How to Save Money Feeding Your Family

A Meal Plan for Hard Times and Big Feelings

If you are new to this space, welcome to Motherhood Minute, a newsletter for women who need a quick read under 6 minutes. We explore topics of mental health, motherhood, work, and all of the ways in which parenthood meshes with life as it is.

In this newsletter, you can find:

• a meal plan I recently used for my family

• Link to a new devotional ebook

I have been trying to find the words to describe my complex feelings about food and body image at the moment, but I could easily republish a newsletter I wrote a year ago (which I will link below).

I want my daughter to be strong.

I know the world will eventually start to try breaking her down. One day a child will tell her that she is different and therefore bad. A boy will say she is too much or not enough. A girl may compare her body to their own. But I want to prepare her now, as a toddler to think differently.

But I’m not there yet, even with myself. How can I possibly parent in a healthy way if I cannot be healthy in my own mind? Three things come to mind:

1. Focusing on how different foods can give you better energy or make your body stronger instead of the “good” or “bad” foods.

2. Speaking aloud in a positive way about my own body, as well as her body.

3. Refraining from talking about “needing to diet.”.

I’m not an expert but this is what I am trying to do more when it comes to making things better for our future, together as a family.

The medication I’ve been on for this mysterious five-month pain has caused me to gain 15 lbs.

None of my clothes fit me right.

I search Pinterest to try and find ways to dress in a way that feels good but even that feels like a losing battle.

I’ve gone “back to the basics,” as I like to say when things get too hard to manage. I deleted the calorie-counting app and started buying produce that can be easily added to any meal I eat. I have eaten an apple instead of a sweet snack 80% of the time I crave foods that don’t “serve my health.” I’ve tried my best to remove the idea of losing weight and focusing on loving myself. The process has been messy and emotional.

Oh, what a complex story it has been…

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A Meal “Plan” For Your Family

I say plan loosely because I do my best to purchase foods with a plan that I realize could change multiple times. My best method for shopping is to stock up on your family’s favorite pantry essentials, frozen vegetables, and rotate proteins. Here is a week of food for my family (which is 2-3 adults and one 2.5 year old toddler).

We eat certain meals regularly, such as oatmeal, turkey sandwiches, PB&J, and a variation of chicken and rice (you can do any cuisine with this combo and the right seasonings). Keep in mind this is not a complete grocery list, but a staple of items I purchase.

I ended up removing this large pork shoulder, cutting it in half, and freezing the other half. It was much bigger than expected!

Meats for the week, usually cooked on a slower day (for us it’s the weekend):

1. Slow cooker: Rosemary lemon pork shoulder

   1. Stab the pork shoulder and add fresh sprigs of rosemary. Cut a lemon in half to add to the outside of the pork. Cut the other half another time and add to the inside of the pork. Rub pork shoulder with a mixture of minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high 4-6 hours.

2. Instant Pot: boneless, skinless chicken breast

   1. Cook time changes depending on if the chicken is fresh or frozen, but I always use 1 cup of broth instead of water. You can even remove the chicken after and use that liquid to cook your rice right after in the instant pot.

3. Uncut, Browned Turkey Breast (like this one) goes a long way. I freeze one half and then slice the other half into thick slices for sandwiches or toddler snacks.

Veggies: You can buy fresh but I only do so if it’s precut for me these days. I lack time and frozen lasts longer for us.

1. Frozen bag of vegetable blend (I love this brand from Costco)

2. Frozen peas and carrots

3. Pre-sliced onion and pepper pack from local grocery store (you can buy them whole if you have the time too)

4. Fresh spinach (you can add it everywhere or make a simple salad)

Fruits:

1. Apples (easy afternoon snack)

2. Fruit cups for toddler lunches or canned

3. Frozen blueberries

Grains:

1. Quick cooking oats

2. Rice

3. Sandwich bread (or switch it up from sliced to a loaf of fresh rosemary bread)

4. Tortillas

   

   This tray of veggies cost me $6 and saved me a ton of stress chopping.

Meal Ideas to pull from (again keeping in mind we can have flexible options with these ingredients):

Breakfast:

1. Plain Oatmeal with frozen blueberries and cinnamon.

   1. I also discovered muesli as an overnight oatmeal option and it’s amazing for meal prepping.

2. Scrambled eggs with spinach, onions, and peppers

3. Toasted sandwich with peanut butter and jelly

Lunches:

1. Rosemary Pork Sandwiches

2. Chicken Taco leftovers

3. Turkey Sandwiches

Dinners:

1. Shredded Chicken Taco Night with onion and bell peppers

2. Rosemary Lemon Pork Shoulder with sides of wild rice and frozen veggies

3. Chicken Pot Pie (easy to do with a premade crust, chicken, frozen veggies, and broth)

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Meal prep doesn’t have to be hard, It could be simply doubling a recipe. Internet and subscription-based meal plans have tricked us into thinking we can’t do this and need to spend our money with them instead.

Take a note from generations before us and think differently when it comes to making pantry staples count. Simplify your cooking by buying pre-sliced or diced veggies if you need to! Simplify the expectations you give yourself.

In 2013 I began reading articles from an online ministry called Tirzah Magazine. In a time of my life where I had no idea what living like a Christian could practically look like, Tirzah gave me hope and biblical insight.

Over the past ten years I’ve helped them as a guest writer, bible study leader, and nonprofit board member. It’s my pleasure to share with you their newest digital resource, a 365 day devotional that was compiled from their international readers and writers over the years.

The funds of this ebook go to support the online fees of this 100% volunteer ministry. It’s a great gift for the young women in your life looking for encouragement in Christ (or for yourself!).

If you are interested in my personal journey with Tirzah and my relationship with my faith and depression, you can listen to a podcast I recently recorded.