A brand new month

Breakfast

Well, it's the beginning of week five, and I made it a whole month with my "eating healthy on a budget" project. I have definitely developed some new habits: first and foremost, I have been eating out less, and eating in more. Second, I have succeeded in breaking some of my monotonous eating habits-namely, breakfast. By making it a point not to have the same thing two days in a row, I have incorporated much more variety in foods-and therefore, nutrients-within my diet. Eating the same thing every day was easy, but it's much more healthy, and fun, to be creative and try new things...keeps the brain active :)
Today, I went for an old favorite but tried it yet another new way. I made 1/4 cup of plain oatmeal and added skim milk (1/2 cup), along with 11 sliced almonds and 1/4 cup (about 6) sliced dried apricots. I have tried many combos with the oatmeal over the past several weeks, and this is one I wasn't really sure about...but it was surprisingly good! The tart/sweetness of the apricots worked very well, although I did add about 1/2 packet of Equal to sweeten up the plain oatmeal. It just seems so flavorless...especially since I have gotten used to the pre-flavored packets. The Equal sweetens it up just enough, though...no need to start throwing in brown sugar or anything else that might add empty calories. The dried fruit and nuts were all I needed. I also had an 8 ounce glass of orange juice on the side.

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 oz whole (oatmeal)

Fruits: 1 1/2 cups (apricots and orange juice)

Vegetables: 0

Milk: 1/2 cup (skim milk)

Meats & beans: 1 oz (almonds)

Oils: 1 teaspoon (almonds)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $1.06

Lunch

I wanted to have a small, simple lunch because I planned on eating another small meal before dinner. I had about a cup of whole wheat rotini pasta with 1 cup of my marinara sauce (leftovers from the holidays-I froze it in 1 cup portions). It thawed nicely, and tasted just as good as new once I heated it up. I also added 1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and melted it on top. Yum!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 2 oz whole (pasta)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 1 cup (marinara sauce)

Milk: 3/4 cup (mozzarella cheese)

Meats & beans: 0

Oils: 0

The cost of this meal was approximately: $1.16

Snack/Second Lunch

Tonight I started my food service practicum. What's a practicum, you might ask? Well, it's kind of like working...only you don't get paid! I will be working at a great place, right down the street from where I live (I won't give their identity until I have their permission). I'll be doing regular work, just like an employee, but I will also be completing projects for school and learning about how things are run from a managerial standpoint. Anyway, they serve food there of course...but I don't want to show up hungry, hoping for a handout my first night. I decided to finish off the last 3 slices of pesto, tomato and chicken pizza left over from last night. I figure it will keep me from starving, at least until I get home and can make an actual meal later tonight.

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 1/2 oz (pizza crust)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 1/4 cup (tomatoes)

Milk: 1/2 cup (mozzarella cheese)

Meats & beans: 1 oz (chicken on pizza)

Oils: 1 tsp (pesto sauce)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $0.00

Dinner
My first night was a success! I was nervous, just like when you start any new job, I suppose. It really is a nice place though, and I feel lucky to be there. The food looked so good, but I didn't have any. Actually, I will say that this place is a meal assembly service...people come in, prepare the entrees of their choice, and go home and cook them at a later time. Pretty cool idea...
I decided to make a chicken sandwich for dinner. I sauteed a frozen chicken breast (thawed, about 4 oz) in a teaspoon of olive oil, seasoning it with Mrs. Dash. I then topped it with a slice of mozzarella cheese and served it on a whole wheat bun (Trader Joes). Finally, I topped it off with about a teaspoon of pesto sauce. For sides, I had 1/2 cup of steamed broccoli florets (frozen, Birdseye brand) and 1/2 of a large sweet potato, heated in the microwave. I used about a teaspoon of Smart Balance on both the broccoli and the potato. To drink, I had an 8 ounce glass of Old Orchard blueberry pomegranate juice. A meal that incorporates all of the food groups, was fairly simple to prepare, is low cost and tastes delicious...this is the reason I do this!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 2 oz whole (bun)

Fruits: 1 cup (juice)

Vegetables: 1 cup (broccoli and sweet potato)

Milk: 3/4 cup (mozzarella cheese)

Meats & beans: 4 oz (chicken)

Oils: 3 teaspoons (olive oil, pesto sauce and Smart Balance)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $2.21

How did I do today?

Grains: 6 1/2 oz out of 6 oz (5 were whole)

Fruits: 2 1/2 cups out of 2 cups

Vegetables: 2 1/4 cups out of 2 ½ cups

Milk: 2 1/2 cups out of 3 cups

Meats & beans: 6 1/2 oz out of 5 ½ oz

Oils: 6 tsp out of 6 tsp

Total cost for the day: $4.42