$300 for a family of 5, just food. All of my kids eat more than I do so even thought they aren't teenagers yet, they aren't by any means "cheap" to feed. Here is my April menu:
spaghetti, meatballs, garlic breadsticks
turkey filling, pastry, stuffing
bacon pepper jack burgers, bbq beans, cheesy cauliflower
minestrone soup, popovers
pizza
LO
beef hash, garlic green beans
felafel, wheat pitas, couscous, cucumber salad
LO
chicken nuggets, mac&cheese, broccoli
cheddar beer soup, soft pretzels, crudites
pizza
LO
baked ham, au gratin potatoes, asparagus, fruit relish, rolls
LO
spaghetti, meat sauce, garlic bread
corned beef, steamed cabbage, carrot salad, soda bread
LO
pizza
turkey rice soup, biscuits
fish & chips, sausage rolls, salad
LO
grilled chicken sandwiches, pasta salad, cucumber salad
hamburgers, onion petals, salad
ham steaks, lemon almond couscous, cheesy cauliflower, dinner rolls
pizza
black bean soup, tortilla crisps
spinach lasagna, meat sauce, french bread, salad
LO
veggie stir fry, brown rice
My system is to have a variety of meals that cost about $5 or less and we eat those most nights. Twice a week, on Wednesday and Sunday, I prepare a meal that is more in the $5-10 range. Those dinners always have a nice dessert too like cake/cookies. Sunday morning also has a nice breakfast which I don't plan but always happens. One of my family's favorites is copycat Cinnabons. LO is leftovers. I often add salad to a meal even when it isn't listed. I like to see what greens and veggies I have on hand or can pick up cheap to use. I make so much from scratch, no box mixes, kits or cans of this and that. I even make maple syrup from scratch. I keep a well stocked pantry of staples to do this. I always have a good supply of oil, butter, brown sugar, sugar, flour, wheat flour, oats, eggs, milk, baking powder and bulk yeast. I never plan shopping trips and menus around what I "feel" like eating. I pick up low priced ingredients and then use my freezer and pantry contents to plan meals. I use less of many ingredients in my recipes than called for, mainly oils(replace some with fruit puree, fat-free milk or water) and sugar(no replacement necessary), even eggs(replace with water or milk). It may be only $.10 savings each recipe but with how many things I make, it adds up to big savings over time and it's better for us. I save the heels of bread in the freezer to make stuffing and bread crumbs. I save the ends of vegetables in the freezer to roast and make vegetable broth. I save the cores of apples(not bitten apples, I cut off the apple flesh for the kids)in the freezer to cook down and process for applesauce. I learned to cook in my own family of 7, 4 of whom were young men/grown men so I got used to preparing a lot which works out for leftovers in my smaller family. We eat Flexitarian. Breakfasts are homemade wheat waffles/pancake/quick breads/muffins. Lunches are leftovers, natural peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, quesadillas, hot dogs, nuggets, eggs and veg. Snacks are air-popped corn, fruit and veg, plain bulk yogurt or cottage cheese with any desired toppings from the fridge, and anything from the standard breakfast or lunch menu. I have a huge freezer(costs $4 a month to run) to stock up on sale meat, cheese, milk, fruit and veg. We don't drink our calories. I do buy Coke a few times a year and we all split two cans on Friday pizza night. I do buy coffee beans and tea bags. We use a French press for coffee. Hubby makes his regular coffee first and transfers it to a thermal pitcher(thrift store $.25). Then I add a scoop of decaf grounds to his grounds and fill the press again. I like my coffee light. Not weak, just light so this works great for us to save $5 a month on coffee.
The Complete Tightwad Gazette, a good basic cookbook like the Better Homes and Garden red & white book and user reviewed recipe sites like Allrecipes help me to stay interested and inspired.
