trying to budget meals

[ccmom]

I need help with meal planning and budgeting to stretch my dollars. Can anyone recommend some good books/web sites/etc.?

 

Thanks!

Edited April 11, 2009 by ccmom
typo

[tricia]

Oh my do I hear ya!! With my large family I have "always" had to stretch my food dollars. Here is a link to the main cookbook I use. And have used for years. I am on my 3rd. copy because I keep wearing them out.

 

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=19103X&netp_id=223634&event=AFF&item_code=WW&view=covers

[mamaof2andtwins]

I would like to suggest my friend, Crystal's recipes on her website.

 

The Family Homestead Kitchen

 

I have written about this on my blog a lot recently.

 

Jennie

Edited April 11, 2009 by mamaof2andtwins

[kat19]

This is the cookbook I use.

I like that the grocery list is already made out and meals are planned nicely.

Some weeks the grocery bill is a bit higher than others(she has flour, sugar and stuff like that for every week~I don't need to buy it weekly).

 

So far my family has enjoyed the recipes.

[Rosy]

http://www.amazon.com/Frozen-Assets-Cook-Day-Month/dp/1891400614

 

Here's one I've used many times on Once-A-Month-Cooking--an excellent way to save money and time! The recipes are pretty simple but definitely economical.

[ccmom]

Thank you!! These look great.

 

Susan

[SeekingSimplicity]

ooops

[SeekingSimplicity]

triple post. sorry

Edited April 11, 2009 by SeekingSimplicity

[SeekingSimplicity]

hillbilly housewife has $45 and $70 menus http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/40dollarmenu.htm

 

www.angelfoodministries.com 1 box of groceries (about a weeks worth of food) for $30 and they've recently added an allergy free box. Woo-hoo!

 

and here http://www.heart4home.net/30perweek.htm is a menu that was $30 when it was writen 10 years ago, lol. But you could still come out pretty cheap doing it.

[angela in ohio]

I have found that NOT planning out weekly meals helps my budget. Instead, I keep a list of the foods that I need to create many types of meals. I buy them when they are on sale to keep a full pantry/freezer/fridge. Then I can make whatever I can, and I can take advantage of sales. Luckily, my dh isn't picky, and he will eat a lot of something repeatedly without complaint. :)

[sandalwood]

I have found that NOT planning out weekly meals helps my budget. Instead, I keep a list of the foods that I need to create many types of meals. I buy them when they are on sale to keep a full pantry/freezer/fridge. Then I can make whatever I can, and I can take advantage of sales. Luckily, my dh isn't picky, and he will eat a lot of something repeatedly without complaint. :)

 

Ditto to this post. If chicken is on sale one week, I will buy a lot and freeze it, etc. Same for hamburger, etc. I do better like this. Do you check out any coupon websites? I also try to match up coupons with sale ads and I don't buy what we normally won't use but if something is a great deal... I buy that. Ours stores double coupons so this works well.

 

hotcouponworld.com is good (forums) and thrifty sites like dollarstretcher and blogs are great for tips. I also like refundcents.com but it is a paid site.

[wulfbourne]

http://www.menus4moms.com/

 

dine on a dime is a good cookbook. Rice and bean meals are good too. Cook a lot more from scratch, and use about half the amount of meat a recipe calls for.

[*Inna*]

 

www.savingdinner.com has a frugal weekly menu as well.

[Rose in BC]

I have found that NOT planning out weekly meals helps my budget. Instead, I keep a list of the foods that I need to create many types of meals. I buy them when they are on sale to keep a full pantry/freezer/fridge. Then I can make whatever I can, and I can take advantage of sales. Luckily, my dh isn't picky, and he will eat a lot of something repeatedly without complaint. :)

 

Because I love to cook and experiment and I love cook books and cooking sites, when I plan I tend to go exotic, which usually equate to extra expenses.

 

I am trying really hard to keep the pantry stocked and making recipes using the stock pile.

[Zoraida]

This is the cookbook I use.

I like that the grocery list is already made out and meals are planned nicely.

Some weeks the grocery bill is a bit higher than others(she has flour, sugar and stuff like that for every week~I don't need to buy it weekly).

 

So far my family has enjoyed the recipes.

 

I would also like to recommend this book. It was written by a homeschool mom. The recipes are down home cooking types. There are weekly grocery lists. She also tells you step by step what time to start preparing dinner so that supper is always on the table by 6. I wish she would write a second cookbook.

 

Blessings

 

Zoraida

[tammi]

I like Quick Cooking and Taste of Home. They use receipes with ingredients already on hand.

Tammi

[Debbie in OR]

I use www.e-mealz.com. It's $5/month and you can break down your menu choices by store, number of people you are cooking for, whether you are vegetarian, low-carb, low-fat, etc. They send you a weekly menu and grocery list and say an average family (4-6) will spend about $75/week. I print out the menu, flip it over and print the grocery list. We substitute what we want (veggies and bread, usually) but the recipes are actually quite good.

 

I love to cook and have stacks and stacks of recipes I want to try but never get around to doing it. I think when the kids are gone, I'll try them (and all the other things I plan to do once they are independent!). For now, having someone else put my menu and shopping list together is HUGE!