by Heidi Peaster

Created on: March 02, 2010

For families everywhere, and in every size, planning meals on a budget is a challenge.  For large families, this is compounded exponentially. 

We have had a large family ever since we had our third daughter, then when we began fostering kids, it only got bigger.  We have tried just about everything and the old tried and true solutions keep coming back.  These are some of ours.

-Decide that you are absolutely not a short order cook.  This will mean that you will face the fact that you will probably, at least eight times out of ten times, not please everybody.  My husband tries very hard to do just this.  You will wind up driving yourself crazy, using up half a meal here, half there, and ruining the budget.

-Tell everybody that it is a new day and that what is for supper is what is for supper and if anyone doesn't like it, there is plenty of peanut butter and jelly.  If your family is like ours, you may have one or two picky eaters, one who will eat virtually anything, and the others who will whine and eat eventually.  But, for the sake of sanity and money, stick to your guns.

-Make a menu for the week.  Or two weeks if you can do it.  We always try to get input from everybody and incorporate suggestions into the bi-weekly menu.  Making a menu, then listing the ingredients needed as we go to the store for what we call "the big haul" helps keep the number of runs to the supermarket to a minimum.

-As you make your menu, check the specials.  Go online, see what's on sale and work it into your list of ideal, almost-everybody-will-eat-them meals.  It will take a bit of research, but you'll get better at it as you go along.  Print out the coupons that the store offers.

-Armed with your menu, list, and coupons, go to the store with as little distraction as possible.   If you can leave the kids at home, do it.  If you have to take a child or two, let them pick one item each-say, cereal-and then stick to the master list.  Don't shop hungry.  Don't shop if the kids are hungry.  Don't let them hornswaggle you into all the swanky, sweet-tooth foods.  Don't try to second guess yourself in the store.  You made this list for a reason.

-When all  the ingredients are bought, post the menu on the fridge.  If you don't, you'll forget why you bought those three cans of diced tomatoes and go off budget trying to piece something together off the cuff. 

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