Budget Negotiations and a Meal Plan

It's budget day today~ and I'm also setting up our meal plan for June, because tomorrow is my "big" shopping day for the new month. There's a constant tug-of-war going on in any budget; balancing the fixed and variable expenses can be a source of frustration for many, including myself.

One of the places you can really adjust your monthly spending is in your grocery budget. Over the winter I was able to stretch our food budget a little further by planning a huge pot of soup once a week. The leftovers became a secondary meal, usually rounded out with a vege tray and sandwiches. Whatever didn't get eaten became individually-frozen lunches.

I love soup, because you take a little of this, a little of that, throw in some flavourful herbs and spices, and end up with something delicious. It's a great way to use of tiny amounts of leftovers and create a full meal.

​The problem I find in June- August is that planning soups isn't really logical. It's the warmest time of the year for us, and hot soup doesn't feel right. 
I do expect some rainy and gloomy days, so I've penciled in 2 soup dinners for June. Take today, for example. It's so cool, rainy, and gloomy that you can see your breathe outside. We're making a big pot of Minestrone for dinner.

​I've also decided on quick meals, like wraps and stir-fry's. And of course, lots of seasonal fruits and vegetables. I've cut out roast beef, something we enjoyed once a month in the winter, and replaced it with grilled fish. I think our grocery spending will be right around where it's been all winter, despite rising food costs. Of course, the kids would be happy with hotdogs or macaroni-and-cheese from a box, but the nutritional component would be lost and I don't want to do that too often after working so hard on cleaning up our eating.

​How do you approach your meal planning and budgeting? Do you repeat favorites each month, try new foods, a bit of both?

​If you have any questions about some of the recipes I'm thinking of trying, or wondering how to start eating better, drop me a note! I'm happy to help.