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

[punkin]

Yesterday (very strange day foodwise):

Breakfast: cereal, milk, peaches, cottage cheese $1.50
Lunch: tomato salad, carrot salad, bean and rice salad, english muffins $2.50
Dinner: Leftover salads, grilled cheese, canned tomato soup, mushroom, cheese and scallion omelet for DH. $3.75
Snacks: Cherries, pineapple $4

TOTAL: $11.75

Today:
Breakfast: Eggs (soft-boiled for DD14 and me, hard-boiled for DH), morningstar fake bacon, coffee, OJ $3
Lunch: Grilled chicken, leftover rice and bean salad $5
Dinner: Lamb soup, bread, salad $12 (I was going to make this earlier in the week, but we went out so I didn't.)
Snacks: meringue cookies, pineapple $1.50

TOTAL: $21.50 (and we should have leftovers from this)

 

[mom2dea0813]

B
Me Apple and water .38
DD's apple muffins .20 and Apple .76
DS 2 apple muffins and water .20
DH 2 Apple muffins .20 with pumpkin butter .25
1.99

L ~
1 pizza from angel food box 2.00
Lemonade free already accounted for
2.00

S~Yogurt .75 and milk Free we ate half the tub and it was 1.50

D~
Teryaki chicken leg quarters (12 for 5.00) 1.67
Yellow rice 1.25
Mixed vegies .50
Total = 3.42

S~
Smores ~ Chocolate free a friend gave me a 6 pack of hershey bars for my birthday marchmellows were 1.00 and grahm crackers 2.00 So i will count the 3.00 today and when we eat these for the rest of the week I will count it as free.


Total = 11.16

 

[dawn1967]

Hubby and kids are gone yesturday food was
Yesturday
Breakfast
Ham and eggs 1.25 (all of us)

Lunch
Went and gotten takeout mexican 12.75

Dinner Left overs

Total

13.

Today me
Coffee for breakfast

Lunch the left over mexican

Dinner the left over mexican

Snacks I just picked some grapes cucumbers I"m not much of a snacker when i'm by myself I did go shopping yestuday and get me some cheese and bagel chips to watch a movie with tonight Watching a movie all by myself with out anyone going mom mom honey honey priceless.

 

[mommiepoppins]

here we go for today

breakfast 25 cents 2 kids had Cereal
Powder milk that my mom gave us=0

Lunch- pita bread= 15 cents
Peanut butter= 25 cents
Fluff= 30 cents

Snacks …older 2 came back from camp
Pringles’ they brought back=0
Ice pops (the kind you freeze) 399 for 100, I will just count that as 0 for the rest of the week

Macaroni= 50 cents
Mac and cheese sauce in a jar = 120
Milk= 60
Can of peas=35 cents

DH and I went out to eat and that’s was 25$

 

[Doesney]

here we go for today

breakfast 25 cents 2 kids had Cereal
Powder milk that my mom gave us=0

Lunch- pita bread= 15 cents
Peanut butter= 25 cents
Fluff= 30 cents

Snacks …older 2 came back from camp
Pringles’ they brought back=0
Ice pops (the kind you freeze) 399 for 100, I will just count that as 0 for the rest of the week

Macaroni= 50 cents
Mac and cheese sauce in a jar = 120
Milk= 60
Can of peas=35 cents

DH and I went out to eat and that’s was 25$

I am really trying to understand this whole concept. What I can't grasp is the food choices. I would love to keep food costs down, but really your menu for the day is mind boggleing. There is not one item on the list that is not processed. Powdered milk Mac & cheese from a jar? Frozen sugar water? I would much rather go without other non neccessities like say the internet than to feed my family or honestly even my animals the stuff described. I am hoping at least you and your husband ate well

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I have to admit that I would be concerned about these menus, too. Not just the high levels of processed food, but the lack of fruits and vegetables. This menu had exactly one - the canned peas. The recommended MINIMUM is five servings, and usually there are only two or three mentioned. Now it's possible that they are serving large enough amounts of each food so that they count for two or more servings, but that seems unlikely because of the costs listed (how can you get two or more servings of broccoli per person when the total cost of the broccoli is listed as 50 cents?).

When I mentioned this fruit and veggie issue on this thread before, one person responded that her family was quite healthy. My understanding of the research is that it can be years before the effects of a diet low in these nutrients become apparent.

I'm a single mother, so I am WAY too familiar with the importance of saving money, and I know that food is often one of the few areas we can cut back. But there is so much evidence out there about the importance of including plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other whole foods in our diet that feeding my family these healthy foods is a priority for me.

Teresa

 

[mommiepoppins]

I am really trying to understand this whole concept. What I can't grasp is the food choices. I would love to keep food costs down, but really your menu for the day is mind boggleing. There is not one item on the list that is not processed. Powdered milk Mac & cheese from a jar? Frozen sugar water? I would much rather go without other non neccessities like say the internet than to feed my family or honestly even my animals the stuff described. I am hoping at least you and your husband ate well

yes today is big time. I stated when the thread first started that weekends were off. I try to eat very well during the week. Take a look at my other days. I am sure they willsuit you just fine

 

[kmchar1]

Breakfast:
DH: free at work
Me: 1 apple (.25) with a smidle of peanut butter, granola bar (.25), tea
DS (6 years old): 1 apple (.25), 2 cups of cereal (.50) and milk (.25)
*total: 1.50

Snack:
DS: yogurt .50
*total: .50

Lunch:
DH: free at work
Me: 1/4 bag of carrots (.25), 2 tangelos (.25), 2 slices homemade pizza (leftover-free)
DS: 1/4 bag of carrots (.25) with fat free ranch dip (.25), 2 tangelos (.25), 1 slice homemade pizza (leftover-free)
*total: 1.25

Snack:
Cheap popsicles for all: .30
*total: .30

Dinner:
Pork tenderloin (b1g1, so $5.00 with lots of leftover), baked potatoes (.50), corn on the cob (6 for 1.00), whole wheat buns (1.00)
*total: 7.50 with some leftover

Snack:
Will have strawberries (1.50 for 1 lb) and yogurt dip (made for .50)
*total: 2.00

Grand total: 13.05 with leftovers for tomorrow's lunch

 

[kmchar1]

Breakfast:
DH: free at work
Me: granola bar (.25), 1 orange (.25), tea
DS (6 yrs old): 2 cups of cereal (.50), milk (.25), 1 orange (.25)
*total: 1.50

Snack:
DS: yogurt .50
*total: .50

Lunch will be:
DH: free at work
Me: Leftover pork tenderloin (free), 1/4 bag of carrots (.25), leftover whole wheat bun (free)
DS: leftover pork tenderloin (free) on a whole wheat bun (free) with mustard (.10 maybe), 1/4 bag of carrots (.25) with fat free ranch dip (.25), apple slices (.25)
*total: 1.10

Snack will be:
Cheap popsicles for all .30
*total .30

Dinner will be:
Turkey burgers (3.00), whole wheat buns (1.00), tomato slices (.25), homemade french fries-baked (.75), grapes (1.00 for 1 lb on sale)
*total: 6.00

Snack:
Probably 3 ice creams at Dinosaur Gerties at MGM
*total: 9.00

*Grand total: $18.40

 

[dawn1967]

Ok hubby and kids are back today I'm thinking for dinner but who knows.

Breakfast
Just me coffee Free

Lunch (if they are home)

Blt's and cantalope 3.25
If it's just me just divide that by 4 that's just the bacon and rolls and cantalope. everything else for the blt is from my garden.

Dinner
Philly cheese steak sandwiches 5.99 (rolls and roast beef and cheese)
home made fries .25
Grapes (garden)
lettuce and tomato and onions for the sandwiches.
(I like shredded lettuce and tomato's in my philly's please keep comments to a mininum. )
Snacks not sure they will have stuff left over from camping.

Here is a trick I learned yesturday to. why we are having french dip
The Roast was on markdown because it expires today. It was .99 lb instead of 5.99 lb it was two lbs I asked the butcher could he cut this up for carnda asada. And he said even better I can cut it for philly's and carnda asada. So I got two meals for 1.98. So i hear everyone talking about how they get this cheap meat at some store with printed coupons. Might even be cheaper if you ask the butcher to slice it. Or even ground it. And divide it into two meals.
We only use 3oz of meat (beef or chicken or turkey) per person. Their is 4 of us so 12 oz is what goes in a meal. Yes I have a ditigal scale i use when i separate my meats this includes chicken to.

 

[DawnM]

This weekend was a bit of a bust. We found ourselves out during lunch both days and ended up eating out. Jason's Deli today for salad bar and sandwiches.

We have been eating oatmeal for b-fast with OJ.

Last night I gave each child a full banana BEFORE dinner. They are filling, cheap and nutritious.

Then I served a fruit salad with cut up apples and oranges. Meal was turkey and cheese sandwiches for the boys. I had a salad. I am Vegan. The family is not!

DH and I have decided to add a little more $$ to the budget for food recently because we want to base our diet on as much raw foods as possible. Sticking to Costco and Aldi's we should be able to get things within our budget.

I have a Soymilk maker and make my own soymilk and tofu.

Dawn

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Dawn, Pardon my ignorance, I've never heard of a soymilk maker. Is it difficult to make your own milk and tofu? Do you buy the "raw" soy (beans?) in bulk somewhere?

 

[mommiepoppins]

we had a church party . I bought a watermellon =349 from aldi
Grandparents took us out for B fast =0
left overs from the party for dinner=0

= 349 for the day.

 

[Mary2e]

Dawn, Pardon my ignorance, I've never heard of a soymilk maker. Is it difficult to make your own milk and tofu? Do you buy the "raw" soy (beans?) in bulk somewhere?

Here's a link to the soy milk maker.

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/detail.jsp?id=4351

Sorry, but I can't answer your questions. I don't have one and hate soy milk

 

[Mary2e]

I've been reading this thread with a great deal of interest, and yes, sometimes horror. While I commend everyone for trying to keep their food costs down, well, the amount of processed, fat laden & salty food is incredible.

If I can suggest, why don't all of you take a look at cooking light magazine? They have excellent recipes that are not only good, but have been adapted for healthy eating. They do not use strictly non-processed food, but what they do use is carefully suggested.

http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking/mp/0,14089,,00.html

They also have vegetarian and quick cook meals that use inexpensive ingredients. Their site also provides menu planning tools.

A subscription to their magazine could be worth it's weight in gold if it helps you meet your budgetary AND nutritional requirements.

[I don't work for them, or know anyone who does.. I just thought I'd offer other solutions]

 

[kayeandjim00]

I've been reading this thread with a great deal of interest, and yes, sometimes horror. While I commend everyone for trying to keep their food costs down, well, the amount of processed, fat laden & salty food is incredible.

If I can suggest, why don't all of you take a look at cooking light magazine? They have excellent recipes that are not only good, but have been adapted for healthy eating. They do not use strictly non-processed food, but what they do use is carefully suggested.

http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking/mp/0,14089,,00.html

They also have vegetarian and quick cook meals that use inexpensive ingredients. Their site also provides menu planning tools.

A subscription to their magazine could be worth it's weight in gold if it helps you meet your budgetary AND nutritional requirements.

[I don't work for them, or know anyone who does.. I just thought I'd offer other solutions]

Great suggestion! My subscription was I believe $18 for 12 issues and Cooking Light is full of some family favorites! I really enjoy the superfast supper section - easy and tasty and healty what more could you want?? I have to be honest some of these menus are scary to me it would not be how I feed my family but to each their own I suppose.

 

[ilovepcot]

Things I ponder:

1) Are some people on this thread so caught up in trying to "outdo" others that they are deceitful about their daily food intake?

2) Are some people on this thread so misinformed about nutrition (especially for growing children) that they don't realize they're not providing a healthy, balanced diet?

3) Are some people on this thread so economically challanged (poor!) they can't provide better meals? If so, would the county where they reside not intervene to provide a means for more and better nutrition to the children?

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Another good source of recipes is "Food and Family" which is a quarterly magazine thing from Kraft. Sure, it promotes their products, but I find a lot of decent, quick meals in there. And of course you can substitute any brand of salad dressing, cheese, whatever. Many of the recipes are healthier versions of favorites. Best of all it's FREE! (try www.kraftfoods.com). They also offer different versions of a recipe--say a main course based on rice, they'll have suggestions for using leftover chicken, canned tuna, or tofu and complimentary vegetables for each. Especially helpful when you're looking for a recipe to match what's in the garden or fridge.

 

[Blondie]

Things I ponder:

1) Are some people on this thread so caught up in trying to "outdo" others that they are deceitful about their daily food intake?

2) Are some people on this thread so misinformed about nutrition (especially for growing children) that they don't realize they're not providing a healthy, balanced diet?

3) Are some people on this thread so economically challanged (poor!) they can't provide better meals? If so, would the county where they reside not intervene to provide a means for more and better nutrition to the children?

I've wondered that as well.

Another good source of recipes is "Food and Family" which is a quarterly magazine thing from Kraft.

I love this magazine and it's FREE!!!!!! Everything I've made from the recipes within have been excellent! The free calendar they send out at the end of the year is also very nice!

 

[BethR]

Things I ponder:

1) Are some people on this thread so caught up in trying to "outdo" others that they are deceitful about their daily food intake?

2) Are some people on this thread so misinformed about nutrition (especially for growing children) that they don't realize they're not providing a healthy, balanced diet?

3) Are some people on this thread so economically challanged (poor!) they can't provide better meals? If so, would the county where they reside not intervene to provide a means for more and better nutrition to the children?

I've wondered that as well.

Let it go Ladies.