Thread: Can we talk about feeding our large families?

I am sick of cooking the same things, I feel that to keep costs down, I'm really limited to what I can make.

Our food budget is $150/wk, and that doesn't include the $15 I now have to send with my teen for lunch at school. (although ~ The way he eats, $15 is a STEAL!)

I have a meal idea sheet, and I try to go off that.. I'm trying to get down a rotating type menu, hoping that will help, and allow me to buy staples that go on sale more often.

I would also love to know how / if any of you cook with a crockpot, and do you need to use 2? I like making ribs (about the only thing I know how to make in the crockpot! - recipes appreciated ) but they don't all fit into 1 crockpot.. so I only make them on a night that I'm missing either ds1 or dh.

I only have 2 kids but my DH eats like 2 extra so does that count?? LOL

I love to do stew in the crock pot (so easy) and soups. I have done a cheap roast in the crock pot and let it go all day and THAT is so easy it should be criminal.

The cook book I use the most is the company's coming crock pot book. it is SO easy and well worth the $ to buy it...

What about shepards pie in the oven? swiss steak? pork chops in mushroom gravy (aka soup ) w/ rice and veggies?

I feel like I am in a rut here as well. I want to cook healthy, but end up defaulting to what is easy.

I will post more when I have time, but here is a recipe we found recently. it is very easy, and tastes great!! But, we are huge green bean and potatoes people!!

In the bottom of the crockpot, layer as many red potatoes (cut in half) as your family will eat. On top of that, put in as much green beans (with juice) as your family will eat. Top with Smoked sausage/Kilbosa/Polish sausage to the amount your family will eat. Throw a stick of butter (I use real butter) on top and put the lid on. Let the crockpot cook on low for about 10 hours. You could probably remove it sooner if you needed to since everything is safe to eat. You would just want to make sure the potatoes are cooked!

When ready to serve, warm some corn or carrots and you are done!!

You can start this when you first get up and it is ready for supper! Hope you enjoy it!

***I am giving this recipe from memory. I will check it in a bit and update if I have something wrong***

I started a menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Now I am down to about $550 a month. I go in spurts w/ the crock pot. I only need one still.

OKay can you gals please please share what you feed your families for under $500 a month.
We are a family of 6, DH, myself, 16yr old exchange student, 10yr old growing girl that eats like an adult, 6yr old boy and 4yr old boy. I am finding it hard to keep it under $800 a month.:drop: I am not sure if prices are higher where we live in WA or they are pretty much the same across the US?

We don't eat much prepackaged food or convience foods.
Breakfasts consist of oatmeal, cream of wheat, homeade breakfast bars, homeade muffins or scones, pancakes, sometimes cereal.
Lunch we eat
PBJ, leftovers, quesadias (sp?), pasta salads, soups and toasted cheese sandwiches, Meat and cheese sandwiches, tunafish, baked potatoes
Dinner well that is a mix of thing, but I try to buy what is on sale.
Snacks, we have homeade muffins, cookies, granola bars, a ton of fresh fruit (which I know can get pricey, but I do figure it is better than junk food)

Originally Posted by 2guysand1gal4me

OKay can you gals please please share what you feed your families for under $500 a month.
We are a family of 6, DH, myself, 16yr old exchange student, 10yr old growing girl that eats like an adult, 6yr old boy and 4yr old boy. I am finding it hard to keep it under $800 a month.:drop: I am not sure if prices are higher where we live in WA or they are pretty much the same across the US?

We don't eat much prepackaged food or convience foods.
Breakfasts consist of oatmeal, cream of wheat, homeade breakfast bars, homeade muffins or scones, pancakes, sometimes cereal.
Lunch we eat
PBJ, leftovers, quesadias (sp?), pasta salads, soups and toasted cheese sandwiches, Meat and cheese sandwiches, tunafish, baked potatoes
Dinner well that is a mix of thing, but I try to buy what is on sale.
Snacks, we have homeade muffins, cookies, granola bars, a ton of fresh fruit (which I know can get pricey, but I do figure it is better than junk food)

We live in NM. I think food is expensive here. We eat almost no prepackaged or convenience. Our breakfast is similar. We rarely have leftovers perse, but I often double certain things to have for lunch. We HS so my kids are always home. Similar stuff for lunch too. Dinner is more soups, chili's, stew lately to fill tummies cheaply. We do not have snacks, but my kids have fruit at least twice a day. I should add I started a menu a month ago for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It has definitely reduced our bill.

Our budget is $500/month for groceries. There are 7 of us, although my youngest is only 1, so he does not eat much. The key for me for keeping my food budget in line is to plan out my meals in advance. I make a monthly menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Some things we have for supper...chili/soup in the crock pot, pasta with sauce, enchiladas, tacos, homemade pizza. Those are just off the top of my head. I can look at my menu for September in the morning and post some more things if you would like.

Another thing that helps out is that we have reduced the amount of meat we eat significantly.

I find that one way I can keep meal cost down is to keep it simple. Like a meat (baked or oven fried) and 2 veggies or a veggie and salad and then either a starchy veg or bread.

So some of our meals are

pork chops (3-4 oz for each adult and I spilt ones for the boys) so for us I will usually fix 6 pork chops (4 for the meal and 2 for leftovers), sweet potato fries, corn, green beans and jalopeno peas (actually fixed extra sides because not everyone likes sp fries and peas).

chicken (dh and boys like legs so I will fix 6 legs and two breasts, we have at least one breast left over) then veggie sides

sloppy joes with either sp fries/reg fries and fruit

black beans and yellow rice with fruit for a side and sometimes green beans

shrimp pasta with broccoli with garlic bread

spaghetti with garlic bread and salad

tacos with salad and salsa for sides

enchiladas with salad and chips and salsa

chili with either corn casserole and/or chips

sour cream chicken with veggie sides

beefy noodles (similar to hamburger helper) with veggies

burgers with chips and rotel dip

Also we try to keep it simple and plan the same foods for breakfast almost always ceral and milk and fruit. Then it is really special if I do waffles or eggs and bacon. Another simple breakfast that we will do is just biscuits with butter and jelly. I don't do it often but the boys love it when I do make it.

For lunch same thing, we keep it simple, some type of protein, usually a veggie and fruit. We do tortillas with cheese and/or chicken for lunch, crackers and pepperoni or sliced chicken (leftovers), soup with crackers, sometimes just chips and rotel dip.

I try to balance out what the kids eat during the day so if don't eat a veggie at lunch they will have one for a snack and the same with fruit but usually they will ask for fruit so I don't have to worry about that.

We spend the extra money because I do buy granola bars and goldfish. Also I will usually buy one bag of chips to last all week. Those will do with some meals or for a snack but once they are gone then they are gone until the next week. If we are having Mexican a couple of times then I will buy one bag of regular chips and one bag of tortilla chips (they don't get eaten as quickly). Also I keep a few easy things on hand for dh for nights when I am gone or if I am out during the day. This way he can do a quick and easy meal.

We have more meals than this but I can't come up with them right now off my head.

we save a lot on our grocery bill by not eating a ton of meat. we do not have it every night.

our grocery budget is between $400-$450 a month for our family of 8.

it is easier now that the kids eat at school for lunch and breakfast...before that our budget was more like $450-$500

Annabelle - I would LOVE to see your menu...we HS too so everyone is here for every meal...and I could really use some fresh ideas

Ciara-not annabelle here, but thought I'd share some of my meal plans that kept under the $400-$500 range

Breakfast Options:
oatmeal and whole wheat toast
cereal
Raisin bread toast
Poached egg with grits and toast
fresh fruit and cheese
leftovers from dinner

Lunch:
Pita bread pizzas with fruit
bagels with cream cheese, fruit and veggies (and cheese)
bean dip with homemade tortilla chips and fruit
humungo loaded salad
cheese and rice

Dinner:
Pasta and beans
baked potatoes w/vegetarian chili
baked macaroni and cheese with watermelon
baked whole chicken with rice and corn
overnight black beans with cornbread
meatless spaghetti

Snack:
cheese slices
veggies and dip
popcorn
fruit
muffins
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Monday
Dinner: Thai Vegetable Stir Fry with Jasmine Rice

Tuesday:
B: Whole Grain Muffins and Yogurt
L: Pasta and Beans
D: Lentil Tacos

Wednesday:
B: Oatmeal with Fruit
L: PB&J whole grain muffins with apples and carrots
D: Beans and Rice (with veggies inside)

Thursday:
B: Toast and banana
L: Tortilla Roll ups with mexi veggies
D: Black Eyed Peas and Carrots
Cornbread
Collard Greens

Friday:
B: Spelt Biscuits with Soy sausage
L: Piroshki
D: Baked Chicken
Rice
Vegetables

Saturday:
B: Pancakes and eggs
L: Tennessee Corn Pone Muffins (cornbread with beans inside)
Salad
D: Aloo samosas
Massur Dal and carrot soup


all vegan except 1 breakfast
meat only 1 time

total cost for week :$62

items already on hand:
potatoes
carrots
onion
spices
flours
beans
rice
chicken
_____________________________________

I'd love to see others menus too! I'll get mine posted later.

Menu for 9/9-9/23

9/9 B: Cinnamon toast, bacon, juice
L: Sandwhiches and chips
D: Spaghetti and garlic parm french bread

9/10 B: Waffles and fruit
L: Leftover spaghetti w/ butter and parmesan cheese
D: Roasted chicken breast and peanut broccoli

9/11 B: Pancakes and yogurt
L: Hard rolls, salami and fruit
D: Beefy noodles and spinach salad

9/12 B: Toast and jam
L: Pumpkin muffins, yogurt, fruit
D: Fajitas w/ tomatos, avacado, grated cheese, corn on the cob

9/13 B: Oatmeal w/ raisins
L: Lentil, potato curry
D: Fish and squash

9/14 B: Cereal and fruit
L: PB&J
D: Beans, rice, eggplant and fruit

9/15 B: Farina
L: Tortillas and cheese
D: Sloppy Joe's, green beans

9/16 B: Pancakes and bacon
L: Baked potatos
D: Sherpard's pie

9/17 B: Apple bread
L: hot dogs
D: Chicken ceasar salad

9/18 B: Oatmeal
L: Leftover chicken w/ tortillas and cheese
D: Chili and johny cake

9/19 B: Cereal and fruit
L: ramen, egg soup
D: Chicken soup w/ carrots and turnips

9/20 B: Fried apples, eggs
L: Smothered lentils
D: Chicken pot pie

9/21 B: Farina
L: Cheese and crackers, nuts
D: Day at the state fair, eat out

9/22 B: Cereal
L: Pasta Fazoli
D: Hamburgers

9/23 B: Challah french toast
L: PB&J
D: Meat loaf, mashed potatos, roasted carrots

even for me with 2 kids, groceries cost me a lot...this is very helpful!! TY!!

I tend to make sure a meal includes fillers like brown rice, whole wheat pasta, beans, lentils, garbanzo beans, millet-- things that are healthy and satisifying, but not too costly. I also use whole grain tortillas instead of white flour ones as again, they are more filling. I use a coop for the bulk items and the prices are pretty good. If I make chicken soup, I would add a good amount of brown rice, lots of carrots & celery etc. The taste is in the broth, and a good long simmer makes a hearty soup. I use cut up whole chicken to make broth, and it's suprising how much meat you can pick off one thigh, say. lol


Breakfast foods are- whole wheat toast, eggs, leftovers from dinner, oatmeal, pancakes, or Cheerioes. I buy a box each week. Sometimes it's not empty at the end of the week.

Snacks- cheese, fruit (seasonal), popcorn, toast, peanut butter on toast cheerios, baked goods, carrots, corn chips & salsa, quesidillas, hummus & pita.

Last week dinners:

Sunday: Bean burritos, salsa, chips, brown rice with spices and corn.

Monday : whole wheat linguine tossed w/chopped tomatoes (garden), & about a 1/2 lb of pastured beef (hamburger sautteed in onions, garlic etc) and simmered with the tomatoes etc. Served with green beans (also the last of fresh from the garden), and some chopped romaine salad.

Tuesday- Kale soup (kideny beans, potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, kale). bread.

Wednesday- Roasted chicken, in the same roasting pan w/ sweet potatoes carrots, garlic, celery. Spinach on the side.

Thursday- Chicken soup with brown rice, carrots, onion, celery etc. Bread

Friday-- Take out pizza

Sat--some sort of soup as I still have some broth from the chicken this week. I am craving something with butternut squash and chick peas. So maybe some sort of stew...