Eh. I was somewhat disappointed with this book. The recipes, for the most part, really aren't all that cheap because many of them rely heavily on meat and canned/packaged foods. More-with-less (Herald Press) gives much more economical recipes built around truly inexpensive ingredients such as rice and dried lentils.
This book does have a few redeeming qualities, though. The recipes are probably quicker than those in More-with-less, and I suspect they would be more kid-friendly (I can't say for sure because I don't have kids.) Also, I use the recipes for homemade cleaning products.
Disappointed in this cookbook I thought I would enjoy reading this cookbook and get some ideas for saving money while making my family nutritious meals. After reading this cookbook, I am disappointed in it for the following reasons: (1) There is no nutritional information for the recipes presented. I want to make sure the recipes I cook are both economical and nutritional. (2) There is no cost per serving information for the recipes. Yes, I know that this number would not stay accurate over time because food pricing changes, but the author does have a chart in the front of the book telling you what you would save if you cut out certain high dollar food items from your pantry. So I think you should expect to see the cost per serving for the recipes presented. (3) The 1000 money saving tips were not as helpful as I thought they would be. For example, I did not like that the author recommended limiting your child to only one glass of Milk and one glass of juice per day. While that might be fine for older children, I think that younger ones need more milk throughout the day. I don't think you should cut back on nutrition to save money. (4) For a book advertised as a cookbook, I thought more information could be given about the recipes (see comments above). And chapters that weren't strictly about recipes should be eliminated. I did not find the gift basket chapter or how to make household cleaners chapter, or how to make your own beauty products chapter all that helpful. (5) As another reviewer pointed out there are many typographical errors in this book. It just seemed to be put together too quickly.
Overall, I think just buying a basic all around cookbook (such as betty crocker or Better homes and gardens family cookbook) and having the discipline to cook for your family instead of eating out would be more helpful to a family trying to save money than this book.
So-So The book is OK. The author sometimes repeats phrases and tips, and there are quite a few typos in the book. But it has some good tips and nice recipes.
Great cooks book and tips! I really like this cookbook. It gives alot of suggestions on how to save money and cook for less. I would give it 5 stars, but the reciepe's are not that great. They are okay, but not to die for if you know what I mean. I guess you can't have it all on a budget!
Very helpful, but not an end all. This book is full of wonderful ideas. My only complaint is in the recipes. Could be more variety and excitement.
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