[Sca-cooks] Fair feast budget

[a5foil]

I figure my budget using grocery-store prices at the market where I usually
shop (which is not the cheapest one) using shelf prices rather than sale
prices. That way I know that if I get no deals at all, I will still come in
*at* budget.

I do make things from scratch ahead of time if I can, mostly because of
quality rather than price. I find that making bread is not that great a
savings, because I don't use el cheapo flour. On the other hand, chicken
stock is a *big* savings because the market stopped carrying the inexpensive
brand of organic canned stock. I either have to go with affordable but
ingredient-laden, expensive but tasty organic, or homemade. And chickens
are, yes, cheap.

Also if you fill people up with soup, they will eat less of your expensive
meat and still come away feeling satisfied, if not stuffed.

Cynara