Feeding Our Family of 8 on $200: A Week of Budget-Friendly, Veggie-Packed Meals
Feeding a family of eight on a budget is no small feat, especially when you’re trying to sneak more veggies into meals! But with some planning and a bit of creativity, we managed to keep our grocery bill to just $200 for the week. Here’s a look at what we ate, how we kept things affordable, and how we’re working on getting more veggies into our lives.
Breakfasts: Keeping It Simple
Cereals: With mornings being chaotic, we relied on cereal. It’s quick, easy, and everyone’s happy.
Frozen Waffles: Frozen waffles are a lifesaver on busy mornings. We bought them in bulk and added some fruit or a dab of peanut butter to make them a bit more filling.
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls: We whipped up a batch of cinnamon rolls one morning. They’re budget-friendly when made from scratch and feel like a special treat.
Lunches: Kid-Approved and Veggie-Boosted
Frozen Nuggets: Frozen chicken nuggets are always a hit. We paired them with carrot sticks or apple slices to get some extra nutrients in.
Easy Mac & Cheese: Quick mac & cheese is a go-to.
Nachos: Tortilla chips, cheese, and whatever leftovers we had lying around turned into fun nachos. Adding some chopped tomatoes or bell peppers made them a bit healthier.
Fish Sticks: Fish sticks were another easy lunch. We had baby carrots available for the kids to add to this meal.
Dinners: Filling and Full of Flavor (and Veggies!)
Baked Potatoes with Chili: Baked potatoes topped with canned chili were a cheap and filling dinner. Those who didn’t go for the chili, added toppings like bacon, onion, celery, jalapenos, and other veggies to make for a yummy potato bowl.
Sweet & Sour Pork with Rice: We made sweet and sour pork (Costco is our favorite place for meat!) and loaded it with peppers and onions. Served over rice, it was a hit.
Hot Dogs with Chips: Hot dogs are a quick dinner when things are hectic. We made sure to serve them with carrot sticks on the side, balancing out the meal a bit.
Tacos: Taco night is always a favorite. We packed the tacos with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and salsa, making it an easy way to add more veggies.
Breakfast for Dinner: Who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner? Biscuits, eggs, and bacon made everyone happy, and we threw in a side of bananas.
Leftovers: By the end of the week, we were all about using up leftovers. We mixed and matched whatever was left in the fridge, making a buffet of the bits and pieces.
Snacks: Healthy and Handy
Apple Sauce: A quick and easy snack that the kids love.
Granola Bars: Perfect for when we’re on the go.
Chip Bags: Sometimes you just need a treat. Individual chip bags are great for portion control.
Carrots: Carrot sticks were a go-to snack. They’re cheap, crunchy, and the kids actually eat them!
Bananas: A super budget-friendly fruit that’s great for breakfast or snacks.
Strawberries: We grabbed strawberries on sale, and they didn’t last long!
Jello: Jello is a fun treat that’s easy on the wallet.
How We Made It Work
Planning is Key: We mapped out our meals and snacks for the week before grocery shopping. This way, we stuck to the plan and avoided buying unnecessary extras.
Shop Sales: We kept an eye out for deals, especially on produce and meat. Coupons were a bonus!
Buy in Bulk: Things like frozen waffles and chicken nuggets were cheaper when bought in bulk.
Get Creative with Veggies: We made a point to add vegetables where we could—whether it was loading up our tacos with extra toppings or tossing leftover veggies into mac & cheese.
By planning ahead and being intentional about including more veggies, we fed our family of eight on just $200 for the week. It’s all about finding that balance between sticking to a budget, making meals everyone enjoys, and keeping things as nutritious as possible.
