So begins yet another chapter in my personal battle with the Division, Exclusion & Inequality practices that affect my shopping choices.
Skipping the entire 14th Amendment argument for equal protection under law…
The financial aspect: It will add about $10 a week or $520 a year to our Food expense.
That would then be balanced by no long needed an Instacart+ Membership so for 2024 that would be offset by $99. With careful shopping likely I can do better to reduce the financial aspect.
Personal Politics: ALDI will be the loser (however small a customer we may be) and to a lesser degree Food Lion & of course the very diverse and really nice people who shop and delivery for Instacart(doubt they will miss my membership)
Caveat Lector: Use at your own risk Prepared by Wheat using data from public resources – it has not been edited by anyone else and mistakes happen.
The model I currently own and use is the smallest, MBF-041 purchased in June 0f 2023. It makes only 1 and 1.5 lb loaves, although I routinely stretch the “Leaven Dough” to quantity more suitable to 2-3 lb loaves.
IF you see an error please let me know so it can be corrected. It has some seemingly unique menus and I will be adding more details about that to the post specific to the MBF-041. as time and energy allow.
Note: Amazon links in the chart below are affiliate links. If you make a purchase after following one of those links, I may receive a small commission. This does NOT increase your costs.
Your Model number (MBF-???) is often printed on the cover of your user manual and on a label on the bottom of your machine. KBS seems to be an appliance manufacturer located in Jinagmen Kangbashi China – in addition to its own KBS brand, based on the patent information, the models for which they hold patents, I suspect they have many other private label agreements beyond the MBF-??? models.
Note: Version of the MBF-013 do not seem to be offered on Amazon in the US (but may be found on Amazon in other countries.
Know Your Ingredients: Xylitol . . . Alert For Pets & People
Also found listed in ingredients as “Birch Sugar” Frankly if it is not safe for pets, I don’t want it in my house – Why? Because what if I use it and gift it to someone with a pet?
I first learned how to “break down a bird” from my father. That man had more “frugal food” ideas than anyone I have ever cooked with. Even today I still make “Saturday Soup” also know as Ice-Box Cleaning.
Nothing fowl about deboning – if it flies – the technique is the same. Turkey – Chicken – Duck – Patridge – Guinea Hen and is a necessary skill for Ballantine/Gallentine or just an evenly roasted bird.
Learning how to debone allows you can take advantage of “seasonal sales” or less expensive “cuts” like the “bone in half breast” offered in many stupid markets. Deboning means less space used in your freezer.
Don’t forget to save the parts you cut aware for basis on a rich poultry stock. Freeze a cup or two of “flat” with the meal sized portion and you have the basis of a flavorful sauce or gravy.
Tiplet: I keep two “chicken parts” container in the freezer. one for the tenders and the other for wing sections (tips go in the soup) When these “meal sized” are full, defrost for dinner for your family.
Tiplet: As with many proteins I break down from larger packages, it never hurts to do a bit of basic seasoning (just not salt)
Tiplet: If you are not ready to prepare the stock – flatten the bones as much as possible. in a container larger than needed. Add fresh vegetable past their peak but not spoiled. when Dark Vader (aka 8qt Ninja Foodi) is not otherwise occupied, remove from freezer and and make the stock, adding additional seasoning or “what ever” is needed.
Note: There are affiliate links which benefit me and with Instacart both of us.
We are a “shop local, think global” family and so always recommend shopping locally. However, our ‘regular’ grocery store may not have a particular ingredient and no one has time to drive all over the county to find it. Never speak with your favorite store manager. You would be amazed how often that works = particularly in today’s competitive environment.
Using one of my often hard to find ingredients: Bob’s Red Mill Vital Wheat Gluten
If you would like to search without giving up too much personal details, your first step will be to look up the street address of your nearest Post Office. plug in your zip code and copy the address
The following links includes codes which may, if you buy something benefit us both. If it just makes your life easier by helping support local business without gallivanting all over – that is fine with me too.
next go to Instacart https://www.instacart.com/?code=WCARR1801EE
You will need to supply an address, so be ready to paste the Post Office address for privacy or use your own “if you don’t care” then just use your own.
Once you save the address, to Instacart will display a search bar (and a list of various stores served in your area.
Type in the ingredient – for example “Vital Wheat Gluten” hit return and poof, InstaCart will show you the stores in your area have be listed Vital Wheat Gluten in their on line offerings.
If you are lucky, you will see your regular store. If not, well where’s your spirit of adventure, expand your shopping horizons – visit a new to you location.
You can then click on each listing to compare pricing.
If all else fails, there is always using a search engine like https://duckduckgo.com/ Duck Duck Go or Amazon https://amzn.to/48Bvm6N Where I have a list that includes ingredients always likely to be in my pantry. Caveat: Amazon, but that is increasingly the most expensive option. and quite often you need to look at more than one – the most expensive option is usually listed first.
FRUGAL TIPLET: Instacart has added so many stores, and individual arrangements varies quite a bit, for ingredients I always try to find those with “InStore Pricing” or, sometimes using the Retailer “dot com” may give you a better price.
Last but not least, I “threw this together” because of a question in several FB Bread machine group:- still needs work, so in you are not fluent in “speaking in Wheat” – your comments and questions are welcome.
