This book was what I was looking for in terms of: plans for cooking multiple meals at the same time with the same base, foods that freeze well, and meals that are actually things I want to eat and not disgusting casseroles that should have died in the 80's, and suggestions for side dishes.

There are many meal components that are totally homemade and thus preservative free (making cream of celery instead of buying a can). There are also a substantial number of recipes that are naturally gluten free (a list is included in the book).

Living in Brazil, I still don't get access to the cost saving benefits of buying in bulk or buying meat on sale (meat never goes on sale here), buying pre-shredded cheese, Mexican food (have to make all my own salsas, there are zero green chiles, no soft taco shells, in fact my grocery store doesn't even carry hard shells, I pickle my own jalapeños that I buy at a specialty market), etc etc. All of this adds a considerable amount of prep time.

Another complaint I have is that a lot of the recipes ask that you grill the meat. Sorry, no grills in my apartment :( And no broiler either (not a thing in Brazil). Idk.

I picked up some good tips that I am going to try, so let's see....