I don’t.
And I’m sure I couldn’t if I tried.
But I do keep seeing blog posts and videos with the title, “How I do XYZ for under XYZ every week,” and I’m just over here like, okay, good for you, but sure. $150 a week? That doesn’t even cover the items my husband packs for our kids’ lunches during the week…and that’s only three kids.
I’m sure some people can figure this out, but I can tell you with absolute certainty that we are not those people. I went back over our statements for the past few months, and we spend approximately $500-$600 a week at the grocery store. We try to keep meals simple during the week when we’re rushing in and out for practices, and weekends tend to be more in-depth, fun meals. My husband loves to cook, and his meals are ingredient-heavy, and we eat a lot of fresh food. Fruits, vegetables, a lot of fresh salmon, filet, and we are obsessed with fresh pasta and parmesan.
I also don’t shop well. Most of everything we buy either comes from Publix or from the local butcher. If we shop for groceries on sale, it’s just because we saw something on sale or BOGO or whatever when we’re in the store, and we add it to the list. Which is also not something we make – a list. We are shoppers of the heart. I’m also big on Target pick-up orders, and I don’t check what we already have/don’t have. Sometimes we’ll have like 7 containers of cherry tomatoes or 9 heavy whipping creams or whatever because I think “I’ll just grab it,” and that’s how we end up with 70 things of one item that we don’t even need.
So, anyway, here we are – I can’t feed my family for $150 a week. Not in a way that we’re happy with and we actually enjoy. Perhaps if I put some actual effort into shopping on a budget, I could do it for $250-$300 or something, but I seriously doubt it.
What I can do, though, since this is absolutely useless to everyone, is share some of my favorite easy recipes for hurried evenings with time constraints and a need to eat something filling that’s not absolute trash.
Chili lime cilantro chicken tacos
A family favorite – everyone loves this, and it’s so quick.
- Chicken
- Chili lime seasoning
- Fresh cilantro
- Flour tortillas
- Limes
- Sour cream
- Romaine
- Cojita
Throw your chicken into a crockpot – low for like 6 hours or something – with the chili lime seasoning (I don’t measure things with anything but straight vibes, chat). Let it cook, then shred it. Add it to your tortillas, toss them into the oven for a hot second to crisp the tortilla, and then add your toppings. I like mine topped with a little romaine, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and crumbled Cojita with a dollop of sour cream on top. We’ll often add yellow rice as a side. Super easy, super quick, super flavorful.
Tortellini Caprese Salad with Grilled Chicken
Let me preface this by saying I have no idea how to grill anything, so that’s very much a Craig job. Otherwise, I’ll buy a few rotisserie chickens from the Publix deli.
- Chicken
- Five cheese tortellini
- Fresh mozzarella
- Cherry tomatoes (halved)
- Greek dressing
This one could not be easier. Make the tortellini per the instructions. Toss it into a serving bowl with an abundance of fresh mozzy, cherry tomatoes, salt and pepper, and mix the entire thing with a gorgeous Greek dressing. Now serve it as a size with your chicken. Kids love it, and it takes like 5 minutes.
Steak Salad
This one is a huge family favorite. Craig likes to do what he calls steak salad Sundays, and he makes an entirely different salad every week. He tops it with a beautifully cooked steak (mostly filet, but on occasion, he’ll switch it up depending on the consistency he’s going for). He always makes a homemade dressing, homemade croutons out of a loaf of fresh French sourdough, and it’s always different.
Here’s what’s great about this meal: it doesn’t take long, and there is no wrong recipe. Now, I’ll say that it’s best with a traditional Cobb salad and a perfectly seasoned filet on top, but you can do whatever you want to make it your own. Go wild.
Maybe I’ll have Craig write down some of his recipes to share with everyone, but he’s big on just coming up with things, so it’s possible he might not have a precise recipe in mind.
Chopped Chicken Cesar Salad Sandwiches
Listen, chat. I’m in my chopped sandwich era. I don’t know why, but it’s a favorite of mine. You can do whatever you want, however you want, whenever you want. The key for me is that you do it with fresh-baked sub rolls from Publix (and when I’m feeling unhealthy and indulgent, fresh from the oven Publix chicken tenders). Grab your largest cutting board, put your chicken tenders on the board, put your romaine down on the board, your parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and add your Cesar dressing to the pile (Bolthouse Farms is the best dressing if you’re not making it homemade). Now take a large knife and chop away. It’s a little messy, which is why a large cutting board is a necessity. Once it’s all chopped, just add it to your sub roll and enjoy.
You can also do this with Italian sandwich ingredients, turkey and toppings, roast beef and brie, and a gorgeous horseradish sauce, or whatever you want. It’s filling, quick, and doesn’t require a million ingredients or anything other than a few minutes. You can make this one as healthy or as unhealthy as you see fit. It’s up to you, boo.
Now, I can’t feed my family of six for $150 a week, but I’m honest about it. I don’t have time to make lists and shop for sales and go to 4 different stores. I’m more interested in convenience, but I’m also super into good food. So here we are.
What are your favorite go-to recipes for busy evenings when everyone is in and out?
Tiffany Raiford 