Genesis, the first book in the Old Testament of the Bible, details how God created man. And as importantly, how God supported man’s life with food, making this a sacred gift from our Creator. Without food, man and all life itself, could not survive. As the Bible lays it out in Genesis 1:29 and Psalm 23:20-21, food is a sacred, life-sustaining gift from God. And Jesus, the Son of God, exemplifies the importance of meals: shared with others, donated to the poor and hungry, and giving thanks as the meal starts. What all people—especially all Catholics—should grasp is that always being grateful for meals is an act of worshipping God.
In these modern times, home cooks surely notice that food prices in many ways have skyrocketed. Many shoppers do want to budget their food costs, and there are many inexpensive food basics, such as beans, potatoes, and seasonal vegetables, that can nourish the family members while maintaining budget food shopping. All shoppers should realize that budgeted eating is one way to be grateful to God for all He has given us. Budget eating underscores the Catholic commitment to living simply and using extra cash to feed the hungry elsewhere.
As shoppers write up their market list and are keeping an eye on budget shopping, they can take several steps to save money yet prepare tempting meals:
1. Plan the week’s menu: Planning meals and shopping with a list helps avoid impulse buys. Choose recipes with common ingredients that can be incorporated in different dishes. Pick the favorite protein such as chicken or beef, and cook the whole chicken or steak, and use pieces to fry with vegetables or stirred into cooked pasta.
2. Search online for delicious healthy recipes like soups and casseroles that are budget-friendly and easy meals to stretch. For example, make a large batch of vegetable soup or white bean chicken chili that can last throughout the week, or freeze the leftovers to have later. You’ll also spend less time in the kitchen than if you have to make a different meal every night.
3. Shop for store brands. Note that most grocery store chains display their own generic brand on market shelves, and these brands are less costly than their prime counterparts. Look for such store-brand items as canned vegetables and soups, ketchup, and even some frozen fruits and vegetables and baked goods. Buying these products could save shoppers up to 20% or 30%. Even buying dried foods such as beans and grains can cut back on the shopping bill.
4. Cut shopping costs by using coupons. As is noted online, possibly more than one billion shopping coupons are available and can really cut costs at the grocery store. Coupons are available online or printed in newspapers. A planned-out shopping list can make using coupons an easy budget help.
Polenta with Sausages and Artichoke Hearts
(Recipe credit: Alexandra Greeley, from Cooking with the Saints, Sophia Institute Press.)
This hearty, budget-friendly main course brings together delicious flavors and textures. Note that precooked polenta shaped as a tube is readily available at most markets or online.
Serves 4
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed
Four 2-ounce-round slices precooked polenta
One 14-ounce can sliced artichokes hearts, drained
1 medium-sized onion, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 medium-sized Italian sausages, sliced
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce, or more as needed
2 tablespoons chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, or more as desired
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese for garnish
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet and fry the polenta slices for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until the slices soften. Remove them from the skillet. Set aside.
Add the artichoke hearts, diced onion, diced red bell pepper, and garlic to the skillet, and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add more oil as needed. After the onion and red pepper soften, remove the vegetables from the skillet. Add and cook the sausage slices until browned.
Put the artichokes, onion, red bell pepper, garlic, and sausage slices into a large saucepan. Stir in the marinara sauce and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is hot throughout.
To serve, arrange a polenta slice on each plate, spoon the artichoke mixture over the polenta, and garnish with the shredded mozzarella. Serve hot.
