Kids Planning, Kids Shopping, and best of all, Kids Cooking

                           

     

A month of meals with the kids in charge.  The younger kids are taking turns for two weeks each.  All meals are kid planned, kid shopped for, and kid created on their designated night (well, actually, we choose what we want from the whole list on a given night, but the kids do the cooking) Here's what's on the menu for the first two weeks.  Caleb is in the kid in the kitchen.

Oh, wait, a few words about the plan. Kids plan dinners first to anticipate what we may have left over for lunches.  We are working on bettering breakfasts. Generally everyone just has a cup o' cocoa or milk on the way out the door. Oatmeal or an egg on toast could be done for less than $0.25/serving.  We'd just have to plan better.  Kids are cooking and they are not extra-early kind of risers.

Remember, we are trying to keep our full day of meals under $4.50/person, averaged through the week.  That means each meal should average abt $1.50.  However, since breakfast is never more than about $0.25, lunch is always about $1, snacks are around $0.75,  I give us closer to $2+ for dinners.  You'll note from the top that some meals count for two, either because we will have them again in the cycle, or as leftovers for lunch.  Some of the cost breakdown is surprising.  Like, who knew pasta, burritos, or baked potatoes would be your pricier meals?

Dinner:

1-Indian Curry - 2 meals 

Spices $0.50

1 lb cooked Chickpeas $1

1 bunch Cilantro $0.70

1 lb cauliflower $2

6 diced Potatoes $1.25

Veggie broth $1

3 cans Coconut milk $3.75

4 cups Rice $1

$11.20

2. Ravioli 

1.5 frozen Ravioli $3

Tomato sauce $1

Garlic $0.50

Butter $0.75

Bread $1

$6.25

3. Spaghetti - 2 meals

2  lbs pasta - $1.25

4 med Diced tomatoes $1.30

Basil

Romano Cheese $1

Cream $2

Garlic $0.50

2 cups Spinach $1.50

1 head Lettuce $1

Italian dressing $0.50

Ranch dressing $0.50

Butter $0.75

Bread $1 

$11.30

4-Stuffed zucchini 

3 Zucchini $3

3 cloves Garlic $0.30

4 med Diced tomatoes $1.30

1 medium diced Onion $0.35

3/4 C Feta Cheese $1

Bread $1 

$6.95

5-Burritos

3 cups Rice $0.30

2 cans Black beans $1

2 cans Rotel tomatoes $2

1 large diced  onion $0.50

12 Tortillas $1.80

Spices $0.30

Salsa $1

Cilantro $0.60

Cheese - $2

$10.50

6-Pasty 2 meals

12 med diced Potatoes $0.75

2 cups diced Carrots $0.75

1 large Onion $0.30

3 tbsp olive oil $0.40

Pastry

6 c flour  $1.50

2 c butter $3

1 pack Veggi brown gravy $0.50

$7.20

7-baked potatoes

8 med Potatoes $0.50

2 cups Spinach $1.50

Leftover Chili $1.50

1 cup Cheese $1

Sour cream $1

Chives $1

1 stick Butter  $0.75

$7.25

8-ratatouille 

1 lb dicedSummer squashes $1

1 lb diced Peppers $2

3 cloves minced Garlic $0.20

1 large diced Onion $0.50

1/4 c olive oil $0.40

Homemade Bread $1

$5.10

9-diy pizzas

Dough $1

Leftover Pasta sauce $1

1 lb Cheese $4

2 diced Tomatoes $0.65

1 diced Onion - $0.50

1 diced Zucchini $0.50

1cup Spinach  $0.75

$8.30

10-fried noodles

10 packs Ramen noodles $1

2 tbsp Sesame oil $0.50

2 tbsp canola oil $0.20

2 tbsp Soy sauce $0.30

1 med sliced Onions $0.50

2 cups chopped Broccoli $2

1 cup chopped Carrots $0.35

$4.35

11-tomato basil soup

4 cans Canned tomatoes - $2

Basil - from the garden

Veggie broth - $1

1 cup Cream - $1

Bread - $1

$5

12-quinoa 

3 cups quinoa - $3.50

1 diced large Onion - $0.50

1 diced Zucchini $0.50

2 cups Spinach  $1.50

Sauce

1/2cup Cream cheese $0.50

1/2 cup sr cream $0.50

1/2 c mayo $0.50

Dijon/spices $0.25

$7.25

13. Frittata

4 med Potatoes - $0.25

9 Eggs - $0.90

1 med Onion $0.35

2 small diced Tomatoes $0.65

 1 cup Spinach $1

$3.15

14. FFY (Fend For Yorself) - leftovers

Lunches: (I'll fill in amounts for these later since they always have supplementary items.)

1-bagel sandwich 

2-chickpea salad 

3-left over, pasty

4-left over, burritos

5-leftover curry

6-leftover,  pasta 

7-rice ball

8-left over, fried noodles 

9-corn on the cob

10-hummus rolls