*Feed Your Family $10 A Day Challenge*(AT HOME)

[smfritz03]

Well, heres my menu today!

B/fast:
Me--toast w/ butter
Dh and dd---Cereal and milk w/ blueberrys

Total: 1.00

Lunch:
All: PB&J
Cottage Cheese w/ pineapple ring
Broccoli and Cauliflower (AKA white broccoli at our house) w/ Ranch

Total: 2.50

Dinner:

We are hitting the fair tonight and eating FAIR FOOD...............yeah, not healthy, but a treat that will be enjoyed.

Don't want to see that total!!!

 

[mommiepoppins]

punkin you seem like an awesome cook. I would love for you to teach me! my only down fall would be my kids hate onions and garlic. dh and I would chow it down . I would love to make all of your great food ideas! also dd 15 would eat it but be afraid to leave the house if she had garlic breath . so I will need away to hide it from them

 

[Mary2e]

I would strongly suggest some of you get to a library and take out a book on nutrition and/or get a subscription to Cooking Light magazine. As I said before, saving money on groceries is commendable, but not at the expense of nutrition.

I don't pay attention to what I pay for food, but here's yesterday's food, which intentionally includes 2 dinners for this week:

Sunday
Breakfast - bowl each of Wegmans fruitful morning cereal with Costco Organic 1% milk (we buy it because it keeps longer)
mid-morning snack - 1/2 each wegmans muffins (I was too busy to bake)
coffee

Lunch:
1 Broiled chicken breast each with egg dipped fresh zucchini flowers

Snack
Other half of wegman's muffin

Dinner:
Filet Mignon roast - 3lbs which will last us 2 1/2 meals
Homemade fresh vegetable medley which included bell peppers, zucchini, potatos, and vidalia onions seasoned with fresh herbs. This will last at least 3 meals it was a huge pot full.

Snack:
A nectarine each

I haven't a clue how much all this cost. I do know the roast alone cost $35. I image the fresh veggies cost a minimum of $15. I purchased all of this at Wegman's at my convenience - I did not go out hunting for sales. I didn't have time.

DH and I both work, so I don't buy breakfast/lunch foods. I had a salad today at a cost of $6 at the company cafeteria. He probably had similar.

I'm sure I could make similar meals for less than what I spent if I took the time to look for sales and shop at a few different stores. I often buy my fruit/veggies at Costco, but now that it's summer, I go to the local farm stand.

I seriously doubt that I could feed 2 of us for under $10 per day and still be able to cook everything from scratch using fresh ingredients.

It seems to me that many of you are SAHMs (which is great). If so, well, you certainly have a lot more time than I do to shop and prepare family meals. I can easily spend half of Sunday cooking food to last us most of the week. You have the time to not only shop for the ingredients on sale, but also to prepare everything fresh without using processed foods. I know I would if I could.

 

[smfritz03]

Not a SAHM here. Actually work for a large industry where I easily put in 55+ hours in work, meetings, traveling, etc.

On top of that, I do the cleaning, cooking, bills and am active in the PTO. And to add on top of that, I am a Supervisor over our Volunteer EMS dept where I put in additional hours each month to helping our community.

Dh is a police officer on 2nd shift. Also is a volunteer firefighter. He keeps up with outside maintenance on our home.

I truly believe I find a balance with my children on providing healthy foods but also foods that they enjoy so that they don't "gourge" themselves at others houses. Yes, they are kids, no matter the amount of health foods presented to them at home, they are going to be kids and want the junk food that their friends have. They may say different to you, and you may choose to believe them, but they ARE kids and are going to ACT like kids.

I have a friend who ONLY allows fresh food in her home and NO sugars. Her daughter is only 8 yrs old and is pushing 85lbs. (short too) Because soon as she is away from mom, she is loading up on any type of junk food she can.

The balance has to be there. I am a firm believer that you provide plenty of healthy versions and then allow once in a while something that others deem "unhealthy". This teaches a child that the majority of their diet should be healthy, but an occasional treat is ok. They learn how to proportion the right foods vs the wrong foods.

 

[punkin]

Yes, it is easier if you are a SAHM. However, you also have less of an income to spend. I cannot afford to buy Filets Mignon. I can barely afford Rib Steak for a special treat. If I was working, I would have less time for bargain hunting, but also less need to bargain shop.

As far as nutrition, you can get a nice complete protein from a Filet, rice and beans, or a salmon steak on sale for $3.99 per pound and guess which has the most fat and cholesterol?

 

[Mary2e]

The steak, of course. However, it's part of a varied diet that includes not only meat and fish, but beans as well. This was just an example from yesterday. Today's meal will be chicken breasts and more of that veggie medley.

You did request people post their menus, correct? I had not participated because I know there's no way we spend $10 per day to feed both of us.

I posted several links to informatioin regarding using less processed and fatty foods in an attempt to be helpful to those who are trying to feed their family on $10 per day.

 

[Mary2e]

BTW - I actually just looked it up at this link, which has some excellent information:

http://www.lowfatlifestyle.com/foodstats.htm

Beef, Tenderloin, trimmed, broiled
8.1 fat
24.0 protein
71 chol

Salmon, Atlantic, raw
9.2 fat
16.9 protein
50 cholesterol

Actually, the Salmon has more fat than a beef tenderloin (filet), though the beef has more cholesterol.

 

[mommiepoppins]

BTW - I actually just looked it up at this link, which has some excellent information:

http://www.lowfatlifestyle.com/foodstats.htm

Beef, Tenderloin, trimmed, broiled
8.1 fat
24.0 protein
71 chol

Salmon, Atlantic, raw
9.2 fat
16.9 protein
50 cholesterol

Actually, the Salmon has more fat than a beef tenderloin (filet), though the beef has more cholesterol.

sounds good but my dh is allergic to any type of fish

 

[lillygator]

tonight we are having steak fajitas....the steak is leftover from last night and also a salad and probably black beans and onions.

 

[meandtheguys2]

tonight we are having steak fajitas....the steak is leftover from last night and also a salad and probably black beans and onions.

If you don't mind my asking, how do you cook your black beans and onions? That sounds yummy!

re. mac and cheese, even if it isn't with processed cheese, and you make it with WW organic noodles, and amish cheese, it still isn't good to have it every day. By eating a variety of healthy foods our bodies can get the different nutrients needed. Eating the same things everyday is also a great way to develop allergies to those foods.

 

[dawn1967]

Instead of cooking light and that kraft magazine if your concerned with process food which both of them use try Taste of Home same price and same company as cooking light and the budget is more in the 10 dollar a day. Cooking light suggests very expensive cuts of meats. Taste of home is more in the budget conscience reach. Just had to add my two cents. That Kraft freebie is nice if you like process foods.

Breakfast
Eggs and english muffins for 4 1.25

Lunch
Egg salad with celery and onions and tomato's 1.25
Baked tortilla's and homemade salsa. (Cost of the Tortilla's 1.00)

Dinner
Chicken Nacho's 3.75 (cost of cheese and avacado's and Olives and sour cream)

Snacks
Grapes and carrots and peaches and plums (free garden)
Drinks
Walmart has there brand of crystal light on sale 1.85 for 8 qts so I bought it
Made 4qts to keep in fridge and froze 4qts.

Totals
8.1

 

[grlpwrd]

Instead of cooking light and that kraft magazine if your concerned with process food which both of them use try Taste of Home same price and same company as cooking light and the budget is more in the 10 dollar a day. Cooking light suggests very expensive cuts of meats. Taste of home is more in the budget conscience reach. Just had to add my two cents. That Kraft freebie is nice if you like process foods.

Breakfast
Eggs and english muffins for 4 1.25

Lunch
Egg salad with celery and onions and tomato's 1.25
Baked tortilla's and homemade salsa. (Cost of the Tortilla's 1.00)

Dinner
Chicken Nacho's 3.75 (cost of cheese and avacado's and Olives and sour cream)

Snacks
Grapes and carrots and peaches and plums (free garden)
Drinks
Walmart has there brand of crystal light on sale 1.85 for 8 qts so I bought it
Made 4qts to keep in fridge and froze 4qts.

Totals
8.1

I love Taste of Home! I don't subscribe to the magazines anymore. I just use my annual cookbooks and the other special cookbooks they have. My older daughters like to cook and it's good food.

They have some pf their recipes online at www.tasteofhome.com ... and a forum, too.

I also like to use www.savingdinner.com . I have the cookbook, but there are menu mailers by subscription. Of course, I don't meet the $10 a day challenge. lol

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

forgive me if this has been posted before -- Target has oscar mayer weiners on sale this week. Ours are $1.14.

Use the $1 off any Oscar Mayer item here
http://coupons.50webs.org/
and you can get a pack of weiners for 14 cents a package.

You can freeze them as well. ;-)

Use the frenches mustard coupon and buy the 8 oz size and get it for 9 cents.

Rachel Ray has a recipe for making corndogs -- I saw her make them one day last week.

I hope this helps someone with the food budget. We know someone who is hosting an end of the summer softball party and they plan to stock up on weiners now for that.

EDITED TO SAY : Don't flame me. I already know Oscar Mayer Weiners are not the most healthy thing on the planet. But one meal of them is not going to hurt the kids.......

 

[grumpy28]

I did that last week, and will probably go again!

 

[mommiepoppins]

forgive me if this has been posted before -- Target has oscar mayer weiners on sale this week. Ours are $1.14.

Use the $1 off any Oscar Mayer item here
http://coupons.50webs.org/
and you can get a pack of weiners for 14 cents a package.

You can freeze them as well. ;-)

Use the frenches mustard coupon and buy the 8 oz size and get it for 9 cents.

Rachel Ray has a recipe for making corndogs -- I saw her make them one day last week.

I hope this helps someone with the food budget. We know someone who is hosting an end of the summer softball party and they plan to stock up on weiners now for that.

EDITED TO SAY : Don't flame me. I already know Oscar Mayer Weiners are not the most healthy thing on the planet. But one meal of them is not going to hurt the kids.......

great web site. i found a bunch with ground beef.I hope to try some , but replace it with ground chicken or turkey I will just have to not put onions, garlic or olives it the food due to my kids will go through it bit by bit no joke

 

[dawn1967]

I love Taste of Home! I don't subscribe to the magazines anymore. I just use my annual cookbooks and the other special cookbooks they have. My older daughters like to cook and it's good food.

They have some pf their recipes online at www.tasteofhome.com ... and a forum, too.

I also like to use www.savingdinner.com . I have the cookbook, but there are menu mailers by subscription. Of course, I don't meet the $10 a day challenge. lol

Thank you for that site Savingdinner.com some great ideas.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Like I say over and over, people come on and pretend like they eat healthy and preach, yet childhood obesity is at an all time high! Not to mention, the produce section is always the least busy for some reason and the aisles w/ the "boxed food" is always the busiest. Yet thousands of people come on here and proclaim how health conscious they are............... right, sure, .

Some of us do eat better than mac and cheese, hot dog, bagels etc.

I have no idea what we pay per meal and really don't care to calculate it. I do know what was spent and when and total it at the end of the month and year. In general we spend ~$600 on groceries. It may include a few paper products but not household chemicals. So I guess $20/day or so. That is for DH and I. We make most things from scratch and really limit our salt in take.

Yesterday -

B 2 egg whites, organic whole wheat toast and breakfast potatoes (a treat)
L Curried organic veggies - green beans, carrots, peas, onions and potatoes (IIRC since DH made it)
Homemade sloppy joes. We grind our own black angus, no solution added, beef and tomato paste. DH had rye bread.
D left over lunch
Snacks - cherries, watermelon, apples, strawberries


Today -
B - me - oatmeal with flax seed (trader joes) and dehydrated blueberries (trader joes), cherries and salt free peanuts
DH - bran cereal and skim milk
L - me - left overs from dinner, peach, strawberries and salt free pistachio nuts
DH - not sure since he made it himself
S me - banana
Dinner
Me - grilled boneless, skinless, no solution added chicken breast, rest of the veggies from yesterday, corn on the cob
DH - Organic lettuce, cucumber, carrot, onion, green pepper; dill pickle;goats cheese and italian dressing.
S fruit if we want.

Tomorrow -

B - me - oatmeal with flax seed (trader joes) and dehydrated blueberries (trader joes), cherries and salt free peanuts
DH - bran cereal and skim milk
L - me - left over chicken on multi-grain bread, miracle whip free, corn on the cob, peach, strawberries and salt free pistachio nuts
DH - not sure since he'll made it himself
S me - banana
D - ??

 

[mom2dea0813]

Can some one Post a Homemade Mac and cheese recipe ? My kids get about 2 boxes of mac and cheese a month but we have had homemade mac and cheese at BBQ's and they love it . Also would this freeze well ?


Also BTW so everyone knows I am 29 weeks pregnant and Crave alot of foods and with 3 childern in the home all under 8 they WILL want what I make for my self . So yes some days are very healthy while others are not but thats just what happens with pregnant mamas .

Also so everyone knows my kids get a vitimine everyday . Its a wholefood vitimine . And they get Flax seed on there breadfest foods every day as well . However this comes out of a diffrent budget (medical). So please just cause someone dosn't post all there medical stuff don't assume you know the whole story just by a menu .

OHHHH and to those that say Shams have more time that is a JOKE !When I was a teacher with 1 and 2 kids I had the same amount of time I have now with almost 4 kids and being a sham . Cause my kids are not at daycare all day I have to cook and clean for them all day not including all of there activitys and such . Plus I do most of the indoor and Outdoor duties in the house sence I am the one home .

Sorry to get on my soap box but Please if you do not stay home with your childern all day and balance older childern who are in school then don't say it is easier for us to catch things on sale . Everyone can clip coupons and go to 1 store and use there coupons to get better prices . I never go to 3-5 stores .

Ok I am done
Sarah

 

[mommiepoppins]

Can some one Post a Homemade Mac and cheese recipe ? My kids get about 2 boxes of mac and cheese a month but we have had homemade mac and cheese at BBQ's and they love it . Also would this freeze well ?


Also BTW so everyone knows I am 29 weeks pregnant and Crave alot of foods and with 3 childern in the home all under 8 they WILL want what I make for my self . So yes some days are very healthy while others are not but thats just what happens with pregnant mamas .

Also so everyone knows my kids get a vitimine everyday . Its a wholefood vitimine . And they get Flax seed on there breadfest foods every day as well . However this comes out of a diffrent budget (medical). So please just cause someone dosn't post all there medical stuff don't assume you know the whole story just by a menu .

OHHHH and to those that say Shams have more time that is a JOKE !When I was a teacher with 1 and 2 kids I had the same amount of time I have now with almost 4 kids and being a sham . Cause my kids are not at daycare all day I have to cook and clean for them all day not including all of there activitys and such . Plus I do most of the indoor and Outdoor duties in the house sence I am the one home .

Sorry to get on my soap box but Please if you do not stay home with your childern all day and balance older childern who are in school then don't say it is easier for us to catch things on sale . Everyone can clip coupons and go to 1 store and use there coupons to get better prices . I never go to 3-5 stores .

Ok I am done
Sarah

here is mine.. cook macaroni and drain and then place to the side( I use an entire box for my size family)
1tsp of four
1 cup skim milk
1tsp of butter
1tsp of crushed garlic
add all into a pot and bring to boil.....
(i add 1 block of cheese due to my larger family you might be able to do a half a block)
you can use Colby cheese or cheddar or Monray jack..
shreaded cheese and gradually stir in. makeing sure you mix well (put burner on low)

I add a half jar of salsa to the cheese(after cheese has melted).. again keep sturring.
then I mix with the noodles and place in a casarole dish...and bake on 375 for 30 min
you can add bread crumbs and tomatoe slices on top if you would like also

 

[lillygator]

If you don't mind my asking, how do you cook your black beans and onions? That sounds yummy!

re. mac and cheese, even if it isn't with processed cheese, and you make it with WW organic noodles, and amish cheese, it still isn't good to have it every day. By eating a variety of healthy foods our bodies can get the different nutrients needed. Eating the same things everyday is also a great way to develop allergies to those foods.

nothing fancy...I just dice up an onion and put it in a fry pan with some butter then I drain the can of black beans so it is mainly beans and add to fry pan and heat up.