"More-With-Less" Challenge

Available on Amazon

I've created a challenge for myself for the month of April.  As I have allowed the busyness of life to take center stage, I feel like I've lost control of my family's eating habits.  I'm cooking dinners more sporadically, and usually just a throw-together meal, or some new recipe that requires ingredients I don't have on hand, so a quick run to the local grocer (one of the more expensive ones in town) becomes 8 -10 of those in a month, and our grocery bill is suddenly $200 more than budgeted!

So with our budget and our health in mind, I'm challenging myself to use the recipes & concepts in this cookbook: to use what is already in my pantry, to make (and stick to!) weekly menu plans, and eat smaller portions of higher quality foods.

Each day, I'll post a picture & recipe of our dinner, and any other tools/ tips I happen across that may help in this journey.  My goal is to cook primarily out of this cookbook, although I'm allowing myself some grace to enjoy some family favourites as well.  My ultimate goal is to get all of our meals planned (at least to a certain point), so that I can be more consistent with breakfasts and lunches for my family too.  I hope as you are reading this you will find some inspiration and encouragement in your food journey too, whatever that may look like for your family.

Check back regularly for updates on my successes (I'll share my failures too...), and for new or revisited recipes!

Day 1- April 2 (We were at a friend's for dinner on April 1st, so I started on the 2nd):
         - Skillet Beef & Lentils
         - Menu Planning Board
Day 2- April 3
         - Kamut/ Spelt Waffles & homemade apple- & pear-sauce
Day 3- April 4
         - Mexican "Chop Suey"
Day 4- April 5
         - Creamed Tuna & Biscuits (breakfast)
         - Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce with brown rice spaghetti
Day 5- April 6 (Sunday)
         - Lumberjack Eggs (breakfast)
         - Leftovers
Day 6- April 7
         - Stuffed Meatloaf
Day 7- April 8
         - Tangy Taco Soup (in the crockpot) on rice
Day 8- April 9
         - Community Group dinner (I provided a salad)
Day 9- April 10
         - Potato Pancakes & Farmer's Sausage with sauteed onions & peas
Day 10- April 11
         - Creamy Egg & Noodle Bake
Day 11- April 12
         - Leftovers (enjoyed a family bike ride in the evening, no time to cook!)
Day 12- April 13 (Palm Sunday)
         - Dinner out (A&W)
Day 13- April 14
         - Zucchini Soup (in the crockpot) & Farmer's Sausage
Day 14- April 15
         - Pakastini Kima
Day 15- April 16
         - Leftovers
Day 16- April 17
         - Meat & Potato Quiche
Day 17- April 18
         - Split Pea Soup & Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Day 18- April 19
         - Hodge-podge: refried black beans & rice
Day 19- April 20 (Easter Sunday)
         - Shepherd's Pie
Day 20- April 21
         - Porcupine Meatballs with carrots & beans
Day 21- April 22
         - Italian dressing seasoned chicken on green salad
Day 22- April 23
         - Marin Joe's Special (community group dinner)
Day 23- April 24
         - Chinese take-out
Day 24- April 25
         - Hamburgers & carrot sticks