Here, in Cassandra's own words, is how the $20 Food Experiment went. She writes just like she talks, and I love it!
"Hello there, I am Karin's first daughter, a simple and lowly daughter of man. I was recently blessed with a challenge brought up by my mother, in which I was to buy a week's worth of groceries with only $20. It was a success, I didn't starve, and I give all of the praise to the Lord YHWH. My mom wants me to tell you what I bought, however, so here is a list of what I bought and the prices, accordingly.
Spinach - $0.99
Strawberries - $1.00
Grapefruit - $1.29
Extra Firm Tofu - $1.99
Vanilla Yogurt - $2.79
Milk - $1.39
Bread - $2.39
Mixed Veggies - $0.84
Quick Oats - $0.45
Tomato Sauce - $0.28
Moderna Pasta Shells - $0.55
Eggs - $2.29
Brown Rice - $1.49
Bananas - $1.54
The actual total was somewhere between $18-19, but I lost the receipt as soon as we got home so I have no idea. The trip in itself was almost stressful but my Father blessed me with a much needed learning experience. I learned my way around the store, and to make a half-way meal plan. The half-way meal plan is where I just make a couple meals, two or three, for the entire week, with the Lord's guidance, and use the leftovers / extras for anything else He decides to provide. My favorite "meal" has definitely been yogurt with sliced&diced fruit and a bit of quick oats on top. Mix it all together... Mmm. HalleluYah.
As a side note, I didn't get any meats because raw meat absolutely grosses me out, thus why I got the tofu. It's a wonderful blessing, and I believe I'm getting all the nutrients I need, so praise the Lord; He will provide for His sheep. ♥"
The $20 Food Experiment
So, as I mentioned on the home page, we are doing a little experiment with 17 year old Cassandra this week. She was given $20.00 to use to buy her own groceries for the week, and with these groceries she had to make her own meals and snacks.
How did this all come about? Well, last week I sent her to the store to buy some fruit for us. Our family LOVES fruits and veggies, and we usually buy fresh fruit on Sundays and Wednesdays. I am always grateful when Cassandra offers to run errands for me, and last week was no exception. As she left, I reminded her to look for the best deals possible, as we are on a pretty tight budget.
She came home with a container of raspberries, and was quite happy that she only paid $5.00 for it. I was flabbergasted! Five whole dollars for a container of raspberries?!?! It was then that it occurred to me that Cassandra really had no point of reference for what "a good deal" is when it comes to buying food. And then I remembered a post I had read on www.owlhaven.net. The woman who writes the blog estimated how much she spends per person per week when she buys groceries. She then gave each of her teenage children that amount with which to buy their own food for the week. By doing so, she was teaching her children how to create menu plans, how much time it takes to prepare food, and how to budget their money. Brilliant!
I told Cassandra about the plan, and told her to check out what the teens over at www.owlhaven.net did with their money. She liked the idea, and so on Sunday, with $20.00 in one hand and a reusable shopping bag in the other, Cassandra went grocery shopping with us. She was allowed to buy anything she wanted, and would also be allowed to use things we already had at home that would help enhance the flavor of her food, like butter, salt, pepper, spices, etc. I also advised her a few days beforehand to create a menu to help her plan her shopping trip.
The shopping trip itself was interesting, but I am going to save that post for after Cassandra writes about how her week went buying and preparing her own food. I am pretty curious to hear what she has to say!
Karin
Creamy Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Casserole
2 cups brown rice
2 cups chopped broccoli florets
2 cups half and half
2 cups water
1 lb chicken tenders, cut into bite sized pieces
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon paprika
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray a 9x13 inch casserole dish with non stick cooking spray
3. Combine the first 5 ingredients in the casserole dish
4. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the rice mixture
5. Sprinkle the paprika over the rice and cheese
6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour or until all liquid has been absorbed and the rice is soft.
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