The past year has forced me to evaluate my spending and my budget priorities. You, too? There’s nothing like going through a family budget, line by line, trying to find ways to reduce spending. It was sobering to see how much we used to spend on food—groceries, school lunches, eating out, convenience store stops. There was definitely room for improvement. Tightening the belt on the food budget began as a necessary burden. But surprisingly, it’s now a game I play every Sunday afternoon.
I clip coupons, plan two-to-three weeks of meals, write a grocery list based upon the weekly specials from my local grocery stores. My menus are more creative than ever, because I’m finding less expensive options for my favorite dishes.
However, cutting expenses, contrary to popular belief, does not mean cutting nutrition.
For the next couple weeks, the theme of Tater Talk is “Nutrition on a Budget.” Let’s share ideas back and forth about how we’re all feeding our families nutritious meals and staying within the confines of our budgets.
To kick this series off, here’s a page I found on WebMD.com titled: Cheap and Healthy: 15 Nutritious Foods for About $2: A grocery list to help you cut food prices while you boost nutrition. Check out what they say about spuds!
Here is a new recipe that is a big hit around my house that runs $1.84 per serving!
Pennywise Potato-Turkey Wraps
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
¾ pound (12 ounces) potatoes, cut into ½-inch dice
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon canola oil
¾ pound (12 ounces) ground lean turkey
1 large carrot, shredded
1/3 cup sliced green onions with tops
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning or basil
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 large (9 to 10-inch) whole wheat or high fiber tortillas
Light sour cream (optional)
Place potatoes in microwave-safe bowl; sprinkle with water. Cover, venting one corner. Microwave on HIGH 5 to 8 minutes just until potatoes are tender. (Time will depend on wattage of your oven.) Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add and break up turkey; cook 5 minutes, tossing occasionally. Mix in carrot; cook 2 minutes. Add potatoes and onions; cook and toss 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; mix in tomato sauce, cheese, and herbs. Cook, stirring occasionally, four to five minutes until mixture is hot and most of sauce is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. On work surface, lay out tortillas. Place ¾ cup hot turkey mixture on each; fold and roll up as for burritos. Cut in halves and place on serving plates. Accompany with sour cream, if desired. Makes four main-dish servings.