My goal? To feed my family of 10 for $2, per person, per day.

Well, I didn't manage to buy a full 30 day supply of staples. WalMart is where I buy most of them, and they were out of powdered milk, salsa, brown rice, the pasta I like to get, and unsweetened applesauce. We'll try again next week.

I spent $221.30 on food this week. My receipts are very complicated this week, because our tax refund arrived and I spent a lot of money on non-food items (such as pencils, erasers, 20 pairs of socks, a new trashcan, and more...)
Our new weekly average is: $104.24

I got:
18 boxes of whole wheat pasta, 15# AP flour, 25# whole wheat flour, 5# cornmeal, 4# brown sugar, 1 box vital wheat gluten, 2 cans salt

4# popcorn, 4# navy beans, 3# garbanzo beans, 1# pearled barley

2 bottles spicy brown mustard, 1 large can diced tomatoes, 1 large can crushed tomatoes, 3 small cans tomato paste, 2 jars spaghetti sauce, 130 oz. creamy peanut butter, 1 jar grape jam, 2 cans black olives, 1 can sauerkraut, 1 gal. white vinegar, 16 oz. salad dressing

100 tea bags, large can Folger's coffee, 1 bag mini-marshmallows, 4 loaves of whole wheat bread (still no oven), 8 large cartons (42 oz.) oatmeal, 1 bottle pancake syrup, 1 box raisin bran, 1 box frosted mini-wheats

4# butter, 5 1/2 doz. large eggs, 4 gallons milk, 2# cheese

17# corned beef (we froze some!), 3# pork tenderloin, 1 frozen pizza

3.3# onions, 5# bananas, 11.5# cabbage, 3# asparagus, 12# apples, 10# frozen veggies, 1 large cantaloupe

75 cookies from the bakery, 1 box of Rice Krispy treats

What we're eating:

Sunday, Mar. 15- ate out after spending a fortune at Ikea. Does it count as stimulating the economy if all the money goes straight to Sweden?

Mon., Mar. 16 - oatmeal, apples
taco beans and rice
Spaghetti, broccoli

Tues., Mar. 17 - oatmeal, bananas
peanut butter sandwiches, milk
Corned beef, potatoes, cabbage, and cookies for dessert. St. Patrick is one our
family's patron saints, and I still don't have an oven!

Wed., Mar 18 - cold cereal with milk
egg sandwiches, green beans
White bean pasta salad with black olives and chard, salad
*** Update - we had angel hair with white beans, caramelized onions, and asparagus. I *forgot* that I had bought a ton of asparagus this week! Also added a pound of frozen peas so it would have more "green" than "brown". Served with balsamic vinaigrette. I double the white beans in my portion, and finally ate a bowl of pasta that didn't make my blood sugar go crazy!

Thurs., Mar. 19- oatmeal, cantaloupe
macaroni and cheese w/peas and carrots
***Update - we ate leftover pasta instead. I made 2 boxes of angel hair with 3# of veggies and it created a giant pot o' stuff that I might have to freeze before we get sick of it!
Pork tenderloin, roasted potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli blend
*** Update - making this in crockpot - still don't have an oven! Pineapple/apricot jam on the pork is really, really good (even if husband dear prefers green chile anything on it instead.)

Fri., Mar. 20 - oatmeal, misc. fruit
Lunch? Hmm... we'll see how much bread we have left. We might end up with deviled eggs and veggie sticks (Love deviled eggs, hate DEVILING 2 doz. eggs for the hungry masses!)
vegetarian chili, corncakes, salad

Sat., Mar. 21 - oatmeal
sandwiches, leftovers
Pizza if we have an oven, if not... dunno...

Are you a frugal foodie? How did you save money in the kitchen this week?

Leave your link here and don't forget to link back!

Labels: Food Stamp Challenge, Frugal Foodie, menu

My goal? Feed my family of 10 for $2, per person, per day. ($140 a week).

I'll admit it - we are scraping by this week until Friday (payday!)

Now, the amount I spent was a little complicated. That pork roast from the store I buy produce - never meat -from had to go back, because it spoiled before it's sell-by date. Yeah, that's why I never buy meat there... but it was such a good sale and it looked so nice on the shelf...

So I got a refund of $6.93 from last week's receipt.


I spent:
$37.71; take away $6.93 that was already accounted for last week, and the total is $30.78
Average per week - $92.81 (watch for this to go waaaayyy up next week, the pantry's bare and we've eaten through my stock of food!)

I got:
4# green cabbage, 5# carrots, 3# onions, 10# potatoes, 2 heads Romaine, 2# strawberries (wash them well!), 9 golden delicious apples, 12 red pears, 3# tomatoes, 1 large cantaloupe.

2 doz. eggs, 2 gal. milk,

8 cans Hatch picante sauce, 42 oz. oatmeal, 18 oz. peanut butter, 1# chickpeas

14# ice, a Butterfinger bar.

We ate/are eating: (for more menus than you can shake a stick at, check out Laura's Menu Plan Monday!)

Saturday, Feb. 28: b- oatmeal
l - leftovers
d- Green chile pork chops, spanish rice, salad

Sunday, March 1: b - pumpkin "cake" (it's baked in a bundt pan, but I use applesauce, whole wheat flour, and half the sugar in the recipe so it's actually healthy!)
l- taco beans and rice (another surprise kid hit - pintos, rice, tomatoes, taco seasoning cooked up and topped with cheese)
s- popcorn, chard (had to thin the garden!)
d- Chicken soup w/ onions, potatoes, carrots, and alphabet noodles

Monday, March 2: b - oatmeal
l - chicken soup
s- red pear, sprouts w/salt
d- curried bean stew (minus tomatoes) - HEB, your "hot" curry powder is shamefully mild!

Tuesday, March 3: b- chocolate malt-o-meal
l - egg fried rice (3 c. rice, 3 eggs, 2# asian style veggies)
s- strawberries
d- whole wheat pizza w/fresh tomatoes and peppers, salad

Wednesday, March 4: b- oatmeal
l - peanut butter and honey sandwiches, apples
s - carrot sticks w/ sesame garlic yogurt cheese
d - chicken tortilla soup

Thursday, March 5: b- corn muffins
l - hummus on pitas (again, but the kids love chickpeas), sprouts
s- cantaloupe slices
d- colcannon (bacon, cabbage, and potato casserole type dish)

Friday, March 6: b- oatmeal
l- macaroni and cheese
s- uh, hmmm, well... dunno. But it's payday so I'll hit the store for more fruit)
d- vegetarian gumbo (didn't eat it last week due to lack of planning on the beans. We had spaghetti with white beans last Friday instead).

Check out The Grocery Cart Challenge to see how to feed 6 on $60!

Are you a Frugal Foodie? Share how you saved money in the kitchen or YOUR food budget here!

Leave your link here and make sure to link back!

Labels: Food Stamp Challenge, Frugal, Frugal Foodie, menu

A lot of people think that they cannot afford to eat healthfully. I disagree. We eat a lot of fresh (and sometimes frozen) fruits and vegetables, and I fit them in our budget. Food for thought: this week I bought 5# of Red Delicious apples for $2.99, the same price as a bag of Oreos!

See this post for a picture of fresh fruit and veggies bought for under $25.

How can you save money on produce?

1. I buy through loss leaders. A loss leader is something sold dirt cheap on the front of a grocery store ad, with the intention of getting you through the door so you'll do all your shopping at that store.

2.I buy in season. In December, we ate frozen veggies (10/$10 at Kroger, they run the sale 2x a month or so), kale, cabbage, carrots. Now kale is a little more expensive, but kiwis and oranges are dirt cheap. Last week, I paid 20 cents for navel oranges, and a quarter each for kiwis, and apples are really cheap right now, too.

As we head through spring and summer, we'll eat nectarines and plums as they get cheaper. Around the end of June, corn gets cheap - 6 or 8 for a dollar.

3. I usually don't buy organic, even though I would like to. I do keep an index card in my wallet with a list of the "top 10 dirtiest" so I can avoid them, or at least be aware and make informed choices. This doesn't mean I would never buy spinach, but it does mean that I might skip strawberries except for a couple times per year, peel the peaches, and wash the bell peppers thoroughly. I don't worry as much about bananas and oranges, because they have a thick peel (I do not use zest or candy the peels, though); but I always peel the potatoes (even though *I* love chunky skins on mashed potatoes!)

My goal with organic eating is to make changes where it will have the most impact, which, for kids, means I want to start with organic milk. Wash your veggies, or use a veggie wash (make your own!) and don't stress too much.

4. Also, I always hit the markdown rack. Our local Kroger marks down produce in the evening - 4-5# bags of bananas for 99 cents, or this week I got 2 4-packs of organic bell peppers for 99 cents each.

5. I'm growing my own. I make my own organic sprouts (you need a mason jar, water, and beans - it's easy!) and planted a garden. I haven't harvested much from our little garden, but the spinach, radishes, and chard are doing well and I've started the peppers indoors. (The lettuce and beans never came up.) Note: Never sprout kidney beans!

6. I buy frozen when it's cheaper (and it almost always is, for broccoli). Frozen veggies have as many vitamins as fresh, are picked when they are at their peak, and are already prepped. When I open a bag of frozen broccoli, I don't have any waste. Kroger very often runs 10/$10 sales on their frozen veggies, and I stock up. Other stores often run similar sales; a good BirdsEye coupon + a loss leader sale can even get you veggies for free!

7. I shop off the beaten path. Ethnic grocery stores usually have rock bottom prices. When I lived in Denver, I shopped at KoMart, a Korean market. In Houston, I shop at Fiesta Mart or FoodTown, which are Mexican markets. (I usually only buy produce there, the prices on other items are much higher than other stores!) Throughout summer, farmers markets and roadside stands can offer great deals.

8. I always cruise the produce aisles of every grocery store, because you'll never know when you'll get a deal. Then, I change the menu plan accordingly. One week, I happened by a display of eggplant and did a double take. They were marked 25¢ - not per pound, but a quarter each! I bought a ton and we had eggplant in spicy tomato sauce, eggplant with white beans, and eggplant dip that week!

How do you save money on fruits and vegetables?

Labels: black thumb, cooking, Food Stamp Challenge, Frugal, Frugal Foodie, health

See all Food Stamp Challenge posts here.

My goal? Spend $2 per person per day on food. $140 a week, for our family of 10.

Week 5 and 7 are MIA because I did not go shopping that week and we ate out of our pantry.

I spent $109.59 (and $17 on vitamins).

Average spent per week so far: $103.86
(I'm really surprised it's this low, although we are eating vegetarian for most lunches, and eat oatmeal or hot cereal for breakfast most days. Also, I make a lot of things from scratch.)


What I got:
1 doz. eggs, 2 gallons milk, 32 oz. plain yogurt, 2# shredded cheese

5# cornmeal, 4# sugar, 8# quick oats, 1 box complete pancake mix (at 99¢ for 32 oz, it's cheaper than mixing up my own!), 1 box Multigrain Cheerios (sale + coupon = .67 for the box!), 200 corn tortillas, 12 pkg. ramen noodles (per husband's request - YUCK!), 14 oz. alphabet noodles, 3 cans picante sauce, 6 cans hominy, 2 cans Ranch Style beans, 1 bottle ketchup

17 navel oranges, 24 apples, 1 head cauliflower, 8 organic bell peppers (red, yellow, and green mixed, on the reduced rack for $2 total), 21# potatoes, 5# carrots, 2 poblano peppers, 4# white onions, 2 1/2# Roma tomatoes, 4# green cabbage.

1# dried garbanzo beans, 1# pearled barley, 1# blackeyed peas, 2# dried white beans, 1# dried black beans, 8# rice.

2# frozen gumbo mix, 2# frozen broccoli/cauliflower mix, 2# frozen garden blend

3 chickens, 3# boneless beef steak, 5# pork roast, 11# shank ham

...and 3 bags of half off Valentine's candy. The chocolate's for me, the conversation hearts are potty training bribery.

I found a fabulous new resource at the library - The Vegan Lunchbox Cookbook. Every once in a while I'll click over to the Vegan Lunchbox blog and admire her lunches. I knew there was a cookbook, but wasn't ever interested because we're not vegans, and there's no way I have the time to make such intricate and pretty lunches for 8 people everyday.

But, the cookbook is great! I'm trying a ton of recipes this week. Our lunches had become throw-together ho-hums, and I apparently need to eat more food -I've lost weight for two months inexplicably, and I'm down to my prepregnancy weight, more or less. And I still have 3 1/2 months to go! My problem is that I am not hungry, more or less. If I didn't have 7 little stomachs yelling for food all the time, I'd probably forget to eat altogether!

I'm hoping that carefully planning lunches and snacks will help with that.

I'm also hoping to mix up our grains, so if we have malt-o-meal (wheat) for breakfast, we don't also have pasta (wheat) for lunch, bread (wheat) for a snack, and bulgur (wheat again!) for dinner. Or cornmeal mush for breakfast (the kids don't want oatmeal everyday... so okay... I'll try anything once!), polenta for lunch, popcorn for a snack, and tacos for dinner all in the same day.

What we're eating:
Recipes in green are from The Vegan Lunchbox Cookbook.

Sat., Feb 21: Lunch, snack: Peanut butter and jelly, apple, orange
Dinner: Chicken fajitas, pepper strips, Spanish rice

Sun., Feb 22: Lunch, snack: Golden Cauliflower soup, apple, pepper strips
Dinner: Ham, baked potatoes, peas

Mon., Feb. 23: Lunch, snack: Tostadas, pepper strips, "cheesy" roasted chickpeas
Dinner: Pasta Carbonara w/broccoli and fresh tomatoes

Tues., Feb. 24: Lunch, snack: Corn pone muffins w/pintos, mixed veggies, orange
Dinner: Waikiki Chicken (stupid name for recipe from WalMart kiosk), broccoli, rice.

Wed., Feb. 25: Lunch, snack: Baked cream cheese spirals, apple, bread
Dinner: Fish tacos, cole slaw (didn't actually make them last time!)

Thur., Feb 26: Lunch, snack: hummus and sprout pitas, honeybee balls
Dinner: Hambone and black-eyed pea soup, cornbread

Fri., Feb. 27: Lunch, snack: Leftovers or sandwiches.
Dinner: Vegetarian gumbo with red beans, rolls or cornbread. (I love cornbread and could eat it every day!)

BTW- Baby X ate three bowls of the cauliflower soup! I made it with fewer potatoes than called for because I have to eat like a diabetic, but it still turned out tasty.

Labels: cooking, Food Stamp Challenge, Frugal Foodie, Linky love

My goal? To spend $140 per week on food for 10 people, which is $2 per person per day.

If you recall, we had a super challenge the last couple of weeks. We spent around $50 here and there. This week, I spent $225 restocking the pantry.

What we got this week:
15 green bell peppers, 6 red bell peppers, 2 large poblano peppers, 12# apples, 12 navel oranges (look at 'em! They're the size of the cantaloupe, for a quarter each!), 2 cantaloupes, 1 bunch kale, 1.5# fresh broccoli, 1 medium eggplant, 2# zucchini, 8 kiwis, 3 limes, piece ginger, 1.5# asparagus, 15# potatoes, 2 heads cabbage, 3 heads romaine lettuce, and 5 tomatoes.

I love the Mexican grocery store. We got all of this fresh food for less than $25!


1.5# whitefish, 3/4# baby octopus (for husband), 7# pork chops, 2# Italian sausage, and 4 whole chickens.

7 packages assorted small pasta, 6# brown rice, 4# white rice, 2# garbanzos, 1# lentils, 1# split peas, 1# navy beans, 1# red beans, 4 boxes WW spaghetti, 2 boxes WW rotini, 2 boxes WW penne, 3 jars spaghetti sauce (I love when they discontinue flavors. They were 60 cents each!), large jar salsa, 100 ct. tea bags, 10.5# quick oats, 1 box whole grain cream of wheat, 1 box chocolate malt-o-meal, 2 cans oyster stew, 1 can black olives, 3 large cans crushed tomatoes, 3 small cans tomato paste, 1 can pineapple slices, 1 jar pineapple apricot jelly (so good on pork chops), 56 oz. creamy peanut butter, and 2 large jars unsweetened applesauce.

48 oz. canola oil, 34 oz. olive oil, 15# WW flour, 10# AP flour, 12# white sugar, 4# brown sugar, 6 oz. dried cranberries, 1 can salt, large carton baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and 16 oz. slivered almonds.

3 dozen large eggs, 4 gallons milk, 3# butter, 1# sharp cheddar cheese, 1 can whipped cream, and 3 pkg. hot dogs.

2# frozen spinach, 2# froz. peas, 2# peas and carrots, 4# broccoli cuts, 2# broccoli and cauliflower, 2# frozen blackberries, and 2# frozen blueberries.


I also spent another $40 on diapers, dish soap sandwich bags, aluminum foil, and assorted food storage/paper goods. We were out of everything!


What are we gonna eat? (besides peanut butter!)

Saturday, Feb. 7: salad, chicken tacos, pintos

Sunday, Feb. 8: Stuffed bell peppers, bread

Monday, Feb. 9: Pork chops, peas, asparagus, brown rice

Tuesday, Feb. 10: ratatouille, rice, salad with white beans and olives

Wednesday, Feb. 11: chicken enchiladas, beans, rice

Thursday, Feb. 12: chick pea soup, bread (or pitas), yogurt sesame spread.

Friday, Feb. 13: fish tacos, salad

Are you a frugal foodie? How did you save money in the kitchen this week? Leave your link here and make sure to link back!

Labels: cooking, Food Stamp Challenge, Frugal Foodie

Food Stamp Challenge - feed my family for $2 per person per day. ($140 a week).

Well, this week threw us a curve ball. Husband dear is paid by the hour, and there were some unexpected slow times plus a sick day. Add that to unexpected expense and an oopsie on my part (I thought I paid for 6 months of car insurance in December, but I actually went on the monthly plan, so we had to pay a month's worth of car insurance, too), plus rent due, and we have $75 to spend on food and whatnots until next payday (February 6).

It's feast or famine in the construction industry. Last two weeks? 35 and 40 hours. Next paycheck? 58 hours this week, scheduled for 84 hours next week (time and a half for overtime, woot!)

So. Two week's worth of meals for $50? Can it be done?

Well, yes it can. On the other hand, this is a realistic challenge. How many families run out of food stamps at the end of the month?

I stock up whenever I can (remember those 35 pounds of meat I bought last week?) so I only needed a few staples. We'll be eating less fresh fruit this week, but I'll be breaking out my "hurricane stock" of juice and canned veggies in order to make sure everyone gets their vitamins. We rarely drink juice, so a glass of pineapple juice will be a treat for the kids, instead of a sacrifice.

Here are my saving graces:

• A stocked pantry. I have rice, beans, peas, lentils, flour, cornmeal, popcorn, bulgur, quinoa... and I know how to use them. Truthfully, I could have not gone to the store at all (but the meals would have been a little meager. Plus I really did need eggs, since I plan on baking!) Thanks be to God for giving me the means to have extra money in the "fat" times so we have food for the lean times.

• The knowledge, skills, and ability to make many things myself. I didn't fret about being able to afford bread - I have flour, yeast and water at home. I have access to an oven, freezer, and refrigeration. I know how to make bland foods taste good enough that the kids ask for seconds (sometimes...) Thanks be to God for giving me understanding and providing such a nice kitchen and comfortable home!

• I have been reading frugal, cooking, and mommy blogs and been blessed by other ladie's insights, tips, tricks, recipes, and encouragement. Thanks be to God for all of the people on the Internet (and the amazing gift of the Web, as well) who freely share so that others may be helped.

• I spent an hour and a half planning our menu this week, poring through the pantry and the circulars. Thanks be to God that I have a safe place to store my food, and the luxury of time to sit and ponder recipes.

I think the real challenge will be in two weeks, when I restock!


What I spent: $36.15 on food (plus $6.25 on diapers. 30 diapers for the week? BWAH HA HA HA! Seriously, we'll be working on potty training this week!) I left some room to buy milk, oranges, and anything else that might crop up.

What I got:
7# onions, large bunch kale, 5# russet potatoes, 5# Yukon gold potatoes, 5# carrots (again. We really do eat 5# of carrots a week!), 6 0z. fresh blueberries (pregnant mama with gestational diabetes can't drink juice to get her fruit.)

42 oz. quick oats, balsamic vinegar, 1# dried black eyed peas, 2 bottles Ken's Salad dressing (paid 49¢ each for them, and they are one of the few brands that do not have MSG or artificial colors), 2 jars Pace picante (paid 76¢ for them), 2 cans Rotel (40¢ each), 100 corn tortillas.

1# cheese, 5 dozen eggs, 3# ground chuck, 24 oz. Green Giant Veggie Steamers (free after coupon).

What we'll be eating (no price breakdowns. The thought of doing fourteen of them was overwhelming. Plus, this post is already long.)
Sunday Jan 25: Baked penne with spaghetti sauce (noodles in pantry, gallon bag of meat sauce leftover from my giant vat of sauce last week.)

Monday Jan 26: Ham bone soup (which we didn't have last Monday, as my pan of lasagna was so filling it lasted for two meals!) (Which means ham bone is still in the freezer. And husband dear informed me that black eyed peas would be way better than split peas).

Tuesday Jan 27: Bangers and mash. Okay, it's really bratwurst with chunky kale/potato puree and canned green beans.

Wed, Jan 28: Beef stir fry with frozen veggies (those free Veggie Steamers) and sprouts.

Thur Jan 29: Lentil Soup, rolls

Fri Jan 30: Bean tostadas (with that salsa. Is that a vegetable?), corn/Rotel salad.

Sat, Jan 31: Birthday celebration for Miss E! She wanted hamburgers (that's why I bought the ground chuck). Hamburgers, brats, potato salad, chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, popcorn, and spinach. Yeah, she got to pick the menu. I forced the potato salad on her, though. She really loves spinach, believe it or not.


Sun, Feb 1: Turkey, stuffing, broccoli and cauliflower blend (I bought an extra turkey at Christmas because they were so cheap! $2.50 for a 12# bird!)

Mon, Feb 2: Chili with red beans, cornbread

Tues, Feb 3: Turkey tetrazzini with broccoli

Wed, Feb 4: Pork chops, spaetzle or latkes, sweet and sour cabbage (Doh! Forgot to buy cabbage.)

Thurs, Feb 5: Beef and barley soup

Fri, Feb 6: I lied. I only planned 12 meals. Payday! Goin' to the store!
A word about fruits and veggies:
We eat tons of fresh fruit and fresh veggies. The kids really did eat the kale, turnips, yams, hominy, eggplant, zucchini, and did I mention we eat our way through 5# of carrots a week? However, it was simply not in the budget this week. I made a list of fruit/veggie snacks to make sure they get what they need, nutritionally. But I'm paranoid about things like that, so they'll probably be getting one of Mr R's multivitamins for the next two weeks, too.

From my stash of cans and pantry staples:
Pineapple rings (frozen because it's good that way)
Pineapple juice - I have 4 cans!
oranges (we have a few left)
pumpkin bread
pineapple yogurt (can of crushed pineapple in pantry, plain yogurt, honey)
Split pea soup (a lunch standard around here)
Spaghettios (w/ tomato paste and nutritional yeast for "cheesy" flavor. I know. It sounds totally gross, but the kids like it. Or maybe they're just used to it.)
Sprouts - so easy to make, cheap way to get fresh green veggies.
Two mystery cans that Baby X peeled the labels off. Don't know what they are (I suspect crowder peas) but we'll eat 'em!

From my fridge and freezer:
Apple juice (3 cans)
Lemonade (with lemon juice and pulp in them, 2 cans)
Pumpkin soup for lunch this week
Banana muffins (frozen overripe bananas)
Smoothies (bag of frozen fruit I bought last week, yogurt)
Carrots, the ever popular snack

Kid in the Kitchen picture is Mr S, making brownies to celebrate the feast day of his patron saint. And Miss C enjoying a brownie. Because my family reads here.


Are you a frugal foodie? Leave your link here and make sure to link back!

Labels: C, cooking, E, Food Stamp Challenge, Frugal, Frugal Foodie, health, Journey to Simplicity, Kids in the Kitchen, S

Okay, here's the weekly roundup! Stay tuned for next week - they cut husband dear's hours so my goal is to buy only fresh fruit, veggies, and milk and use up pantry stock for everything else.


I spent on food:
Kroger, husband run: $15.60
Kroger, my main run: $37.61
HEB: $81.46
Food Town: 17.95

TOTAL: $153.62 - $2.37 returned goods = $151.25
Avg. for 3 weeks: $139.32 per week.

I got:
12# boneless chuck roast, 4.5# chicken, 10# boneless pork loin, 4# bratwurst (1 per pound! Score!), 3# ground sausage, 2.5# ground chuck

8# bananas, 16# oranges, 6# apples (Gala and Golden Delicious) 1 head Romaine, 4# zucchini, 1# jalapenos, 2.5# yellow onion, 1,9# yams, 1# turnips, 2.25# Roma tomatoes, 5# carrots, 10# potatoes. (You might notice that we ate the whole 5# bag of carrots last week, as well as 18# of oranges and 30 apples!)

3 gallons milk (regular, not organic - sigh again!), 4.5# cheese, 1# ricotta, 1# sour cream, 1# cream cheese,

1# split peas, 1 jar orange marmalade, 1 can pineapple slices, 2 boxes lasagna noodles, 100ct. corn tortillas, 54 oz. peanut butter, 12# sugar, half a pound of bulk WW Pastry flour, 2 c. bulk wheat bran, and about 1/2 c. mung beans. Plus some misc. bulk spices I've been wanting to try - mace, hot curry, and Chinese 5 spice.

7 bags frozen veggies (1# each), 1# mango/papaya frozen fruit.

A bag of ice, 10 yogurt covered pretzels, and a pound of andouille sausage (impulse buys!)

Obviously, I stocked up on meat for the freezer. We aren't going to eat 35 pounds of meat this week! Some people buy exactly what they need week to week, like Grocery Cart Challenge. I prefer to have rotating stock

Our budget was tight, too, because a friend had a baby so I made a pan of chicken enchiladas and lasagna for her.Visit Laura to see tons of menus!

The Menu:
Saturday, Jan 17: Throw together of pasta carbonara w/ham and peas. $3.88
Ham - free, sister's leftovers
2 bags egg noodles, $2
1# peas, $1,
Onion, .35
2 c. milk, .40
2 T. butter .13

Sunday, Jan. 18:, spaghetti, salad.
I'm not going to price this out. I made a giant Vat O' Sauce to make 2 family size lasagnas plus some to freeze. It's 8# crushed tomatoes, 6.5# diced tomatoes, 5.5# meat (ground beef and sausage), garlic, onion, italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Romaine lettuce, 99 cents.
Roma tomatoes, 35 cents.

Monday, Jan 19:ham bone soup, rolls $3.84
Ham bone - free (last week's ham)
carrots 3 large, .42
onion .35
celery 3 ribs celery, chopped .25
1# white beans, .89
1/2 # split peas .43
1# pearled barley, .85
Homemade rolls, .65

Tuesday, Jan 20: Pork Loin, mashed potatoes, zucchini $15.57
5# pork loin $8.85
1/3 jar orange marmalade .45
4# potatoes $1.92
4 T butter .13
3# zucchini $3.87
onion .35

Wednesday, Jan 21: Roasted root vegetable/pork ragout, cornbread $6.44 In other words, leftovers.
1# turnip, .83
1.9# yams, $1.86
1# potatoes .50
3 large carrots, .50
1 med. onion, .35
Leftover pork tenderloin, free
3 c. brown rice, .90
cornbread - too lazy to figure it out. Guesstimate? $1.50


Thursday, Jan 22: Beef curry $7.20
2.5# boneless chuck roast cut in strips $2.50
3 c. brown rice, $1.30
2# frozen chopped broccoli, 2.00
1# frozen Asian Stir Fry Veggies $1.00
3 oz. Kikkoman soy sauce .40

Friday, Jan 23: Lentil enchiladas, pintos, celery and carrot sticks $8.83
2 c. lentils .40
2 c. brown rice .80
Dried chiles ???Bought many moons ago. They weigh nothing, so cheap!
3 carrots, grated and cooked .42
1 lb. Roma tomatoes, diced and cooked .69
16 oz. sour cream, $1
12 oz. cheese, $2.63
corn tortillas (30?) .45
1# pintos, .50
1 onion, .35
3/4 stalk celery .75
6 carrots, cut into sticks $.84

Are you a frugal foodie? Leave your link here and make sure to link back!

Labels: Food Stamp Challenge, Frugal, Frugal Foodie, health

I won't post my receipts this week, because we went to four stores and I stocked up -they are really long! I'm very fortunate to have 7 grocery stores all in a row on the same road - the road that leads to the library. I can really shop around to get the best deals without wasting gas, and can afford the luxury of stopping into a couple of Mexican markets to see what they have (sometimes killer deals, sometimes...meh.)

My goal: To spend $140 / week on food. Last week I spent $105; this week I stocked up some and spent more.

I also ended up shopping with the entire family. We had some... unplanned purchases. Including Twizzlers and Coke. A 20 oz. Coke, cold, is $1.38 - a 2 liter Coke is $1.25. ???

My total for all four stores (including sales tax):
FoodTown $66.84
FiestaMart $30.50
WalMart $121.07
Kroger $13.98

Total: $232.39

However, you can only buy food with food stamps, and my $140 is for food only. I spent $45.82 on diapers, wipes, paper towels (I hate buying these but have resigned myself to my fate), toilet paper, etc.

We decided to eat in on Thursday instead of going out Friday. We went to the library, and then all the groceries. We picked up two rotisserie chickens, 1.5# hot wings, 4 lbs. macaroni salad, a Coke, and a pack of Twizzlers (see why I shop by myself?) We spent $24.58 on our picnic, but this is actually planned to come out of our entertainment budget, not food budget.

So. $232.39, minus $45.82 non-food, minus $24.58 entertainment, = $161.99 this week.

Total for two weeks: $267.71 (Some weeks we spend more, some weeks we spend less).

Among other things, I got:

• 3 cartons oatmeal, 1 box chocolate malt-0-meal, and two boxes of cold cereal (again, why I shop alone! But we haven't had cereal with milk for about a month, and they had some Mom's Best Natural at a good price.)

• 10# AP flour, 5# cornmeal, salt.

• 4 small jars Peanut butter (the smallest jar is the cheapest per ounce, even though it annoys me to have to buy so many! I paid a total of $5.44 for 72 oz. PB.), 3 cans tuna (why do my kids like this?), 28 oz. jar salsa.

• 4 boxes whole wheat pasta, 2 jars garden spaghetti sauce (good in a pinch), 2 large (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, one small can Organic Fire Roasted tomatoes (had a coupon! Paid 14 cents! Woot!)

• 3# bananas, 10# oranges, 3# bag red delicious apples, 17 individual Fuji apples, 1 large head green leaf lettuce, 2 packages radishes, 5# carrots, 4 bell peppers, 1 lg. celery, 2 lg. red onions, 1.5# jalapenos, 4# tomatoes, 2 bunches kale, 4 kiwis, 10# potatoes, and 7 yellow onions. (Note - the apples were gone by Sunday. The kiwis didn't make it past Saturday!)

• 11# shank ham, 10# sirloin pork chops, 2 pkg. bacon, 10 oz. chorizo.

• 4 gallons milk (not organic. Sigh.) 2# cheese, 3# butter, 6 dozen eggs.

• 6 cans green beans, 6 cans pintos, 4 cans Ranch Style beans, 3 cans navy beans, 3 cans crowder peas, 6 cans hominy, 2# dried pintos, 1 bottle ketchup, 1 large can Folgers ($5.44! What a deal!).

I also bought 3 cans of picante sauce which I just saw they way overcharged me for so I'm going to take them back, and also buy some split peas instead. I don't shop at WalMart for groceries often - one reason is because they don't stock everything I buy. Including split peas.

• 2# froz. brussels sprouts, 2# froz. peas and carrots, 1# froz. chopped broccoli.

And two Reese's Whipps candy bars. I had a coupon for $1 off 2...they were advertising them as "less fat and fewer calories than regular candy bars" in the paper. Yes, they gave out a coupon so you could include candy as part of your New Year's Resolution weight loss!

So. Now that I've cured your insomnia, what are we going to eat?

Thursday we had the "eating out dinner", and Friday we had "miscellaneous pantry throw together". So, our new menu is:

(I just realized I forgot to link back to Laura at Orgjunkie, hostess of Menu Plan Monday!)

Sat., Jan 10 - Kolaches, sauerkraut, braised cabbage. coleslaw Husband dear also made an unplanned appetizer of jalapeno poppers. I estimate they cost $1 or so for 12. I promised to share pictures:


Sun, Jan 11 - Ham, mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts $16
Ham, $11.66
4# potatoes, $1.20
2# froz. brussels sprouts $2
6 oz. bacon, chopped .75
1 med. onion - .35

Mon, Jan 12 - Salad bar night, bread $7.69
Green leaf lettuce $.99
2# tomatoes $1.60
1 c. (before cooking) chickpeas .35
9 hardboiled eggs $1.00
8 oz. radishes, chopped .59
2 zucchini, shredded .35
3 carrots, shredded .20
1/2 onion, chopped .20
4 stalks celery, .35
8 oz. cheese, $1.75
salad dressing - ??? bottle's in the fridge already
1 loaf homemade bread .66
Updated - didn't bake today but had to run and buy trash bags. Bought 2 loaves of French bread for $2.46 total, instead.

Tues, Jan 13 - Macaroni and cheese with ham and broccoli, salad or turnip greens $9.20
2 boxes WW Penne pasta, $2.50 (the elbows got eaten for lunch Fri.)
16 oz. cheese, $3.50
1 c. milk .20
handful flour - ???
2# froz. broccoli $2.00
leftover ham - free
leftover salad - free
turnip greens - $1.00

Wed, Jan 14 - Crockpot Cuban Pork w/black beans, seasoned rice, spinach $9.56
4+# sirloin chops, $4.30
3 c. black beans (dry), soaked .75
3 carrots, chopped or grated .20
1 can picante sauce $.33
28.5 oz can diced tomatoes, $.85
sour cream (in fridge from Christmas) (hope it's not furry.)
3 c. brown rice $1.00
2# frozen spinach, $2


Thurs, Jan 15 - fajitas, pico de gallo, refried beans, spanish rice $15.53 (wow, homemade pico is expensive!) (I can't believe this dinner costs as much as the ham dinner!)
3.5# beef strips, $5.56
2# frozen pepper strips, $2.00
2 onions, $.70
3# tomatoes, $2.40
1 red onion, .75
2 jalapenos, .45
corn tortillas (est. $1)
1# (dry weight) pinto beans, .50
10 oz. chorizo (best refried beans you've ever had!) .99
Another onion .35
2 c. white rice, .50
1 can picante sauce, .33

Fri, Jan 16 - lentil shepherd's pie, broccoli and cauliflower $5.50
2 c. lentils, .35
2 c. brown rice, .65
onion, .35
carrots, .20
3 stalks celery, .25
1/2 c. milk, .10
2# potatoes, .60
1# frozen peas $1
2# broccoli/cauliflower, $2


Most of my meals seem expensive - $10 or $15. But remember, they are designed to make a minimum of 10 servings since husband dear likes to take leftovers + there's a pregnant lady in da house! So it works out to $1-$1.50 per person.


Are you a Frugal Foodie? How do save money in the kitchen? Link up here!

Labels: cooking, Food Stamp Challenge, Frugal, Frugal Foodie, menu

For background, click here.

My goal? Spend $140 a week on food for my family of 10. As I said, I do have some food in the pantry/fridge that will come into play this week.
Spent so far: $79.56 105.73
































Menu Plan: (I usually try to do my shopping on Fridays, plus payday is Jan. 9, so my menu is a little longer than a week.)

Breakfast - oatmeal or Malt-o-Meal
Lunches - simple stuff from the pantry or leftovers. No PB&J this week because we ran out of peanut butter.

Jan. 1: Beef curry stirfry. $8.15
2.5# beef, cut in strips $4.50
3 - 16 oz. bags frozen stir fry mix veggies $3.00
3 c. brown rice $.65
spices - I'm not doing the math. Garlic powder, curry powder, cornstarch, and soy sauce

Jan. 2: Lentil Sloppy Joes, cole slaw, canned green beans $4.50
2 c. Lentils .25
1 c. bulghur no idea, it's been sitting in my pantry forever. Est. $1
Buns (made w/ my roll recipe) $.50
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes $1.00
1 med. onion @ .39/lb $.40
1 head cabbage @ .19/lb. $ .50
1/3 c. Miracle Whip maybe .20?
2 cans green beans, .66
vinegar, spices, who knows?

Jan. 3: Saturdays... are not well planned around here. I'll let you know.
Update: We met with some friends for a picnic at the park. Spent $26.17 on sandwich
fixings, ice, drinks, and 8# of oranges. Because we don't eat enough fruit as it is.

Jan. 4: Pork Chops, latkes, spinach $7.90
Pork Chops, $5.00
2.5 # potatoes, .50
1 med. onion @.39/lb .40
2 -16 oz. bags spinach, $2

Jan 5: Penne Primavera w. marinara $5.90
2 boxes Whole Wheat pasta $2.50
2 bags frozen veggies $2
1 jar spaghetti sauce $1
1/2 bag. navy beans, soaked and cooked .40
(leftover sloppy joe sauce *might* find it's way into here if there's any left)

Jan 6: Potato Soup, rolls $4.10
2.5# potatoes, .50
1 qt. milk, .75
3 carrots, .20
1 med. onion .40
1/2 stick butter .25
8 0z. shredded cheese, $1.50
Rolls, .50
Maybe I'll make a King Cake for the Epiphany. Cost? Probably under $1 if I do it myself.

Jan 7: Crockpot Swiss steak, peas, rice $10.10
3.5# boneless steak $5.60
2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes $1
1 -16 oz. bag frozen peppers and onions $1
3 c. brown rice .50
2 -16oz. bags frozen peas (never canned. Blech) $2


Jan 8: Kolaches, sauerkraut, braised cabbage, frozen veggies $8.29
Kolache sausages, 3 lbs $4.49
Kolache dough .50
Sauerkraut, .50
2 lb. cabbage, .40
1 med. onion, .40
2 bags frozen veggies, $2


Jan 9: Today I have my ultrasound, and we'll probably take the kids out to eat after and tell them boy or girl (if we know!). I have a killer coupon for Souper Salad that allows my entire family to eat out for $16.50. All you can eat greens, whoo-hoo!
(I don't think it makes the manager happy, but the coupon is kids eat free, up to 2 per paying adult. And children 4 and under are free. Which makes ALL of the kids free with two paying adults. I don't print the coupons, I just take advantage of it!)

You might notice we eat meat approximately every other night. Eating an abundant amount of meat for 1 meal is more satisfying for my family than trying to stretch the meat and having it at every meal. We'd rather eat a big pot roast once a week than a pound of beef stretched too thin 3 nights a week.

Are you a Frugal Foodie? Leave your link here!
Welcoming any post about food, money, and how to make it work!

Labels: cooking, Food Stamp Challenge, Frugal, Frugal Foodie, menu