usually sends shoppers who have coolers to get orders that have a lot of cold items. If something arrives thawed, you let Instacart know and they usually refund the items.
I was disappointed that they don't have their own drivers! I don't use Doordash for anything as I haven't liked their service so I won't have picked that for my grocery delivery if I had known. I think that I will continue using their "pick up" service if I need easier groceries.