Need More Acres
  • HOME
  • Contact
  • Resources
  • Farm to School
  • CFM
  • HOTEL INC
  • Farming, Culinary Arts, & Community Organizing for High Schoolers
  • CONSULTING

Real Food on a Budget

7/31/2011

0 Comments

 
Picture
I’m not sure about you but trying to teach myself how to cook, clean and manage a household all while balancing what this world has to offer is tough.  As I look back to my life before having a family I realize that I was much more prepared for the corporate world than the kitchen.  Over the past couple of years I’ve needed to dig in my heels and dive head first into the world of raising kids, living with food allergies, and living off the land all while maintaining a budget.  Let me share with you a few of the things I’ve learned along the way.

Many of the foods we were eating left us full and satisfied for a short period of time but we were hungry and snacking a lot in between meals.  By evaluating our diet we realized that the meals we expected to be ready in 60 seconds were high in saturated fat, sugars and salts.  Replacing those with foods that were nourishing and healthy for us actually decreased the amount of foods we were eating, we felt better and life became simpler.

Defining Real Food

Whole foods in their most natural state including fruits, vegetables, milk, whole grains, seafood, meats.

Natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup and all natural fruit juice.

Snacks like dried fruit, seeds, nuts, and popcorn

Beverages like water, milk, all natural juices, coffee & tea.


Those extras at the grocery store may seem like a good deal when priced individually.  But take into account what they add to your weekly budget and the fact that many kids will eat less of their “real” meals and you realize you aren’t really saving much.  Here is an example of what the extras used to cost us each week:

Juice Boxes, 2 Bags of Chips, Breakfast Bars (or energy bars), Fruit Snacks, 12 pack of Coke, 2 Cans of Condensed Soup, Frozen Pizza, Corn Dogs, and a box of cookies Total Cost:  $35 + (often much more)


Simplify Breakfast, Lunch & Snacks

The most important thing I did for our budget was to get control of our breakfast, lunch and snacks.  This is where I was seeing the most over consumption and waste of food for our family.  Walking the cereal aisle at the store proves that we are used to a wide variety of options for breakfast!  But the truth was that with a little self-control we were able to minimize our options at home and save time, money and waste.

Here is an example of a week’s groceries for the first two meals of the day, including snacks (for a family of 6).

Breakfast (Cereal, Oatmeal, Eggs, Smoothies)

Grocery list:  Coffee, Milk, Oatmeal, Cereal, Eggs, Orange Juice, Spinach, Bananas  $22

Lunch (Sandwiches, Wraps, Sliced Fruits/Vegetables)

Grocery list:  Sliced Bread, Wraps, Chicken, Beef, Sliced Cheese, Peanut Butter, Fruit $32

Snacks (fruits & vegetables, Protein “grab and go”)

Grocery list:  Apples, Oranges, Pears, Grapes, Peaches, Bananas, Carrots, Dried Fruit, Mixed Nuts, Hard Boiled Eggs, Peanut Butter $28

 

Managing Dinner

When you are buying in bulk, stocking up on in-season fruits and vegetables and learning to use what you have on hand you are able to save money through eating dinner at home more often.  Take into account that most families will only need a freshly prepared meal 3-4 days a week and that there is often leftovers!  I’m listing a few of our go-to meals that help us save time and money.

Italian Night-Start with a base of homemade spaghetti sauce (or a healthier store bought option) and expand to one of these:  Chicken or Eggplant Parmesan, Ground Beef Spaghetti, Sausage Spaghetti, Lasagna, or Pizza Night  $12

Crock-pot Meals-Start with a good cut of grass fed beef, chicken or pork.  Add a couple cups of chicken or beef broth and your favorite veggies like potatoes, green beans, carrots, and onions.  $10-15

Skillet Meals-Start with chicken, beef or sausage and add your favorite vegetables like squash, zucchini, peppers, and onions.  Cook on medium heat until tender.  Serve with tortillas, over pasta or over tortilla chips.  $12

Breakfast for Dinner:  Sausage or Bacon, Eggs, Fresh Veggies, and whole wheat pancakes $12

Total Grocery Budget $132 (Keep in my mind that this can be a lot less for those with fewer family members).

Make More with Less

Drink a glass of water and finish it with 1-2 oz. of juice (or your favorite beverage).

Use cooked lentils to make ground beef and sausage go further in chili, soups and burgers.

A hard-boiled egg, spoonful of peanut butter or slice of ham can tide hungry kids (or yourself) over until mealtime.

Buy in bulk, freeze or join a meal-sharing group.

Eat leftovers as often as you have them!

Grow a garden and learn how to cook and preserve fruits and vegetables for use in the winter.


Real Food Resources

Kentucky Proud recipes and food availability charts www.kyproud.com

Small Steps to Health & Wealth  Pick up this free publication from the Warren County Extension Office.

The Kentucky fresh Cookbook by Maggie Green 

Find local food through farmers markets, CSA’s & On-Farm Markets: www.marketmaker.com, www.localharvest.com


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Michelle Howell   

    Michelle is a wife,
    mother, farmer, writer and speaker passionately helping families overcome obstacles and find their best through healthier habits, better birth experiences and authentic connection within their present community.  She does this by speaking truth and shedding light on ways real people can work together to create change.

    Picture


    Food

    The Green Smoothie

    Five reasons to join a CSA

    Nourishing Farm Food

    Could a few dollars be keeping you from local food?

    The beautiful heirloom tomato

    Motherhood

    Faith in Childbirth

    Faith in Childbirth part2

    Inviting mama's to the table

    Attachment parenting for grown boys

    Farming

    Planting Seeds

    Does local have a future here in KY?

    Six things small-scale Kentucky farmers can do to create positive change

    Community

    Circle of Gifts

    Finding Common Ground {where real change happens}

    Finding Common Ground {revisited through a new perspective}

    When local is hard, but good

    Hope through Food & Community (BG)

    Holding space for community

    Womanhood

    A letter to my daughters

    Women's stuff & politics on a farm

    Find Your Passion

    Thoughts on being human

    Home

    100 Thing Challenge Part1
    100 Thing Challenge Part2

    Marriage

    Fighting the good fight on a family farm

    Making of a farmwife

    Justice

    My wholehearted response to concerns about that mom

    Going above my raising

    Breastfeeding is a social justice issue

    Archives

    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    July 2011
    May 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    August 2010
    January 2010

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.