Feeding a family of 7 on $450 per month... is it possible?

Yep, you read it right $450 per month and NO COUPONS.  Don't get me wrong, I really think coupons can save you a lot of money.  I used them frequently till I was about 8 months pregnant and couldn't handle all the walking to get the deals. So, I cancelled my paper subscription.  I will probably pick it back up, but not till my little one is a bit older. But in the mean time, I still have a budget to stick to.

This is my first month trying this, so I am still finding out if it is possible, but as of wk 2 I have only spent $235 which is right on track!

What am I doing different? I began by thinking about why I overspend on my food budget. 
1) Extra trips to the store, and buying stuff that looked yummy while I was there.
2) Not sticking to a meal plan, so food that gets thrown out.
3) Buying prepackaged foods.


I decided to make this work I had to create a weekly meal plan and then DO NOT DEVIATE! Since this last pregnancy NOTHING sounds good.  So when I would try to come up with a menu for the next week it was torture!  I also have a tendency to find something I like to cook (or eat) and make it over and over and over.  While I don't mind the repetition, I will just say my husband would prefer some variety.  I would put off even thinking of what was for dinner.


Enter the Food Nanny (http://byutv.org/foodnanny/plan/). My friend introduced me to this site a few weeks ago and since then I haven't dreaded dinner time once.  That is huge for me. Here is where this site has really helped me and here is why:


Like many other websites, this one helps you plan a 2 wk menu and then print a grocery list (from either the site's recipes or add your own). But it has you pick a theme for each night! Genius!  This way, if I am in a rut, I can search the internet for a mexican dish and still have Asian, Italian, and other varieties throughout the week. For some reason giving each day a theme made creating a menu so much easier for me. I found that I don't mind cooking at all, I just mind coming up with what to cook everyday. 


Since using this I have tried 6 new recipes (not bad for 1 1/2 wks of using this) and had my family rate the result.  It is a game that makes it so I don't take it personal if they are disgusted and I know if they really will eat it if I make it again. So far on a scale of 1-5 I haven't had lower than a 4 (I even got a 10 from my 5 yr old who really doesn't like to eat much dinner).  SUCCESS!


Wait, I haven't told you the best part. The website is totally FREE. I actually bought all my groceries for this week and left the store having spent only $98.  For me that is a huge improvement.


This is only one of the things I am doing, but I am seeing a difference.  I love being able to look forward to dinner time instead of dreading it. 


Take a look at it and see if it might help you and your family.


I know I still have to do more than this to stick to this budget, so how do you feed your family on a budget?  I would love to hear all the great ideas you have. I will share a few more tips in the next few weeks (especially as we are coming up to the Holidays).

Work Hard, Love Always, Laugh Often

Today began great! I got up in time to run (code for walk while bouncing up and down), study my scriptures, and have a short morning devotional with my kids. This morning as I studied, I thought about why some mornings that start out great, end with the feeling I have gotten nothing accomplished. I fall asleep thinking of all the things on my list that didn't get done. What happens in the middle? Where is the breakdown? One word PRIORITIES. I find when I focus on checking things off my lists (and there are many good things on them to check off), I forget about what is really important - RELATIONSHIPS. So, this morning I prayed for the Lord to help me WORK HARD, LOVE ALWAYS, LAUGH OFTEN. When it is time to check off the dishes (so proud that is already checked off and it is only mid morning :)), then WORK HARD at it. No wasting time today dreading the chores that have piled up, set my timer, turn on some music and get it done. LOVE ALWAYS, even when my 2 month old is crying, 5 yr old wanting me to play with him, and my 3 older ones asking what is for dinner, and all I want is for a 15 min nap. I will choose to give a smile and a hug, not a lecture to my preteens when they begin to argue, or complain about chores. LAUGH OFTEN as I see my 2 months old eyes light up because I come to pick her up, and my 5 yr old dancing when he thinks no one is looking. I will enjoy this time today, because it is part of MY JOURNEY and I am blessed every step along the way.