So, the title says it all. We can't afford groceries this week, which really sucks. We need to use the $20 in gas so dh can get to work. We are not going to starve, thank God for my small "stock", but things are going to be tight. I guess I want moral support, btdt, cheerleaders?
So, I am just thinking out loud here...
Breakfasts:
I have steel cut oats in the crock, with home-canned applesauce, honey, flax and cinnamon - this will be good for dh for most of the week. I think I have raisins I can add for variety -- thank goodness dh is easy.
I have the stuff to make pancakes, but we have no eggs. I do have ground flax I can mix with water for an egg replacer.
Same with muffins, I have some canned pumpkin.
Homemade bread - I have dough in the fridge continuously rising (sort of like a sourdough starter but not quite) - this can be used for toast, to fill out meals. I can also make a "breakfast" bread with the above-mentioned raisins and cinnamon.
We have about 1/2 container of yogurt. I have 2 shelf stable boxes of almond milk which should last the week if I stretch them. I have some random little-bit-left of frozen fruit in the freezer as well as some canned fruit. I can make dd smoothies. We also have most of a jar of homemade jam left, she can eat this on toast as well.
Lunch: this will be a toughie. We have a lot of rice and beans so dh and I can be good with that in different varieties (mexican, curry, etc I will pack his lunch) but dd is pickier. I have some homemade veggie patties in the freezer she most likely will eat.
We have about 2/3 bag of fresh broccoli, dd likes this so I can use it as a "side" during lunch. We have a few boxes of ww pasta I can make for her through the week. I can puree beans in a sauce for protein. I can also make hummus, although I don't have tahini. I think I can improvise though. DD likes this and I can make homemade crackers pretty easily. Oh, we have a half a block of tempeh and dd will eat this sauteed.
Oh, also I make this chickpea and lentil "salad" that is akin to a chicken or tuna salad, that we can have in sandwiches. I think I have a little thing of mozzarella in the freezer, and canned tomatoes - I can make pizza for us. Oh, a few mushrooms and half a bag of spinach too.
Dinner:
Hmm, we have a bag of veggie ground "beef" in the freezer as well as some veggie ground "beef" I made from lentils. I can make shepherd's pie with this, frozen peas and onions, and mashed potatoes.
We have a log of polenta, I can make this with some frozen veggies steamed.
Again, the rice and beans. Thank God I have spices and knowledge of cooking. I can make a couple different variations.
Also, we have pasta, a few boxes. I can make a homemade cream of mushroom/pureed bean stroganoff type thing that is pretty good - high in protein.
Thank goodness for frozen veggies that I stocked up on, we ran out of most of our fresh and can't afford any this week
-- they will supplement meals and add nutritional value.
snacks:
Apples, dd likes these, especially with nut butter, but we have none She likes them plain though, too.
Home-popped popcorn
roasted chickpeas
canned fruit - it is not ideal but we have a few cans in fruit juice (not syrup) and it is better than nothing, right?
home-canned applesauce from mil's apple trees
Some random things:
We have some dry cereal that can be mixed with raisins and some random almonds and sunflower seeds to make a snack-type mix
We have a couple of sweet potatoes I can make into fries as a side
we are good on vitamins
Typically dd gets a lot more protein in her diet - I think I can get away with pureeing a lot of beans and putting them in things (white beans in muffins etc).
I am grateful for what we have - but typically in a week we do have more almond milk, eggs, nut butter, more fresh veggies and fruit, and cheese - of which we have none this week (except we do have some almond milk). I think I can afford to buy a dozen eggs, which will help with the protein factor.
Thanks for letting me brainstorm here.
So, I am just thinking out loud here...
Breakfasts:
I have steel cut oats in the crock, with home-canned applesauce, honey, flax and cinnamon - this will be good for dh for most of the week. I think I have raisins I can add for variety -- thank goodness dh is easy.
I have the stuff to make pancakes, but we have no eggs. I do have ground flax I can mix with water for an egg replacer.
Same with muffins, I have some canned pumpkin.
Homemade bread - I have dough in the fridge continuously rising (sort of like a sourdough starter but not quite) - this can be used for toast, to fill out meals. I can also make a "breakfast" bread with the above-mentioned raisins and cinnamon.
We have about 1/2 container of yogurt. I have 2 shelf stable boxes of almond milk which should last the week if I stretch them. I have some random little-bit-left of frozen fruit in the freezer as well as some canned fruit. I can make dd smoothies. We also have most of a jar of homemade jam left, she can eat this on toast as well.
Lunch: this will be a toughie. We have a lot of rice and beans so dh and I can be good with that in different varieties (mexican, curry, etc I will pack his lunch) but dd is pickier. I have some homemade veggie patties in the freezer she most likely will eat.
We have about 2/3 bag of fresh broccoli, dd likes this so I can use it as a "side" during lunch. We have a few boxes of ww pasta I can make for her through the week. I can puree beans in a sauce for protein. I can also make hummus, although I don't have tahini. I think I can improvise though. DD likes this and I can make homemade crackers pretty easily. Oh, we have a half a block of tempeh and dd will eat this sauteed.
Oh, also I make this chickpea and lentil "salad" that is akin to a chicken or tuna salad, that we can have in sandwiches. I think I have a little thing of mozzarella in the freezer, and canned tomatoes - I can make pizza for us. Oh, a few mushrooms and half a bag of spinach too.
Dinner:
Hmm, we have a bag of veggie ground "beef" in the freezer as well as some veggie ground "beef" I made from lentils. I can make shepherd's pie with this, frozen peas and onions, and mashed potatoes.
We have a log of polenta, I can make this with some frozen veggies steamed.
Again, the rice and beans. Thank God I have spices and knowledge of cooking. I can make a couple different variations.
Also, we have pasta, a few boxes. I can make a homemade cream of mushroom/pureed bean stroganoff type thing that is pretty good - high in protein.
Thank goodness for frozen veggies that I stocked up on, we ran out of most of our fresh and can't afford any this week
-- they will supplement meals and add nutritional value.snacks:
Apples, dd likes these, especially with nut butter, but we have none
She likes them plain though, too.Home-popped popcorn
roasted chickpeas
canned fruit - it is not ideal but we have a few cans in fruit juice (not syrup) and it is better than nothing, right?
home-canned applesauce from mil's apple trees
Some random things:
We have some dry cereal that can be mixed with raisins and some random almonds and sunflower seeds to make a snack-type mix
We have a couple of sweet potatoes I can make into fries as a side
we are good on vitamins
Typically dd gets a lot more protein in her diet - I think I can get away with pureeing a lot of beans and putting them in things (white beans in muffins etc).
I am grateful for what we have - but typically in a week we do have more almond milk, eggs, nut butter, more fresh veggies and fruit, and cheese - of which we have none this week (except we do have some almond milk). I think I can afford to buy a dozen eggs, which will help with the protein factor.
Thanks for letting me brainstorm here.
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