Portion Control

Some other thoughts on the $5 meal plan:

Portion Control:

It is super important that your family not go off for seconds as this blows the plan and budget. Might I suggest some alternatives? If I make an $.83 per serving soup and I divide it in its proper proportions, then I stay in budget. If everyone goes for seconds, my meal goes to $10 and that doesn't help our budget or health. Take into consideration the following: If I make all my lunches and dinners $10 each, then I am going to pay $600 just for those meals. If I double my breakfast amount of $2 per meal to $4 a meal, I am then at $720 a month. That's just too much for some of us. However, if my family feels not full on a bowl of soup, the solution is simple: Homemade whole wheat bread!!! At $1 a loaf (for my recipe) I only raise my meal budget by $1 instead of the $5 for the seconds. That's a $4 savings. It makes the meal more homey and satisfying and filling. Whole wheat bread is easy to make with a handy bread maker. I know if I begin bulk buying my bread components, I will probably save 50%, but like all of you, I am still learning and growing in skills. To make this plan work, you must follow the portion sizes for the recipes. To avoid temptation, simply divide out the meal portions and then have your freezer containers ready and put them in the freezer before anyone sits down. I promise that a warm loaf of bread is every bit as satisfying as the second portion.

What About Snacks?:

The $360 meal plan doesn't include snacks. It's basic. However, you have learned the tools of cutting a bit of this or that to allow some pennies to go elsewhere, so it is possible that leaving off the un-needed cheese could allow for a homemade oatmeal cookie for a snack or the cheese on a piece of toast later. It's about borrowing from here and there to make things work. I will be honest, snacks are expensive if they are 6 apple bars in a pack (guilty)! Consider thinking through the day's menu and see maybe what is needed. If you are dairy or calcium deplete, maybe a cheese toast slice would be good or a small plain salad of spinach with a tiny splash of dressing. I think snacks should augment the nutrition for the day. If you need more of something for the day's meal plan, then think of a healthy and inexpensive option. Our frequent (good) snacks are: Whole wheat slice with peanut butter, low fat cheese stick (or slice) and fruit slices, or small salad plate with spinach and light dressing. If this takes you up in budget and it makes this plan work for you, then plan to have a $380 or $400 budget. It's about making a plan. This is the whole point of this blog--be in control. I realize over time that inflation will take my $5 meals and they will become $7 meals, but with a plan in place, the changes will be controlled.

The Great Offsets:

We have something fun (I guess it is fun for two finance majors--smile) we do to make us work towards a lower overall food budget. It's called the "offsets" and we use them to earn free food at our house. Let me explain: Last year our electricity bill was outrageous! We were drying laundry and running the air. I don't like to scrimp on air conditioning, as it just makes us sick from heat. However, I did start hanging out our laundry daily. Well, the savings were proof positive! We save $30 a month on air drying. My clothes, while stiff I will admit, are sun fresh and are holding up better. I bought my air drying racks for $100 for two kinds and they were "paid back" in 3 and a half months from savings. Now I get to "keep" my savings. If my breakfasts are costing me $60 a month and my air drying of laundry saves me $30, then I get 15 breakfasts for free! Sounds silly, but you kind of get into it. I cut my guys' hair and save $60 a month and this fully buys the breakfasts and gives me the $30 for lunches (6 of them). If I keep finding ways to get things for free that I would otherwise pay for, I will eventually offset my food budget by half. In essence, my food budget could be $200 or less in time. Each penny makes a difference (think of dropping the cable and renting movies and stuff from the library--that could save up to $49 a month!) and over time makes it so you can really have a "free lunch".

DJW