Last week was really weird. I barely left the house. On Monday I picked up 40 pounds of chicken from Zaycon and spent an entire afternoon and a good part of the next day cooking and processing the meat.
When The Girl Who Thinks She’s a Bird found out we were getting a boatload of chicken, she immediately requested a chicken pot pie. So instead of just making one for dinner, I went ahead and made four. 3 for the freezer and one for that evening.
If you are not into freezer meals, you should be. They make life a heck of a lot easier. Especially when you have teenagers and everyone is going in different directions all the time. Being able to grab a meal out of the freezer, or toss something in to the crock pot is a huge lifesaver if you ask me.
I’ll try and get a picture post up today or tomorrow and show you some of the meals we ate last week, but for now, here is what I purchased over the last 7 days.
Zaycon Chicken – $42.60
I had a few Zaycon credits so I was able to save a little money on a 40 pound box of chicken breasts. You can earn Zaycon credits 2 ways, by referring people or by helping out at a Zaycon event. Either way, I think it’s a great way to save.
Fred Meyer – $6.63
We had frozen peas in the freezer and canned gravy in the pantry so all I needed to make the pot pies was some corn and carrots. I found an awesome sweet potato recipe online and had these wild plans to make a gourmet dish but I just didn’t have the time to make it. Maybe next week.
Fred Meyer – $1.99
Mr. Produce Guy gave us a bunch of strawberries last week and I whipped up a batch of strawberry chipotle jam with some of them. I had everything on hand except the hot peppers.
Mr. Produce Guy – FREE
As you can see I hardly bought anything last week. We are officially out of milk, bread, butter, yogurt, potatoes, carrots, cheese, cereal, or anything else good as my kids would say.
I need to go grocery shopping BIG TIME. Sure, we have a bunch of chicken, elk and salmon in the freezer, as well as a bunch of strawberries, but we are pretty much out of everything else.
I’ve been so busy with my garden and concentrating on growing food rather than buying it that I’ve turned in to Old Mother Hubbard.
I guess it’s time to go shopping and fill the refrigerator and cupboards again.
Buying and growing food. What a chore.
~Mavis
Total Spent This Week $51.22
Total Spent This Year $647.55
Total Spent This Year on Garden Seeds/Supplies $781.98 {I bought a Meyer Lemon Tree, Rhubarb crowns, 6 Fruit Trees , 15 yards of soil}, Walla Walla Onions and 90 pounds of seed potatoes. Plus, supplies to make my own potting soil.
Robin says
Mavis, I am hoping you will share your experience with Zaycon chicken. I read mixed reviews online. I know it’s not organic but if the quality is good and fresh I may consider a 40lb box the next time it is available in my area. Those pot pies look scrumptious.
Maureen says
Can you please tell me more about your experience with Zaycon Foods?
Jules says
Ditto to the above. I’d like to hear more of your thoughts on Zaycon Foods and their chicken.
Jana Williamson says
I wanted to order the Zaycon chicken but got scared off, when their rep told me they used antibiotics. They could not guarantee the type of feed either. I really wanted to try it and if it came in smaller packages I would but 40 pounds of something that your not 100% sure of scared me off. Please do tell us more about it and what you truly think of it. We try to go organic, all natural as much as possible.
Heather m says
I don’t know which recipe you are going to try with your sweet potato, but there is one on food network by trisha yearwood called sweet potato soufflé that is yummiest!
Tanya says
I just processed my 3rd order of Zaycon chicken and it is delicious! It doesn’t have all the added salt of the stuff you buy frozen and it cooks up moist every time. We don’t normally shop organic, free range ect so to us it’s great chicken at a great price.
Delores says
I got my Zaycon order last weekend as well. I made pot pies as well! And a bunch of other stuff!!! 40 pounds is alot. I like Zaycon: the prices are good, they load it up into the car (I didn’t even get out of the car), and I would rather give them my money than Wally world. The chicken I ate was yummy.
Amy says
I am interested in learning more about Zaycon chicken as well. Can anyone tell me what the standard price is for their 4o pound box of chicken breasts.
Mavis says
This past time the chicken was $1.79 a pound. 🙂
Meredith C. says
Can you share your pot pie recipe, please? Thanks!
Tasha K. says
Looks delicious!
http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/2012/10/easy-chicken-recipes-chicken-pot-pie/
Christina M. says
Out of yogurt? No! have you tried making your own via the crockpot? Oh so easy and saves you tons of money!
Jamie says
I’m wondering if anyone’s helped at a Zaycon event and how it went. I’ve always hesitated to buy because it’s a lot of money all at once, but if I can earn some credits for helping that would work better for us.
Cynthia says
Jamie – I volunteered at the last Zaycon Chicken Event here in Gig Harbor. I even got to load the chicken into Mavis’ car, Hey Mavis! I received a $30 credit for what was supposed to be two hours, 11-1, but the truck didn’t show up until 11:40 and I was out of there at 1:00. My mom volunteered with me because they want two people and since my mom lives with me and doesn’t have an account they put the credit on mine. $60 credit for a little over an hour work, not bad.
Mavis says
Hi Cynthia! 🙂 $50 worth is free chicken is a rockin’ deal. It was nice to meet you. 🙂
Shay says
We also picked up our Zaycon order last week, it was the first time trying their chicken (or any product, for that matter)…it was amazing! The breasts are HUGE! They are butterflied and each side is approx. 1 pound…hence, we had 20 packages at 2 pounds each! Very little fat to trim and we just vacuum-packed them. I highly recommend Zaycon’s chicken!
LaToya says
How many freezers do you have, Miss Mavis? I have the one in the kitchen which is half of the refrigerator…and I have a tall one in the garage….and then a I guess it’s called a chest freezer out there too. Packed. I can’t even get cookies in there anymore. But I probably have a lot more processed crap than you do, but I know you make and freeze a lot. So I’m curious about how much freezer space you have up there…
Mavis says
2 freezers in the garage and a frig/freezer in the house. One of the garage freezers is empty and the other one is about half full.
Tom W. says
One of the produce guys at the market gave me 40 pounds of strawberries for free on Friday. My son and I ate a whole bunch, then we served most of them to the hungry and homeless at Food Not Bombs, and I’m dehydrating the rest. I got 8 pounds more today, plus a bunch of other surplus produce.
Shannon says
This was my first year ordering chicken from Zaycon. I thought I was being smart and ordered 80 lbs! OMG……….that is a lot of chicken!
I literally spent an entire day process that stuff! Canned some, put a LOT into freezer bags with different marinades for grilling later this Summer, made casseroles, chicken salad, and froze bags of cooked cubed meat.
But…….how great it feels to know we have all of that protein in the freezer.
I love your blog Mavis! We are very much alike……only I am stuck in California 🙁
Shannon
Kristy says
How do you freeze the pot pies and how do you stack them so they don’t get crushed?
Mavis says
I freeze them on cookie sheets after I wrap them then place them carefully place them in the freezer on top of other items. It’s kind of tricky but it works.
Angie Smith says
I would LOVE to see photos of your meals! I’ve been sitting here wondering what all this stuff translates into on your table. 🙂