providing for the family....as a working mom on a budget!

The new school year is right around the corner, and with a growing 15 year old boy, having enough good food in the house is always a challenge. And now that I'm back to working 30 hours a week, managing that, while working, AND keeping with our budget has me being creative.

This morning I decided to freeze some breakfast burritos - very inexpensive, and packed with protein, they are a quick and easy breakfast to eat "on the go", that keeps my boys going with a stomach full of protein!

This week I found a pack of 5 sweet Italian sausages on sale for less than 3$. I used 2 for my burritos ($1.20). I browned up the sausage with a chopped green pepper and onion, both from the garden!

Then I added 6 scrambled eggs (.90), cooking until almost set, and then sprinkled with 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (.75).

I had enough egg mixture to make 10 burritos but only had 7 tortillas left, so I made 7. If I'd used all 10 tortillas (1.29), and made all 10, the cost would have come to $4.14 for 10 of them, less than .45 each! Even if they eat TWO, that's less than 1$ for a hot breakfast full of protein. To eat them, all you do is microwave them for 45 seconds or so (depends on your microwave).

I do a lot of freezer meals. As a working mom, it's the only way to ensure my family is eating well, even if I'm not home. I've recently found some freezer crockpot recipes I'm going to try also - all of the ingredients frozen together, ready to drop in the crock pot in the morning!

Feeding your family, even if on a budget, or as a working parent, can be done. But it takes some thought and planning. I like to do freezer cooking days - taking a day a month (or more if needed) to just COOK. Make ONE mess, but fill the freezer with meals ready for the oven. It is healthier (fresh ingredients, no preservatives) and cheaper!