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

[mommiepoppins]

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.

that sounds good, but I would have to eat it all the kids will not eat onions...

 

[mommiepoppins]

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 - ??

I LOVE HOME MADE MAC AND CHEESE...thats is sooooo GOOD...GO A HEAD AND BE A REBEL AND TASTE IT . JUST 1-2 A YEAR YUMMY

 

[mom2dea0813]

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

Thank you ! Have you ever tryed to freeze this dish befor ? I am looking for quick and easy meal to freeze for my Dh while I am in the hospital having the baby . Trying to cook one meal a week . If you do not know Maybe I will cook it up and then try a portion size just to see.

Oh and with 3 kids a Dh and me pregnant we def need a whole box of noodles! LOL

Sarah

 

[mommiepoppins]

Thank you ! Have you ever tryed to freeze this dish befor ? I am looking for quick and easy meal to freeze for my Dh while I am in the hospital having the baby . Trying to cook one meal a week . If you do not know Maybe I will cook it up and then try a portion size just to see.

Oh and with 3 kids a Dh and me pregnant we def need a whole box of noodles! LOL

Sarah

TRY IT AND LET ME KNOW!

 

[mickeyfan2]

I LOVE HOME MADE MAC AND CHEESE...thats is sooooo GOOD...GO A HEAD AND BE A REBEL AND TASTE IT . JUST 1-2 A YEAR YUMMY

My girlfriend makes a great homemade mac and cheese. Once in a while is not bad but it should not be a staple.

 

[mommiepoppins]

My girlfriend makes a great homemade mac and cheese. Once in a while is not bad but it should not be a staple.

I ONLY MAKE IT 2-3 TIMES A YEAR. IT TASTE GREAT ,BUT IT IS NOT GREAT FOR THE WAIST

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

And today's meals, 7-16:

Breakfast
either wholewheat bread or wholegrain cinnamon bread (both from Pepperidge Farms outlet), toasted $1.00
butter, $0.15ish
oj, on the last carton, $0.67
coffee, $0.90

total: $2.72

Lunch
dh had a lunch meeting FREE
girls packed cheese (cheddar, $0.50), crackers (brought yesterday, FREE), blueberries (garden, FREE), water and more water, goldfish from outlet ($0.50) $1.00
ds and I had leftover grilled turkey burgers w/ wholewheat buns (leftover), leftover homemade coleslaw (two servings each )

total: $1.00

Dinner

I indirectly grilled a whole Perdue roaster chicken 8 lbs @ $0.79/lb, $6.40
leftover potato salad from yesterday
grilled squash medley (3 different types, brushed with some olive oil and sprinkled with herbs (garden), in the grill basket), garden, FREE
milk (3 kids), $0.75

total: $7.15

Snacks
ds had some dry cereal, $0.25 (?)
and some blueberries, garden FREE
and a Minute Maid frozen lemonade, $0.20

total: $0.45

Grand total for today: $11.32


I'm looking forward to tomorrow---our first picking of green beans. They are our favorite In fact, we prefer the taste of freshly picked homegrown beans so much that I don't even buy green beans the rest of the year!

 

[smfritz03]

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.

We rarely have hot dogs, mac and cheese or bagels. Hot dogs are normally at cookouts we have w/ friends and that's what they serve. I myself have NEVER ate a hot dog in my life. I rarely eat any lunch meat for that matter and come to think of it, not really a meat eater period.

I don't think I've read a post YET where someone has ate mac and cheese or hot dogs every single day????????? Yet, that seems to be the biggest complaint??? Can someone find me that post please?

 

[tinkarooni]

Just wanted to point out some facts that I have learned from my own experience. First of all I work full time at a corporate job, I am based in my home. I like to think that I am both a FT working mom and a stay at home mom. Although I work 37 1/2 hours per week I do not commute. My food budget was routinely $600-$800 per month (or more) when I thought that I was too busy to cut back. It has now become a challenge for me, a hobby sort of, to see how low I can get my food budget and feed my family healthy meals. My meals are supplemented with a very large garden and home canned and frozen food. We look at our gardening, canning etc as family activites and we do them as a family. My son made his first entire meal by himself (under supervision) when he was 7 and my daughter (6) loves to be in the kitchen and routinely assists in meal prep.

I bring these things up because it can be done. My budget for two adults one dd 6 and ds 9 is less than $200. Last month it was $125. This includes cleaners, paper products, HBA and feeding two dogs and two cats. It also includes buying 5 gallon jugs of water for my water cooler, (well water) I shop on sale, with coupons and stock up when the price is right. I shop to restock my very full freezer and pantry. I spend several hours a week on this little "project" but my monthly savings have been phenomenal. One thing also is we do not waste! I used to throw away food all the time when it got lost in the fridge. An effort has been made to use these items and it shows in the bottom line.

I put my money where my mouth is, here's yesterday:

Breakfast:

Whole what waffles (home made) with strawberry syrup (home made)
Strawberries (garden) Blueberries (garden)
Milk or OJ
Cheese cubes

Lunch
Turkey Sandwiches (home made wheat bread)
Raw spinach, Tomatoes on sandwich (garden)
Sliced cukes (garden)
Milk or water

Snack: Gorp (the kids made, cereal, nuts, raisins their kids cookbook recipe)
Sliced veggies with home made cucumber dip
Smoothies made with garden fruits and homemade yogurt

Dinner:
Salsa Chicken (Boneless chicken sauteed in home made tomato salsa, no fat or grease needed)
Sauteed zukes
Green salad
Long grain rice

Birthday cake (home made) DH birthday

My costs do not rise much in the winter, I can and freeze and utilize a cold frame in the garden which gave me greens (spinach, chard) into January last year.

I do not bother with daily prices because for me that's not worth the time. I know what I spend in a month and that's what matters to me. I also thoroughly enjoy reading others ideas for inspiration and motivation.
Keep em coming!

 

[mom2dea0813]

B ~
Frosted Mini Wheats and milk free

L~
DH ~ Left over chicken and yellow rice Free
Me ~ Left over salsberry steak and Yellow rice
Kids ~ 3 lunchables 1.56 and Juice Free
1.56

S~ Pinnapple slices 1.50
DS also had a go lean peanut butter crunch bar Free (Sample)

D~
Pot roast 3.00
Patatos 1.00 (4.00 for the bag using a quarter of the bag )
Carrotts 1.00 Frozen bag from Angel food
5.00

S~
DH had this Oatmeal cookies and milk Free already accounted for the cookie cost
DD had ice cream pop .10 you get 18 for 1.50 at walmat
DS had yogurt .75 counting the rest of container here cause I am sure someone will finish it today
I had smores .20

Total = 9.11

 

[mommiepoppins]

Tuesday
B= only 2 dd’s had breakfast
Bagel=13 cents
Jelly=10 cents
Cream cheese=15 cents
Apple juice=25 cents
=63

Lunch
Kids are eating free at VBS
Me left over squash from yesterday=0
Grated cheese on top =25 cents
=25

Dinner Shepherds pie
90% lean =387
Potatoes=60 cents
Milk in the potatoes=30 spray butter=5 cents
Gravy=25 cents
Cream corn= 50 cents
French bread=120
Milk to drink 60 cents
Salad=75 cents
Tomato slices in salad= 25
Dressing =50 cents
=857

Snacks
Pears slices= 98 cents
Yogurt dip=0 (I counted that in last week and it is still good)
Apple slices=44 cents
Cookies=0 yesterday I counted them in and we never had them
Cereal=50 cents
Milk =60 cents
=252

= 1197 for the day

 

[dawn1967]

Today is our 15yr anniversary so we are gonna be out most of the day.

Breakfast
Sausage and eggs and english muffins for hubby
french toast for youngest
sausage muffin for oldest
me coff
total 1.35

Lunch We are all going out after or before the movies so that's about 25.00 for lunch.

Dinner Kids want to take us out to there favorite place so another 25.00

We don't exchange gifts so spending 50 on eating out and 20 on movies really no big deal. Before kids we would be in vegas spending alot more.

 

[sk!mom]

Today is our 15yr anniversary so we are gonna be out most of the day.

Congrats- Today is my parent's 48th anniversary.

 

[dawn1967]

Congrats- Today is my parent's 48th anniversary.

Congrats to you both.

 

[disneymom3]

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.......

Don't forget the 50c off Market Pantry bread includes hot dog buns so you only pay about 50c or less for those too.

 

[punkin]

Today:

Breakfast: cereal and milk $1.50
Lunch: leftover lamb soup, bread $.75 (for bread only)
Snack: brie and grapes $1.50
Dinner: Mushroom-Barley Soup, broccoli kugel, bread, salad $6.50

TOTAL: $10.25

I am trying to avoid heavy main dishes so am doing a lot of soups and sides.

I went to my local organic store and bought a small bottle of blood-orange juice for $5.99 Where does that fit into my budget. The kids will get it for breakfast tomorrow.

 

[dawn1967]

How do you make you broccoli kugel?

 

[dawn1967]

Hubby went back to work so me and kids

Breakfast pbj toast .75

Lunch

Hot dogs free
chips free
They had a bunch left over from camping

Dinner

Ham and eggs and potato's Free
the eggs and ham are left over from there camping trip also

Snacks
grapes
cherries
carrots
pea pods
Cucumbers free garden

Son is going to make cookies he wants to learn so that will cost about 3 for the chocolate chips.
Total 3.75
Wish the rest of the week was that cheap.

 

[mommiepoppins]

Breakfast
Bagel= 15 cents
Cream cheese=20
Toast=20
Apple juice=50 cents
Pears= 98
=203

Lunch
Tomatoes= 25
Dressing=50 cents
Cheddar cheese =85 cents
Salad=75 cents
Pear slice=0
Apple slices=24 cents
Milk= 60 cents
=319



Dinner...
Left over Shepard’s pie=0
Milk=44 cents
Dinner roll= 20 cents
Fresh string beans=101
=165

Snacks
Cereal= 50 cents
Milk= 30
Popcorn = 25 cents
Crackers= 50 cents
Penult butter= 50 cents
=205

= 892 for the day

 

[punkin]

How do you make you broccoli kugel?

I got the recipe online and modified it.

3 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 lb frozen broccoli
.25 cup mayonnaise
one cup milk (I used reconstituted powdered)
salt and pepper to taste (the recipe I found used onion soup mix, but I don't like the additives so I just used salt and pepper)
Cook broccoli (I micro-waved for 3 minutes)
Mix everything together cook in 350 oven for 45 minutes.