Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Budget/Meal Planning

So I have been away for a while...just to catch you up(if you read) I have opened a business, been working very hard at building it and keeping my family healthy and I have also been through some awesome holistic training...so that is where I have been...I am on Instagram #hangarofhealing so if you want to follow me you can! 


Have you ever wondered how much you should be spending on food?  Do you budget and meal plan?  Or are you an ‘I’ll figure it out later kinda person’? Recently, I was doing some budgeting for our monthly grocery bill….Family of 4 (but sometimes feed 5-6 a few times a week).  Now that my kids are going back to school and I have 3 different school schedules and my schedule….PLANNING a menu and organizing is critical for maintaining my sanity.  I have an elementary school student who plays soccer, a middle schooler who is a cheerleader and my wife teaches high school~ Needless to say….I have to be organized, prepared and ready to cook and have food available. 

I feel like I budget my time well, I work at work most days, and do the mommy thing at home-sometime they overlap.  That being said….3 different school start time and end times with practices and games and then don’t forget my schedule too…Anywho….

Here is my last week meal plans and my monthly budget for groceries.  The grocery budget is variable  on if I have to buy a meat order that month or not.

But on average….$1,200, $1,500 to $2,000 a month on food is normal(high end is $2000)

First I am blessed that I own my business, make my own hours and can afford the highest quality foods available…but even when I was struggling(yes, I have been there with small children), FOOD and NUTRITION was very high on my priority list-I made it work by cutting out things that were not important.

So here is a break down of my grocery budget…Now that is 7 days a week, for 4 people(sometimes 5-6) 3 meals a day plus snacks.



On the high end…that turns out to be less than 6$ a meal of mostly organic, gluten free(sometimes grain free) nourishing, real food meals.  I am pretty sure you can’t go to a nice restaurant and get mostly organic, gluten free meals for you entire family for less than $6 a person????  I know a recent trip to a fancy high end restaurant cost us $150, and it wasn’t organic…that was one meal. 
If you take that $150 and the other 3-4 times you eat out a week, that is your week or more of groceries for your family. 


Meal Planning....Sunday is my meal planning day...As I sit drinking my coffee looking out the kitchen window, I start my meal planning for the week...What needs to be used, do I have veggies on the verge of being tossed, what meat do I have, what is the schedule, how many pressure cooker/crockpot meals are there, what kinds of food prep can I do today to get ready for the week, etc.?  All those things go onto my notebook.  I then browse pinterest, my recipes books, files and past recipes, come up with a plan or three and make it happen.
This is what my notebook end up looking like.  Most days I follow the meal plan, some days I change meat or entire meals...but if I am prepared ahead of time, all goes smooth and easy.




Peace~Love~Chi

Emily


Monday, October 12, 2015

What you 'should' be eating!


When I started my journey many years ago....I never knew where life would take me.  I have made many mistakes but I have also had many successes.  When I coach people about holistic nutrition and they ask about my food and what I eat,  I always tell them to start where they are comfortable!  Do not try and do what I do!  If drinking water and switching to organic food(even if processed) is what you can do-GREAT,  DO THAT!

The Average American eat only 15 foods!  HOW BORING!!!!  You should have variety in your diet and rotate your food.  This will help you to see any food intolerance or allergies and help you get more vitamins, minerals and enzymes into your diet.  Don't be afraid of CALORIES!!!!  Calories give you energy-they come from REAL FOOD not CRAP!

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Podcast with gluten free easlily blogger!

So I've been busy, like crazy busy.  Blogging has taken a back burner to building my business and living my dream.



However, I had a few free moments to do a podcast with Shirley Braden from Gluten Free Easily. 






So enjoy and learn a little about going gluten free!   Have a great Summer!


If you haven't checked out my business page  Hangar of Healing  please come by and like my FB page too. 

Peace, Love and Chi

Emily

Saturday, February 28, 2015

A STORY about a Grain Free Chocoate Peanut Butter Cake Recipe.....

Proud Parent Moment!

So I have to tell you that THIS IS NOT MY RECIPE.  My 9 year old daughter decided to try and follow a recipe for chocolate zucchini cake(without me knowing) and modified it to a grain free cake for her brother. Here is the story!

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Grain free/Dairy Free/Sugar Free Crepes

So I was craving crepes......like really good crepes that I can stuff with cream cheese, or chocolate or just dip in maple syrup.  BUT we can't eat flour(gluten) and I don't eat grains.  SO these are JUST as good as traditional crepes( I think they are better).   I modified a recipe from the paleo plan because I didn't have the same amounts of the ingredients.

Thursday, November 20, 2014

15 Tips for limiting food waste

I heard a few statistics on the radio a few day back.

The EPA estimates 35 million tons of food waste a year….and 40-50% comes from consumers from home food waste(spoiled, spilled, wasted food).
see even the bowl is licked clean at our house!(these were kale chips)

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Podcast with Fermented Harvest

Pro-biotics......

We have all heard the word but what are they?  Well they are foods (and some supplements) that are loaded with healthy bacteria for you gut.  I always talk about getting nutrition from foods, here is a great way to start and support a local family business.

Our latest podcast is with a local family who makes and sells 'fermented' goodies.  She talks all about how they got started and the process that it takes. 

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