One of my weekly goals is to plan what we are going to eat in a way that lets us stick to a $50 a week household budget for food and any household products {including food and litter for the felines}, while still ensuring we have a minimum of 3 fruits, 3 veg and adequate carbs and protein each day. What I’m finding is that menu planning needs to be carefully done, because you can really make meals out of an incredible assortment of things in your cupboards, fridge and freezer, things in advance you may not think of as a meal, but when in a rush, perform perfectly well. I’m finding by allowing myself to think creatively with meals, we are saving money. So beginning this week I’m going to allow for two lunches a week to simply be “hodge-podge” meals. Last night I went a bit eclectic and instead of following what was planned to have, we enjoyed: squash dahl (delicious – here is the recipe!), sautéed cabbage, scrambled egg, 1/2 a tomato and pickles. Odd but the children loved it. This week we’re having:
Breakfasts
Scottish porridge with fruit, nuts and chocolate chips x 2
Cereal with fruit x 3
Muffins with cheese, fruit and nuts x 2
Lunches
Black bean and sweet potato salad, broccoli salad and fruit x 2
Carrot and Lentil soup with homemade muffins, fruit and veggie sticks x 2
Toasted bagels with cheese and veggie sticks dipped in hummus
Two eclectic mixes of what is in the cupboards and fridge (things like cheese and crackers with fruit, nuts, seeds, veggies etc.)
Dinners
Squash & chili soup – recipe here with salad and homemade bread
Lentil dahl with rice and grilled zucchini
Homemade fish and chips with peas and coleslaw
Vegetarian pasta carbonara with broccoli salad and peas
Carrot and lentil soup, homemade bread, cheese, tomato slices
Veggie roast with all the trimmings {brussel sprouts, roasted parsnips, roasted carrots}
Veggie stir fry with rice
And since today is baking day, in preparation for this week we’ll be baking bread and 2 different muffin recipes!
What are you eating this month?
I love making “payday pie” or “payday pasta”. When you’ve come to the end of your pay period and don’t want to shop until the check hits the bank, it’s fun to roast or sautée every single last vegetable bits and pieces and throw them on pasta. Or, if you have enough potatoes, put everything you have in a pie pan and cover with mashed potatoes and then bake. No matter how strange the assortment has been, it has always been tasty! (And your dals and stews and chilis would make great payday pie bases!)
I’m eating a lot of soup, vegetarian soups, and loving it. Sometimes they might have more beans than other times, but always a big mix of the vegetables I have bought. With a dash of Sriracha (sp?)sauce.
I am constantly amazed at your ability to stretch a dollar in the kitchen. Our grocery budget is extremely un-frugal. Part of that has to do with living with my inlaws and needing to virtually double every recipe. On the flip side, I am only responsible for providing supper every other week (we take turns, one week I cook, one week my mother in law cooks). But even on our off weeks I am still spending quite a bit on snacks and lunch stuff. I love to just throw together odds and ends for lunch. It stems from doing a dieting program a while ago where I counted “points” and would do an ounce of cheese, some crackers, a fruit, a veg, maybe a hard boiled egg. It is a great meal and much more satisfying, in my opinion, than a sandwich. We are all trying to eat better so we are having at least one veggie meal a week and about two fish. This is quite a divergence from our typical meat-startch-veg meals. While the fish is a bit more spendy, it does seem to even out with not buying the other meat. However we are quite picky about our fish so my husband usually stops at the fish market the day of and depending on market prices, it can vary quite a bit. But we are in Chicago – nary a fresh fish to be found!
I am finding that being flexible with what I consider a ‘meal’ helps greatly, as you say. Today I have just enjoyed lunch of leftover rice + spoonful of cannellini beans + 8 cherry tomatoes + chunk of feta + some watercress leaves. Much more interesting than a sandwich, and I can make endless permutations of lunch from leftovers!
I’m making a pot of split pea soup today and will be taking a bowl to a neighbor who enjoys it as much as I do. Soups are the mainstay of my plans in the winter, and my favorite go to fruit this time of year is a fresh apple.
It’s funny, I always think of you as Australian, so when you said winter in my head I said “no, its your summer” lol! Funny!
Your menus sound delicious and varied and so very healthy! I admire your planning skills. Ive been fighting an ambivalence to cooking since the New Year began. Having lots of soups and homemade pizzas.
Entirely off topic, but I noticed that there are free guided walks in the Rouge Park this month rougepark.com/hike. Don’t know if you’re anywhere near there, but sounded like the kind of thing that might be up your alley.
Thanks, Erin. Hoping to make it to your neck of the woods next summer. Would love to meet up!
I’m in Canada until mid-Feb, then back for June and July, then moving to northern Iraq.
So I hope it works for June or July!
You were on my mind for another reason though… I’ll send an email.
I’m right where you are – trying to get creative with what is considered a “meal”. This is much easier when my husband is traveling, as he is a little more structured than I am.
We’re having lots of soups at our house this month + biscuits!
Hawaii Planner. My closest friend in the UK {who was a flatmate for a year or so}is such a structured eater, your comment made me remember, even in the dead of summer she had to have meat, steamed veggies and a potato or rice. I’d be putting a bit of a mix of anything and everything on my plate. Used to drive her nuts if she was around.
I’m also a fan of “hodge-podge” meals
One of my favourites is a hard-boiled egg, a small baked potato topped with mustard, salsa or tomato relish, sauerkraut and salad (containing any combination of greens, tomato, blue cheese, cucumber, capsicum, red onion, herbs). Easy to prepare, delicious to eat and with very little washing up!
It’s very hot here this week (I live in Australia), so I am making things that require very little actual cooking, like stir-frys and salads.
Now that sounds yummy.
Hope you are safe from the fires.
I lost the link to your wonderful blog when dad filled my laptop with tea. In that short time I can see the changes. As you usual I am stunned by your commitment, drive and resourcefulness. As has been mentioned it is very hot is Australia but my parents still expect full on meals. My allergies do not help. This week it has been boiling bacon, white sauce and vegetables twice. I am trying to empty the freezer too as there is such a collection and our meals may well become eclectic for the rest of the week. I will stock take tonight as tomorrow is shopping day.
Best wishes for the adventures ahead. I admire anyone who homeschools. I was a teacher and I just could not do what a great homeschooling parent does day in day out. You make me so proud.
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