Making Food and Saving Money!

I told you all that after the power went out for 2 days, a few months back, I lost all of the homemade food I had made for Owen.  I was so bummed out about it.  It takes awhile to make the food on top of making our meals and James' lunch everyday.  After those 2 days, and we were able to get back into the house, I put all the food down  the garbage disposal.  It pained me to do it, and ever since then, I have been buying Gerber and Earth's Best jars, which are just fine.

But now Owen's eating 3 meals a day and I am going through 21 jars a week.  That is about  $0.89 a jar for Earth's Best (organic) and $0.50 each for Gerber.  Now, that is on top of the $30.00 a week for formula. (maybe more) and then there's the puffs, juice, rice cereal and oatmeal for thickening purees.  It has really hiked up our weekly grocery bill.  So I have put my foot down and made the promise to make his food again.  It has to be less expensive, but there is the time that you need and just the structure to come up with more meals aside from what we are eating.  The good thing is, he is now old enough to have meats and many of the things we are eating.  So when I make dinner I can separate some items out and blend them for him. Eventually, we will all sit at the table and enjoy dinner together. Looking forward to those nights!

I really can't complain about making the food, because you all know how much I love to be in the kitchen coming up with recipes, but it does seem like another task on top of the many others I already have.  I really commended working moms and those woman who are out of the home all day.  Then they come home and have it all still to do.  I imagine one gets very good at being structured and organized and on tight schedule.  I am finding every day that I am getting the hang of things better, and the older Owen gets, and the more consistent he is with naps and feedings, I can really plan and get more accomplished in a day.  So maybe making his food now,  won't seem as challenging as before.......

So tonight while James was out at the game and Owen was in bed, I really used this quiet time, to knock out my new stash of baby food.

I boiled chicken, for my chicken salad,  that was to take to the picnic tomorrow for Mom Group.  I thought I should make a good stock, and that way I can freeze some and also use the stock to thin out his purees.  So that was good thinking there!


This is what's on the menu for Owen:

roasted bananas with oatmeal
(Tyler Florence suggest roasted bananas for babies)
I bought a bag of very ripe bananas for $0.33 a pound
(the old ones)

risotto with zucchini (yes, I stirred that risotto for 25 min)
*used the chicken stock

roasted summer squash and zucchini purees
*used the chicken stock to thin this out

baked sweet potato and chicken mash
*used the chicken stock to thin this out

I made a total of 25 jars for about: $6.00

* I would consider these more of the gourmet baby foods that you can buy in stores now, and they go for about $1.20 per serving. I know I'm doing better to make my own, since I already have so many of these ingredients in my pantry.

Tomorrow I am making a stew for James and I and I'll take some of those ingredients and make a "stew" for Owen.  It has chick peas, spinach, chicken stock and butternut squash. A nice fall stew.

This is how I have to think these days, somewhat outside of the box.......  I figure this creative thinking will only help me become a better cook and that makes me smile.  Making something out of nothing! Ha, that would be a good Blo......

Oh, and did I mention I am saving on my grocery bill!  I'll let you know how Owen likes the food.  He didn't like my boiled turkey, carrots and potato puree the first time he ate it.  Kinda hurt my feeling. Laugh,  I worked so hard on it!