August Healthy Shopping on a Budget
We are back with our grocery deals for August! This month we spent about $31.00 for the four meals pictured. How were we able to buy these items for so cheap? Continue reading to find out! (more…)
Meal Planning for Success
Being a full-time working mom, I find it quite challenging to keep up with the day-to-day tasks of running a household and being the wife and mom I want to be. As the summer is coming to a close and back to school is approaching, my family’s schedule is bound to grow even busier. So, between work, school and extra-curricular activities, I have found the only way to keep up is to maintain a structured routine when it comes to the daily grind. One of the most important things that I have implemented into this regiment is planning out all of our meals for the week ahead of time.
Typically on Saturday mornings, I sit down with coffee in hand, to plan meals and cut coupons. It is tough to ensure that we are providing healthy meals while also factoring in the time constraints during the week. So, all of this is taken into consideration when planning for the upcoming week. I start out with a blank meal planner sheet. I figure out what we have going on each night and then select meals accordingly. When we have less time in the evening, I try and do some easier, less time-consuming meals, such as sandwiches, homemade healthy pizzas, crockpot concoctions, or we even enjoy breakfast for dinner! As the meals are determined, I also create my grocery list right there on the same sheet. Once I have it all figured out, I tend to grocery shop on either Saturday or Sunday and lately we have even begun to prep the actual meals for the week on Sunday evenings. This makes it even easier to have a healthy dinner ready on the hectic weeknights. I have found that this method really works for us and I must say, if I stray a bit from my meal planning, we end up eating out more frequently and spending more money! So, in the end, the system is a win-win.
If you would like to download a copy of the weekly meal planner we use in our household, click here.
If you are interested in healthy meal ideas, we frequently offer healthy AND tasty snack and meal ideas on our blog. Check our Facebook and Pinterest pages for these meal suggestions.
Lastly, are you are an avid meal planner? What techniques and strategies do you have to share? We would love to hear some more ideas!
by Maria White
July Healthy Shopping on a Budget
In July, we learned some smart shopping tips for finding healthy foods on a discount. We made four dishes, including one entree, two snack items, and one side dish with some leftovers for $41.57. Here is a picture of what we made, along with our receipt:
June Healthy Shopping on a Budget
Berries and peppers (the June Foods of the Month) are great summer time foods that can be used in light dinners and snacks. When it’s hot outside, these foods are healthy and keep us full without being too heavy. Our June recipes and meal ideas (pictured below) had a great balance of fruits, veggies, and dairy to be both filling and nutritious at the same time. (more…)
May Healthy Shopping on a Budget
We are back with our monthly healthy shopping on a budget feature! Last month, we learned to check stores for fresh produce deals and two for one deals on whole wheat pasta and lean meats. This month, we focused our shopping around eggs and spinach, the two Foods of the Month for May. (more…)
