| A large family with specialized diets can do it, so | | | | occasional homemade brownies, biscuits, or |
| can you! | | | | crackers. |
| Cooking for a family and staying within a budget | | | | The trick to feeding a family on a smaller budget |
| is tricky, but it can be done. We feed eight | | | | is to make most of your foods from scratch, |
| people, two who must eat a gluten free diet, and | | | | buy few if any convenience foods, and minimize |
| three who are allergic to milk. Every two weeks | | | | sweets and desserts as much as possible. |
| we spend $250 sometimes $300. That calculates | | | | Be careful of the quality of foods you buy for |
| to $16 per day and $2 per person per day. You | | | | your family. Just as the books you read feed |
| could never eat like this eating out all the time. | | | | your mind and influence your thoughts and |
| How can this be done? The answer is to learn to | | | | decisions, the food we eat fuels the body or |
| cook as many things from scratch and rely as | | | | makes it ill. It is important to purchase foods that |
| little as possible on pre-made things. Make large | | | | are low in preservatives especially MSG, organic |
| amounts for dinner and eat the left-overs for | | | | foods which are free of pesticides, radiation, |
| lunch. Breakfasts consist mostly of oatmeal, grits | | | | hormones, and antibiotics, and foods that are as |
| or eggs. | | | | fresh from the source (earth or animal) as |
| Here is a sample of our dinner menu this two | | | | possible. It is always worth your while to spend a |
| week period: | | | | little bit more for higher quality meats, fruits, and |
| Fiesta Lima Chicken Soup | | | | vegetables and have the peace of mind knowing |
| Gluten-free spaghetti with salad | | | | you are not putting garbage into your family's |
| Coconut Curry Chicken with Risotto | | | | bodies. |
| Pinto beans with fried corn tortillas (and taco | | | | Those with food allergies beware of hidden |
| toppings) | | | | sources of allergens. Things like Velveeta cheese |
| Lentil Soup Supreme with gluten free Cornbread | | | | or processed cheese contain wheat flour. If an |
| BBQ Chicken thighs with potato salad | | | | animal was fed junk food like many |
| Chicken casserole (GF pasta, mayo, tuna or | | | | non-organically raised cattle are fed, your meat |
| chicken, and topped with crushed potato chips) | | | | could contain traces of wheat and other allergens. |
| Parmesan Chicken Breasts over rice (with soy | | | | "It is not necessary to have an extravagant food |
| flour) | | | | budget in order to serve things with variety and |
| Red beans and rice with sausage | | | | tastefully cooked"Every homemaker can learn the |
| Chicken enchiladas (with corn tortillas) | | | | art of feeding her family well on any income it |
| Homemade pepperoni pizza (with gf flour) | | | | just takes a little effort and a love for her family |
| Chicken Salad | | | | and their well-being. |
| Vegetarian chili over baked potatoes | | | | Works Cited: |
| Vegetable Soup with gluten free biscuits | | | | Schaeffer, E. (1971). The Hidden Art of |
| Snacks are fresh fruits and vegetables or the | | | | Homemaking. London, England: Tyndale. |