Plant Based on a Budget Challenge - Family of 4 - Week 2

Welcome to week 2 of the budget challenge.  Hopefully, you enjoyed last weeks meals.  This week was cheaper than last week.  I was pretty excited when I finished at the checkout and saw the final price!  I counted on the fact that you will still have some peanut butter, tahini, and bbq sauce left over from last week.

I know a lot of you are not into using canned foods, so please feel free to swap out canned food for something else.  I use them because they are easier for me during the week.  I did all my shopping at Winco again.  I realize many of you do not have a Winco but hopefully, you have some type of discount grocery store.

For breakfast this week I alternated smoothies and oatmeal with banana slices.  I also added a kids lunch again.

I heard from a few of you that there was not enough fruit for the week.  I did not add snacks into this meal plan.  We usually will add grapes or some type of fruit that is on sale to have as snacks.  Usually, it will add 3-5 bucks onto the bill. Please feel free to add fruit in as a snack.

I hope you enjoy the plan this week.  Please feel free to leave comments with any questions.  Enjoy!

If you're looking for additional resources to help you with a plant-based diet: Check out this support group on Facebook where you can share tips and low-cost plant-based recipes. The New York Times bestseller called How Not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger is a fantastic resource to learn about plant-based nutrition. He also has a great website, Nutrition Facts, that has a ton of free resources. If you’re interested in stopping your consumption of dairy, The Dairy Detox can help you out with an entire online detox guide for only $10!

Grocery List:

Bunch of Cilantro

2 Limes

4 Onions

3 Red Bell Peppers

4 Green Bell Peppers

5 Zucchini

3 Carrots

Jalapeno

4 Tomatoes

Head of Garlic

Head of Celery

8 Button Mushrooms

Bag of Shredded Cabbage

Green Apple

Bunch of Kale

Bunch of Spinach

Avocado

12 Bananas

2 Dried Peppers

3 Cans of Black Beans

3 Cans of Kidney Beans

Can of White Beans

4 Cans of Chickpeas

Can of Water Chestnuts

4 Cans of Fire Roasted Tomatoes

6oz Can of Tomato Paste

Almond Milk

Salsa

Chips

Whole Wheat Bread

12 Tortillas

2 Bags of Frozen Berries

2 Bags of Frozen Stir Veggies

3 Bags of Frozen Mixed Vegetables

 

Total Cost: $75.00

 

Day 1:

 

Breakfast: Oatmeal with Bananas

Prepare Oatmeal and add sliced bananas

Kids Lunch: Hummus and Cucumber Sandwich with Carrot Sticks

Adult Lunch: Hummus and Cucumber Sandwich  with Carrot Sticks

Dinner: Grilled Veggie Fajitas with Black Beans

 

Day 2:

 

Breakfast: Kale & Berry Smoothie

Recipe - Add 3 cups of almond milk, 1 ½ cups  berries, 1 frozen banana, 1 cup of kale

Process - Add all ingredients into a blender, blend and split between 4 glasses

Kids Lunch: Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich with Celery Sticks

Adult Lunch: Steamed Veggies 

Process - Steam a bag of frozen stir fry veggies, mix with your favorite sauce and split between 2 people.

Dinner: Gumbo

 

Day 3:

 

Breakfast: Oatmeal and Bananas

Lunch: Chickpea Salad Sandwiches 

Dinner: BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches with Steamed Frozen Vegetables

 

Day 4:

 

Breakfast: Kale and Berry Smoothie

Kids Lunch: Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches with Carrot Sticks

Adult Lunch: Steamed Stir Fry Veggies

Dinner: Curry Chickpea and Rice Bowls with Spinach Salad

Spinach Salad - Toss Spinach, Tomatoes, and Cucumbers and add your favorite dressing or sauce.

 

Day 5:

 

Breakfast: Oatmeal and Bananas

Lunch: Hummus and Cucumber Sandwiches

Dinner: Bean and Rice Burritos with Chips and Salsa

 

Day 6:

 

Breakfast: Kale and Berry Smoothie

Lunch: Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

Dinner: Veggie Kung Pao Rice Bowls

 

Day 7:

 

Breakfast: Oatmeal and Bananas

Kids Lunch: Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches with Celery Sticks

Adult Lunch: Steamed Frozen Veggies 

Dinner: Low Fat Chili