Somehow we are another week down! I just don’t know where they go, but I’m not complaining!
I did a pretty good job this week of using what I had on hand. I also made a batch of whole grain banana bread which helped in terms of having a whole grain carb on-hand for snacks and breakfasts.
As a result of forcing myself to use what I had, I definitely repeated food items more than I usually do, but in a way it was good because it forced me to get creative and use the same things in different ways. Even though I was eating a lot of the same items, I never felt like I was bored or tired of them (it also helps that my sister made me a delicious homemade turkey meatball dinner one of the nights!).
Total Spent: $31.43
Groceries Purchased:
Produce: Apples (5), Pear (1), Oranges (2)
Pantry Items: Can of lentil soup, can of low-sodium minestrone soup, box of Quaker Oatmeal Squares
Dairy: Carton of soymilk, 16 oz. container of Greek Yogurt
Protein: Carton of eggs
Freezer Items: Kashi frozen Mayan Harvest Bake meal, bag of broccoli florets, bag of brussel sprouts, bag of peach slices
Things I had on hand: Frozen loaf of whole wheat bread, chicken breasts and chicken sausage, whole wheat pasta, 2 sweet potatoes, natural peanut butter, feta cheese, whole wheat hot dog buns, chia seeds, coffee
Healthy Eating on a Budget Week 1
Healthy Eating on a Budget Week 2
Healthy Eating on a Budget Week 3
Healthy Eating on a Budget Week 4
Healthy Eating on a Budget Week 5:
Healthy Eating on a Budget Week 6:
Healthy Eating on a Budget Week 7:
Day One:
Breakfast #1: 6 oz. plain greek yogurt mixed with 1 tbsp. chia seeds topped with a crumbled slice of whole grain banana bread, diced apple and peanut butter plus coffee with soymilk
Lunch #1: Big bowl of roasted brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes and chicken sausage
Dinner #1: Treated to a homemade dinner by my sister! Whole wheat penne topped with homemade turkey meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce with sautéed mixed veggies and melted mozzarella
Day Two:
Breakfast #2: 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats mixed with a diced apple and a spoonful of natural peanut butter plus coffee with soymilk on the side
Lunch #2: Trader Joe’s low sodium minestrone soup with grilled chicken breast added in plus toasted whole wheat bread with olive oil and an orange.
Dinner #2: Whole wheat penne with broccoli, chicken sausage, a drizzle of olive oil and pinch of salt
Day Three:
Breakfast #3: Slice of homemade whole grain banana bread topped with peanut butter, plain greek yogurt mixed with chia seeds and a diced apple
Lunch #3: Scrambled eggs with roasted brussel sprouts and feta cheese plus whole wheat toast with olive oil and an orange.
Dinner #3: Trader joe’s lentil & vegetable soup with toasted whole wheat roll topped with olive oil and salt.
Day Four:
Breakfast #4: Bowl of Quaker Oatmeal Squares with soymilk, a pear and coffee
Lunch #4: Chicken sausage with ketchup and mustard on a whole wheat bun with roasted sweet potato and brussel sprouts and an apple.
Dinner #4: Whole wheat penne drizzled with olive oil then topped with shredded chicken breast, broccoli and feta cheese
Day Five:
Breakfast #5: 1/2 cup of oats with 1 tbsp. chia seeds and diced peach slices topped with granola and sunflower seed butter plus coffee and soymilk on the side.
Lunch #5: Kashi mayan harvest bake meal with homemade baked tortilla chips and an apple
And dinner #5 was had on-the-go since I was traveling so wasn’t included in the groceries or the budget! Happy weekend everyone!
disclaimer: i share these meals for inspiration and because i’m often asked for the recipes on instagram. please note that i do not share these meals with the intention of them being prescriptive or because you should eat exactly what i eat. everyone is different and requires different calories and nutrition. if you’re seeking an individualized plan for you, consult a dietitian in your area.
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Ohhh, you’ve got me craving some turkey sausage! Can’t even tell you the last time I bought some! And I just tried that TJ’s Minestrone soup a couple weeks ago. I hate how low-sodium soups are usually really bland tasting so my expectations for this were pretty low, but it surprised me by having a pretty great flavor…I will definitely be buying it again to have on hand for a quick meal option!
Love the meat ball dinner your sister made! Looks delicious!
I agree about low-sodium soups, they do tend to be a little bland and I was definitely pleasantly surprised by this one as well! And yes – the meatball dinner was AMAZING. I’m one lucky girl to have my sister so close 🙂
All your meals are EXACTLY the kinds of foods I absolutely love!! Your photos are just fantastic and it all looks so appealing! Great way to show how you can eat nutritious, delicious food on a budget.
Oh thank you so much! I’m so glad that you get that from these posts 🙂
Thanks for sharing once again! You are impressing me with using ingredients in lots of different ways. I need to start tracking my food budget a bit more to stay on top of it!
It’s definitely a challenge but a good one at that! I hope my posts can help you with your goals and feel free to share any tips you might come up with as well! 🙂
Cait, I love love love these posts! The breakdown of your grocery list and the pics are perfect. Exactly what I like to eat too! Question: do you prep your roasted veggies and cook them all at once to eat throughout the week?
I’m so happy to hear that! As for the roasted veggies, I don’t usually prep them in advance (though it probably would be a better idea!). My school schedule (plus super fast-cooking gas stove) allows me the luxury to be able to do it in the moment but if you’re short on time I would highly recommend doing that. I’ve done it before and all it takes is a quick re-roast in the stove and they’re good to go!