Tips on Planning Meals
Build the main part of your meal around rice, noodles, or other grains. Use small amounts of meat, poultry, fish, or eggs.
For example, make a casserole by mixing rice, vegetables, and chicken. Or try Beef-Noodle Casserole or Stir-Fried Pork and Vegetables with Rice.
Add variety to family meals. In addition to cooking family favorites, try new, low-cost recipes or food combinations. For example, if you usually serve mashed potatoes, try Baked Crispy Potatoes or Potato Salad for a change.
Make meals easier to prepare by trying new ways to cook foods. For example, try using a slow cooker or crockpot to cook stews or soups. They cook foods without constant watching.
Use planned leftovers to save both time and money. For example, prepare a Beef Pot Roast, serve half of it, and freeze the remaining half to use later. You also can freeze extra cooked meats and vegetables for soups or stews.
Do "batch cooking" when your food budget and time allow. For example, cook a large batch of Baked Meatballs or Turkey Chili, divide it into family-size portions, and freeze some for quick meals later in the month.
Plan snacks that give your family the nutrients they need. For example, buy fresh fruits in season like apples or peaches. Dried fruits like raisins or prunes, raw vegetables, crackers, and whole wheat bread are also good ideas for snacks. Make your own snacks with Healthy Snack and Appetizer Recipes or find some Healthy Snack Foods for the Super Busy. And don't forget, Popcorn is a Whole Grain Snack!
Save with powdered milk. One last tip for saving money at breakfast: Use powdered milk either in part or whole to save money. When powdered milk is cold, you hardly notice a difference, especially on cereal or in recipes. If you think your family will be skeptical about drinking powdered milk, mix it with regular milk.
