| Trying to feed your family while on a tight | | | | carrots. Snacks are usually fruit, carrots or |
| budget can be a time-consuming and difficult | | | | bread with peanut butter or goodies I've made |
| task, but it doesn't have to be. Eating on | | | | myself. After dinner we like to have a treat |
| the cheap doesn't mean giving up great taste | | | | of ice cream, so that is my family's splurge. |
| or things that you love, it just means | | | | You should make sure you plan a splurge into |
| planning ahead and using what you have. With | | | | your menu. |
| these simple tips you can feed your family | | | | |
| well on less than forty dollars a week. | | | | When I plan, I start with the things I have |
| | | | on hand and build around those. I also noted |
| First, make a list of all the foods your | | | | that chicken was on sale at the local grocery |
| family likes; include prepared dishes like | | | | store, so I bought a several pounds - again, |
| macaroni and cheese as well as single items | | | | some I will freeze and save, and the rest I |
| like ham. This will help you plan meals that | | | | will use this week. In the shopping list at |
| incorporate several of the same ingredients | | | | the bottom, I've only noted the amount of |
| without feeding your family the same dish | | | | chicken I used this week, not the total |
| over and over again. Add to the list things | | | | amount I purchased. I always try to take |
| you'd like to try. | | | | advantage of sales on meat. |
| | | | |
| Next, make a list of what you actually have | | | | To begin the week, I'll make simple grilled |
| on-hand, and make sure you note what you've | | | | chicken either on the grill or in a cast-iron |
| had forever that hasn't been eaten. If you | | | | skillet on the stove. Season this with |
| have a lot of junk food, you have a lot of | | | | garlic, butter and basil, and serve with a |
| empty calories that aren't feeding your | | | | side of rice and a simple tossed salad and |
| family very well and cost a lot of money. By | | | | some grapes. The salad will re-appear |
| noting what you have that hasn't been used, | | | | throughout the week, as will the grapes. I'll |
| you know what to avoid (if it was something | | | | make spaghetti with meat sauce for Tuesday |
| your family didn't like) or maybe you need to | | | | night. Using ΒΌ pound of hamburger I'll make |
| find a recipe that uses that item. For | | | | my own sauce from tomato paste and any |
| example, I had garbanzo beans that I had no | | | | seasonable veggies in my garden. I'll serve |
| idea what to do with. I found a simple recipe | | | | the spaghetti with steamed broccoli and |
| for hummus, a healthy middle-eastern dip that | | | | grapes or cantaloupe. While the sauce and |
| goes well with bread, crackers and even | | | | noodles are cooking, I will assemble |
| veggies, and my family loves it! I use it as | | | | Wednesday night's dinner, as it is a late day |
| a snack, or to serve with "salad" dinners on | | | | for me. Using my broccoli, cauliflower, |
| nights when it is too hot to cook. | | | | cheese, bacon bits, grapes, ranch dressing |
| | | | and left over chicken, I'll made a salad for |
| This will help you begin to build a basic | | | | the next night. The salad doesn't need to be |
| pantry, which can be a huge money-saving | | | | served with anything, but you could serve |
| tool. I always have shredded cheese (cheddar | | | | bread and butter. Thursday night I'll make |
| and mozzarella) frozen in week-sized | | | | chicken cacciatore using more of the pasta |
| packages, rice, bacon bits (which you can | | | | sauce from Tuesday and the green pepper. |
| home-make and freeze for later), ranch salad | | | | Serve this over rice and with the tossed |
| dressing, vinegar, cooking oil and basic | | | | salad and whatever fruit you like. Friday |
| spices (basil, garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, | | | | night is another busy one, so we eat |
| cinnamon, chili powder and dried onion) and | | | | left-overs this night. Saturday we'll have |
| condiments (ketchup, mustard, vinegar, | | | | the rest of the chicken over noodles in a |
| barbeque sauce and red cooking wine. You will | | | | sauce made of milk, flour, basil, garlic and |
| want to build a basic pantry around things | | | | butter with steamed broccoli. Sunday I'll use |
| you eat often and learn how to incorporate | | | | the rest of the hamburger to make a meatloaf |
| those things into your weekly planning. Do | | | | topped with more of my sauce made on Monday. |
| this slowly, as you do not want to stress | | | | |
| your budget. Many of these things can be | | | | Shopping List |
| bought in bulk and put into smaller packages | | | | |
| or you can grow your own in a small garden or | | | | 3 pounds of chicken $6.44 |
| several pots on a patio. | | | | |
| | | | 1 small can of tomato paste $ .56bag salad or |
| Once you know what you already have, sit down | | | | lettuce $2.23carrots $2.39green pepper $ |
| with a calendar and see what kind of time | | | | .75red seedless grapes $1.46cantaloupe $ |
| you'll have to prepare your meals. In | | | | .85bananas $ .88small head of broccoli |
| general, cooking things yourself will be less | | | | $1.15small head of cauliflower $1.23 |
| expensive than if you purchase pre-packaged | | | | |
| items. It is possible to incorporate some | | | | 1 pound hamburger (chuck) $2.76milk (2 |
| items like these into your budget, or you can | | | | gallons) $5.14wheat bread (2 loaves) $1.56 |
| cook double amounts and freeze portions for | | | | |
| quick, healthy home-cooked meals on a dime. | | | | Cereal $2.35 |
| Plan your meals according to the time you and | | | | |
| your family will have. Include in this | | | | Ice cream $4.67 |
| planning some time to make extras for days | | | | |
| when time will be tight. My children eat | | | | Total $33.56 |
| cereal, oatmeal or eggs and toast for | | | | |
| breakfast and drink milk (no juice!). For | | | | This article was written by Jacob Mabille, |
| lunches we eat left-overs or peanut butter | | | | sponsored by Health Guidance. |
| and jelly sandwiches with seasonal fruit or | | | | |