I think the biggest challenge we face as a large gluten free family is BUDGET!!!!! I’m constantly working to decrease our food costs. Right now, my budget for food and household items is $1500/mo… that’s more than our mortgage! This includes food and needs for the 9 people in our family plus my 6 daycare kiddos for 2 meals and 2 snacks/5 days a week. In reality, that’s only $100/mo per person but the total is gut wrenching! I’m on a mission to find tasty, healthy meals that everyone will eat that are affordable! In January, I plan to implement $5 Dinners 21 gluten free Costco meals for $162 . This will only do 10-11 meals for our family so I am on a mission to find a way to double the meals and stay within that budget… hmmmm… this could be interesting. Also, there are a couple recipes in the plan that do not appeal to our family AT ALL… so I will take those ingredients and attempt to create something else.
Tonight, we are having a rare treat… hamburgers and oven baked fries. Why is it so rare (other than not being very healthy)? The overall COST! Meat- $11 (not grassfed or organic), gf buns- $14 (Franz this time because oh so yummy… could be as low as $10 if we use frozen Udi’s), Large bag of Ore-Ida fries (on sale) $5… we are already at $30 before adding veggies, cheese, and condiments. Granted, that’s only a little over $3/per person to feed the 9 of us… which is 1/3 of the cost of going out for a burger and fries… but, my daily food budget goal is $35! I cringe at the prospect of spending $30 for a dinner at home!
Looks Good in Polka Dots 