My grocery budget is $300 each month for a family of four - two adults and two kids. This real food budget includes food, toiletries, household items as well as health & beauty products. Each week I crunch the numbers to see where I stand. Today marks the end of week one. Keeping with the momentum of “why I did what I did” in yesterday’s inner workings of the meal-planning mind, I’m sharing “why I bought ... Continue Reading
Archives for August 2012
How To Meal Plan… the Mind Behind the Madness
As a busy mom who loves to cook (because I love to eat), meal time can make me or break me. I choose the former. I could spend HOURS in the kitchen - baking, cooking, tasting, pondering ideas... I truly love being in the kitchen. However, I do not like to waste time just standing, frantically trying to come up with what to eat right now. This is where meal planning has been my lifesaver. Meal planning ... Continue Reading
Health(ier) Spiced Carrot Bread & A Dairy Free Version
In the midst of a pantry challenge, with two hungry kiddos wanting some breakfast STAT, what do you do if you run out of a key ingredient? Make do and substitute. Our beloved spiced carrot bread calls for a few ingredients that I didn't have: eggs cooking oil buttermilk white sugar vanilla baking chips See? Just a few key ingredients. Psh! Only the ones that make the recipe possible! With a few ... Continue Reading
How to Heal a Spider Bite with a Potato
I sincerely hope no one is deathly afraid of spiders out there... if so, scroll down quickly! Late in the day of our second day camping, Mr. Crumbs noticed a spider bite on his leg. Totally.Not.Surprised. He must have some sweet-smelling skin or something, because in all the years of his childhood - growing up outdoors in woods and dirt and bugs - he had never been bit by a spider. Yet during the few ... Continue Reading
Healthy Food Dinner Ideas for September
The summer has ended and a normal routine is in the making. With cooler weather around the corner I'm looking forward to soups and comfort foods to fill our bellies. Hearty Minestrone Soup is one of my go-to's for fall nights. I can load it up with vegetables and use up foods that might otherwise go to waste. ... Continue Reading
{Counting Crumbs} End of the Pantry Challenge – Success!
My grocery budget is $300 each month for a family of four - two adults and two kids. This real food budget includes food, toiletries, household items as well as health & beauty products. I started this week with $219.53 spent of my $300 monthly budget including food, household items and toiletries. Each week I crunch the numbers to see where I stand. Today marks the end of the month. Here are weeks one, two, ... Continue Reading
Dehydrate Carrots: A Step by Step Easy DIY
Spiced carrot bread has been the breakfast of choice for two weeks in a row in our house. Of the 12 mornings the kids have been given a choice of either carrot bread or oatmeal, oatmeal has been chosen only once - and that was yesterday. This recipe is not only a winner, but it's a nothing-but-net swoosh from half court. Even the egg-less version with sunflower seeds and dried cranberries was a hit! The fact ... Continue Reading
Making Protein Shakes and Smoothies without Protein Powder
Green monster smoothies have been a staple in my daily breakfast for a very long time. Each morning I making a tall glass of green goodness and thoroughly enjoy every last sip. They are filling, extremely good for you, and the fact that my skin is noticeably clearer is a nice little bonus. The basics are always the same: 1 cup of liquid, 1 banana and a hefty handful of spinach. Sometimes I add some seeds like flax ... Continue Reading
Pantry Challenge Week 4: Gliding Into Home Base
Slowly but surely, the pantry is getting cleared out. It's kinda neat to look at each shelf and know exactly what's there without having to shuffle things side to side or remove large containers! Who knew a pantry could be so calming?! Last weeks' menu included a few new recipes. Some were good, some weren't so good, and some were benched for a future menu (that isn't limited to the pantry). Cornbread ... Continue Reading
{Counting Crumbs} A Light Week with Normal Hot Dogs
My grocery budget is $300 each month for a family of four - two adults and two kids. This real food budget includes food, toiletries, household items as well as health & beauty products. I started this week with $190.28 spent of my $300 monthly budget including food, household items and toiletries. Each week I crunch the numbers to see where I stand. Today marks the end of week three. Here are weeks one and ... Continue Reading
