This is based on a 1992 article/chart from "The Tightwad Gazette" by Amy Dacyczyn.

These prices are the lowest in my neighborhood (Boston area) on a weekly basis, including a few bargains at ethnic groceries and health food stores. They do not include sale prices or any marked-down goods I might find on the discount rack. Of course, I believe in stocking up when there IS a sale, but not everyone wants to have large amounts of butter, yeast or soy flour taking up space in the freezer. (Butter goes on sale maybe 3 times a year, where I live.)

Interesting note: I made my own first chart maybe less than a year after I read that article. The updated chart below showed me that a few things have doubled in price since then (oatmeal, margarine and shredded coconut) or tripled (white flour, cream of tartar, and raisins), but baking soda and salt haven't changed at all!

The Tightwad Gazette chart had: Price per pound, weight per cup, price per cup, price per tablespoon, and price per teaspoon. To save time, I'm only listing the price per cup or tablespoon (sometimes rounded up or down). Since prices change all the time, the main purpose is to allow you to compare made-from-scratch foods with each other - more later.

Why did I include powdered milk? While it's true that (in my area) an economy-sized box, which has 25.6 ounces and makes 2 gallons of liquid milk, costs $6.99 and therefore is more expensive than liquid skim milk ($2.59 per gallon), it's still sometimes NEEDED in baking (such as one granola recipe), it's useful in camping, and it can be used as a substitute for cream and condensed milk (with sugar, water and margarine). However, I only buy dented boxes of it from the discount rack. "The Tightwad Gazette," vol. 1, talks about its uses on pages 202-203 and 208-209. (I don't know which pages that would be in "The Complete Tightwad Gazette.") It takes 1/3 of a cup to make 1 cup liquid milk.

Baking powder 12 cents (Tb)
Baking soda 1.5 (Tb)
Brown sugar 33
Butter $1.50
Cocoa 7 (Tb)
Coconut 27
Cornmeal 43
Cornstarch 2 (Tb)
Cream of tartar 47 (Tb)
Honey $2.25
Liquid milk 16
Margarine 44
Molasses $1.20
Oatmeal 25
Powdered milk 4 (Tb)
Raisins 73
Salt 1
Soy flour 2 (Tb)
Vanilla 31 (Tb)
Vegetable oil: 17
Wheat flour 13
White flour 17
White sugar 25
Yeast 6 (Tb)



Lenona.

About eggs: One can substitute 1 heaping Tb. soy flour and 1 Tb. water for one or two eggs in baking. E.g., if you know of a muffin recipe that tends to have a crumbly result, using soy flour instead will likely make it more stable. I've used it in pancakes and bread and it was fine. (Do NOT use in cookies - or souffles or angel food cakes, of course! I suspect it wouldn't work with brownies either.)

More info:

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q...oy+flour+water


Also:

"Shelf Life (for soy flour): 5 to 7 months if properly stored, tightly
wrapped or tightly sealed plastic or glass containers. The refrigerator or
freezer are the best locations for storage."

In volume 1 of "The Tightwad Gazette," there was a chart about comparing
egg prices. Hint: In order for jumbo eggs to be a better deal than large
eggs, the jumbo eggs should not be more than about 35 cents higher than
the price of the large eggs. YMMV.

And four jumbo eggs are equal to five large eggs.

Here's a thread I started on that in 2009:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!to...ng/qmq6jjezv78


The following is also from a 1992 issue of the "Tightwad Gazette" - Amy was comparing the costs of different breakfasts. I left out the outdated prices, but the ranking probably hasn't changed much. I'm guessing the toast is not from homemade bread, offhand, since she used to buy half-price-off bread; the cold cereals are almost certainly bought with coupons.

From cheapest to most expensive:

2 oz. uncooked cornmeal
2 oz. bulk uncooked oatmeal
2 4-inch scratch pancakes
2 scratch muffins
2 4-inch scratch waffles
2 pieces of French toast
2 oatmeal raisin scones
2 2-inch squares cornbread
2 oz. store-brand oatmeal
2 4-inch Bisquick pancakes
1 egg and 1 slice of toast
2 oz. Quaker oatmeal
2 store-brand English muffins
2 oz. store-brand toasted oat cereal
2 oz. Cream of Wheat
2 Eggo waffles
2 oz. Captain Crunch
2 oz. Froot Loops
2 store-brand doughnuts
Carnation Instant Breakfast
2 4-inch pancakes from store batter
2 bakery-made cinnamon rolls
2 Pop Tarts
Great Starts microwaveable breakfast


Lenona.

> The following is also from a 1992 issue of the "Tightwad Gazette" - Amy was comparing the costs of different breakfasts.


She said, in the same article, that even in a busy family like hers, being well-organized helped them avoid convenience breakfast foods - one person can get a double batch of muffins in the oven in fewer than 20 minutes.

"Then, take your shower while they're baking. We always make extra and freeze the surplus for days when we don't even have time to make oatmeal.

"Most of our breakfasts cost 10 cents or fewer per serving. (That's 17 cents in 2014.) If a family of four chooses breakfasts that cost 10 cents per serving over breakfasts that cost 25 cents per serving, it will save $219 per year ($364.04 in 2014)."


Lenona.

wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> This is based on a 1992 article/chart from "The Tightwad Gazette" by
> Amy Dacyczyn.
>
> These prices are the lowest in my neighborhood (Boston area) on a
> weekly basis, including a few bargains at ethnic groceries and health
> food stores. They do not include sale prices or any marked-down goods
> I might find on the discount rack. Of course, I believe in stocking
> up when there IS a sale, but not everyone wants to have large amounts
> of butter, yeast or soy flour taking up space in the freezer. (Butter
> goes on sale maybe 3 times a year, where I live.)
>
> Interesting note: I made my own first chart maybe less than a year
> after I read that article. The updated chart below showed me that a
> few things have doubled in price since then (oatmeal, margarine and
> shredded coconut) or tripled (white flour, cream of tartar, and
> raisins), but baking soda and salt haven't changed at all!
>
> The Tightwad Gazette chart had: Price per pound, weight per cup,
> price per cup, price per tablespoon, and price per teaspoon. To save
> time, I'm only listing the price per cup or tablespoon (sometimes
> rounded up or down). Since prices change all the time, the main
> purpose is to allow you to compare made-from-scratch foods with each
> other - more later.
>
> Why did I include powdered milk? While it's true that (in my area) an
> economy-sized box, which has 25.6 ounces and makes 2 gallons of
> liquid milk, costs $6.99 and therefore is more expensive than liquid
> skim milk ($2.59 per gallon), it's still sometimes NEEDED in baking
> (such as one granola recipe), it's useful in camping, and it can be
> used as a substitute for cream and condensed milk (with sugar, water
> and margarine). However, I only buy dented boxes of it from the
> discount rack. "The Tightwad Gazette," vol. 1, talks about its uses
> on pages 202-203 and 208-209. (I don't know which pages that would be
> in "The Complete Tightwad Gazette.") It takes 1/3 of a cup to make 1
> cup liquid milk.
>
> Baking powder 12 cents (Tb)
> Baking soda 1.5 (Tb)
> Brown sugar 33
> Butter $1.50
> Cocoa 7 (Tb)
> Coconut 27
> Cornmeal 43
> Cornstarch 2 (Tb)
> Cream of tartar 47 (Tb)
> Honey $2.25
> Liquid milk 16
> Margarine 44
> Molasses $1.20
> Oatmeal 25
> Powdered milk 4 (Tb)
> Raisins 73
> Salt 1
> Soy flour 2 (Tb)
> Vanilla 31 (Tb)
> Vegetable oil: 17
> Wheat flour 13
> White flour 17
> White sugar 25
> Yeast 6 (Tb)
>
>
>
> Lenona.
>

Hi Leona,

What is the volume of the butter used there for calculation? Also the
flour is not clear on amount. Especially because wheat flour is
normally a little more locally than white.

--

> wrote in message
...
This is based on a 1992 article/chart from "The Tightwad Gazette" by Amy
Dacyczyn.

<snip>

This isn't relevant or even interesting. Why post it?

wrote in rec.food.cooking:

>
> > The following is also from a 1992 issue of the "Tightwad Gazette" -
> > Amy was comparing the costs of different breakfasts.
>
>
> She said, in the same article, that even in a busy family like hers,
> being well-organized helped them avoid convenience breakfast foods -
> one person can get a double batch of muffins in the oven in fewer
> than 20 minutes.
>
> "Then, take your shower while they're baking. We always make extra
> and freeze the surplus for days when we don't even have time to make
> oatmeal.
>
> "Most of our breakfasts cost 10 cents or fewer per serving. (That's
> 17 cents in 2014.) If a family of four chooses breakfasts that cost
> 10 cents per serving over breakfasts that cost 25 cents per serving,
> it will save $219 per year ($364.04 in 2014)."
>
>
> Lenona.

I'm with you. I agree the prices have gone up but in comparison, have
not shifted percentages really.

I ran a series of messages (some here, some elsewhere) a bit ago (last
2 months). I was trying to figure out how the hell I average 50$ a
week I today's prices per adult. This also includes side items like
toilet paper and such. That is 7.14 a day per person.

What I found is this:

1- we scratch cook (or close to it) most meals. THat one is too
obvious to miss as cheaper.

2- We get larger family packs and use a vacuum sealer in a chest
freezer. Some meats can drop as much as 3$lb that way but generally
savings is closer to 1$lb

3- I make almost all our bread products. The average 2lb loaf in a
bread machine costs 50cents, fancy ones can add to 1.35$. The offset
at the grocery is multiply by 4 at minimum if you want it made for you.
Generally the quality is lower as well at the store stuff.

4- We use coupons and sales wisely. The stores are not stupid. The
item that came out with a major coupon in the last weeks, is not going
to be on sale. The one that came out 6 weeks ago and is near
expiration, very well may be on sale. I was able for example to get
Johnsonville sausage at 47cents/lb with a coupon and a sale last trip
locally. You can't make your own for that price.

5- We are careful to not eat to much meat due to medical issues we have
(high cholestrol if not careful). This means we actually eat 4-6oz a
day each a day. All bets are off it it's a fresh fish though.
Inisting on 3 strips of bacon for breakfast, a 1/2 lb burger for lunch
and a 1/2 lb of steak for dinner doesnt exist here. We may do any of
those at any given time, but not every day or often.



--

Julie Bove wrote in rec.food.cooking:

>
> > wrote in message
> ... This
> is based on a 1992 article/chart from "The Tightwad Gazette" by Amy
> Dacyczyn.
>
> <snip>
>
> This isn't relevant or even interesting. Why post it?

Uh, what part of cooking and food is not relevant?

--

On 10/28/2015 6:57 PM, Julie Bove wrote:
>
> > wrote in message
> ...
> This is based on a 1992 article/chart from "The Tightwad Gazette" by Amy
> Dacyczyn.
>
> <snip>
>
> This isn't relevant or even interesting. Why post it?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^! ^^^^^^^^^^^!!

There goes that 'irony meter' off the charts again --- DING DING DING DING!!

Sky

--

================================
Kitchen Rule #1 - Use the timer!
Kitchen Rule #2 - Cook's choice!
================================

"cshenk" > wrote in message
...
> Julie Bove wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>
>>
>> > wrote in message
>> ... This
>> is based on a 1992 article/chart from "The Tightwad Gazette" by Amy
>> Dacyczyn.
>>
>> <snip>
>>
>> This isn't relevant or even interesting. Why post it?
>
> Uh, what part of cooking and food is not relevant?
>

The 1992 part.

In article >, cshenk1
@cox.net says...
>
> Julie Bove wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>
> >
> > > wrote in message
> > ... This
> > is based on a 1992 article/chart from "The Tightwad Gazette" by Amy
> > Dacyczyn.
> >
> > <snip>
> >
> > This isn't relevant or even interesting. Why post it?
>
> Uh, what part of cooking and food is not relevant?

It wasn't about her troll self or Boveworld, therefore it was
irrelevant to and of no interest to her.

Janet UK

In article >, says...
>
> "cshenk" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Julie Bove wrote in rec.food.cooking:
> >
> >>
> >> > wrote in message
> >> ... This
> >> is based on a 1992 article/chart from "The Tightwad Gazette" by Amy
> >> Dacyczyn.
> >>
> >> <snip>
> >>
> >> This isn't relevant or even interesting. Why post it?
> >
> > Uh, what part of cooking and food is not relevant?
> >
>
> The 1992 part.

and just how many times have you posted off topic screeds about your
long past experiences?

Janet UK

Janet wrote:
> In article >, says...
>>
>> "cshenk" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Julie Bove wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> > wrote in message
>>>> ... This
>>>> is based on a 1992 article/chart from "The Tightwad Gazette" by Amy
>>>> Dacyczyn.
>>>>
>>>> <snip>
>>>>
>>>> This isn't relevant or even interesting. Why post it?
>>>
>>> Uh, what part of cooking and food is not relevant?
>>>
>>
>> The 1992 part.
>
> and just how many times have you posted off topic screeds about your
> long past experiences?
>
> Janet UK
>
More bully biotch behavior - **** off.

Sky wrote:
>Julie Bove wrote:
>> <lenona wrote:
>>
>> This is based on a 1992 article/chart from "The Tightwad Gazette" by Amy
>> Dacyczyn.
>>
>> This isn't relevant or even interesting. Why post it?
>
>There goes that 'irony meter' off the charts again --- DING DING DING DING!!
>
>Sky

That would be the Bove Plumbum meter... Heavy Irony!

On Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at 6:21:10 PM UTC-4, cshenk wrote:

>
> What is the volume of the butter used there for calculation? Also the
> flour is not clear on amount. Especially because wheat flour is
> normally a little more locally than white.

OK, maybe I should have spelled it out a bit. Anything that does not say Tb
after it is a cupful.

I slipped up with the salt, of course - that's one cent per Tb.


Lenona.

On Thursday, October 29, 2015 at 1:23:39 AM UTC-4, Julie Bove wrote:

> >
>
> The 1992 part.

Did you really fail to notice that I said this is an UPDATED list? And that
raisins, for one, have roughly tripled in price? Therefore, they USED to be
about 24 cents a cup.

In other words, these are the CURRENT prices in my area - and you can create a similar chart to find out what the cheapest scratch breakfasts are to make.

wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> On Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at 6:21:10 PM UTC-4, cshenk wrote:
>
> >
> > What is the volume of the butter used there for calculation? Also
> > the flour is not clear on amount. Especially because wheat flour is
> > normally a little more locally than white.
>
> OK, maybe I should have spelled it out a bit. Anything that does not
> say Tb after it is a cupful.
>
> I slipped up with the salt, of course - that's one cent per Tb.
>
>
> Lenona.

Ok in that case, either I am seriously in a cheap grocery area of the
list seems to have wrong prices (even adjusting for time)

> Brown sugar 33

Costs a lot more per cup here

> Butter $1.50

Costs a lot less normally with even a basic sale.

> Wheat flour 13
> White flour 17

White is cheaper here.

> White sugar 25

Sugar is cheaper than white flour.

> Yeast 6 (Tb)

Might be close.

--

Julie Bove wrote in rec.food.cooking:

>
> "cshenk" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Julie Bove wrote in rec.food.cooking:
> >
> > >
> > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > This is based on a 1992 article/chart from "The Tightwad Gazette"
> > > by Amy Dacyczyn.
> > >
> > > <snip>
> > >
> > > This isn't relevant or even interesting. Why post it?
> >
> > Uh, what part of cooking and food is not relevant?
> >
>
> The 1992 part.

The prices presumably will be higher now. The interesting part is
where the match doesn't work.

Whole wheat has been more expensive for as long as I can premember when
compared to white and the sugar is more expensive than the white flour.
Could be sugar got cheaper now?



--

On Thursday, October 29, 2015 at 6:37:21 PM UTC-4, cshenk wrote:

>
> Ok in that case, either I am seriously in a cheap grocery area of the
> list seems to have wrong prices (even adjusting for time)

Well, the Boston area IS typically expensive...but I was shopping at Market
Basket (aka DeMoulas) which typically has the best prices around (except for
produce - I often go to Haymarket for that, but their fruits tend to rot
quickly).

Keep in mind, too, that honey weighs 12 oz. per cup, while some ingredients
weigh only 4 ounces per cup. Some liquids weigh 8 oz, but not all, as I
just pointed out.

BTW, there was a famous workers' strike in July 2014 when the much loved
executive Arthur T. DeMoulas was fired. It lasted till late August. It
also made me realize, to my horror, just how much time I would often waste
simply browsing there when I could easily have just stopped by the discount rack and one or two other spots and gone straight home. (My TV conked out
the same summer!)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeMoulas_Market_Basket


And the next time butter goes on sale for $2.50 a pound or less, you can
bet I'll stock up. (I doubt I'll ever see it for less than $2 again.)

Lenona.

On Thursday, October 29, 2015 at 4:49:39 PM UTC-4, wrote:
> On Thursday, October 29, 2015 at 1:23:39 AM UTC-4, Julie Bove wrote:
>
> > >
> >
> > The 1992 part.
>
> Did you really fail to notice that I said this is an UPDATED list? And that
> raisins, for one, have roughly tripled in price? Therefore, they USED to be
> about 24 cents a cup.
>
> In other words, these are the CURRENT prices in my area - and you can create a similar chart to find out what the cheapest scratch breakfasts are to make.

Hey - ya gotta remember - La Bove is a WRITER, not a READER.

wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> On Thursday, October 29, 2015 at 6:37:21 PM UTC-4, cshenk wrote:
>
> >
> > Ok in that case, either I am seriously in a cheap grocery area of
> > the list seems to have wrong prices (even adjusting for time)
>
> Well, the Boston area IS typically expensive...but I was shopping at
> Market Basket (aka DeMoulas) which typically has the best prices
> around (except for produce - I often go to Haymarket for that, but
> their fruits tend to rot quickly).
>
> Keep in mind, too, that honey weighs 12 oz. per cup, while some
> ingredients weigh only 4 ounces per cup. Some liquids weigh 8 oz, but
> not all, as I just pointed out.
>
> BTW, there was a famous workers' strike in July 2014 when the much
> loved executive Arthur T. DeMoulas was fired. It lasted till late
> August. It also made me realize, to my horror, just how much time I
> would often waste simply browsing there when I could easily have just
> stopped by the discount rack and one or two other spots and gone
> straight home. (My TV conked out the same summer!)
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeMoulas_Market_Basket
>
>
> And the next time butter goes on sale for $2.50 a pound or less, you
> can bet I'll stock up. (I doubt I'll ever see it for less than $2
> again.)
>
> Lenona.
>

THat could be part of it! On the prices, I went with volume measures.
2 sticks butter for example is 1 cup.

Grin, I am not messing with you, I find this interesting.

BJ's butter (not sale) is 1.89/lb. Half that for 1 cup. The regular
grocery has it every 3-4 weeks at 2lbs/4$. Basically 50cents a cup.
No, I am not talking margarine. Real butter.

On white flour, highest price here is 16cents a cup but whole wheat
will be 25 a cup or a bit more.



--

On Thursday, October 29, 2015 at 9:44:08 PM UTC-4, cshenk wrote:

>
> On white flour, highest price here is 16cents a cup but whole wheat
> will be 25 a cup or a bit more.

More info:

Price per POUND (mostly):

Baking powder $3.73
Baking soda .50
Brown sugar .75
Butter $2.99
Cocoa $4.58
Coconut $2.16
Cornmeal $1.15
Cornstarch .99
Cream of tartar $14.99
Honey $3.00
Liquid skim milk $2.59 (gallon, not lb!)
Margarine .88
Molasses $2.40 (per pint!)
Oatmeal .99
Powdered milk $4.37
Raisins $2.92
Salt .27
Soy flour $1.50 (at an Indian store)
Vanilla $9.99 (per pint - McCormick brand)
Vegetable oil: $5.32 (per gallon!)
Wheat flour .46
White flour .46
White sugar .50
Yeast $2.99 (at health food co-op)


Lenona.

And here are the weights per cup (no guarantee of accuracy, but most of
these come from "The Tightwad Gazette"):

In ounces:

Baking powder 8
Baking soda 8
Brown sugar 7
Butter 8
Cocoa 4
Coconut 2
Cornmeal 6
Cornstarch 5
Cream of tartar 8
Honey 12
Liquid skim milk 8
Margarine 8
Molasses 12
Oatmeal 4
Powdered milk 2.4
Raisins 4
Salt 10
Soy flour 4
Vanilla 6.75
Vegetable oil: 8
Wheat flour 4.5
White flour 6
White sugar 8
Yeast 5



Lenona.

"cshenk" > wrote in message
...
> wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>
>> On Thursday, October 29, 2015 at 6:37:21 PM UTC-4, cshenk wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > Ok in that case, either I am seriously in a cheap grocery area of
>> > the list seems to have wrong prices (even adjusting for time)
>>
>> Well, the Boston area IS typically expensive...but I was shopping at
>> Market Basket (aka DeMoulas) which typically has the best prices
>> around (except for produce - I often go to Haymarket for that, but
>> their fruits tend to rot quickly).
>>
>> Keep in mind, too, that honey weighs 12 oz. per cup, while some
>> ingredients weigh only 4 ounces per cup. Some liquids weigh 8 oz, but
>> not all, as I just pointed out.
>>
>> BTW, there was a famous workers' strike in July 2014 when the much
>> loved executive Arthur T. DeMoulas was fired. It lasted till late
>> August. It also made me realize, to my horror, just how much time I
>> would often waste simply browsing there when I could easily have just
>> stopped by the discount rack and one or two other spots and gone
>> straight home. (My TV conked out the same summer!)
>>
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeMoulas_Market_Basket
>>
>>
>> And the next time butter goes on sale for $2.50 a pound or less, you
>> can bet I'll stock up. (I doubt I'll ever see it for less than $2
>> again.)
>>
>> Lenona.
>>
>
> THat could be part of it! On the prices, I went with volume measures.
> 2 sticks butter for example is 1 cup.
>
> Grin, I am not messing with you, I find this interesting.
>
> BJ's butter (not sale) is 1.89/lb. Half that for 1 cup. The regular
> grocery has it every 3-4 weeks at 2lbs/4$. Basically 50cents a cup.
> No, I am not talking margarine. Real butter.
>
> On white flour, highest price here is 16cents a cup but whole wheat
> will be 25 a cup or a bit more.

All depends on where you buy it and in what quantity. If you are buying in
a standard grocery store, you'll pay more unless there is some kind of
special sale and then they might put a limit on what you can buy. If you go
to a store that sells in bulk or at least large quantities, you'll pay more.
Today at Winco, I saw bags of sugar as big as my bed pillow for just over
$16. But no matter to me as I use so little sugar these days it would take
me next to forever to use it up. Now back when I made tons of candy,
cookies and cakes, that amount might have lasted me a month. Maybe.

On Saturday, October 31, 2015 at 12:29:29 AM UTC-4, Julie Bove wrote:

> But no matter to me as I use so little sugar these days it would take
> me next to forever to use it up. Now back when I made tons of candy,
> cookies and cakes, that amount might have lasted me a month. Maybe.


There's nothing to stop you from asking (the appropriate) friends or neighbors
if they want to split the sugar/cost with you. You didn't say if the bag was 40
pounds or more for $16, but if it IS a lot more in weight, you just might save
money even if you GIVE some of the sugar away. As Amy Dacyczyn pointed out,
that's often very true when it comes to, say, a pound or two of yeast, which can also be stored in the freezer.


Lenona.

> There's nothing to stop you from asking (the appropriate) friends or neighbors
> if they want to split the sugar/cost with you.


And, as Amy D. pointed out in another article, titled "Mutual Mooching,"
working and pooling with your neighbors can be very beneficial. The first
example she gave was that of Vietnamese refugees, who arrived in the U.S.
with little or no money and didn't speak English. By pooling their time,
energy and resources, they adjusted relatively quickly.


Lenona.

Julie Bove wrote in rec.food.cooking:

>
> "cshenk" > wrote in message
> ...
> > wrote in rec.food.cooking:
> >
> > > On Thursday, October 29, 2015 at 6:37:21 PM UTC-4, cshenk wrote:
> > >
> > > >
> >>> Ok in that case, either I am seriously in a cheap grocery area of
> >>> the list seems to have wrong prices (even adjusting for time)
> > >
> > > Well, the Boston area IS typically expensive...but I was shopping
> > > at Market Basket (aka DeMoulas) which typically has the best
> > > prices around (except for produce - I often go to Haymarket for
> > > that, but their fruits tend to rot quickly).
> > >
> > > Keep in mind, too, that honey weighs 12 oz. per cup, while some
> > > ingredients weigh only 4 ounces per cup. Some liquids weigh 8 oz,
> > > but not all, as I just pointed out.
> > >
> > > BTW, there was a famous workers' strike in July 2014 when the much
> > > loved executive Arthur T. DeMoulas was fired. It lasted till late
> > > August. It also made me realize, to my horror, just how much time
> > > I would often waste simply browsing there when I could easily
> > > have just stopped by the discount rack and one or two other spots
> > > and gone straight home. (My TV conked out the same summer!)
> > >
> > > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeMoulas_Market_Basket
> > >
> > >
> > > And the next time butter goes on sale for $2.50 a pound or less,
> > > you can bet I'll stock up. (I doubt I'll ever see it for less
> > > than $2 again.)
> > >
> > > Lenona.
> > >
> >
> > THat could be part of it! On the prices, I went with volume
> > measures. 2 sticks butter for example is 1 cup.
> >
> > Grin, I am not messing with you, I find this interesting.
> >
> > BJ's butter (not sale) is 1.89/lb. Half that for 1 cup. The regular
> > grocery has it every 3-4 weeks at 2lbs/4$. Basically 50cents a cup.
> > No, I am not talking margarine. Real butter.
> >
> > On white flour, highest price here is 16cents a cup but whole wheat
> > will be 25 a cup or a bit more.
>
> All depends on where you buy it and in what quantity. If you are
> buying in a standard grocery store, you'll pay more unless there is
> some kind of special sale and then they might put a limit on what you
> can buy. If you go to a store that sells in bulk or at least large
> quantities, you'll pay more. Today at Winco, I saw bags of sugar as
> big as my bed pillow for just over $16. But no matter to me as I use
> so little sugar these days it would take me next to forever to use it
> up. Now back when I made tons of candy, cookies and cakes, that
> amount might have lasted me a month. Maybe.

Umm Julie, try again? The big box is 1.89lb. The regular store sale is
at best 2$lb

Thats local prices but they should translate even if a bit higher but
the same higher.

I know you have a chest freezer because you had to dump it after a
power outage. 3lbs of butter is about 5.60 here.



--

On Sat, 31 Oct 2015 08:44:37 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

>On Saturday, October 31, 2015 at 12:29:29 AM UTC-4, Julie Bove wrote:
>
>> But no matter to me as I use so little sugar these days it would take
>> me next to forever to use it up. Now back when I made tons of candy,
>> cookies and cakes, that amount might have lasted me a month. Maybe.
>
>
>There's nothing to stop you from asking (the appropriate) friends or neighbors
>if they want to split the sugar/cost with you. You didn't say if the bag was 40
>pounds or more for $16, but if it IS a lot more in weight, you just might save
>money even if you GIVE some of the sugar away. As Amy Dacyczyn pointed out,
>that's often very true when it comes to, say, a pound or two of yeast, which can also be stored in the freezer.

I used to bake a lot so I bought a 1 pound bag of yeast over a year
ago and put it in the freezer, I no longer bake much bread but that
yeast is still perfectly good.

On Friday, October 30, 2015 at 3:30:07 PM UTC-4, wrote:
> And here are the weights per cup (no guarantee of accuracy, but most of
> these come from "The Tightwad Gazette"):
>
> In ounces:
>
> Baking powder 8
> Baking soda 8
> Brown sugar 7
> Butter 8
> Cocoa 4
> Coconut 2
> Cornmeal 6
> Cornstarch 5
> Cream of tartar 8
> Honey 12
> Liquid skim milk 8
> Margarine 8
> Molasses 12
> Oatmeal 4
> Powdered milk 2.4
> Raisins 4
> Salt 10
> Soy flour 4
> Vanilla 6.75
> Vegetable oil: 8
> Wheat flour 4.5
> White flour 6
> White sugar 8
> Yeast 5


I forgot something that many people use - imitation vanilla.

Here, it often costs 1.25 for 8 fluid ounces. That's almost 8 cents per Tb - about a quarter of what real vanilla costs. (Unless you buy them on sale; then all bets are off.)

Anyway, I recently did the math on a baked granola recipe from "The Tightwad Gazette," vol. 1, and it came to about $1.40 per POUND. (Chances are any basic granola recipe is cheaper than buying it in bulk from your local health food co-op, never mind a supermarket where you can't buy in bulk.)


Lenona.