Feeding your family with healthy preservative free food in this economy is a challenge. Everything is going up in price. And living where I do in Canada we seem to pay more for everything.
I have a family of three. We all eat for two. My husband especially - that man can eat! Of course he's the skinniest of the bunch. Although my daughter can eat her fair share and she's a skinny thing too. No wonder I hate skinny gluttons. I'm surrounded by them. Again, I digress.
I've decided I'm going to do a 4 week challenge. Here are the rules I've set for myself.
I will cook only -
I may use items already in my fridge and freezer which will help until I get used to this budgeting. (I wish I had a garden)
This $150 does not include toiletries, alcohol (thank goodness - I'm gonna need some), pet food or other sundries.
Every Sunday I will withdraw $150 cash and put it in an envelope. That is my budget for the week. If I use it all up before the end of the week I will have to get creative with my cooking.
I will let you all know how the money was spent and the meal plan for the coming week. I will also let you know whether my meal plan was completely out to lunch (pardon the pun) and how I needed to tweak it.
Here's the plan for the next week -
Dinners for the week are:
Lunches are:
Not a very funny post I know. But give me a week, this could get hysterical, or I may become hysterical. One of the two I'm sure. I'm thinking when a cauliflower can cost me $5 to purchase this is maybe harder than I realize. What I don't want to do is set myself up to fail. Fingers crossed.
**********
UPDATE: The farmer's market is freakin' expensive! Two garlic was $2.50! I spent $12.50 for 4 carrots, 1 beet and 1/2 a bag of potatoes. What?!?! It took me forever to shop today, but I did it. I thought for sure I was over and was going to have to return a bunch of items and embarrass myself at the counter. Instead of chicken breasts we're having Chicken Thighs $9.90kg for free range. As I was running out of money I had to opt for some regular chicken - something I don't want to do - for the other meals (soba noodles and salads for lumch).
Money went like this -
$117.99 Save-on Foods
$ 20.00 Farmer's Market = potatoes, tomatoes, beet, carrots, green onions and 2 heads of garlic
$ 1.99 Soba Noodles
$139.98
I've got $10 to last me through the rest of the week. Next week will be tough as I will have no extra meat to grab from the freezer. Oh boy. Beans for dinner. But that's why it's a challenge right?
I have a family of three. We all eat for two. My husband especially - that man can eat! Of course he's the skinniest of the bunch. Although my daughter can eat her fair share and she's a skinny thing too. No wonder I hate skinny gluttons. I'm surrounded by them. Again, I digress.
I've decided I'm going to do a 4 week challenge. Here are the rules I've set for myself.
I will cook only -
- Preservative free Food
- Real food - no packages
- Organic (dirty dozen) fruits and veggies
- Locally grown produce whenever possible
- Naturally raised and grain fed meats and poultry whenever possible
- Free range eggs
- Organic dairy when possible
I may use items already in my fridge and freezer which will help until I get used to this budgeting. (I wish I had a garden)
This $150 does not include toiletries, alcohol (thank goodness - I'm gonna need some), pet food or other sundries.
Every Sunday I will withdraw $150 cash and put it in an envelope. That is my budget for the week. If I use it all up before the end of the week I will have to get creative with my cooking.
I will let you all know how the money was spent and the meal plan for the coming week. I will also let you know whether my meal plan was completely out to lunch (pardon the pun) and how I needed to tweak it.
Here's the plan for the next week -
Dinners for the week are:
- Red Lentil Curry, with Spinach and Homemade Naan Bread.
- Maple Pecan Chicken, with Brown Rice and Broccoli
- Spaghetti with meat sauce (ground beef from freezer), salad
- Greek Turkey Meatballs, with spicy sweet potato fries, cucumber & tomato slices
- Spicy Soba Noodles with Chicken in Peanut Sauce, Spinach
- Chick Pea Curry, Arugula, left over Naan Bread
- Roast Beef 'n gravy, roasted potatoes and Broccoli (Roast beef from freezer)
Lunches are:
- Tuna Sandwiches, mini carrots, fruit
- Fresh Tomato Soup, Natural Ham Sandwich, fruit
- Fresh Salad w/grilled chicken breast, homemade Ranch dressing, fruit
- Leftovers
- Eggs, 'fried' potato, grapefruit
- Oatmeal with berries or apple, flax seed, cinnamon and maple syrup
- Plain Yogurt, berries, honey, flax seed and cinnamon
- Whole Wheat Banana mini muffins (homemade)
- Homemade Hummus with veggies
- Homemade 'microwave' popcorn
- Fruit with Peanut Butter
Not a very funny post I know. But give me a week, this could get hysterical, or I may become hysterical. One of the two I'm sure. I'm thinking when a cauliflower can cost me $5 to purchase this is maybe harder than I realize. What I don't want to do is set myself up to fail. Fingers crossed.
**********
UPDATE: The farmer's market is freakin' expensive! Two garlic was $2.50! I spent $12.50 for 4 carrots, 1 beet and 1/2 a bag of potatoes. What?!?! It took me forever to shop today, but I did it. I thought for sure I was over and was going to have to return a bunch of items and embarrass myself at the counter. Instead of chicken breasts we're having Chicken Thighs $9.90kg for free range. As I was running out of money I had to opt for some regular chicken - something I don't want to do - for the other meals (soba noodles and salads for lumch).
Money went like this -
$117.99 Save-on Foods
$ 20.00 Farmer's Market = potatoes, tomatoes, beet, carrots, green onions and 2 heads of garlic
$ 1.99 Soba Noodles
$139.98
I've got $10 to last me through the rest of the week. Next week will be tough as I will have no extra meat to grab from the freezer. Oh boy. Beans for dinner. But that's why it's a challenge right?
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