December 2011: Can I feed a family of 5 for $450/month?

I have gotten a bit behind in my grocery posts with the holidays. So, this post is meant to update from the last time I purchased groceries. :)

Health Food Store:
Honey $4.19
Organic Valley Milk $4.99
Organic Valley Half/Half $2.69
Namaste Pizza Crust mix $10.69
Namaste Biscuit/Pie crust/etc mix $10.99

Total: $33.55


Dollar General:
2 frostings for $1.80 ea
Nutella $2.95
Trident $1
Santa Coal for Stockings $1

Total: $8.55

Amount left after last grocery shop: $54.01 - 33.55 - 8.55 = $11.91 left for the rest of the  month.

I can't believe we made it to today, the last day of the month, with money left over! The kids complained here and there about the dwindling snacks and the lack of macaroni and cheese, but we dealt fine with it, and there's still food in the house. :)

Thanks for reading! 

December 2011: Can I feed a family of 5 for $450/month?

(oops, posting this one a bit late---must have forgotten in the holiday hubbub last week!)

After making my menu plan for the rest of the month, I went back to the store (been doing a lot of that this month for some reason...not planning as well, I suppose).

Local Grocery:
3 pkg of large flour tortillas for burritos $6.27
1 family pack of small tortillas $2.59
S 2 loaves whole wheat bread $4.78
bag of mini pretzels $2.29

S 2 bags corn tortilla chips $5

S 2 pints Daisy sour cream $4
S Rediwhip (for the Elderberry cobbler I plan on making) $2.29
LaCreme Hazelnut coffee creamer (shhhhh) $2.59

S Nestle chocolate chips $2.50
Nutella (big jar) $7.29
Skippy Natural Peanut Butter $3.89

Bananas $1.80
Mushrooms $1.00

Trident $1.29

Total came to $50.67

Total from last update: $104.68 - 50.67 = $54.01 left for the rest of the month.



I anticipate needing to purchase milk, possibly eggs, and produce before the end of the month.
We'll see how it goes! :)

Thanks for reading!

December 2011: Menu Planning for the remaining month

With just under $105 left in my grocery budget for the rest of the month, I am sitting down and writing a menu/snack plan. Smart idea, as the kids will be home for their school break.

Breakfast Options:

• Cold Cereal

• Hot Cereal

• Pancakes/Waffles

• Eggs

• Bacon

• Biscuits and Gravy (need to find a GF biscuit recipe)

• Muffins

• Cinnamon Rolls for Christmas (maybe, if I can manage to do a GF version AND a regular version)

Lunch Options:

• Leftovers

• Various canned soups I've had on hand "just in case" that need to be eaten and restocked

• GF soup/s for me (maybe GF Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup or Healing Dahl Soup)

• Sandwiches-nut butter and jelly, tuna/salmon, egg

• Spaghetti

Snack Options:

• Apples, Oranges, Carrots

• Popcorn

• GF Cereal Snack Mix

• Cereal mix with odds and ends from the pantry: cereal, marshmallows, chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts

• Cookies...if we do some baking in the next few days...

• Zucchini brownies...still have a few bags of zucchini in the freezer

• "cheesy tortillas"

Supper Options:

• Ham & Beans and Cornbread

• Curry/Dahl over Rice

• Turkey Soup

• Beef Stroganoff

• Sausage/potatoes/other veggie

• Pizza

• Turkey and noodles?

• Burritos (refried bean? black bean and sweet potato?)

• Enchiladas (need to make masa flour tortillas)

December 2011: Can I feed a family of 5 for $450/month?

Went to the grocery and the health food store the other day.

Grocery:
box of Stash tea (free w/coupon)
2lbs Great Northern Beans $2.79
S 2 bags Old Fashioned Oats $2.98
2 cans Ortega green chilies $3.18
S 2 jars Ortega salsa $4.00
Total came to $12.95

Health Food Store:
1/2 Gallon Organic Valley milk $4.99
Organic Valley half 'n half $2.69
Tea $3.59
2 dozen eggs (yeah!) $6.70
Total came to $17.97

Total from last shopping trip $135.60 - 12.95 - 17.97 = 104.68 left for the rest of the month.

Menu/Snack plan here.

REVIEW: Better Batter Gluten Free Flour and GF Snickerdoodle Recipe

I recently got some Better Batter Gluten Free Flour from a friend. At first I tried using it 1:1 in my regular recipes that called for wheat flour, but that didn't work well for me. Not sure why.

So, tonight, after depriving myself of holiday cookie cheer on a few fronts this week, I decided to try making some GF cookies.

I decided on the recipe for Snickerdoodles on the Better Batter website.

I followed the recipe exactly, with the exception of using Spectrum palm shortening instead of "regular" (GMO soy) shortening.

They are delicious! I seriously just ate about 6 of them! They will be perfect for having with tea a couple times a day! (hehe) :)


I look forward to trying the Better Batter Gluten Free Flour in other recipes. :)

Yum!