This may be the biggest question when it comes to budgeting is, what about food? Food is everyone’s biggest expense so how do you save money? Does minimalism mean eating minimally? Absolutely not. I found out that what works for me and that is meal planning. As I’ve stated before, I can’t do meal prepping to save my life because I hate eating the same thing over and over again so I tried to do a menu. I tried the menu option because I thought about people and places that have menus and why they do it. Schools are the biggest motivation because they do it because they’re on a budget! DING DING! I am also on a budget so that is why I took this approach. Menu planning helps in many areas with the biggest one being shopping list! You can get all your items in bulk and prep for each day. I am going to share with you what was on my menu to help get you an idea. These items are also healthy items so you’re not losing out on any nutrition or taste! Hope it helps!
Turkey Lettuce Wraps: Ground Turkey, Romaine Lettuce (or any green of your choosing)
Chicken Quesadilla on Tortilla: Chicken Tenderloins, Bell Peppers, Avocado, Shredded Cheese
Chicken Salad: Chicken Tenderloins, Spinach Salad (or any mix of greens of your choice), Dressing (Vinaigrette for best choice)
Hmong Fish Soup: Fish, Lemongrass, Ginger, Green Onions, Thai Chillis
Tex Mex Casserole: Ground Beef, Canned Crush Tomatoes, Pickled Jalapenos, Shredded Cheese, Butter
Pulled Pork w/ Canned Green Beans: Pork Shoulder, BBQ Sauce, Canned Green Beans
Little Big Breakfast: Bacon, Eggs, Sausage, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Korean BBQ: Pork Belly, NY Strip Steak, Red Lettuce, Jalapenos, Garlic
BLT on Cloud/Keto Bread: Bacon, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Cloud/Keto Bread, Mayonnaise
Crispy Chicken Tenders w/ Ketchup: Chicken Tenderloins, Panko Breading, Eggs, Flour
These are just some recipes that I used for my menu, you are free to choose to make whatever for you and/or your family. I hope this will help with the burden on planning meals and hope that it will give relief on your budget.
Sincerely,
Melissa Lee