My last menu and shopping list was April 2012– five years ago. Where does the time go. That is to esoteric for this blog so lets talk about what does $25 buy today. I was reading with interest that too many people are still eating a junk food diet because healthy eating was cost prohibitive. I agree that in some areas food at a value is hard to find. Especially rural areas. However I have found that a number of options exist today that were not available five years ago that are changing food distribution and thus food costs. The one thing I can say is stay away from prepared foods. They are too expensive and too many offer no healthy nutrition. Make your own food. I try to cook using as few ingredients as possible and try to focus on dishes that are fast to prepare.
I went shopping this week and my receipt came to $27.94. A couple of items on the list were those things I had to replace for the pantry. The bulk of the items were fresh vegetables milk eggs cheese and grass fed beef. Two things I buy that are prepared and I like to use to fill in for those times when I don’t have time to cook are roasted chickens ( a five dollar chicken can feed you for the better part of a week) and precooked turkey breast. I don’t buy the sliced turkey breast but buy one that is a nice sized piece of meat. I like to slice it myself so that I know I am eating turkey or cube it and put it in a dish like the pasta with ham and peas. This week you will notice that I have the recipe listed but with cubed turkey and asparagus instead of the ham and peas. I had turkey breast from last week. I know hamburger soup is on a number of times. It makes a big batch and I love it so I eat it up. You can freeze it for future meals. Also a platter of nachos isn’t the healthiest meal but you have to have a little fun. I had reserved a little of the hamburger to make them.
SUNDAY
Brunch breakfast hash, toast w/ jam, orange
Dinner chefs salad and tortilla chips with cheese
MONDAY
Breakfast Granola, orange or clementine
Lunch salami sandwich, carrot sticks
Dinner pasta with turkey and asparagus
TUESDAY
Breakfast Granola, orange
Lunch pasta with turkey, fresh or canned fruit
Dinner hamburger soup, fresh or canned fruit
WEDNESDAY
Breakfast granola, orange
Lunch hamburger soup, fruit
Dinner roasted vegetables with sliced turkey, fresh fruit
THURSDAY
Breakfast Breakfast sandwich, orange
Lunch turkey sandwich, carrots
Dinner hamburger soup , fresh or canned fruit
FRIDAY
Breakfast granola hot or cold, orange or clementine
Lunch cheese sandwich fruit
Dinner hot turkey sandwich (make a big bowl of popcorn and watch a movie)
SATURDAY
Brunch Breakfast hash or poached eggs and toast, orange
Dinner platter of nachos, salad,
SHOPPING LIST
asparagus, cucumber , avocado ,mushrooms, green beans,Roma tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, Colby jack shredded cheese, Hamburger ,12 grain bread, eggs, tortilla chips, pasta