Large families on a budget-eating healthy?

[Quiver0f10]

We try to eat healthy, but I know we have a lot of room for improvement. How can I feed my family healthy and not go broke doing it?

[Excelsior! Academy]

Good question! One I am wondering about too. Grocery prices are rising by the minute!

 

The things I do you probably already do. Cook a chicken in the crockpot overnight, pick the bones for a meal, then add vege pieces and vinegar to the broth, simmer, and turn into stock. We use this stock as a base for soups, of course, but also for a base in Spanish rice and other savory things that need liquid.

 

Another thing to remember is you don't have to give everyone a full piece of fruit every time. Yes it is ideal, but even a 1/2 of a piece of fruit with lunch is preferable to none.

 

We try to use meat sparingly, while not being noticed by our carnivores. :)

Like using Sunday's roast in a vegetable beef soup on Monday.

 

I will be watching this thread as I still have a lot to learn in this area!

[Melissa in Australia]

My family is not as large as yours, but the price of food here in Australia is about double what it is in America.

What we do is grow our own food. We have a garden that is slightly larger than a tennis court, An orchard of well over 40 trees,and grow our own meat. We are also fortunate enough to live in a country where you can grow food year round, but we have extended hot dry periods and no water for the garden. we manage. we eat according to the seasons and eat a very healthy diet

[Koerarmoca]

I'm terrible at this lol. But we also went from 4 to 11 kids in the blink of an eye lol. I am learning so far I just add rice or noodles to almost ever meal to bulk it up.

 

I also regularly stalk "managers special" for bread and meat and then freeze them till we need it.

 

 

[AStableBeginning]

I am wondering the same thing. Hopefully I can learn a thing or two and start saving some money.

[Jennifer in MI]

I think I do pretty well. I have a family of 6. Three athletic teen boys (with the appetites to prove it!) and a little dd. It is important to me that we eat all organic: meats, eggs, and the dirty dozen.

 

I shop at five different stores.

 

1. Trader Joes. We get many of the dirty dozen veggies here: celery, carrots (not sure these are dirty dozen or just the cheapest here), tomatoes, apples. We also buy organic plain whole-fat yogurt, organic peanut butter, organic jelly, organic ketchup, organic cheeses.

 

2. Joe Randazzo's: a local fruit and veggie place. I get our "clean fifteen" here: oranges, grapefruit, etc, etc, etc. Whatever I can find. I usually spend $30/week here for a FULL cart of veggies/fruits.

 

3. Aldi. We get some snack foods here. Salsa, crackers. We also get frozen broccoli here. We usually spend about $15/week here.

 

4. Meat store. This is not an organic place. But, they sell Amish raised, no horomones, antibiotics, free range, grass fed meats. I spend about $25/week here.

 

5. Sam's Club - We get Ziploc Bags, Tunafish, Toilet paper, and foil here. Add another $5/week.

 

I get our eggs and milk delivered. Eggs cost $18/week (6 dozen at $3/dozen). Milk is $8/week (one gallon) - not organic, but a local dairy that I trust.

 

I get grains/beans from a food coop. Ends up costing us $20/week on average, I think.

 

We never have meat as our main food. Here is our menu for the week.

 

1. Sausage, squash, carmelized onions, and rice. Everyone loved it!

2. Flank steak stir fry with rice. Steamed broccoli. salad.

3. Tacos - cheese, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, cheese, avacado, salsa, meat (1 pound)

4. Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad, steamed veggies.

5. Pizza (homemade crust and sauce)

6. Black Beans with rice/salsa/onions/mushrooms/cheese, etc

7. BLTs (homemade bread), HUGE salad, steamed veggies

 

Next week, we'll have our chicken week! We roast a couple chickens. Meat the first night. CHicken salad the second (with cut up carrots, celery, onions, grapes, apples etc). Split pea soup the third.

 

My kids often joke that we don't have food, we have ingredients!! I guess it's true.

[Guest]

I'm terrible at this lol. But we also went from 4 to 11 kids in the blink of an eye lol. I am learning so far I just add rice or noodles to almost ever meal to bulk it up.

 

I also regularly stalk "managers special" for bread and meat and then freeze them till we need it.

 

This has been one of the biggest things that we do. One of the local grocery stores regularly marks down meat, and the meat dept guy let me know the best time of day to check. In this store, it happens to be around late morning, when most people are at work or school. I am just getting off work at that time, so I tend to check a few times a week around noon. He knows I am on a tight budget, and will let me know if he is getting ready to mark something down. Last week when he saw me, he let me know he was marking ground chicken down to 99 cents a lb. We grabbed all 20 pkgs. :) You would be amazed at how many dishes you can make with ground chicken if you look hard enough.

 

We also don't do breakfast cereals. It is eggs, french toast, pancakes, muffins, etc for breakfast in our house. We buy boxed pancake mix, and can get 3 boxes for the price of one box of cereal. I'm sure it would be cheaper if we did homemade. The kids will add their own goodies to it...blueberries being the favorite. I have also taught my kids to look at unit prices. One might think something is a good deal until they see what it comes out to per ounce or pound. We try to do enough at dinner meals that we have leftovers for lunch the next day. Chicken and noodles can be made easily with cheaper dark meat. Chili isn't bad if you like more beany than meaty chili.

[Jennifer in MI]

Oh yes! Breakfasts! I forgot. We eat eggs, potatoes, oatmeal (one ds puts in peanut butter to beef it up), and toast (homemade). The eggs are made with spinach, tomatoes, cheese, asparagus, mushrooms, etc. Yummy!!! Keeps us full until lunch. (Well, keeps a couple of us full!!!)

 

Snacks include: yogurt with honey (we get honey from a local farmer), pb and j, tuna, leftovers (ha!), popcorn (I buy it in 50 pound bags from our food coop and cook it in cocount oil), fresh veggies dipped in hummus (homemade).

 

Lunches are usually leftovers. If we don't have leftovers, I make grilled cheese.

[AStableBeginning]

I think I do pretty well. I have a family of 6. Three athletic teen boys (with the appetites to prove it!) and a little dd. It is important to me that we eat all organic: meats, eggs, and the dirty dozen.

 

I shop at five different stores.

 

1. Trader Joes. We get many of the dirty dozen veggies here: celery, carrots (not sure these are dirty dozen or just the cheapest here), tomatoes, apples. We also buy organic plain whole-fat yogurt, organic peanut butter, organic jelly, organic ketchup, organic cheeses.

 

2. Joe Randazzo's: a local fruit and veggie place. I get our "clean fifteen" here: oranges, grapefruit, etc, etc, etc. Whatever I can find. I usually spend $30/week here for a FULL cart of veggies/fruits.

 

3. Aldi. We get some snack foods here. Salsa, crackers. We also get frozen broccoli here. We usually spend about $15/week here.

 

4. Meat store. This is not an organic place. But, they sell Amish raised, no horomones, antibiotics, free range, grass fed meats. I spend about $25/week here.

 

5. Sam's Club - We get Ziploc Bags, Tunafish, Toilet paper, and foil here. Add another $5/week.

 

I get our eggs and milk delivered. Eggs cost $18/week (6 dozen at $3/dozen). Milk is $8/week (one gallon) - not organic, but a local dairy that I trust.

 

I get grains/beans from a food coop. Ends up costing us $20/week on average, I think.

 

We never have meat as our main food. Here is our menu for the week.

 

1. Sausage, squash, carmelized onions, and rice. Everyone loved it!

2. Flank steak stir fry with rice. Steamed broccoli. salad.

3. Tacos - cheese, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, cheese, avacado, salsa, meat (1 pound)

4. Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad, steamed veggies.

5. Pizza (homemade crust and sauce)

6. Black Beans with rice/salsa/onions/mushrooms/cheese, etc

7. BLTs (homemade bread), HUGE salad, steamed veggies

 

Next week, we'll have our chicken week! We roast a couple chickens. Meat the first night. CHicken salad the second (with cut up carrots, celery, onions, grapes, apples etc). Split pea soup the third.

 

My kids often joke that we don't have food, we have ingredients!! I guess it's true.

 

 

Can I ask how you are getting the items in #5 for just $5/week?

[Audrey]

:bigear: hope you don't mind if I listen in. I need grocery/budget help even though I only have 1 kiddo (does it count if he eats like 5 kids?) :)

[butterflymommy]

I'm being battered by grocery prices too. I make everything from scratch now (I used to buy a few convenience things) and I already buy at remainder/ discount type places (think a few steps below walmart) for about half our groceries. The rest that I can't get elsewhere or cheaper, I get at a regular supermarket.

 

My husband & I eat much healthier than the kids. We eat lots of rice, beans, homemade breads often stuffed with spinach or broccoli, fresh fruit, veggies. Thankfully I can get fruit very cheap at the ethnic shops.

 

We are also big fruit juice drinkers. I know some don't consider this healthy but I think it's ok as long as it's not sweetened. So we buy OJ and apple juice, sometimes cranberry and grape juice if I can get it on sale. We never drink soda and almost never alcohol.

 

The kids eat potatoes, chicken, pancakes, fresh fruit but they're not into veggies, lots of homemade pizza.

 

I'm pretty lax with dessert but again it's always from scratch. Usually oatmeal cookies, brownies, chocolate chip cookies.

 

Generally I try to think of the cheapest foods within each food group. So for fruit-- that's usually bagged apples and bananas. Veggies-- carrots, frozen greens, romaine or broccoli on sale, bagged potatoes or yams. Protein-- beans, eggs, natural peanut butter, and chicken quarters. Dairy is always pretty expensive but we buy generic cheese bars and wholesale shredded mozzarella. Grains-- 50 lb bags flour ($20 wholesale) and bulk rice and generic "old fashioned" oats.

 

I always buy generic and never buy organic.

 

Anyway, HTH!! It is tough. Prices are just going up, up, up.

[besroma]

I make my weekly menu from grocery store sales flyers. I buy several bags of whatever fruit is on sale, which saves us quite a bit.

 

I purchase large packages of ground beef, cook some in a dish, cook some to freeze, and freeze some raw.

 

We save a tremendous amount of money grinding our own wheat and making our own bread.

 

We buy oats, molasses, honey, etc. in bulk from a local co-op.

 

We make all of our own desserts, and do not eat desserts after every meal.

 

We eat pancakes, waffles, eggs, or oatmeal for breakfast. We do not buy breakfast cereal.

 

We do buy Rice Krispies as an ingredient for homemade protein bars and granola bars.

 

We drink milk, water, and tea (green, black, oolong, herbal purchased in bulk).

 

I keep bananas on the counter and boiled eggs in the refrigerator for snacks when the kids get hungry outside of meal time or snack time.

 

We eat something before we leave the house, or take snacks with us to keep from eating fast food. I keep nuts and peanut butter crackers in the car most of the time.

 

We feed a family of eight this way.

[Jennifer in MI]

Can I ask how you are getting the items in #5 for just $5/week?

 

 

Well, given that $5/week is over $150/year. We just don't spend that much on those things at Sam's!! The things we buy there are a lot cheaper there. But we don't go often.

 

We tend to use glass storage instead of ziploc. Tuna? We buy rarely. I don't know. The four things we get there, we use rarely.

[Jennifer in MI]

Can I ask how you are getting the items in #5 for just $5/week?

 

 

Well, given that $5/week is over $150/year. We just don't spend that much on those things at Sam's!! The things we buy there are a lot cheaper there. But we don't go often.

 

We tend to use glass storage instead of ziploc. Tuna? We buy rarely. I don't know. The four things we get there, we use rarely.

[Koerarmoca]

If I could break away from cereal I would. However with 7 kids in 5 different public schools all leaving at different times it impossible to fix breakfast. They grew up on it and its a habit I have not been able to break. Once in awhile I can get 1/2 of them on oatmeal. My 4 however do like pancakes, muffins or a smoothie.

[Ali in OR]

 

We do buy Rice Krispies as an ingredient for homemade protein bars and granola bars.

 

 

 

 

Recipes please??

[Excelsior! Academy]

Breakfast here is muesli or spinach omlettes. Healthy and cheap.

[busymama7]

Oh yes! Breakfasts! I forgot. We eat eggs, potatoes, oatmeal (one ds puts in peanut butter to beef it up), and toast (homemade). The eggs are made with spinach, tomatoes, cheese, asparagus, mushrooms, etc. Yummy!!! Keeps us full until lunch. (Well, keeps a couple of

 

All of this on the same day? How do you cook potatoes(hashbrowns?) for a crowd easily and quickly. We LOVE hasbrowns but I haven't figured out how to make them for all of us quickly even using frozen. At my count that is a minimum of three pans on the stove, right? Do you have a system you can share to make all that?

 

I am really really floundering with food purchasing and preparing right now. I have 8 kids 16 and down but the littlest is breastfed. I hope this thread gives me some ideas.

[Joyofsixreboot]

I do all the things the ladies have discussed too. It's alot of what I don't do that saves $$$. We don't buy cereal. Period. (they have hm granola, toast, eggs or leftovers or in the case of my 5 yo pbj every morning). Sometimes as a treat for a birthday or holiday I buy cereal but that's it. I don't buy chips. I don't buy juice (too much sugar). I don't buy

individual sized packages. I don't buy sweets. No pop. I shop markdowns like a mad woman. I found out when they mark down the meat and veg and that's when I show up. I buy the other food at Aldi. We use frozen vegetables and fruit often. Still healthy as out of season " fresh" shipped from Chile in my opinion. I do have to cook alot. I make granola, cook up large batches of brow rice, barley, etc and freeze so it'll be ready for dinner quickly. I make soups ahead too. My kids' list of snacks is 1 piece of fruit ( they would eat the whole bag), air popped popcorn, whole grain toast w/nut butter, raw veggies w/hummus. If none of that appeals they aren't hungry enough IMHO. This week's meal plan is:

Pepper steak(lots more peppers and onions than steak) over brown rice, broccoli, orange slices(dessert)

Black bean and quinoa chili(I've used brown rice or barley too), hm cornbread, grapes (sale item)

Vegetarian ww pasta, salad (sale again), green beans, frozen strawberries

Pork roast(sale), roasted sweet potatoes(bought a ton at Easter on sale) and cauliflower(marked down-looked fresh to me), baked apples

Shredded leftover pork seasoned in corn tortillas, lima beans, canned pineapple

Hm spinach&cheese calzone, raw veggie sticks(pepper/carrot/celery), fruit salad(uses up anything that needs used)

Sat is our relaxed meal- grilled cheese and hm tomato soup and a few hm cookies

It's all pretty cheap, the pepper steak, chili are made in the crockpot, the pork meal gets put in the oven and forgotten and 4 meals are vegetarian which saves money. It all takes more time than a box though. Teaching my kids to cook helps make that possible.

[Jennifer in MI]

All of this on the same day? How do you cook potatoes(hashbrowns?) for a crowd easily and quickly. We LOVE hasbrowns but I haven't figured out how to make them for all of us quickly even using frozen. At my count that is a minimum of three pans on the stove, right? Do you have a system you can share to make all that?

 

I am really really floundering with food purchasing and preparing right now. I have 8 kids 16 and down but the littlest is breastfed. I hope this thread gives me some ideas.

 

Quite often, yes. All on the same day. It isn't quick, but it is filling - and cheap! We aren't very efficient. Dh, dd and I get up first. Dh starts the veggies and eggs and toast for us. After we finish eating, we cut up potatoes (previously baked and in the fridge) and start that. Then, we start more eggs/toast and oatmeal for the boys. Most days the boys come down in the middle of all of that and help out.

 

I don't think anyone has ALL of that for breakfast every day. We all have some combination of it though. Those things are so cheap and good for you and filling. I like to start the day this way.

[besroma]

 

 

Recipes please??

 

I use the Pioneer Woman's granola bar recipe:

 

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/09/granola-bars/

 

My energy bar recipe is from the Bosch cookbook called "Sensible Cooking." I will be glad to post it if you do not have this cookbook.

[busymama7]

 

 

I use the Pioneer Woman's granola bar recipe:

 

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/09/granola-bars/

 

My energy bar recipe is from the Bosch cookbook called "Sensible Cooking." I will be glad to post it if you do not have this cookbook.

 

I don't. Please post :)

[AStableBeginning]

I would live to have the recipe too.

 

Also, do any of you have athletes? How are you feeding them? My gymnast has a high metabolism and needs greater quantities of protein, fruit, etc. to stay fueled for practices and to maintain weight. Currently she eats breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon (Pre-workout) snack, break snack at the gym, and dinner. I would love to know how you feed your athlete on a budget?

[Ali in OR]

Thanks Besroma. I searched for the Bosch recipe--does this look right?

 

http://bushnellgrapevine.blogspot.com/2009/02/breakfast-energy-bars-from-bosch.html

[besroma]

Thanks Besroma. I searched for the Bosch recipe--does this look right?

 

http://bushnellgrape...from-bosch.html

 

Ali,

 

That's it! We prefer dark chocolate chips over semisweet in this recipe, and I use less than called for.

 

They freeze really well, so I often make a double batch, cut them into bars, then freeze what we won't eat in a few days.

 

I hope you like it as much as we do!

[besroma]

I would live to have the recipe too.

 

Also, do any of you have athletes? How are you feeding them? My gymnast has a high metabolism and needs greater quantities of protein, fruit, etc. to stay fueled for practices and to maintain weight. Currently she eats breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon (Pre-workout) snack, break snack at the gym, and dinner. I would love to know how you feed your athlete on a budget?

 

I try to incorporate extra protein into foods I serve as snacks. I keep boiled eggs in the refrigerator and make recipes like spinach quiche and brioche, which incorporate a lot of eggs.

 

I buy large blocks of cheese at a co-op. The kids can get cheese from the refrigerator any time they are hungry.

 

 

The energy bar recipe Ali linked is great, and includes peanut butter for protein.

 

I also like Mollie Katzen's cookbook, Sunlight Cafe, which offers recipes for delicious, protein-rich breakfasts. Another favorite is Miracle Muffins (Neeley).

[besroma]

If you want to make homemade bread, but do not have much time to make it, I highly recommend:

 

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day and

 

Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day

 

We prepare large batches of dough in these containers, store them in the refrigerator for up to five days, and remove the dough and bake it any time we need fresh bread. The recipes are easy enough for a child who can make cookies.

[Orthodox6]

An extraordinarily flexible axiom is this: Any kind of leftovers can be recycled into a new meal.

[*Michelle*]

If you want to make homemade bread, but do not have much time to make it, I highly recommend:

 

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day and

 

Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day

 

We prepare large batches of dough in these containers, store them in the refrigerator for up to five days, and remove the dough and bake it any time we need fresh bread. The recipes are easy enough for a child who can make cookies.

 

 

Okay. You got me. I've been wanting to start making bread again, but I'm so tired of grinding wheat and all of the mess. And The Fiber Menace has me looking to switch back to white bread anyway. I have succumbed and ordered.

[Jennifer in MI]

I would live to have the recipe too.

 

Also, do any of you have athletes? How are you feeding them? My gymnast has a high metabolism and needs greater quantities of protein, fruit, etc. to stay fueled for practices and to maintain weight. Currently she eats breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon (Pre-workout) snack, break snack at the gym, and dinner. I would love to know how you feed your athlete on a budget?

 

 

I have four athletes! Two row. One is in karate and baseball (and will row starting in the summer). My little one is a gymnast too. See above! They all eat a LOT and I try VERY hard to keep the budget down.

[besroma]

 

 

Okay. You got me. I've been wanting to start making bread again, but I'm so tired of grinding wheat and all of the mess. And The Fiber Menace has me looking to switch back to white bread anyway. I have succumbed and ordered.

 

 

I grind a lot at one time and freeze in large ziploc bags. These recipes use many cups of flour, so the bags don't stay in my freezer too long.

 

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. When I first started reading it, I had doubts that the bread could really be that good with so little work...but it is!

[Slipper]

For those of you with either Artisan Bread or Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day...can you look and see how many gluten free recipes are in the books? I don't mind ordering the book, but I'll be annoyed if there are only 1 or 2 recipes. I'd love to start baking our own bread, but we must have gluten free. Our oldest is highly sensitive. Thanks :)

[MrsBasil]

I can tell you the first book has no gluten free recipes. The second one is packed away, but I don't think it was a large amount.

[Luckymama]

For those of you with either Artisan Bread or Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day...can you look and see how many gluten free recipes are in the books? I don't mind ordering the book, but I'll be annoyed if there are only 1 or 2 recipes. I'd love to start baking our own bread, but we must have gluten free. Our oldest is highly sensitive. Thanks :)

 

 

Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day has these gluten-free recipes:

 

Gluten-free crusty boule

Gluten-free olive oil bread

Gluten-free pizza (using either of the above two)

Gluten-free cheddar and sesame bread

Gluten-free sesame baguette (using any of the three above basic doughs)

Gluten-free cheddar and sesame crackers (any of the three)

Not Rye

Gluten-free Parmesan bread sticks (using any of the four above basic doughs)

Gluten-free brioche (says it can be used in place of gluten-containing brioche for any of pastries in ch 10)

Gluten-free cinnamon buns (using the brioche dough)

[Carrie12345]

I don't have much to add in regard to lowering food cost, but I'll point out that, in addition to many of the above things, we cut back in other areas in order to spend more on food. There is very little that is more important to us than healthy food, so it becomes an easy solution once we wrap our minds around it, lol.

 

We turned off cable.

I try to wait to run errands until dh is home and I can drive his small hybrid vs. my big van. (BIG gas savings!)

I run around turning electrical things off and line dry my laundry.

We don't buy many paper products.

 

It all adds up, and that's how I keep from panicking when my grocery bill gets higher than I'd like.

[Orthodox6]

This won't appeal to many families; however, I learned to cook with meat as a minor ingredient amongst other ingredients in a recipe. This is done is some ethnic cuisines, and I'm convinced that nobody is going to suffer from "meat deprivation" as a result. My children think that a mountain of meat on a plate, with a couple of shy-looking dabs of side dishes looks peculiar. (They very much like beef and poultry, so I am not describing a vegetarian family.)

[Hypatia.]

I wish we had Aldis in our area. I order our bulk items, including 1 lb bags of spices, from Azure Standard. We do have a restaurant supply store, Cash & Carry, that sometimes has good deals on meat. I'll keep an eye on their specials and make sure we have the extra freezer cleaned out.

[Stellalarella]

We have to keep our budget for 8 under $800. The past few months, we have been way under that. So, yes, it is possible.

 

I do it by making old fashioned oatmeal and/or eggs for breakfast, making sure we always use leftovers, and putting in lots of meals with beans. A 1 lb. bag of lentils or blackeyed peas is just over $1. Homemade cornbread is .75 maybe? Add nearly free greens from the garden and milk for the kids to drink--This meal costs us $3. If I do a few of those a week, and I am spending about that for breakfast, then there is money left over to buy a nice chicken and good veggies.

 

I found this book "Wildly Affordable Organic: Eat Fabulous Food, Get Healthy, and Save the Planet--All on $5 a Day or Less" to be very instructive. Of course, I checked it out from my library...and that's another big money saver, there.

 

 

BUt here is my most recently favorite money saving tip--after we eat the chicken I've roasted, I take all the carcass and put it in my 5 qt. pot, cover with water and toss in a few bay leaves. I let it simmer for a couple hours, then strain it and keep the broth in 3 quart jars. The next day I make a "chicken" soup--of course the chicken is long gone--but I make carrots and celery tender by sauteing in olive oil, then adding the broth and a bag of frozen green peas. I heat it up and then stir in brown rice that I've cooked. Salt and pepper and !voila!--we have chicken soup on the cheap. :) In fact, that is what I am making right this minute.

[Audrey]

Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day has these gluten-free recipes:

 

Gluten-free crusty boule

Gluten-free olive oil bread

Gluten-free pizza (using either of the above two)

Gluten-free cheddar and sesame bread

Gluten-free sesame baguette (using any of the three above basic doughs)

Gluten-free cheddar and sesame crackers (any of the three)

Not Rye

Gluten-free Parmesan bread sticks (using any of the four above basic doughs)

Gluten-free brioche (says it can be used in place of gluten-containing brioche for any of pastries in ch 10)

Gluten-free cinnamon buns (using the brioche dough)

I try to incorporate extra protein into foods I serve as snacks. I keep boiled eggs in the refrigerator and make recipes like spinach quiche and brioche, which incorporate a lot of eggs.

 

I buy large blocks of cheese at a co-op. The kids can get cheese from the refrigerator any time they are hungry.

 

 

The energy bar recipe Ali linked is great, and includes peanut butter for protein.

 

I also like Mollie Katzen's cookbook, Sunlight Cafe, which offers recipes for delicious, protein-rich breakfasts. Another favorite is Miracle Muffins (Neeley).

 

 

Thanks! I'm going to see if I can find these books at the library! :)

[Quiver0f10]

.

[Quiver0f10]

Thank you everyone!

[Kaleidoscope]

Happy to have these tips. I just had to slash my grocery budget. I have $100 a week for me and 5 kids and I'm not doing well so far. I bake my bread, cook tons of beans, and make oatmeal for breakfast every morning. I just stink at have a tight grocery budget though. I have to do better. I have a lot of frozen meat right now and a couple buckets of wheat for baking but I need to get myself pulled together because when my stock runs out I'm going to be in trouble.

[BrandieRose]

We try to eat healthy, but I know we have a lot of room for improvement. How can I feed my family healthy and not go broke doing it?

 

 

 

 

You might like this website:

http://likeabubblingbrook.com/recipes/

[Quiver0f10]

 

 

 

You might like this website:

http://likeabubblingbrook.com/recipes/

Thanks!

[dovrar]

This won't appeal to many families; however, I learned to cook with meat as a minor ingredient amongst other ingredients in a recipe. This is done is some ethnic cuisines, and I'm convinced that nobody is going to suffer from "meat deprivation" as a result. My children think that a mountain of meat on a plate, with a couple of shy-looking dabs of side dishes looks peculiar. (They very much like beef and poultry, so I am not describing a vegetarian family.)

 

 

 

Recipes??? What about snacks? I think most days it's the snacks that do us in. ; )

[dovrar]

Does anyone have a recipe for a wrap? Not the filling, but the actual shell?

 

thanks

[Prairie~Phlox]

Recipes??? What about snacks? I think most days it's the snacks that do us in. ; )

 

 

I make rice pudding on a pretty regular basis for my kids. They can have canned fruit that I have canned (Pears, applesauce) I have a dehydrator and make fruit roll ups. They can also have carrots (I never buy baby carrots, only a bit bag from Sam's and cut them myself), cucumbers from Aldi, celery. I make yogurt and granola.

I also spurge and buy cheddar cheese powder from Azure standard and they can have popcorn. Really it's the easiest way to get them to want popcorn, which is pretty cheap. I do bake cookies & muffins and will buy graham crackers, but that's about all I buy that is pre-cooked snack type stuff.

 

Granolal

 

42 ounces oatmeal, or equivalent

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups coconut

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups wheat germ

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup cold water

1 cup oil

3 tablespoons vanilla

1 tablespoon salt

2 cups chopped nuts

 

Mix all dry ingredients, beat oil, water and vanilla with an egg beater or whisk. Pour over dry ingredients and stir until thoroughly distributed. Spread on 2 cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees 20 minutes. Stir and switch shelves. Bake, stir & switch for one hour. May add raisins or dry fruit for the last 15 minutes or when you remove from the oven. Cool and store in an airtight container.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Homemade Yogurt

7 cups milk

1 package gelatin

2/3 cup instant dry milk

1/2 cup sweetener (I use either honey or raw sugar)

4 tablespoons yogurt or equivalent yogurt starter

 

In a small measuring cup, place the yogurt and let sit while you cook the milk and other ingredients. Mix ingredients (except yogurt) in a large saucepan and cook to 180 degrees, do not boil. Let cook to about 112 degrees. Stir a small amount of the milk mixture into the yogurt and then transfer to the saucepan. Stir well (you may add a teaspoon of vanilla if you like, best to do it here) and divide into two quart jars (or a large container that will hold it all.) Seal and wrap in a towel, set over a pilot light or on a heating pad and cover with a large pot. Check in about four hours. The longer you let it sit, the tarter it will be. Yield: "2 quarts"

 

Rice Pudding

¾ cup rice

4 cups milk

1 tsp. salt

2 egg yolks

1 tsp. cornstarch

½ cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tbs. sugar

Cinnamon

 

Bring rice &1/2 tps. Salt & 2 ½ cups water to a boil, cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until water is absorbed & rice is done. Stir in ½ cups sugar & 3 cups milk. Simmer about 20 minutes or until thickened. Mix 1 cup milk, 1 tsp cornstarch & 2 egg yolks together, stir into the rice mixture. B ring to a boil and cook about 2 minutes. Add vanilla, pour into coups and sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar mixture.

[Murphy101]

If I could break away from cereal I would. However with 7 kids in 5 different public schools all leaving at different times it impossible to fix breakfast. They grew up on it and its a habit I have not been able to break. Once in awhile I can get 1/2 of them on oatmeal. My 4 however do like pancakes, muffins or a smoothie.

 

For years and years I made eggs + fruit or starch for breakfast 5/7 mornings. Now I have to be out the door by 7 5 days a week and we have broken down on cereal for quickness sake. It's our most expensive grocery expense. I do suppose if times get much tighter we will suck it up and make a hot breakfast to be served at 6am. Ugh. For now though, the time/energy is better spent elsewhere most mornings.

[Murphy101]

Growing food helps, but only if you have the initial investment of seed/plants, garden built up, stakes, and so forth. And you actually get a decent crop. Putting in a garden isn't exactly free or guaranteed.

 

We are putting in a small one this year. We'll see how it goes.

[beaners]

Does anyone have a recipe for a wrap? Not the filling, but the actual shell?

 

thanks

 

I make flour tortillas with 2 parts flour to 1 part water, plus a shake of salt and a touch of vegetable or olive oil. I mix everything and let it rest for half an hour, then roll out tortillas and cook them in a dry frying pan on the stove for a few seconds on each side, until they're light brown. If you put them in a bag or a tortilla warmer, they stay soft and pliable. The time spent on rolling and frying is long enough that I only do it rarely.