Frugal Foodie Family

6 more tasty dinners for $57.35, shopping list included!

Oh the cooking I’ve done this week.

Hang onto your hats, it’s going to be a culinarily exciting week.  And I’m pretty sure I just made up the word culinarily.  Do I get something for that?  Anyway, I’m thrilled about what’s been coming out of the kitchen lately so stay tuned!!

What’s cooking this week?

I’ve got some pasta, a heavenly sweet, salty and creamy pizza…and a soup that requires a little simmering love but is SO worth it so plan ahead!  Ok, I’m going to back off the exclamation points now.  I’m just really stoked…can you tell?  And can I still use the term stoked considering I’m a 30+ year old woman living in the year 2012?

Well happy eating!

Dinner #1:

Creamy Sausage and Tomato Pasta and a Simple Side Salad

Prep and Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Total: $6.80 + estimated $2.00 for the salad

Dinner #2:

Potato Frittata with Rosemary and Feta and Seasonal Fruit

Prep and Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total: $2.55 for the frittata + estimated $2.00 for the fruit

Dinner #3:

Bacon, Pear and Mascarpone Pizza and a Simple Side Salad

Prep and Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Total: $5.78 for the pizza + estimated $2.00 for the salad

Dinner #4:

Italian Sausage and Peppers on Asiago Polenta with your Favorite Veggie

Prep and Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total: $8.17 for the sausage and peppers + estimated $2.00 for the veggie

Dinner #5:

Bandera’s Macho Salad (possibly deconstructed slightly for the kids)

Prep and Cooking Time: 20 minutes (after chicken has been cooked)

Total: $12.25

Dinner #6:

African Chicken Peanut Soup and a Crusty Baguette

Prep and Cooking Time: 2 hours (most of that is simmering time for the soup, so plan accordingly)

Total: $11.80 + estimated $2.00 for bread

Total for 6 nights of dinners:  $57.35!  That’s about $2.05 per serving!

Shopping List:

Meat

• 3 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (use breasts for the soup instead of thighs)
• 2 pounds italian chicken sausage
• 4 strips bacon (I like turkey)

Produce/Herbs

• 1 head garlic
• 3 onions
• 1 russet potato
• 3 tablespoons fresh rosemary
• veggie of choice
• 1 red onion
• 1 pear
• fruit of choice (to accompany frittata)
• 1/2 cup basil
• 3 tablespoons fresh ginger
• 2 pounds sweet potatoes
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 2 heads romaine or butter lettuce
• 1 avocado
• 2 roma tomatoes
• 1 cup corn
• 16 dates

Pantry

• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1 fresh baguette
• 1 cup cornbread (to make croutons)
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 pizza dough
• 1 pound spiral or bow tie pasta

Dairy/Eggs

• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup feta (for frittata, can sub goat or asiago cheeses instead since there are quite a few this week)
• 1 cup goat cheese
• 1/4 cup asiago cheese
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 cup gorgonzola cheese
• 1/2 cup cream or plain yogurt

Need more meal plans?  I’ve got plenty more to share if you need inspiration in the kitchen!

Browse more plans (with shopping lists!) here.

7 ways to help your kids eat well.

I’ve heard from a lot of you (and have at times myself wondered) how to get our kids on board to develop good eating habits, to eat what we eat, and to encourage a healthy relationship with food.  Admittedly there are times as a card-carrying foodie when I desperately want my kids to devour my salmon with blackberry jalapeno butter or curried chicken and zucchini couscous. And they just…don’t.

So I’ve put together 7 tips and ways we go about wrangling encouraging our kids in the food department, which I hope will help at your dining room table.

1.  Get them in the kitchen. Have them cook with you and let the adventure begin!  By giving them a sense of ownership in the kitchen, they may be more apt to give their own recipes a try.

2.  Cook only 1 meal. Don’t cook a meal for yourself and another for the kids.  Encourage them to eat what you eat, or at least try it.  The rule at our house is the kids have to at least try something, even just 1 bite, at every meal.  That’s it.  My one rule.

3.  Ask them what meals they enjoy most. When I started including the kids (well, mostly my then-3 year old) in the menu planning I found they were apt to eat more.  Don’t get me wrong – I make the decisions as to what we’re going to eat…but when Emma feels heard because she likes pizza and I make pizza, she’s more likely to eat it.

4.  Don’t force it. I find (and you may have too) that when you force kids to eat it often backfires.  I try to make meals a no-pressure zone at our house.  I decide what, when and where we will eat, and my kids decide whether or how much they will eat.  Also, besides our try it rule, my kids don’t have to finish their dinner…not even to have dessert.

5.  Give it time. I introduce new foods slowly to the kids and continue serving new dishes over time.  They used to never eat protein, now it isn’t a thing for them to eat it.

6.  When in doubt, dip. Don’t hate me…but when all else fails I’ll let the kids dip their food in hummus, peanut butter, ketchup, cottage cheese or yogurt.  But not ranch.  I detest ranch.

7.  Reduce the junk food and snacks. This encourages kids to eat more at lunch and dinner because they don’t get full between meals.  Also, this way they eat more fruits, veggies, whole grains and dairy.  Though my kids would love to snack all day long, I try to limit them to 2 snacks a day.

Any tips you’ve found that work for you and your family?  Share a comment here or let’s talk on Facebook!

6 delicious dinners for $55, grocery list included!

What’s cooking this week?

I’ve got the popular feta and herb stuffed chicken, a greek panzanella bread salad with roasted chicken, spaghetti with arugula pesto, golden beets and goat cheese, prosciutto pizza and more!

Bon Appetit!

Dinner #1:

Feta and Herb Stuffed Chicken and Simple Side Salad

Prep and Cooking Time: 35 minutes

Total: $7.16 for the chicken + estimated $2.00 for the side salad

Dinner #2:

Greek Panzanella Salad topped with Roasted Chicken (cook ahead of time and toss in or add on top)

Prep and Cooking Time: 45 minutes (most of that is letting the salad rest after it is tossed)

Total: $9.26 for the salad plus estimated $2.00 for chicken

Dinner #3:

Spaghetti with Arugula Pesto, Golden Beets and Goat Cheese

Prep and Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total: $7.15 for the pasta (you may want to add extra protein if desired)

Dinner #4:

Prosciutto and Caramelized Onion Pizza and Side Salad

Prep and Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total: $5.61 for the pizza + estimated $2.00 for the salad

Dinner #5:

Weekend Chile Rellenos and Seasonal Fruit

Prep and Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total: $5.72 for the rellenos + estimated $2.00 for the fruit

Dinner #6:

Rosemary Balsamic Glazed Chicken with Potatoes (if desired) and your favorite veggie

Prep and Cooking Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes (prepare chicken night before, then most of the day-of cooking time is roasting)

Total: $10.22 for the chicken with potatoes + estimated $2.00 for a side veggie

Total for 6 nights of dinners:  $55.12!  That’s about $2.29 per serving!

Shopping List:

Meat

• 6 (4-6 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts)
• 3 ounces prosciutto
• 1 (3 1/2-4 pound) whole chicken

Produce/Herbs

• 1 cucumber
• 2 bell peppers (any color)
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
• 4 red onions
• 1/4 cup basil
• 1/4 cup italian parsley
• 1 favorite veggie
• seasonal fruit (to go with chile rellenos)
• 6 garlic cloves
• 4 tablespoons rosemary
• 4 cups arugula
• 1 lemon
• 2 shallots
• 4 golden beets
• 1 head lettuce

Pantry

• 1 loaf french bread
• 1/2 cup black olives
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 package spaghetti
• 1/4 cup walnuts, almonds or pine nuts for spaghetti
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 4 corn tortillas
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 1 pizza dough
• 2 cans diced green chiles

Dairy/Eggs

• 7 ounces feta
• 3 ounces goat cheese (for spaghetti, can substitute feta too)
• 1/4 cup asiago
• 1 cup grated mozzarella
• 1 cup grated jack (for rellenos, but you can sub mozzarella too and not buy jack)
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups milk

Need more meal plans?  I’ve got plenty more to share if you need inspiration in the kitchen!  Or find me on Facebook or Twitter for recipes, restaurants and more frugal foodie tips!

lemon coconut cookies.

Two things you absolutely must pair together:  lemon and coconut.

I think next week I’ll try them together in a cake.

Pancakes would be good.

Definitely in some sort of a gooey bar.

Last week I stuck them in these cookies.  They turned out light, delicate, melt in your mouth good.  I’m going to wait right here while you go make them.

Yup, still here.

Ok, fine.  You can pin them for later.  Just promise me you’ll make them!  They’re so good…

Super easy – mix your wet ingredients, toss in the dry stuff…then all that lemony-coconutty goodness.

Emma grated the lemon.  She did a fine job, I think.  I hope I’m not violating some serious child labor laws having all her willing help in the kitchen.  She works hard.  I pay her handsomely in cookies.  I promise.

Roll the cookies in sugar….then pop them in the oven and try your hardest to wait patiently for 8-10 minutes while they finish cooking.

Yes!  They’re ready!  You did it!

Grab a cup of tea and a good book.  You’re all set.

Lemon Coconut Cookies

(Adapted from Heather Christo)

(Makes 2 dozen cookies)

½ cup butter
¾ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2/3 cup shredded sweetened coconut
zest from 1 lemon
juice from 1 lemon

1/2 cup sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the egg and mix until incorporated.

Separately, combine the flour, tartar, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until dry ingredients are nearly combined.  Add the coconut, lemon zest and juice and continue mixing until dough is thick.

Roll dough into small balls about the size of large walnuts, then roll in the sugar.  Bake on a cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes, then cool on a rack.

TOTAL: $2.89 or $.12 per cookie.

Wondering how on earth I arrived at these costs?  Take a look at my shopping guide to show see what I pay for items, per serving, etc.

Nutrition:

103 calories per cookie

5 grams of fat

14 carbs

1 gram protein (well that’s something…)

Mosey on over to Facebook and let me know what you think!

A week of dinners for $61.05 – grocery list included!

Here’s this week’s menu!

There are a few more involved dishes for company or weekend meals, and several that will be great during the week since they’re easy to whip up.  Also, need more menu plans?  Take a look at previous plans for more inspiration.

Have a great week, and if you make any of these meals let me know how it goes!

Dinner #1:

Almond Chicken and Haricots Vert with Shallots

Prep and Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total: $5.21 for the chicken + $3.24 for the green beans

Dinner #2:

Falafel Pitas with a Simple Salad

Prep and Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Total: $3.95 for the falafel pitas + estimated $2.00 for a side salad

Dinner #3:

Chicken Cacciatore with Polenta with a Simple Salad

Prep and Cooking Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Total: $7.95 for the chicken and polenta+estimated $2.00 for a side salad

Dinner #4:

Roasted Salmon with a Blackberry Jalapeno Butter and Roasted Cauliflower

Prep and Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total: $13.75 for the salmon + $1.88 for the cauliflower

Dinner #5:

Pasta with Sausage, Broccoli and Asiago with a Simple Salad

Prep and Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Total: $8.00 for the pasta + estimated $2.00 for the salad

Dinner #6:

Hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup and Cornbread

Prep and Cooking Time: 60 minutes

Total: $9.07 for the soup + estimated $2.00 for the cornbread

Total for 6 nights of dinners:  $61.05!  That’s about $2.18 per serving.

Shopping List:

Meat

• 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast (I look for around $1.99/lb)
• 3-4 pound fryer chicken, cut (I look for around $1.99/lb)
• 2 pounds salmon (I look for around $4.99/b)

Produce/Herbs

• 1 pound haricots vert
• 3 shallots
• 1 bunch italian parsley
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 teaspoon rosemary (I prefer fresh, but wouldn’t pay for it since it’s like a weed around here)
• 1 bunch green onions
• 1 head garlic
• 1 avocado
• 1 lemon
• 1 cucumber
• lettuce (for salads)
• tomato
• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 heads broccoli
• 1 1/2 cup blackberries
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 2 onions
• 1 bell pepper (any color)
• 1 pound mushrooms

Pantry

• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas
• 2 whole wheat pitas
• 2 1/2 cups red wine
• 2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 pound pasta (fusilli or rigatoni)
• 4 anchovy fillets (optional, for pasta)
• 8 corn tortillas
• 6 cups chicken stock
• cornbread

Dairy/Eggs

• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup greek yogurt
• 2 cups milk
• 2 sticks butter
• 1/4 cup asiago cheese
• shredded jack cheese for topping on soup

Find me on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest for more recipes, wine and restaurant recommendations and tips for sticking to your budget while still eating like you mean it!

cook your own beans or buy canned?

I don’t know about you but around here we’re eating a lot of beans these days.  Black beans added to eggs in the morning, white beans thrown on a salad for lunch or tossed in a yummy soup for dinner.  The kids love them plain, and often I can get them to eat beans before chicken, beef or fish so I like that they’ve got protein in them too.

I know, I know…”beans, beans…the musical fruit.”  But did you know soaking and cooking them yourself makes them easier to digest?

But I digress…

I had been buying cans of beans at the store for about $.99 per 16-ounce can, but considering how often we were eating them I figured I would experiment with cooking up dried ones to see how they compared in flavor and price.

I’m not sure we’ll go back to canned…

Here’s the thing about making your own beans – you have to have some time to invest to soak them ahead of time. On the plus side, you can add whatever spin you want to the beans, cut back on the sodium and save some money in the process.

Let’s take a look…

Soaking and Cooking Dried Beans

1.  Soak beans in 3 times their volume of cold water for 6-9 hours.  Longer for larger beans, shorter for smaller.  So if you have one cup of dried beans, soak in 3 cups of water, etc.

2.  Drain the beans.

3.  In a heavy pot or saucepan, cover beans with fresh water (about 3 cups water for every 1 cup of beans), or about one inch of water above the beans.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat with lid partially covering the pot, then lower the heat and simmer 1-1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.  Stir occasionally.

4.  Cooked beans can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 6 months.

Cost Savings?

BUY:

1 16-ounce can of pinto or black beans – about $.99 per can

TOTAL:  $.28 per 1/2 cup serving

OR

MAKE YOUR OWN:

1 pound bag of beans (I use black most often) – $1.29 which made 9, 1/2-cup servings

TOTAL:  $.14 per 1/2 cup serving

So you’ll save about 50% making beans from scratch, plus you’ll save sodium and can add your own flavors.

Think you’ll give it a try?  If so let me know your thoughts and if you think it’s worth it!  You can hit me up on Facebook or Twitter.

6 delicious dinners for under $55, grocery list included.

Let me paint you a picture of what’s happening in this exact moment:

Down for the count with a fever, Emma’s watching The Backyardigans, this really clever cartoon about these, well, animals I guess (I have no idea what in the world they are, creatures?) having pretend adventures and singing really clever songs about them.  Don’t tell anyone but Andrew listens to The Backyardigans station he created on Pandora even when the kids are nowhere to be seen.

Meanwhile, I’m attempting to get sick Luke to eat dinner.  So far he’s not going for any of it, turning down this killer bacon, corn and basil pasta I made yesterday and even the spoonfuls of peanut butter I use as a last resort whenever he goes on one of his eating strikes.  There’s drool coming out of his mouth and snot coming out of his nose.  We’re quite a sight for sore eyes.  Having sick kids is the pits.

Wah wah…I feel like Debbie Downer.

So enjoy this week’s meal plan!  We’ve got creamy chicken enchiladas, pork medallions in a cherry zinfandel sauce, brinner, and more!  Enjoy your week!

Dinner #1:

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas and a Simple Side Salad

Prep and Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total: $8.12 for the enchiladas + estimated $2.00 for the salad

Dinner #2:

Pork Medallions with Cherry Zinfandel Sauce and Mashed Butternut Squash

Prep and Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Total: $4.99 for the pork + $3.75 for the squash

Dinner #3:

Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta and a Simple Side Salad

Prep and Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Total: $7.62 for the pasta + estimated $2.00 for the side salad

Dinner #4:

Grilled Chicken with Chipotle Cilantro Carrots and Feta and Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

Prep and Cooking Time: 1 hour

Total: $7.22 for the chicken + $1.96 for the rice

Dinner #5 – Brinner!!:

Scrambled Eggs with Goat Cheese and Cinnamony Baked Oatmeal

Prep and Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Total: $3.00 for the eggs + $3.83 for the oatmeal

Dinner #6:

Pan Roasted Orange Balsamic Chicken and Orzo with Spinach and Feta

Prep and Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Total: $6.22 for the chicken + estimated $4.25 for the orzo

Total for 6 nights of dinners:  $54.96!

Shopping List (items you likely don’t already have in your pantry):

Meat

• 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin (I look for pork on sale for $1.99/lb)
• 5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast (stock up at $1.99/lb)

Produce/Herbs

• 1 bunch spinach
• 1/2 cup fresh mint or basil (for orzo)
• 2 lemons
• 1 onion
• 2 limes
• 1 tablespoon tarragon (fresh is best, dried works too)
• 1 head garlic
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 large butternut squash
• 1 1/2 pounds carrots
• 1 bunch green onions
• 2 sprigs rosemary (I snag some from our community garden…it grows like rosemary so I hate paying for it)
• 4 cups arugula
• lettuce
• 1 bunch asparagus

Pantry

• 1/2 pound orzo pasta
• 1 cup dried brown rice
• 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 3 cups oats
• 1/2 cup dried fruit (for oatmeal)
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 1 16-ounce jar green salsa
• 8 corn or flour tortillas (for enchiladas)
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup red wine
• 1/3 cup dried cherries
• 1 1/2 tablespoon raspberry or blackberry jam
• 1 pound spiral pasta

Dairy/Eggs

• 1 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup shredded jack cheese
• 10 eggs
• 8 ounces crumbled goat cheese
• 1 cup plain greek yogurt

Want more meal plans, recipes or great tips for eating on a budget?  Find me on Facebook or Twitter and let’s talk!

5 frugal substitutes for foodie ingredients.

Are you a foodie on a budget?

Here are 5 frugal substitutes for fancy ingredients.  Swap and save!

1.  Asiago for Parmesan. Subbing asiago cheese for parmesan can save you over double what you would pay for parmesan (typically around $5.99/lb vs. $11.99+/lb).  And for more savings, buy cheese whole and slice/grate it yourself instead of buying it pre-grated.
2.  Sweet savings!  Swap a Maple/Agave Blend for 100% Real Maple Syrup on your french toast, pancakes or yogurt and save 20-30%.
3. Firing up the bbq for grilled fish?  Making fish tacos?  Replace ahi tuna, tilapia or cod for mahi mahi and save 15-40%.  You can find ahi or cod for between $5-7/lb versus $8-12/lb for more expensive white fish.
4.  Let them eat beef!  Go for chuck eye, flank or skirt steak instead of more expensive cuts and save dramatically!  A good marinade will be your friend as these cuts can be a bit more tough but on the grill, in your favorite Mexican dish or served over rice, these steaks will be a crowd-pleaser that will make your budget happy too.
5.  For quiches, tarts, pastas or casseroles, substitute swiss cheese for gruyere and save some dough without sacrificing flavor.  Gruyere can run upwards of $8 per pound, compared to $4-5 for Swiss.

Want more frugal tips, recipes or restaurant ideas? Let’s connect on Facebook or Twitter.

extra credit: make your own baby food.

And now I’d like to introduce you to a new series I’d like to call Extra Credit.  Yes, these are all above and beyond ideas to save money while still eating like you mean it, for all you overachievers out there who are up for the challenge.

Ok, so before we get started I’d like to say something:  this is a guilt-free zone.

That’s right.

For some of us, making our own baby food fits right in to our schedule (and in my case I’m just too cheap to buy pre-made food).  But I realize that for a lot of us it’s just flat out easier to go let the fine folks at Gerber or Earths Best do the work.  Whatever works for you.  I just happen to be a tightwad.

Anyway, let’s begin.

I’m nearing the end of the baby food phase but typically I’ll choose one night a week and spend 30 minutes or so making everything for the week.  Usually I’ll do whatever is in season or on sale – green beans, carrots, zucchini, squash, sweet potatoes, peas, apples, pears, peaches, mangos, etc.  I’ll include a step by step guide to making your own food below, and I’ll list out a little handy-dandy guide for steaming/cooking your veggies too.

Make Your Own Baby Food

1.  Wash/peel/cut or cube your veggies (or fruit).

2.  Steam or cook your veggies/fruit of choice using filtered water until they are soft enough to puree.

3.  Using a slotted spoon, toss them into a blender or food processor or fancy-schmancy baby food maker, and add a little of the water you cooked them in.  Puree.  Add more of the leftover water if necessary and continue pureeing until they reach your desired consistency.

4.  Grab a tablespoon and spoon out the cooked veggies/fruit into ice cube trays.  Each cube will be approx. 1 oz.

5.  Cover the trays in plastic wrap, freeze them, then pop the pureed food out and keep them frozen in a zip lock bag with the date on it.

Cooking Guidelines (based on 1 pound of food)

*If microwaving, please use glass!

Asparagus – 8-10 minutes steamed, 4-6 minutes microwaved

Green Beans – 5-10 minutes steamed, 6-12 minutes microwaved

Carrots – 4-5 minutes steamed, 4-7 minutes microwaved

Peas – 3-5 minutes steamed, 5-7 minutes microwaved

Sweet or Regular Potatoes – 10-12 minutes steamed, 8-10 minutes microwaved

Spinach – 5-6 minutes steamed, 3-4 minutes microwaved

Squash – 5-10 minutes steamed, 3-6 minutes microwaved

Zucchini – 5-1o minutes steamed, 3-6 minutes microwaved

Apples or pears – 10-15 minutes steamed, 5-10 minutes microwaved

For more recipes visit Smitten Kitchen’s Baby food blog.

Bottom Line:

For a little perspective I’ve seen jars of baby food go for $.39-$.99 per jar (1 serving).

I did a pound of peas and a pound of carrots ($.99 and $.79 for organic at TJ’s) that will last about 7-10 days.

Total:  $1.78.

Class dismissed!

Want more ideas, recipes, restaurant recommendations and more?  Let’s connect on Facebook or Twitter!

6 tasty dinners for $48.68, shopping list included!

Here’s another week of fabulously nutritious meals!  If you’re new to these menu plans, my costs are based on buying most ingredients at Sprouts and Trader Joe’s, and I’ve included where I shop and how much I pay for items in this spreadsheet.  If you can find ingredients cheaper, let me know!

A couple caveats this week:

1.  I’ve based the total (just under $50) on growing your own herbs and lemons so if you’re in Alaska where lemons are several dollars each (ouch!) or if you don’t have a garden to grow your own, your total will be higher.  You can use dried herbs of course but I find fresh makes for an even tastier dish!

2.  Also, this total is based on the ingredients used just in these meals, so you may have to buy a larger quantity and find other ways to use it through the week (i.e. cheese in your salads, cilantro in a homemade dressing, etc).

Enjoy!  And please keep the feedback coming!

Dinner #1:  Lemon Herb Chicken with Balsamic Roasted Asparagus ($8.26 for the chicken+$3.32 for the asparagus)

Dinner #2:  Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta and a side salad ($7.62+estimated $2.00 for a salad)

Dinner #3:  Southwest Turkey Soup and a side salad ($8.50 for the soup + estimated $2.00 for the salad)

Dinner #4:  Cottage Cheese Pancakes and Fruit ($2.68 for the pancakes+estimated $2.00 for fruit)

Dinner #5:  Goat Cheese and Roasted Garlic Pizza with Arugula and a side salad ($4.91 for the pizza+estimated $2.00 for a salad)

Dinner #6:  Honey Peanut Chicken with Brown Rice ($5.39 for the Chicken with rice)

Total for 6 nights of dinners:  $48.68!  That’s about $2 per person.

I’m not kidding…doing this has been so enlightening.  Can you even eat fast food for $2 bucks a person?

Shopping List (items you likely don’t already have in your pantry):

Poultry

3-4 pounds split fryer or 4 split (or boneless skinless) chicken breasts

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 pound ground chicken or turkey

Produce/Herbs

3 onions

1/4 cup rosemary (fresh is best)

2 tablespoons sage (fresh or dried)

1 tablespoon tarragon (fresh or dried)

1 teaspoon thyme (fresh or dried)

3 lemons

2 limes

2 bunches asparagus

1 cup corn (can be frozen)

1 bunch cilantro

1 avocado

1 jalapeno

2 heads lettuce

4 ounces arugula

green beans or broccoli for honey peanut chicken

1 head garlic

fruit to serve with pancakes (something interesting on sale)

Pantry

1 cup white wine

1 pound spiral pasta

1 cup cooked black beans

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 4-ounce can diced green chiles

3 cups chicken stock

taco seasoning

toppings for pancakes – maple syrup, jam, sauteed fruit

1 pizza dough

brown rice

1 1/2 tablespoons natural peanut butter

Dairy/Eggs

2 tablespoons asiago cheese (optional for asparagus)

7 ounces goat cheese

1 1/4 cup cottage cheese

8 eggs

1 cup grated mozzarella

Want more tips, recipes or restaurant recommendations?  Let’s connect on Facebook or Twitter!