Happy Hump Day!
It’s time for our favorite link-up party, What I Ate Wednesday, but before I get into that, let me just say that meals around these parts are not going to be the most exciting. With $3.69 bottles of kombucha, an unfortunate $17.00 cherry purchase, and my inability to say “no” to new foodie products like falafel chips (they taste like healthier Cool Ranch Doritos!), every nut butter under the sun, and kale tortilla chips (I’ve yet to try them), my wallet has suddenly found itself nearing empty.
Our recent New Orleans trip, last month’s outlet shopping, and my yoga purchases (mat, towel, clothing, and monthly tuition) probably contributed, too. Oh, and wine. Too much wine. 🙂
Having no children and few major expenses, Mark and I spend more than most couples on groceries and dining out (though we often take advantage of “BOGO” deals at Publix and split entrees at restaurants), but I think we’re going to be a bit more budget conscious the next few months. We’ll still continue to eat well (because, face it, I’d rather spend a few extra dollars on fresh vegetables, whole grains, and lean meat than Hamburger Helper and pay with my health down the road), but there may be more simple salads and sandwiches in the picture.
Let’s get down to Tuesday’s meals.
Breakfast: a whole wheat bagel thin (BOGO at Publix), half with almond butter and half with strawberry jelly
Morning Snack: a few almonds/peanuts
Lunch: leftover tomato-white bean soup (last night’s dinner) and romaine salad with tomato, green onion, and goat cheese
Afternoon Snack: green tea, a piece of a Hershey’s bar with almonds, and a cup of Chobani
Dinner: baked chicken with mango/peach salsa (yeah, I paid double for antibiotic-free, vegetarian-diet “GreenWise” chicken instead of the standard kind, but my conscience is happier), roasted sweet potatoes, and lentil salad (Cedar’s pre-packaged salad—not bad at all!)
Questions for you:
What are some of your favorite, go-to, inexpensive recipes?
How do you make use of leftovers and reduce food waste?
Do you have any tips for staying within a grocery budget?
I’ve been spending way too much on food as well recently. Doing a major cut back for August, so far I’ve only spent $35 including a weeks worth of cat food.
$35…that’s pretty impressive!
We do have a CSA so that helps and since I paid for it in March I don’t think of it as spending but maybe I should so I can get a better grasp. I think it works out to $17-18 dollars a week
What kind of kombuchas did you get? I love Synergy especially with the chia seeds! And as for wine, who doesn’t want to spend on wines?! Me too, Doni and I don’t have children, however we stay on budget on products that we need and use that we can make ahead of time.
1. One of our favorite, go-to, inexpensive recipes involve healthy grains such as quinoa, with a variety of grilled vegetables without seasoning involved (tamari, sesame oil). We also love to make raw banana ice creams, while vegan ice creams can be costly. And we love to make tahini-based dressings with a variety of herbs for grains and vegetables.
2. We use the food waste as compost for gardening. We have a compost bin in the kitchen.
3. Find recipes that you have most ingredients/spices at home and ingredients/spices that you can buy and of course last up to couple of days or served as leftovers. Don’t overspend on ingredients that you don’t plan to use as leftovers. Make sure you know how to store the ingredients properly. Some ingredients don’t last long and end up as wastes.
🙂 Thanks for an awesome survey!
I buy (lately) the Synergy kind, too. Try to find it on sale, but not always. I’ve been curious about the chia kind, but haven’t tried it yet. Next time! 🙂
I’ve recently gotten into grain bowls with roasted veggies, too (my favorite involves farro, brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes). I need to make it a point to experiment with other grains, particularly the inexpensive ones like millet.
I’ve been saying FOREVER that I wanted to start composting–but we keep putting it off. I know it’s so easy to build a make-shift bin–so only our laziness is stopping us.
Thanks for the tips!