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Rachal Mattiace

@mmmattiaceeats

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I am reading it all over FB groups and feel the need to encourage others to return to the basics of semi-homemade cooking. The cost of feeding a family, eating out or takeout, or picking up convenience meals isn’t affordable anymore.

You either pay in money or your time. When the budget is tight, and we’re paying for everyday life, my meal prep goes further, saving our family time and money.

Disclaimer: I have enjoyed saving money and challenging myself. If this doesn’t motivate you, these tips may not work.

Where to begin? The first three helped my family lay down a solid foundation of awareness. The rest, we adopted because we saw benefits in what we were managing as a family. As they say, “you manage what you monitor”.

1. Start with a realistic budget. Export your bank and credit card statements from the last 2-3 months and be honest about where your money is going.

2. What’s your income: fixed, variable, OT, etc? Write it all down.

3. What’s your debt situation? We try to follow Dave Ramsey’s 50/30/20.

4. We eat out 1-2x a month as a family, and it’s easy $80+, so we budget $200 a month to eat out.

5. I cook 80% of our food at home. Some things are semi-homemade, and some are from scratch. I am sensitive to many foods, so this made sense for me, and my family’s health is important to me.

6. Convenience food isn’t budget-friendly for our family. We strive for balance. Store-bought meatballs with homemade pasta sauce stretch our food further. Homemade bread in between store visits keeps us fed. The cost of frozen pizza has gone up to the point I can make homemade dough in bulk and make a month’s worth of pizzas for the cost of 2 store-bought or delivery pizzas.

7. I limit my grocery store visits. Why? It reminds me to use what we have, rotate often, and reduce food waste. I aim to go to the grocery store once every 3-6 weeks. We enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables when we can and keep our pantry, deep freezer, and overflow fridge stocked.

8. Invest in what matters. For me, it was worth investing in a deep freezer, an extra fridge, food storage (glass jars for canning, freezer containers, etc.), accurate inventory levels, and a meal plan.

👇 by @mmmattiaceeats

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a month ago

It’s Mother’s Day weekend. Here’s an easy way to double or triple a breakfast for today to give your future self a break.

My family loves homemade pancakes. Instead of standing and making a ton of pancakes on the stove or flipping on a griddle, this is a great way to make multiple batches of pancakes at once in the oven.

Prepare batter as usual. (I usually triple or 4x the amount.)

Line baking sheets with parchment paper in a preheated oven at 400F.

Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Bake, cut to perfection, and store in the fridge or freezer for later.

#homemade #homechef #mealprep #thank you #mom by @mmmattiaceeats

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3 months ago

When you make Mexican once a week, and you are tired of tacos, try fajitas! This is a quick and easy, semi-homemade style dinner idea.

Premade tortillas
Organic bell peppers sliced
Fajitas seasoning
Fresh lime juice
Leftover rice
Frozen @steak_umm
Optional: avocado and shredded cheese

Wash and slice bell peppers in a medium-high pan, spray with cooking oil, and add fajita seasoning until the desired texture is reached. Splash 1/2 - 1 lime juice as it cools.

Multi-burner: warm tortillas on one side and steak slices on the other.

Layer tortilla, rice, bell peppers, steak slices, avocado, and shredded cheese

Enjoy!

#tacotuesday #fajitas #semihomemade #30minutemeals #nomnom by @mmmattiaceeats

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4 months ago

In our house, we do semi-homemade because life is busy. My meatballs are store-bought, preservative-free, and I add my homemade pasta sauce.

That way, we can make meatball subs and spaghetti and meatballs and still have leftover sauce to freeze and use for another meal later. by @mmmattiaceeats

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4 months ago

Whenever my kids are feeling under the weather, all they crave is cheese and chocolate milk. To avoid battling their stubborn, germ-fighting bodies, I find it easier to hide the healthy ingredients in their favorite comfort foods.

This recipe is a modified version of the “Italian penicillin soup,” with extra cheese to turn it into a “homemade” boxed mac & cheese.

I make a big batch so I can freeze the leftovers and thaw the base whenever sickness strikes again, making mealtime a little easier. by @mmmattiaceeats

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6 months ago

When it comes to Cinnamon Toast Crunch, I mean, cinnamon biscuit squares, they're popular in my house, and when we suddenly ran out, I thought, why not try to make them at home? 😁

This is a family favorite snack for Mom, lunch for Dad when he's on nights, and an after-dinner snack for our son.

Making this was easy with the @ninjakitchen food processor attachment and the help of extra hands. The ingredients are all staple items, so no need to buy anything extra.

These were on the thicker side and tasted pretty good as a snack (without milk in a cereal bowl). I would try cutting the butter into smaller pieces or melting the butter to make this more crispy when the dough cools.

Have you made Cereal at home? by @mmmattiaceeats

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9 months ago

One week, my family goes through a bag of apples, cartons of berries, and more. Other weeks, the fruit is barely touched. During weeks like this, I freeze the soft fruit (before it molds) and collect enough to fill a freezer bag.

Once it's full, I put it in a stockpot and add enough water to cover the fruit. I simmer it on the stove for about 30 minutes or pressure cook it for 8-10 minutes. Let it cool completely before storing in containers.

I usually separate berries from the tropical fruits. My experience is that tropical fruits are more flavorful than others.

I add 1 tbsp of cane sugar for every 3 cups to add a hint of sweetness. (You can substitute honey.)

Did you know you can make homemade Gatorade? Repeat the above steps, adding coconut water and a pinch of salt for a homemade hydration boost.

I usually store the juice so the kids will drink it, and I turn my juice into Gatorade.

#homemade #food #easy #nowaste #fruitjuice #gatorade by @mmmattiaceeats

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9 months ago

Every four weeks, our life changes when Dad’s work schedule changes. We make the most of it by taking it slow. I catch up on stocking the freezer, and I take the kids on an adventure so dad can rest.

Today’s food request was a Ninja Turtle (meaty) and cheese pizza.

My thought process is that if I'm going to make two pizzas, why not triple this batch so I can bake today and freeze the rest? 👩‍🍳

I saw some chefs suggest having pizza dough rise in the fridge. I thought I’d try it and discovered it makes the dough softer and more pliable to work with. I’ll be doing it again.

#LEOFamily #LeoWife #food #foodlover #weekends #meal #pizza #homemade #personalchef #homechef #ilovefood #mealprepideas by @mmmattiaceeats

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9 months ago

When the air turns cool and your family needs fuel to start the day, nothing beats a warm bowl of porridge, also known as oatmeal.

I stopped buying those pre-made packets years ago because they tend to be loaded with sugar and offer only small servings.

With growing children and a husband who loves to eat, I find it so much better to make it from scratch.

Plus, it’s quicker and easier than you might think! Win, win. by @mmmattiaceeats

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9 months ago

My experience in the kitchen has always been a little different from other people's. As a kid, my mother often asked me to help mix or chop ingredients. She cared for our family, always making sure there was something homemade in the fridge—never worrying about our next meal.

Today, if I hear that someone needs a little extra help or has a special event coming up, I love to ask, “Would you like me to make or bring something?”

What was once an act of love and service has become something I enjoy doing without hesitation. If food were a love language, it would surely be mine. It’s how I show people they are truly special to me—whether they’re family, friends, or clients.

#mealprep #homemade #personalchef #food #homechef #cottagefoodbaker #ilovefood #nom #soup #fall #fallseason by @mmmattiaceeats

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9 months ago

Nothing fake or artificial here. My homemade bagels are made with ingredients you can pronounce and not feel guilty about. These are perfect for busy mornings.

Get your orders in tonight by 8 PM for this Saturday, August 23, for pickup or delivery.

Visit https://mmmattiaceeats.com/cottage-food-menu/ to place your order. by @mmmattiaceeats

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a year ago

Do you need a quick breakfast to help fuel your morning when you're short on time? Try my homemade trail mix, granola, or bagel.

Get your orders in by Thursday, August 21, at 8 PM for this Saturday, August 23, for pickup or delivery.

Visit https://mmmattiaceeats.com/cottage-food-menu/ to place your order. by @mmmattiaceeats

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a year ago