Meal Plan for a Family of 6 on a $300 Budget

UPDATE: 12/12/17 – The Cookbook is here! All the menus, all the recipes, and the shopping listing! Finally. Deplorable it took sooooo long. #toomanykids

It'due south no secret that we are bankrupt.

I'm careful not to use the word "poor", not just because I call back there'southward a lot more than money involved in a rich life, but considering I had a instructor once explicate to me that the difference between existence bankrupt and being poor is that a bankrupt person has no money, while a poor person has no coin and doesn't know anyone that has money either. That has stuck with me. It makes a big difference.

Withal, it doesn't change the fact that when I go to the grocery store, I go only carrying my own wallet, and not the wallets of all the people that would let me sleep on their couches if I ever lost my house.

We practice all of the usual things that broke people do to make ends meet. Nosotros don't have cable. We don't accept memberships. Nosotros drive cars that were new when we were in college – though we didn't own them then. Nosotros shop at austerity stores, etc. etc. etc. At the finish of the day though, you gotta swallow. Even if you've got a gallbladder on the lam, and don't eat much, your kids have to eat. And they consume A LOT.

Recently, some folks in my pride turned me onto Leanne Dark-brown and her free cookbook about how to consume for $four/day. Man. That matter is PRETTY. I was jealous. Her whole schtick is that $four/twenty-four hour period per family member is about what a SNAP (Food Postage) budget allows for. So, she created this beautiful PDF cookbook of real food yous can feed your family unit using a budget like that. Brilliant. Lovely.

Unfortunately, though we authorize for SNAP based on our income (hello teacher salary) we don't qualify because I've nevertheless to completely cash out the IRA I inherited from my mother. Doesn't matter. Before I inherited it we only qualified to receive $220/month in benefits. Not the $840 that Leanne's plan would require. With my skilful old friend Sallie Mae hanging around, there's not $620 a calendar month to be spent on food either. And then, what's a girl to do? Well, since I'm a bit compulsive, I ready nigh figuring out the absolute cheapest way to feed my family based on what I practice have: A working kitchen, running water, ALDI, about $300/calendar month, and limited fourth dimension. If I can do it, you can do information technology as well.

Before I get into the nitty gritty, let me make a couple notes:

  • These are sample menus for how I feed my family unit on $300. I'm not saying information technology's platonic. This is a winter menu, it looks a lot different in the summer.  I'one thousand feeding ii adults, ii tweens who eat similar adults, and 3 toddlers who eat a TON but are non very audacious.
  • All of my prices (except for a few items not bachelor there) are based on ALDI nutrient prices. These fluctuate, simply when ane matter goes upwards, something else comes down, so it evens out. If yous don't have an ALDI, Costco, or Sam's club is your adjacent best bet.
  • I try to feed my family mostly whole foods. Not foods from Whole Paycheck Nutrient, mind you, but real, mostly unprocessed foods. I brand a couple exceptions (the occasional box of mac and cheese, graham crackers, etc.) because I'yard busy and my kids similar them.
  • I don't buy organic. I love organic, only like I honey fancy wine, simply I tin't beget either.
  • I don't use coupons.
  • I'g not a great cook. I don't even play ane on my weblog.
  • I've found the single, best way to salve coin on groceries is to utilise what is e'er least expensive and employ it a lot. Every bit such, there's no smashing variety in my menus, no exotic ingredients that I buy for only 1 repast. We swallow dinner on a two week rotation, dejeuner and breakfast on a weekly rotation.  Yes, it tin get a piddling dull. When that happens, I go looking for something else that uses primarily those same cheap ingredients. God anoint the Cyberspace.
  • My niggling girls go to a Mother'south Twenty-four hours Out program twice a week. They do non let peanut butter, hence, the Sunbutter sandwiches.
  • We have family movie/pizza night every Fri. That explains the well-nigh $20/month in pizza.
  • Finally, you'll notice a lot of cheese, beans, and eggs in this menu, besides every bit some things that seem unlikely for a frugal cook, like common cold cereal. Our family gets WIC coupons and these are some of the items that are provided. This carte du jour actually costs me $200/month, only I've included the actual price for all items so that you tin see what it would cost without the WIC vouchers.

So here it goes. A card, that if repeated twice, tin can feed a family of vii 3 meals a day plus snacks and beverages for $300/month.

Day One:
Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins, chocolate-brown sugar, and cinnamon. Bananas
Lunch: Peanut butter and Jelly sandwiches on whole wheat bread. Apple slices. Cheese cubes.
Dinner: Roasted Whole Chicken with carrots, onions and potatoes.
Snack: Ants on a log

Day 2:

Breakfast: Banana muffins and orange slices
Lunch: Hard boiled eggs, cheese cubes, fresh pineapple, saltines
Dinner: Chicken noodle soup (with leftover chicken) and french breadstuff
Snack: Apples

Day 3:
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, toast, orange slices
Lunch: Baked potatoes stuffed with broccoli and cheese
Dinner: Spaghetti with roasted tomatoes, Romaine salad with cucumbers
Snack: Saltines with peanut butter

Day Four:
Breakfast: Frosted mini wheats with bananas
Tiffin: Sunbutter sandwiches, pretzels, orange slices, carrot sticks
Dinner: Black beans and rice
Snack: Hard boiled eggs

Day V:
Breakfast: Cinnamon toast, bananas, hard boiled egg
Lunch: Tortellini with marinara sauce, cucumber slices with ranch dip
Dinner: Mexican stuffed potatoes (kidney beans, shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream)
Snack: Chocolate chip muffins

24-hour interval Six:
Breakfast: Pancakes with bootleg syrup, strawberries
Lunch: Boxed mac and cheese, carrot sticks, bell pepper strips
Dinner: Lemon Pepper tilapia, fine dark-green beans, rice
Snack: Pretzels

Mean solar day 7:
Breakfast: Whole grain frozen waffles, homemade syrup, strawberries, yogurt
Lunch: Baked potatoes stuffed with broccoli and cheese
Dinner: Aldi take and broil pizza, bell pepper strips, carrot sticks
Snack: Graham crackers

Day Eight:
Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins, chocolate-brown sugar, and cinnamon. Bananas
Lunch: Peanut butter and Jelly sandwiches on whole wheat bread. Apple slices. Cheese cubes.
Dinner: Black Bean Soup, cornbread, salad
Snack: Pretzels

Day Nine:
Breakfast: Banana muffins and orange slices
Lunch: Hard boiled eggs, cheese cubes, fresh pineapple, saltines
Dinner: Spaghetti with (turkey) meat sauce, bread, salad (*this makes 2 meals for the month)
Snack: Apples

Twenty-four hour period Ten:
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, toast, orange slices
Dejeuner: Leftover black edible bean soup and cornbread
Dinner: Dump and Cook Lentil Soup (* this makes two meals for the calendar month)
Snack: Chocolate flake muffins

Mean solar day Eleven:
Breakfast: Frosted mini wheats with bananas
Lunch: Sunbutter sandwiches, pretzels, orangish slices, carrot sticks
Dinner: Salmon Croquets with egg noodles, fine green beans
Snack: Ants on a log

Day Twelve:
Breakfast: Cinnamon toast, bananas, hard boiled egg
Lunch: Tortellini with marinara sauce, cucumber slices with ranch dip
Dinner: Turkey Tacos and Salad
Snack: Hard boiled egg

24-hour interval Thirteen:
Breakfast: Pancakes with homemade syrup, strawberries
Lunch: Boxed mac and cheese, carrot sticks, bell pepper strips
Dinner: Lentil and Black Bean Chili (*this makes 2 meals for the month)
Snack: Saltines with peanut butter

Day Fourteen:
Breakfast: Whole grain frozen waffles, homemade syrup, strawberries, yogurt
Lunch: Taco salads (fabricated from leftover taco night ingredients)
Dinner: Aldi take and Bake Pizza
Snack: Graham crackers

Beverages: Coffee for grown ups at breakfast, anybody else drinks milk. Little girls accept one loving cup of juice (diluted 50%) in the afternoon, big kids beverage (diluted) juice at dinner, trivial girls accept milk at night. Water the rest of the time, unless I make lemonade with extra lemon juice (lemon juice, sugar, h2o, duh.)

Here's the Shopping List, or How it All Pans Out:

2 Whole chickens ($.95/lb, 5lbs each) = $nine.50

3 pkgs. lean ground turkey ($3.29/19 oz.) = $9.87

1 Value pack frozen tilapia ($5.49/2lbs.) = $5.49

ii cans salmon ($3.49) = $6.98

ii 3lb. bags of yellow onions ($1.89) = $3.78

4 5lb. bags of baking potatoes ($two.49) = $nine.96

2 2lb. numberless of carrots ($.99) = $1.98

iv 10oz. containers of grape tomatoes ($1.49) = $5.96

six cucumbers ($.49) = $2.94

iv packages of romaine hearts ($1.99) = $7.96

2 packages of green peppers (3 for $1.69) = $3.38

1 bunch celery = $1.29

one bunch cilantro (Publix) = $.99

10 lbs. of bananas  = $4.forty

2 3lb. numberless of omphalus oranges ($ii.99) = $five.98

4 1lb. containers of strawberries ($1.49) = $5.96

four pineapples ($1.69) = $6.76

4 3lb. bags of apples Gala, Granny Smith, or Fuji ($two.69) = $x.76

2 lb. packages of frozen fine green beans ($1.69) = $iii.38

2 12oz packages frozen broccoli florets ($1.19) = $2.38

10 14oz cans of black beans ($.59) = $5.90

1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes = $.95

4 8oz cans tomato sauce ($.25)  = $1.00

2 6oz cans tomato plant paste ($.39) = $.78

1 can sliced mushrooms  = $.59

2 14oz cans of kidney beans ($.59) = $1.18

2 1lb bags of dried lentils ($.79) = $ane.58

1 5lb bag all purpose flour = $ane.39

1 4lb pocketbook of sugar = $ane.49

1 2 lb handbag chocolate-brown sugar  = $1.19

1 handbag yellowish corn meal = $ane.39

1 can baking pulverization  = $.99

ane box baking soda = $.39

i 42oz canister of old fashioned oats = $2.29

1 20oz canister of raisins = $2.89

one container of cinnamon = $.99

1 container of Italian seasoning = $.99

ane container of oregano = $.99

1 container of chili powder = $.99

1 jar of chicken bouillon cubes = $i.69

17oz of extra virgin olive oil = $3.29

48oz canola oil = $one.89

ground black pepper = $.50

salt = $.39

bay leaves = $1.50

canister of bread crumbs = $1.69

2 packages of taco seasoning ($.35) = $.lxx

ii packages of taco shells ($.99) = $ane.98

2 2lb boxes of spaghetti ($ane.59) = $3.18

1 bag egg noodles = $ane.39

i container fresh salsa = $1.99

1 jar peanut butter = $1.69

1 jar grape jelly = $1.45

1 jar Sunbutter = $3.79 (Publix)

1 24oz jar marinara sauce = $1.79

iv boxes mac and cheese ($.39) = $i.56

ane bottle balsamic vinegar = $1.79

1 bottle of light ranch dressing = $1.l

ane 32oz bottle lemon juice = $1.99

1 bottle ketchup = $1.29

4 Aldi take and bake cheese pizzas ($four.99) = $xix.96

4 packages fresh cheese tortellini ($1.99) = $7.96

iv 32oz containers of vanilla yogurt ($ane.89) = $seven.56

half-dozen 8oz packages cheddar cheese ($ane.79) = $14.32

six dozen eggs ($1.59) = $nine.54

i 16oz container of calorie-free sour foam = $1.39

1 lb butter = $two.69

4 boxes frozen multigrain waffles ($ane.29) = $v.xvi

2 boxes frosted mini wheats ($i.99) = $3.98

2 boxes saltines ($.89) = $1.78

2 16oz bags of pretzels ($1.29) = $ii.58

1 box graham crackers = $1.69

one bag chocolate chips = $1.99

3lbs. white rice = $one.49

iv loaves french bread ($1.00) = $four.00

4 20oz loaves whole wheat bread ($1.29) = $5.xvi

12 gallons skim milk ($two.89) = $34.68

4 64oz bottles 100% apple juice ($1.49) = $five.96

1 34oz canister of ground coffee = $5.49

Grand total: $312.08*

*This assumes y'all have NOTHING in your pantry. I do not have to buy all spices, oils, vinegars, sugars, etc. every month. When those costs are spread out, the monthly total is almost exactly $300.

Looking for the summer menu?

schwartzprobjecre.blogspot.com

Source: http://www.lifeinthecircus.com/how-i-feed-a-family-of-seven-for-300-a-month/

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