Speer Family Unpackaged Day 4

Today was a relatively easy day food-wise.  The only thing I had to make from scratch was more no-bake cookies.  They don't seem to last long!
The kids had "chicken" noodle soup for breakfast and I had banana bread.  They ate some bunny crackers while we did laundry.

No, this is not moonshine:)  It's garlic oil.  The butter was starting to gross me out even on my grilled cheese, so I made some garlic oil.  (For the record, the butter started grossing Shawn out too; it's not just me!)  I used it yesterday to saute the veggies for our pasta, and used it today to coat the bread for the grilled cheese.  It was so yummy!  I think that is something that will persist after this week is over!

Shawn, Paul and I had grilled cheese for lunch and Paul and Joy had blueberry oatmeal.  They all had no-bakes for dessert.  

We all got haircuts today.  After our haircuts, the kids always get candy out of the machine by the door.  Paul did not even whine when I told him he couldn't have it this week.

Today was Paul's first trip to the movie theater. I was in a real predicament about what to take to eat.  I decided to smuggle in water and some homemade granola bars.  He was so into the movie, he didn't even ask for a snack.  We did eat them on the way to go pick up  Joy.

Joy was at my grandma's.  The kids ALWAYS eat popsicles, store-bought cookies and crackers at my grandma's, all of which are NOT on the list.  I sent some homemade mac and cheese with Joy and she did have her popsicle.  Oh well.  I can't expect a 2 year old to refuse a popsicle!  When we got back to pick her up, Paul wanted all his usual Grandma snacks.  I did have to remind him twice that he could only choose fruit.  Somewhat grudgingly, he chose an apple and a peach.  The peach was so good, though, that he stopped grumbling.  

We had leftover pasta and watermelon for dinner.  That was easy!  For bedtime snack, the kids had brick cheese cubes, pecans, peanuts, banana chips and raisins.  They must have been hungry, because they finished two plates of it!

$$ Money Matters $$

I was curious about how eating clean food would compare in cost to our usual fare.  It seems to be turning out to be WAY cheaper.  Usually we spend about $200-$250 per week on groceries (not including Joy's diapers).  Last week when I was preparing, I spent $196 at Giant Eagle and $40 at the Farmer's Market, so that was about normal.  This week, when I went to Giant Eagle, I only spent $89!!!  I couldn't believe it!  Boy do those packaged goods add up!!  I'll spend more at the Farmer's Market tomorrow, but not that much more.  

Lessons Learned  Today

1.  This project is making me very curious about how and what people ate in the past.  I ordered one book about the history of cooking and dining, and I can't wait to read it!

2.  This has also made me more cognizant of how I have taken breakfast and lunch for granted in the past.  Breakfast was cereal or yogurt and lunch was sandwich (with store bought bread and lunchmeat), packaged frozen meal, or salad with chemically salad dressing.  Dinner was the only meal I really put thought into planning for.  I realized when I make things ahead, like giant batches of oatmeal and bread dough, these meals can still be relatively easy and still homemade.