Sunday, January 2, 2011

Healthy $10 a Day Menus

As I mentioned, we always have more leftovers than I anticipate, or I think of something new to do with the leftovers, so we end up with meals planned but not made.
Here's what carries over to this week from not making it last week:
Black Bean, Rice and Cheese Casserole
White Chicken Chili
Tuna Oriental

With that, here is our healthy, financially-feasible menu for the week:

Sunday
Oven pancake
(3 eggs=.50 cents, 1 c. milk=.15 cents, 1 c. flour=.05 cents, sugar, salt=minimal)
Meal=less than $1
Roast (on sale for $1.99/lb, approximately 3 pounds=$6)
Potatoes .25 cents or less
Carrots=.25 cents
Applesauce=.50 cents
Milk=.50 cents
Meal=$7, but roast will yield at least one to two more meals

Monday
Breakfast Casserole
homemade hashbrowns: 1 lb. potatoes=.25 cents
6 eggs=$1
6 oz. cottage cheese (24 oz.on sale for $2.25, 6 oz=.56 cents)
1 c. shredded swiss cheese=1.99 (I may only use half this amount)
ham, leftover=$1
salt=minimal
Meal=$4.80 (or less depending on amount of cheese used)
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Tuna salad sandwiches on homemade wheat bread
Tuna=.44 cents/can on sale
1 Tbsp. mayo= $2.99 jar, 72 1 T. servings=.04 cents/tablespoon
teaspoon pickle relish=minimal
stalk celery=minimal
oranges (.49 cents/pound),
milk (2.49/gallon, 16c/gallon=.15 cents/cup, kids drink 1/2 c., adults drink 2c. =.50 cents)
Homemade bread=.12 loaf, half loaf=.06 cents
Meal=$1.53
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Shepherd's Pie (using leftover roast--cost factored in on Sunday, mashed potatoes .25 cents, broth from cooking the roast=free, green beans=.50 cents)
.75 cents
Milk=.50 cents
Meal=$1.25

Tuesday
Granola and berries=around $1 (makes a large batch)
---
Leftover shepherd's pie=$0
---
Ham and beans, cornbread, milk
Ham hock=$2,
1/2 bag of beans=.90 cents,
onion and seasonings=.50 cents
Homemade cornbread=Cornbread from freshly ground popcorn kernels ($1.48 bag @ Walmart--need only 1c.=.75 cents or less), butter, milk, sugar, one egg=approximately $1.25
Milk=.50 cents
Meal=$5.15

Wednesday
Overnight Yeast Waffles, milk
1-3/4 c. milk=.30 cents
stick butter=.75 cents
2 c. flour=.10 cents
2 eggs=.50 cents
1T. sugar, 1-1/2 tsp. instant yeast, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. vanilla=minimal
milk to drink=.50 cents
Meal=$2.15
---
Leftover ham and bean soup, cornbread=$0
---
Spicy Rice, Bean and Cheese casserole:
.50 cents for rice
.50 cents for beans (cook half a bag of black beans)
.50 cents for one can diced tomatoes
$1.25 for cheese
approximately.25 cents for onion and garlic
.77 cents for one avocado on sale

Meal= $3.77

Thursday
Oatmeal $6.60 bulk bag @ Sams=100 1-cup servings=.06 cents/serving
5 servings=.30 cents
Bananas on sale for .39 cents per pound
Milk=.50 cents
Meal=$1.19

---
Leftover bean, rice and cheese casserole on homemade wheat tortillas=.12 cents
$1.25 Mango
=$1.37
---
The splurge meal!: Roast Beef with peppers, onions and potatoes
Roast on sale for $3.49/pound=$8.73, but will be used for at least two meals, so $4.37 for this meal
2 Peppers @$1.79 each=3.58
Onion=$1
New Potatoes=$1.49 for one pound
Meal=$10.44

Friday
Veggie scramble, toast
6 eggs=$1
splash of milk and salt=minimal
using leftover red and yellow peppers from dinner=0, cost factored in yesterday
toast using homemade bread=.06 cents
Meal=a little over $1
---
Spinach, beef and mango wraps
Beef=$2.17 (or less, depending on amount used)
Spinach=$2
Mango=$1.25
2 limes=.50 cents
Package of whole wheat tortillas=$2.89
Meal=$8.84
---
Leftovers=free

Saturday
Pancakes, juice
less than $1
Juice=$1
Meal=less than $2
----
Use extra beef, add cheese and veggies to make a roll-up for lunch=$0 (costs previously factored in)
apples=.80 cents/pound
---

White chicken chili, tortillas or tortilla chips

1 pound chicken=$1.49
2 cans Great Northern Beans=$1.60 (cheaper to cook your own)
Homemade broth=free
Onion and garlic=.50 cents
Cream/milk=$1
Tortilla chips=$2, tortillas minimal
Meal=$6.60
Sunday:
Peanut butter baked oatmeal
Meal=less than $1
---
Hamburgers $1.99/lb.
Buns=$1/package
Oven fries=potatoes .25 cents for one pound (10# bag=2.50) plus oil and seasonings, minimal cost;
salad=$1, homemade dressing=.50 cents
Meal=$3.75
---
Tuna Oriental, rice, milk

Tuna=.44 cents/can
Rice=.50 cents
Cream of mushroom soup=.60 sale
Celery, onion=.25 cents
Milk=.50 cents
Meal=$2.29
As far as snacks are concerned, we usually eat apple slices, cheese cubes, walnuts, pistachios, yogurt, etc.  I plan to make Cranberry-Apricot Granola bars, apricot-oatmeal cookies, and perhaps some muffins too.  In my first trimester with a growing baby, I find myself getting famished by about 4pm, so I either have to think of a substantial snack then, or just eat dinner earlier! How do you deal with the ravenous pregnancy appetite that can hit at times?

Visit orgjunkie.com for more menu planning ideas!

5 comments:

  1. Wow! It looks like a great week of yummy food at your house. With my second daughter, my ravenous time was always at night around 9:30 or so. I always had half of a peanut butter sandwich, half an apple and a small handful of something salty and crunchy (pretzels, chips, popcorn, etc.) Always filled me up.

    I have a question about your cornbread. Do you grind the popcorn kernels in a grain mill or do you use something else? Also, can you just use any kind of kernels or is it just a certain kind? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Amanda,
    I think it's any kind of popcorn kernels. I used to buy the Orville Redenbacher brand, but last time I picked up the Walmart brand (I think it was a 16 oz. bag) for about $1.48 and they work great! I have a NutriMill...you just put it on low, I think, and coarse, and it turns out as great cornmeal :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Baby cravings! I'm four months into cooking baby number three, and am always hungry around 8:30. Unfortunately, with the holidays, we have been blessed (cursed!) with cookies, peanut brittle, and fudge. Thankfully, I finished it all last night so tonight's snack was a bananna. I usually go for bread with cream cheese and a big glass of water, but I haven't made bread today.

    Your menus are a great inspiration. We've been having tons of leftovers too lately, and are working on getting them factored into other meals, but they usually just become lunch.

    Have you looked into bulk buying? We get our wheat berries and popcorn kernels and other bulk stuff from azurestandard and have been very happy with the quality and prices.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Katrina,
    Our leftovers are usually lunch too :) Lots of times, though, I can make them into a soup, maybe a casserole, burrito, etc.
    We have checked into Azure, but unfortunately, we're off their route. It would be about $900 in fuel surcharges for them to come off their Interstate route to drop in our city. I have a friend who gets me wheat from Wheat Montana when she's up there. Other things I just buy in bulk from Sam's Club. I actually almost got a 50# bag of popcorn kernels there today but decided to pass and just buy a smaller bag for now. Thanks for the suggestion, though. I wish we could make it work here!

    ReplyDelete

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