Weekly Meal Deal: Labor Day Cookout on a Budget

I didn’t even realize it was a holiday weekend until I looked at the grocery store sales and saw all of the cookout food. Why is it that stores think we only grill on holidays? Oh well, makes a good sale for us to stock up on some great food.

If you are planning on having some friends over this weekend, it is a great time to do so frugally. This weeks meal deal isn’t so much a recipe, but frugal hosting ideas. I love switching things up a little.

I bought a large pack of ground beef from Winn Dixie. It is just $1.99/lb this week which is an amazing stock up price. We love hamburgers at our house, but I refuse to by the premade ones and spend $3+ a pound. I just make my own.

I get a large pack of meat like this one and just salt and pepper it. I have found with good fresh meat that is all you need for a good burger. My hubby likes to add onions. You can add any mix ins you want to make them your own.

I grab a handful of meat the size of a tangerine and form it into a patty. **TIP ALERT** Take your thumb and put a dent in the middle of the patty. When you grill the burger it will keep it’s shape and not get all fat in the middle! I just love that tip! Your burgers will come out looking like they belong in a restaurant every time!

Yes, my nails are blue. I had a 9 year old stylist do them for me.

Anyway, I usually turn the entire pack into patties. Cook the ones we will eat for that meal. Then, take the rest and wrap them individually in wax paper. Then place in a large freezer bag. They are so easy to pull out and defrost for a quick meal. That way I don’t have to worry about making patties again for a while. I am all about convenience.

So, this Labor day Party we are having….

Burgers
Hot Dogs
Corn on the Cob
Chips
Bush’s Baked Beans
Iced Tea
Paper Plates
And cheese for cheese burgers

One thing I can tell you, if you are going to have a get together, pick an easy menu. Something that doesn’t take a lot of time so that you (The Host/hostess) can spend time with your guests. Nobody wants to miss out on the party by spending the whole day in the kitchen!

Meal Deal

I am buying everything at Publix, except for the hamburger. I bought that at Winn-Dixie. I am sure that if you don’t have a Winn Dixie close by you will have another store that is having a deal on Ground Beef this weekend. So, here is my grocery list.

Thanks to I Heart Publix for this weeks matchups!

Labor Day Cookout Printable Shopping list

Ground Beef $1.99/lb (at Winn Dixie) 3lbs = $5.97

2 Ball Park Beef Franks Regular, Bunsize, Fat-Free, Singles, Grillmaster or cheese or Fat-Free Smoked White Turkey Franks, 12.8 to 16 oz pkg (Excluding Angus) BOGO $3.99
-$2/1 Facebook coupon (no longer available)
-FREE Sara Lee Buns (up to $2.00) with the purchase of 2 Ball Park Franks DND starts with 5 Tearpad
Use 2 of the Facebook Coupons and the Tearpad. Get 2 packs and buns free!

1 pack of Sara Lee Hamburger Buns Free after Coupon above

2 Lay’s Potato Chips, Assorted Varieties, 10.5 to 13.25-oz bag (Excluding Baked!, Light, and Natural) BOGO $3.99
-$2 OFF PRODUCE wyb any two (2) BAGS OF LAY’S Potato Chips (10 oz or larger) Tearpad
-$1/2 Lay’s Potato Chips, Any Flavors/Varieties, 10.5 Oz. Or Larger Tearpad
Use Both Coupons pay $2.99 for 2 chips and get $2 off your Produce!

2 Publix Deli Tea, 1 gal bot, BOGO $2.39

2 Packs Dixie Plates or Bowls, Assorted Varieties, 20 to 48-ct pkg, BOGO $2.99
-$1/2 Dixie or Dixie Ultra Paper Plates
-$1/1 Dixie or Vanity Fair Cups, Plate or Bowls 8/1/2010 Rite Aid Clip + Save Booklet (exp 12/31/2010)
Use two Rite Aid coupons with the $1/2 and get two for FREE!

2 Packs Kraft American Cheese Singles 12 oz, 2/$4
-$1/2 Kraft products: Kraft Singles, Kraft Natural Cheese, Kraft Parmesan Cheese, Philly Cream Cheese or Breakstone’s Sour Cream (any varieties) tearpad (exp 9/4/2010)
-$1/1 Ground Beef wyb any (2) Kraft Singles (regular, 2%, fat free, or singles select 10.7 oz or larger) – peelie found on kraft singles (exp 9/15/2010)
-$1/2 Kraft Singles Harveys coupon
-$1/1 Publix Bread wyb 1 Kraft Singles
-$5/5 Kraft Cheese Printable
Use $1/2 MFG & $1/2 Harveys Plus $1 off Bread WYB Kraft Singles. Pay $2 for 2 packs plus $1 off Bread!

2 cans Bush’s Best Baked Beans or Grillin’ 21 to 28 oz can, 3/$5
-$1/2 Bush’s Baked beans any variety 28 oz or Grillin beans 22 oz., dnd, Publix coupon – Toss 4 Cash (exp 9/30/2010)
You pay $1.16 per can

1 Publix Hot Dog or Hamburger Buns regular or seeded 13 oz, $.89
Great price on buns!

Tomatoes on the Vine, $1.49/lb.

Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers, Assorted Varieties, 12 oz bag, BOGO $2.39
-$.50/2 Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ frozen vegetables
-$1/2 Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ frozen vegetables
-$.50/2 Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ frozen vegetables
If your store doubles you will get each bag of veggies for 70¢