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We will need $30 of household items and dog food, reducing the food budget to a mere $74, or $37 per week. It is time for another list of meal prep, building off the goofy pantry, but also to deploy additional strategies. I've been trying to reduce my use of convenience foods and pre-made items, curbing my justification that some things could not be made cheaper or healthier from scratch, as my rationale. I can step up that game. For example, an ample size container of hummus, a lunch staple, is $1.99 at Aldi's. Not bad. Yet, a can of chick peas is only $ .59, and even once a little oil, cumin (which I learned makes a great substitute for expensive tahini), garlic, and lemon juice, I get the same or more for $1. Red beans and rice, another box item I'll buy because DH and DD2 actually love slices of leftover Italian or other bratwurst type sausages, fried up and cooked with the rice and beans, is $1.69, but the equivalent ingredients must be 1/2 that, and I can better control the sodium.
Meat is my real challenge, as I have little in the freezer. DH did stock up on canned tuna, though I try to limit to once per week. Tuna is used for DH or my lunches, too.Simple exchanges like ground turkey, which frozen, I can get for $1.99 instead of $3.49 frozen ground beef are easy enough to make. DH bought some hotdogs as well, while not the healthiest of meats (term used loosely), since we have a few more nice weather days, grilling them or roasting at the fire is an option. While I'm trying to reduce the carbs, DH and DD2 will also get plenty of pasta options, since one of his deals was pasta. I'll do some digging on some new recipes for beans and legumes with the pasta and hopefully score a few big eggplants for the farmers market or a farm stand. No one misses meat when I can make eggplant parmesan. I foresee at least two big batches of soup, one navy bean, which can be made for pennies a serving and portioned for lunches, and a corn chowder. I am fortunate that I do not have a die hard meat and potatoes family, still, beans will overstay their welcome if I over use. I'll post a new meal plan Sunday night and let you know how I did shopping for the week. If you have any ideas for can't miss, hearty and low cost meals, please comment and share. Happy and healthy eating everyone.
I always love a good pantry challenge, so if you are interested in ideas on what to do with your "interesting" purchases from last week, post & we can get creative with you.
ReplyDeleteOne tip I have from my own freezer stuff. (We bought a lot of "kid party food" for a pool party, and ended up having to cancel. Leaving me with taquitos, mini tacos, pizza rolls, etc). They aren't healthy & are pretty far outside what I'd normally feed everyone for dinner. Instead, I prepare a lean protein & a salad, and serve small portions as a side dish. That way, it minimizes health impact.
I'll do a mini summary of his haul, long with my shops this weekend. I feel pretty confident. There was actually a pound and 1/2 of chicken I didn't realize was in the freezer plus a bag of pre-made meatballs. If I pull this off, I might push myself to lower by another 5%,and push for $380 monthly budget, though at some point it will need work on averages so I can play the low price on larger quantity game, particularly on household items.
DeleteWell done on your grocery challenge. It isn't easy with OH also shopping is it (I used to average about 200 euros a week for food - ex went once and spent 500!!) But, I just cooked soup using up wrinkly potatoes, the last of the (skinned) tomatoes from the garden and pumpkin from the freezer. Through in the last of a tub of crème fraiche and thought I would die and go to heaven. It really feels like something for nothing doesn't it. I notice I have a small ham hock in the freezer too and split peas. I feel another soup coming on, along with a Dorset apple cake using up leftover frozen apples. Gosh, it's all or nothing with me as I haven't felt like cooking for ages! Good luck with lowering your bill even further - a fine challenge I feel. Anna
ReplyDeleteSoup is the end all be all of budget stretching. Delicious, hearty, comforting, gourmet...I'm gearing up for wanting to cook and have the freezer loaded with ready to heat items.
DeleteWhen you have a renegade shopper who doesn't understand your plan it gets hard on the budget but it is so nice to have someone to pitch in a help that it is worth the added expense.
ReplyDeleteI think nearly all of us could benefit from true scratch cooking both for our health and budgets___but!!!!!
All in all, he does find deals-I just end up needing to shop again to cook. I was pleased to find the meatballs and chicken.
DeleteHaving to make an unscheduled trip to my eldest son's in VA blew a hole in the meal plan and the food budget. Daughter got left home with lots of leftovers plus a hunk of ham she cooked so she won't go hungry. Trying to do some cooking here so Eldest doesn't take us out to eat too much.
ReplyDeleteHome Monday and back to the regular old boring planning. ;-)
I seem to be my own wrench in meal planning. I think having options, but not being locked in is helpful for me.
DeleteI just eat smaller portions of meat when meat is scarce. Somehow, I never think of beans as a good sub for meat. However, I have eaten several bowls of soup for a meal. I put nothing in beans, so I don't have spices or meat in them, not even salt or pepper.
ReplyDeleteIf I don't have meat cooked, I can always make tuna salad. With eggs in it, it has even more protein.
With my older daughter being vegetarian, we've regularly incorporated meatless meals, with beans being the protein. DH doesn't mind meatless meals on occasion.
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