It's fitting that I'm starting this blog from home, on a workday.
I'm a working mom with 2 kids and a husband, and my youngest Oliver, who will be 2 in a couple months, is sick. The husband must work, and so I am telecommuting.
It is less glamourous than it sounds. I am no domestic goddess, and it is much much easier to ignore the breakfast dishes, the 2 baskets of unfolded laundry and hundreds of tiny toy cars lying dangerously in the path of all who venture into my home from my office. Sitting here, working, I can see through the corner of my eye that although he is sick, Oliver is sneaking ever so quietly, in only the way a toddler can, toward the cats' water dish with a handful of raisins. I guess he thinks the cats prefer flavored drinks.
I can only blog about what I know, and the challenge of managing a house full of boys and working 2.5 jobs is what I know best. I also happen to care a great deal about nutrition and I love to cook. Like most people I know funds are always an issue for my family, so I always strive to create healthy meals on a budget.
Which brings me to what finally motivated me to blog; a Sound Off call.
This caller suggested that a family of 6 could easily eat for a month on $200. It was in response to the raging Bridge Card debate.
I have serious doubts that my family of 4 could eat for $200 a month, let alone a family with 2 extra mouths to feed, and here's why: it's not just about chewing and swallowing ramen and mac and cheese, it's about health. It's about fueling your body. I firmly believe that nutrition plays a direct role in school performance, social ability, mental health, emotional well-being...not to mention physical health. Not to even get into the crazy rising health care costs and health issues directly related to poor nutrition.
So, this first month of this blog will focus in part on my own family's search to find a balance between cost and nutrition. I will keep track of everything my family eats, the costs, and I'll even include recipes and nutrition information on some if it.
This month, we will be traveling for 2 weekends, so for those 4 days I will just assume an average cost from the rest of the days in March. My guess is, that the average family of 4 eats out more than this in a month, by the way, but I can't find a reputable statistic to back that up right now. If someone else can, please leave a link in the comments;)
I am excited to share. I am even more excited to hear from you. IF you have a great recipe that uses whole grains instead of white carbs, lean proteins, lean dairy products and lots of fruits and veggies, share! If it's inexpensive and delicious, and you can get a toddler AND a picky third grader to eat it, even better. Because selfishly, I think I could benefit from this more than readers.
Oh, and if you are a domestic goddess, send me some tips!
