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OT: Need ideas for my sister-in-law's meal budget
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I know many of you have posted your ideas on eating well on a tight budget on here before, and I need your wisdom here today. I am leaving on Thursday to spend three days with my sister-in-law and her family. She and her husband have recently decided that they want to change their diet from one of processed convenience foods to a more whole, unprocessed, real food diet. I couldn’t be prouder of them! However, the big catch is their budget. They just had Baby #2 (a total surprise), and my sister-in-law quit her very well-paying job to stay home with both boys–something I know we all support her for. Her husband’s job at Lifeway just reduced his hours, so their income has decreased substantially since Christmas. While he is searching for another job, they need help cutting costs. They are buying very expensive formula for the baby–about $60/week. That leaves them only $60-$70/week for food.
The purpose of my visit is to help her with basic, but forgotten, kitchen skills, such as boiling a whole chicken and using the bones for stock, soaking/cooking beans, and making a meal plan. Unfortunately, they have relied on Hot Pockets, frozen pizzas, frozen waffles, and frozen chicken breasts for the bulk of their food in the past, and now they just can’t afford those foods any more (for their health or their wallet!). Thankfully, they had already made some good changes (switched margarine for butter and veg. oil for coconut oil), and she is learning quickly how to read ingredient labels.
She hopes to be able to afford organic, grass-fed meat at some point, but obviously that is not possible on her budget right now. She knows the importance of buying organic produce, but as of now, I have told her she can follow the Dirty Dozen/Clean 15 lists to save money. She is very willing to learn new kitchen skills, so that is good.
I have never had to grocery shop on that small of a budget before, so I feel like I can help her with the necessary skills, recipes, etc., but may not be able to offer her what she needs for shopping on a very limited budget. At least her children are small and don’t eat too much–they are 2 and 5 mos. I appreciate any advice from you ladies that I can pass along to her!
Blessings,
Lindsey
I think the key for her will be meal planning. We feed the 8 of us on $160 a week(Mason doesn’t count as he’s not eating solids – and his formula is more expensive than your sister’s $90 a week – ugh).
When planning meals she needs to look at meat as a side or ingredient. With only 2 adults she can cook a pound of hamburger, for instance, and use 1/2 lb or less at a time in spaghetti, taco meat (add beans to the meat sauce!), small casseroles in 8×8 pans instead of 13×9.
For breakfasts, eliminate all cold cereal. Think whole grains and fruit or dairy. Oatmeal, grits, pancakes or waffles from scratch, muffins from scratch, etc. If they do eggs that can go along (we’ve got an allergy – no eggs here).
Rice and beans – yum! Add in some veggies and some of that chicken broth plus spices for flavoring. Use dry beans, not canned. You get more than double by cooking dry beans. I cook mine in the crock pot all day and have beans for the next several days (plus they freeze well).
Use rice, pasta, or potatoes (baked or cut like fries and baked are favorites here) as a side for most meals. They are filling and inexpensive!
If you do a price comparison between meat and veggies the cost savings per ounce or pound is usually obvious – but only worth it if you actually use and eat the veggies…LOL. We love to make stir fry with a small amount of several vegetables and sauce, no meat, or light meat. For cost examples my grocery store’s regular price for a pound of carrots (50 cents), a pound of potatoes (20 cents – 10lb for $1.99), a head of cabbage (50 cents), a pound of frozen veggies ($1.00). Compare that to meat prices per pound (not even organic is several dollars per pound easily). If I have little money for food it’s an easy choice to get 10 lbs of vegetables for the price of 2 lbs of meat. Full bellies win!
Having a price book helps. I made one of items we like to eat, with the price from local stores, broken down into cost per ounce or pound. It makes it easy to see if a sale price is good, or what is the best way to spend an extra $5 of food money. Meat and dairy are usually the most expensive items. Okay, we don’t use much processed food so maybe some of that is more too, but I don’t know.
It is possible to eat well on her budget for a family of 4. Just plan ahead!
I don’t have any advice but do have a positive experience to add. Two years ago we decided to do the “real food” change. We were concerned about the price jump but knew we had the extra money to cover the cost. We were totally blessed to discover that we ended up saving $100+ each month. Those processed foods cost a good bit of money and they leave you with an empty feeling in your stomach in about an hour. Good whole foods leave you feeling fuller for a lot longer, so we could cut out processed snack food too. Our local farmer’s market prices for produce are about half the cost compared to the stores. Another advantage was that we stopped throwing food out. Grass-fed meat was eaten and enjoyed by all and I never have to throw it out. It’s so wonderful that she has someone like you Lindsey, to help guide her. You should hire yourself out! 🙂
BTW: The formula that she uses is it Neocate? I have 3 extra cans of it and would love to give it to someone who can use it.
Charlene, I’m not sure the exact type of formula she’s using, but the brand is Similac. She tries to get free sample cans from her pediatrician, but she’s going to the pediatrician less and less because she’s learning to treat things like coughs, ear infections, and tummy bugs naturally instead of going to the doctor all the time.
Tristan, I agree with you. Meal planning for her is going to be the key to saving money. I am not sure how much she and her husband enjoy beans or veggies, but I guess she’s going to have to learn to try new things if she wants to save! Four years ago, the only veggies that graced our table were potatoes, canned green beans, and corn (back when we thought that was a veggie), and we’ve learned to love new things. She has started using eggs and has managed to find a local, pastured source of eggs that are very affordable. So that is a plus. I’m not sure if they’re still eating boxed cereal, but I know that was one of their staple foods for a while. I guess I’ll peek in their pantry while I’m there and address it if there are any boxed cereals. I agree…so expensive and very nutrition-less. Thank you for your detailed post. I may print it out and take it with me!
To save a bit of money (& since I can’t seem to get my schedule to coincide with delivery from a local grass fed beef supplier in the area) I will get my meat from the local warehouse store. Each week I pick one meat (chicken, hamburger, flank steak, etc.) and use money budgeted for meat that week and stock up. That way I always have a variety of meat in the freezer to choose from. I by 99% of my produce from a local farmer’s market for a fraction of the cost.
Like Tristan suggested, meat is not the main dish in the meals….pasta, rice, and potatoes (dh doesn’t like beans often) are a main staple in every meal. Oatmeal, pancakes,and eggs are a common breakfast around here.
Slowly over the last year and a half I have moved away from processed food. It really is amazing how much that stuff eats away at your grocery budget (although my son -19-has a hard time. No more tossing something in the microwave!) .
It’s wonderful that your sister-in-law has someone like you to ask for help!
I’ve got the perfect link! I printed out this article over a year ago – just in case!…. http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2012/01/what-i-would-feed-my-family-on-a-monthly-budget-of-250.html Healthy $250 budget!
As already mentioned – plan a menu, make a price book. After she’s been cooking this way for a while she’ll figure out what she should stock up on and can then watch for them on sale. I’d suggest not going crazy on sales or bulk until she knows what they like. It sounds weird, but having the dishes done helps in keeping costs down. If you’re tired and you walk into a messy kitchen to cook, you’re more likely to go out to eat. Learn to make the basics like bread, muffins, pancakes, rolls, etc. Make double and triple batches and freeze them. It helps when you’re tired and overwhelmed.
Sharp cheddar cheese is more flavorful so you can use less of it in a recipe. We try to limit recipes with cheese to once or twice a week. If fruit is getting a little old, turn it into a quick bread or freeze it for smoothies. A lot of veggies past their prime can go into stock or soups or stir-fries. I used to throw a lot of produce out because it wasn’t the freshest, but have since learned to make use of it.
Some of my favorite frugal meals:
bean tostadas
breakfast for dinner
Navajo tacos
peanut butter noodles – I like to add in carrots, cabbage, broccoli, etc.
Brazilian Black Beans and Rice
Crockpot Chicken Curry – for a smaller family such as hers this would give 3 or 4 meals. We get 2 meals out of it (w/6 eating)…more if I added rice
Spiced Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk
Sausage Cabbage Soup (makes a ton and the leftovers are great) – my son says, “I hate the smell of this but it tastes so good I don’t care.”
Raw cheddar and carrot sandwiches – would be great with any veggies your want, including sauerkraut. Could also add hard-boiled egg like a kicked up egg salad sandwich.
Smoothies and toast – perhaps not the most nutritionally balanced but there are days when you just need a big glass of fruits and veggies, with a little something on the side. And it’s quick.
I would look at replacing the formula-I guess it’s too late to jump start that nursing! Any wet-nurses around? JK
Back to the original statement. Switchi the 5 mos. old along with the rest of the family. Why keep the baby on processed formula at the most important times of growth? Either switch to a whole foods/traditional formula and/or begin to transition the baby to other more filling and wholesome foods along with the rest of the family.
http://nourishingourchildren.org/Babies.html
Here’s a video on making homemade formula and much more:
http://www.westonaprice.org/2011-action-alerts/videos-by-sarah-pope-fl-chapter-leader
She could do the math comparison. I bet the child will consume less of the whole-food formula than he does the store formula. Plus, the child will be less sickly; less infections, etc. The Pediatrician will have a fit, but I wouldn’t tell the doctor-just let the doctor see the benefits and keep my mouth shut while smiling inside.
HTH
Rachel – I looked at the video transcript and had to shudder. Sorry, just being honest. A MEAT BASED homemade formula? There are so many issues with meat these days that I could not see willingly putting an infant on a meat based formula as the main staple of their diet.
My current baby is allergic to milk and soy so he is on a specialized formula (not the same as the original poster), and we have major food allergies in the family with daddy and siblings. He also has many medical problems due to the spina bifida and hydrocephalus, one being oral aversions from the many brain surgeries and tubes put down his throat for anesthesia so that he still, at 1, does not chew/gum anything. Switching to solids of any kind at 5 mos wouldn’t have worked, and still won’t at 1 year.
Re: Breastfeeding – We’ve done it with almost all my babies, adding herbal supplements, trying medicines to boost my supply, nursing round the clock on demand, pumping with hospital grade pumps for a NICU baby, and more. And still I don’t make more than 1-2 oz of milk. Seriously. So while I agree, breastfeeding is God’s ideal food for babies, in this imperfect world it sometimes is not possible.
Rachel, I think we could be sisters! I have already given her all the links to the homemade raw milk-based and broth-based formulas. I think she just isn’t there yet. I hate that my nephew is being fed that junk, but he’s not my baby and I’m not the one buying his food. I even told her the homemade formulas would save money, but I think the time involved in sourcing and buying the ingredients and then in making the formula every day intimidates her. I will bring it up again while I’m there, though.
I know WAPF recommends soft boiled egg yolk and raw liver as a baby’s first food. I doubt very seriously she’s ready for that now. Thankfully, she hasn’t been giving him any rice cereal, and I hope to have an opportunity to warn her against rice or grains of any kind as baby’s first food.
Tristan, I think we were posting at the same time! LOL The meat-based formula Rachel and I are talking about uses ONLY pastured, non-vaccinated, hormone-free, nutrient-dense animals–NOT feedlot, hormone- and antibiotic-filled animals. I, too, would be cautious of putting my child on anything alternative to breastmilk, and I had a child that I could not nurse, so I understand. However, if needed I would feel comfortable with the meat-based formula if my only alternative was processed junk in a can. I can’t imagine how difficult it is to deal with your family’s allergies; I admire that you do it daily. Yet, I am very thankful that our family does not have such severe food allergies.
Blessings,
Lindsey
We made this switch a few years ago, and I can offer a few things that work well for us:
1. Beans and cornbread or beans and rice for at least one meal per week. It is tasty, healthy, and costs less than $5 to prepare an entire meal (and there are often leftovers that can be used for lunch).
2. NO MARGARINE!!!!!!!! Margarine is NOT good for you and it costs more than butter. Limit the oils, use olive oil when you can, but please don’t use margarine. To save money (and calories) just use LESS of a good quality oil. Do your own research, if you like…
3. Meatless whenever possible. Meat is where most of your food expense goes, and it isn’t really healthy in the quantities that we Americans eat. So try to prepare an all vegetable meal (maybe with a whole grain bread) once per week.
4. Use eggs for your protein – same principle as above. You can add eggs to salads, or use them to make a casserole or quiche. Much cheaper than meat and better for you.
5. Generally, a ‘one pot’ meat is the most economical. Next would be a main dish with one vegetable side and one starch. It really isn’t necessary to have 3-4 side dishes at dinner. A simple salad or sliced tomato or cucumbers on the side will suffice. Oh – healthy pasta dishes go a long way, too!
6. Give up soft drinks and limit juices (mostly sugar). Also, we only allow 2 cups of milk per day/ per child. Even at that, we go through 4 gallons of milk a week, and at $4 per gallon that takes a considerable chunk out of the budget.
7. Oatmeal is generally healthier and cheaper than cereal…but NOT the pre-sweetened, overly processed kind! Get old fashioned oats and sweeten them yourself with a little sugar or agave nectar. Kids love it, you can add healthful dried fruits to it…or add walnuts for Omega-3. We also like inexpensive bran muffins made with pumpkin (vitamin A!), molasses (iron!), and the bran, of course :).
8. We almost never eat cold cuts. Lunch is either leftovers or some variation of cheese, bread, and vegetables (for them). My lunch is salad or vegetable soup, and sometimes they join me in that.
9. Every time you go into a grocery store, you are going to spend money on some things you really don’t need. The answer: Don’t go into the store! And to do that, you have to plan your meals and work your plan.
10. Look around on the internet for a food co-op like Bountiful Baskets in your area. The produce is inexpensive, there is a great variety, and it keeps you out of the store!
11. Don’t get stuck on the brand names. Unless you know that a product is really superior, use the store brand and save some money!
12. DO spend the money on the things that really make a difference in your health, like good olive oil or whole grains over processed white flour. Your good health will save you money and be well worth investing in for the rest of your life.
If you have the book, “Large Family Logistics”, you can find lots of good money and time savers there.
These are the things that have worked well for us – hope that helps some! And bless you for helping your sister out in this way :).
Heather
LOL, Lindsey and I were posting at the same time. Just goes to show that there are people who are on all ends of the spectrum!
NOW I read Tristan’s post!! I think Tristan’s family and I could swap meals for a week and no one would know the difference ;0).
As Lindsay said above, the meat-based formula is made from meat from animals that are raised the way G-d intended. I have absolutely no problem with a meat-based formula or other real food options; I believe babies and growing children need the benefits that healthy meat and fats provide. In the past, there were always women who couldn’t nurse well for whatever the reason and they had to use alternatives before commercial formulas came along.
Tristan, your son is not “the norm” in regard to feeding requirements, so I wouldn’t even dream of telling you how you should or should not feed him or expect to follow a similar path as other children his age. I’m assuming that Lindsay’s nephew doesn’t have the limitations of your son.
My children also have no allergies or dietary restrictions. If anything, my dd literally craves meat-she loves it. She’s very energetic and moves quickly, hops around on her tippy toes, runs everywhere, etc; she’ll burn up a meal in no time so lots of protein; and she has sensory dysfunction so the benefits of lots of good fats for her brain are absolutely necessary.
For the record, before this goes any further: I don’t want to debate the benefits of homemade or commercial formulas or opinions on more/less meat as being better or not or when children should be introduced to more solid foods, etc; that isn’t the intention of the OP’s inquiry. We all have our viewpoints and it would be fruitless, and a distraction, to engage in such a discussion now, IMO.
ETA: I do think that raw goat’s milk is a very viable option as long as those vitamins that are missing from it are supplemented somehow (Vit. B12 or Folic Acid? can’t remember now). Since all over the world, goat’s milk has sustained people for centuries, I think it males sense to consider it. Plus, it’s protein is closer to a mother’s milk protein so good for those more sensitive tummies.
These are all really great ideas! Thank you!
@Rachel, I have asked her to consider goat’s milk, but she doesn’t want to. I am so thankful my sister-in-law is wanting to change their diet and is experimenting with more holistic health care, but she’s still got a very conventional mindset for many things–including formula. She even microwaves the water before making the bottle! AAAAAAHHHH!!! Baby steps, though…I was there once too…sigh.
I am definitely going to suggest that she use 8×8 pans for casseroles instead of 9×13. Then she can make 2 meals for her and her husband instead of one, saving her even more time and money in the future. They do have a deep freeze, which is an advantage.
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