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It takes a lot to overwhelm me. Like most mothers I seem to be able to multi-task such as making lunches, signing school notes, answering emails, find missing school ties, wiping noses and navigating Thomas tracks all at the same time and before 7am. But recently I spent a few weeks in the United States and grocery shopping of all things over-whelmed me there. Not the actual shopping but the pre-planning that had to go into it!

In the doom and gloom of the US economy, I was confronted with more sales, flyers, promotions and desperate retailers that I didn’t know where to start. Each newspaper came packed with flyers for every store within a one hundred mile radius it seemed. The sale format that I found most frustration was the “20 items for $10” type. A great savings no doubt but you had about 50 different items to weed through to make up your 20. I watched many shoppers navigate the aisles, flyer (and jaw) clenched in hand, furiously punching away on a calculator, checking and rechecking which qualifying items they had and which ones they were missing. The funny thing was I’m sure they didn’t actually need half of the 20 items in the first place so ended up spending more money in the end! Add a grumpy tired child into the mix and you have a recipe for disaster.

One of the biggest requests from my clients these days is how to save money on their grocery bill and I assure them that there is an easier way than the exhausting process I saw happening to consumers in the US.

Here are a few tips for saving your hard earned food dollars:

· Take the time to make a weekly mental note of what is currently in your refrigerator, freezer and pantry. Use this information to build a weekly meal plan for at least 4 nights of the week.

· Compile a shopping list based on your weekly meal plan. Don’t forget about breakfast and lunches which can often be forgotten. Without planning for these you might end up using expensive drive throughs.

· Stick to your shopping list. It is a grocery stores job to entice you to spend money in their stores. If you go without a plan you are more likely to impulse buy items that a) you don’t need and b) are more expensive than what you might have otherwise purchased.

· Know how a grocery store displays products. Higher profit items are attractively displayed on the front and ends aisles. They are also located at hip to eye level on the shelves. Often the less expensive brands and lower profits (which doesn’t always mean lesser quality) are placed on the bottom or top shelf where your eye does not travel.

· Try to avoid prepackaged, ready made foods. As a parent I know the convenience of meals that you shake out of a box but I guarantee you that what you are saving on time, you are losing on dollars and nutrition. These foods are generally more expensive and contain high amounts of sodium, fat and sugar. More importantly you can’t really stretch them. A large whole chicken however can be turned into 2 or 3 meals; roast chicken one night, quesadillas the next and stock or soup.

· Take a look at the amount you are cooking for your family. You are probably throwing away small amounts each night. If you don’t have a good supply of leftover recipes then adjust your cooking portions to reflect what your family actual consumes on a daily basis.

· Watch the cash register when you are checking out. I have found a lot of cashiers don’t know all the different produce and end up checking them through as a different and often more expensive ones.

Grocery shopping shouldn’t be an overwhelming and stressful experience. Arm yourself with a bit of knowledge and you too can be a savvy shopper.

This week I popped out to Burlington to visit Sharon Caddy at CTStv’s Real Life to share with her my recipe for Chocolate Custard Eggs. A perfect treat for Easter that you can get the whole family involved with. While I was there I filmed another episode on great spring Side Dishes that would go with your Easter Ham, Turkey or Lamb. Check out http://www.reallifeoncts.com/ to find what channel it airs in your area and watch me at 3pm on Wed. April 8th & Thurs. April 9th prepare these recipes.

Also coming up this month I put my money where my mouth is and my wallet! After many tv segments where I’ve talked up setting your table from your local dollarstore, my producer, Beth at Real Life challenged me to walk into my local Dollarstore “blind” and film a segment on all the great finds not only for your table but for your kitchen too! So if you need to stretch your entertaining budget then check out Real Life weekdays at 3pm for great budget tips including my own for the kitchen and dining room.

Spring officially arrived on March 20th and I couldn’t be happier. After months of snow, sleet and cold winds it’s invigorating to get that first whiff of spring air. There’s something delicious about that clean outdoorsy fragrance that has me throwing back the curtains, cracking the windows open and letting me sniff to my hearts content; that is until my nose feels numb from the still chilly air and I quickly withdraw back into the warmth of the kitchen. I only wish I could bottle that scent and spritz it around my home. A chemist, I’m not so I will have to make do with trying to bring spring into my kitchen in different ways. We force bulbs and seedlings inside so why can’t I force Spring as well?

My first plan of action is to showcase what I call Living Art. Bringing flowers and plants indoors is a great way to cheer up a space. Big pitchers full of arrangements of different types of flowers put nature’s palette on display and in spring I especially love the look of baby blue with hydrangeas and cornflowers. If flowers aren’t your thing then pick up little pots of fresh herbs and place them on your windowsill. Mint is an excellent choice at this time of year as the scent and flavour is synonymous with spring. I find that if herbs are on display instead of hidden away in the refrigerator then I am more likely to use them on a regular basis. Doing double duty by freshening up your recipes and providing a welcoming view while doing the more mundane tasks like washing dishes or peeling potatoes makes potted herbs a wonderful addition to your spring kitchen.

Next on the list is my pantry. Each spring I haul everything out, give the shelves a good wipe down with plain old vinegar and water and breathe in the crisp clean smell of this natural cleaner. More wintry type spices such as cumin, paprika and curry powder get regulated a little farther back on the shelf and tarragon, dill and basil find themselves taking centre stage. It’s also a great time to check the freshness of all my spices by making sure they still have a strong aroma and replacing those that have lost their impact. Keeping your spices in well sealed glass jars and containers instead of plastic bags and out of direct light are beneficial in prolonging their life span.

Finally I stock my refrigerator with the best that spring has to offer. Foods like asparagus, radishes, peas, mint and spring lamb awaken my taste buds and have me thinking and craving light, breezy spring and summer recipes. Banishing the pot roasts and potatoes also give me a new sense of energy to get out and go for a walk after dinner to enjoy the extra hour of light at the end of the day.

So between fresh flowers, herbs, spices and tastes my kitchen awakens to the sights and aromas of spring. It’s like a brand new kitchen without the $100,000 price tag! So bring some freshness and sunshine into your home this season by doing more than just opening the windows.

Here’s a recipe that will help bring the flavours of spring to your palette.

Barbecued Shrimps with Snow Peas and Mint Salt
Serves 4
Preparation Time 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 minutes
Notes: Quick, bright and bursting with the fresh taste of mint, this recipe can be used as an appetizer or as a main meal when served with rice or a salad.

Ingredients:

· ½ cup fresh mint leaves
· 2 tablespoons sea salt flakes
· 1 kg medium green (raw) shrimps, peeled with tails intact
· 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
· 250g snow peas, trimmed
· Lemon wedges, to serve

1. To make the mint salt, place the mint and salt in the bowl of a small food processor and process until well combined. Set aside.
2. Heat a barbecue or heavy char-grill pan over high heat.
3. In two separate bowls, toss the shrimps with half of the oil and the snow peas with the remaining half of oil. Grill the shrimps and snow peas for 1-2 minutes per side or until cooked through and the snow peas are tender.
4. Serve the shrimps and snow peas together with the lemon wedges and mint salt as a condiment.