The very first thing I did when I woke up was get my sourdough ready for the oven. I quickly made some hardboiled eggs in my air fryer for breakfast, and then everyone was able to have a slice of bread fresh out of the oven before heading off for the day.

While the bread was baking, I packed the kids' lunch boxes with leftover chicken burritos from the night before. I added some fresh fruit and veggies on the side!

The day was spent trying to get as much physical activity in as possible and spend time outside because we were lucky to get another beautiful day.

Since things were going pretty leisurely, I decided it would be a good time to prepare some yogurt to have on hand for breakfasts and snacks for the week.

My daughters love yogurt and will eat everything we have very quickly, which can be a real budget buster. So instead, I buy a small container of yogurt and some milk. Then I use the Instant Pot to heat, cool, and incubate the yogurt to make it grow into more yogurt! While the yogurt did its magic, I started preparing dinner.

It's prime time for citrus right now in my area, which means excellent sales. Simple Orange Citrus Salad was the perfect meal to make on such a sunny day, and required minimal attention so I could also multitask the yogurt.

I was worried if I told the kids the blood oranges were actually called "blood oranges" that they would stop right there.

Honestly, I can't blame them. I know if I heard "blood oranges" as a child, I would have been STRESSED. After a nice, long incubation period, I finished off the yogurt by straining it into some storage containers. We ate a bit for breakfast with some fresh raspberries.

I didn't want the leftover guacamole browning in the fridge for too long, so for dinner I chose taco potatoes. I was also able to use the remaining cheese I had already shredded from a few nights before as well.

While I baked the potatoes, I browned the meat and got all the various toppings ready. There are two things my son will not eat: rice and potatoes.

Usually, I always put a bit of everything on the kid plates so that they always have an opportunity to try things, but he has been very clear for long enough that he doesn't like them so I no longer serve him those things. I knew the yogurt needed a little crunch, so I made up a batch of my favorite homemade granola.

Being a nut-allergy household, granola is really something we have a hard time buying so this recipe for vanilla granola is a slam dunk. Greek Chicken Kebabs were on my mind for dinner. Once I pulled out all the ingredients, I decided I would roast the chicken instead of grilling it on skewers, because although we've had a few nice days, I haven't actually gotten the grill ready for prime time after being buried under snow for a few months.

I cut up some tomatoes, cucumbers, and took out some store-bought tzatziki. You can actually make your own tzatziki very easily and pretty cheap, but sometimes, you need to consider your sanity as well!

In the future, I would love to try this recipe with fresh herbs instead of dry. I recently got the cookbook Meal Prep Magic by Catherine McCord, and when I saw this rice pudding recipe, I had to give it a try!

Although the recipe I followed was from the book, there is a similar recipe here. I put everything into a storage container and placed in the fridge to set. Once the chaos of mid-day was over, I wanted to make a quick snack.

The rice pudding had me thinking of childhood treats I loved, and I remembered an at-home Orange Julius recipe we loved to make. I had a free window of time that afternoon — and decided to knock out a few prep-and-go meals for later in the week.

First, I used my sourdough starter to make biscuits. The ingredients were few, and steps were minimal. Since I didn't have to do much in terms of breakfast preparation, I was able to bake up another loaf of cranberry sourdough.

Now you know how to meal plan. And your sanity! Crank up your favorite podcast and breathe easy knowing you have everything you need for dinner already at home. Hey, if you want to learn more, check out my free grocery savings guide. all in one place! Rachel Cruze is a 1 New York Times bestselling author, financial expert, and host of The Rachel Cruze Show.

Rachel writes and speaks on personal finances, budgeting, investing and money trends. Through her shows, books, syndicated columns and speaking events, Rachel shares fun, practical ways to take control of your money and create a life you love.

Learn More. Does buying generic really save you money at the grocery store? We hit the aisles to put these brands to the test. Trusted Services.

Free Tools. Sign In Get Started. We're Hiring! See Openings. Guide to Meal Plan in 10 Steps I broke down how to meal plan into 10 super manageable steps. Make time to meal plan before the week begins. Check your calendar. Look through your pantry, fridge and freezer. Search the sales ads and coupons.

Try our free Meal Planner to save money on groceries! About the author Rachel Cruze. More Articles From Rachel Cruze. We are now taking care of two middle school boys with huge appetites.

I was wondering how we were going to feed everyone on a tight budget. Thanks to you I have some direction. Adding two middle school boys would definitely tax the grocery budget pretty quickly! I hope you are blessed with lots of creative ideas on how to make good, nutritious food for everyone without totally blowing your budget.

Your email address will not be published. Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content Skip to primary sidebar Home Welcome! Pin 1. Share Here are the two money-saving apps that I use and love if you want to check them out and give them a try too: Ibotta Fetch Rewards — This one is the absolute easiest to use.

You earn simply by scanning your receipt. Our family of six consists of two adults with fairly big appetites, a 9 ½ year-old boy, a 6 year-old girl, a 4 year-old girl and a 1 ½ year-old boy.

I have a stockpile. When I can get pasta for free with coupons, I buy as much as I have coupons for. I do this as much as my budget allows, on as many items as I can and as a result save lots of money. Then when I go to plan menus, I simply plan our meals around what I already have in my cupboards and freezer, as much as possible.

Obviously, I still might have to buy a few things at regular price here and there, but by stocking up when the price is at rock bottom I save a lot.

I've been feeding toddlers, teens, and everyone in between for years and have figured out a variety of snack foods to have on hand without breaking the bank OR feeding your family a bunch of junk.

You'll get a huge variety of snack ideas our 25 favorites! So many of our favorite budget-friendly breakfast recipes in one spot! Here are just some of the ideas included:. Buying lunches each day can REALLY add up. Get inspiration for at-home lunches AND brown bag lunches that are easy to make and don't require lots of ingredients or planning.

You'll also get a list of my 5 BEST tips for how to simplify and streamline making lunches. Psst - there are some super smart ways to save time and money on brown bag lunches!

In these Grocery Savings Cheat Sheets, I'm spilling all the beans on how our family has saved THOUSANDS of dollars through the years on groceries. GROCERY SAVINGS CHEAT SHEET 1: How to Reverse Meal Plan. Ready to learn how to plan your meals around ingredients you already have?

In this cheat sheet, I peel back the curtain into the exact method I use to SAVE MONEY and REDUCE WASTE by planning our weekly menu using so many of the items we already have in our pantry, fridge, and freezer. I even show you how to do this "in action" with a full Example Reverse Menu Plan!

Be prepared - you might just find yourself addicted to this method after implementing these simple steps! GROCERY SAVINGS CHEAT SHEET 2: How to Rotate Where You Shop. If you're only shopping at one grocery store each week, you're potentially missing out on saving A LOT of money.

No, I'm not going to suggest you spend all your time going to 15 stores every week remember, I'm trying to help you save money AND time! but not-so-well-known ways to save some SERIOUS dough by strategically shopping sales at different stores.

GROCERY SAVINGS CHEAT SHEET 3: How to Practice the Buy-Ahead Principle. Learn how to capitalize on grocery store discounts beyond just your regular food items.

In this cheat sheet, I show you how to start "buying ahead," where you pay attention to sales on things you'll eventually need - like toothpaste, household cleaners, and paper products - and ultimately save quite a bit of money at the end of the year by buying during the best sales.

No, you don't need a huge pantry or storage closet to make this happen. when you purchase the BUNDLE today! When my husband and I first married and were living on a beans-and-rice budget in order to stay out of debt while he went through law school, I thrived on coming up with creative ways to pinch pennies.

later, I've taught millions of people those same money-saving strategies, and I can't WAIT to help you do the same with 10 Weeks of Money-Saving Menus! And, ALL my best tips in The Ultimate Grocery Savings Starter Kit!

Just think about it. How soon will I receive my product? Within just a few minutes of your purchase! What kinds of recipes are in the 10 Weeks of Money-Saving Menus?

A HUGE variety! Casseroles, soups, pizzas, tacos, sandwiches, salads, sheet pan meals, slow cooker meals, and so much more! These are all big family favorites of ours - our kids regularly request them - and I'm so happy to pass them onto you! What if I have dietary restrictions?

While many of the recipes could be adapted to be gluten-free or dairy-free, this menu plan was not specifically designed for those with dietary restrictions.

That's AMAZING! Do any of them repeat? No, when you purchase this, you'll get 60 different dinner recipes! There are some weeks that have variations on a similar recipe like there is a recipe for Baked Spaghetti one week and another week in the plan there's a recipe for Spaghetti Pie , but no recipes repeat!

Is this a digital download? Yes, this is a digital download, so you'll get immediate access to it as soon as you purchase. You can print out the menu plans or view them on your computer or ipad -- whichever works best for you! How long will the meals take me to prep?

Most meals are very simple and require less than 30 minutes of hands-on time! How many servings are in each dinner recipe? The recipes in the menu plan serve people. If you have a smaller family, you could half them and if you have a larger family, you could double them.

This way, you can easily half the ingredients needed to purchase on the grocery list or double the ingredients on the grocery list. Are these dinners only? Yes, when you purchase 10 Weeks of Money-Saving Menus , you'll get 10 weeks of dinners 6 dinners per week -- we left one night open for leftovers, fend-for-yourself, or take out!

If you'd like to get breakfast, lunch, and snack ideas, be sure to upgrade to The Ultimate Grocery Savings Starter Kit. I'm still on the fence any chance I can sample the menus?

Click the button below to tell us where to send your free week! COUNT ME IN! even groceries have gotten pretty pricey!

Here's what you'll get with 10 Weeks of Money-Saving Menus: 10 weeks' worth of dinner ideas for your family - I've packed EACH and EVERY week's menu with our family's favorite, tried-and-true, budget-friendly recipes! Six dinner recipes per week made with SIMPLE, easy-to-access ingredients the 7th day gives you some freedom for leftovers or a fun night for frozen pizza or another family favorite!

Weekly grocery lists! Yep, you get a full grocery list for every week of recipes. If you maintain a well-stocked pantry, you'll have fewer items to buy every time you shop. Keeping essential ingredients on hand can save money and reduce last-minute grocery runs too. When you meal plan, make sure to check your pantry and incorporate ingredients that you already have on hand.

Some delicious, affordable pantry recipes include:. This affects restaurants and grocery stores, but it's also happening in individual homes across the US. One smart way to save money is to reduce waste. Quite simply, stop throwing away food that you spent money on.

Here are some tips for reducing food waste:. Double the ingredients in your recipe so you can make and freeze meals. This is known as batch cooking, and works well for multi-serve meals such as lasagna, soups, stew, chili, and curry. When freezing, use single-serve containers so you can reheat one portion at a time.

Make sure to mark each item with a name and the date it was prepared, then try to use the foods up based on this timeline:. These freezer storage times indicate how long the item will retain the best flavor and quality.

Frozen foods remain safe even past these dates. When ready to cook, make sure to safely thaw foods in the fridge, in cold water, or in the microwave. When reheating frozen foods, make sure they reach °F measured with a food thermometer.

USDA Economic Research Service. Food Price Outlook and Food Prices and Spending. New York Times. Lots of Food Gets Tossed. These Apps Let You Buy It, Cheap.

Springmann M, Clark MA, Rayner M, Scarborough P, Webb P. The global and regional costs of healthy and sustainable dietary patterns: a modelling study [published correction appears in Lancet Planet Health.

Lancet Planet Health. Healthy Eating on a Budget. Feeding America. Food Waste and Food Rescue. Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Freezing and Food Safety. Leftovers and Food Safety.

By Cara Rosenbloom, RD Cara Rosenbloom RD is a dietitian, journalist, book author, and the founder of Words to Eat By, a nutrition communications company in Toronto, ON. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising.

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Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content. List of Partners vendors. Meal Plans. By Cara Rosenbloom RD is a dietitian, journalist, book author, and the founder of Words to Eat By, a nutrition communications company in Toronto, ON.

Cara Rosenbloom, RD. Learn about our editorial process. Learn more. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates.

Kristy Del Coro, MS, RDN, LDN. Medically reviewed by Kristy Del Coro, MS, RDN, LDN. Kristy is a licensed registered dietitian nutritionist and trained culinary professional. She has worked in a variety of settings, including MSKCC and Rouge Tomate.

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