Recipes and Tips for Healthy, Thrifty Meals

MENUS

These menus are not rigid guides and can be used in any order. They give suggestions for thrifty food choices and healthy ways to prepare foods. The foods used in the menus are a variety of commonly eaten meats, milk products, vegetables, fruts, grain products, and mixed dishes.

The daily menus show how you can combine a larger amount of less expensive foods, such as dry beans and grain products, with a smaller amount of

meats, poultry, and fish. Some convenience or readyto- eat food items are included in the menus. However, many of the foods are prepared from “scratch” to keep cost as low as possible.

These menus and recipes are designed for a healthy four- person family. The amount listed after each food item is the total amount for a family with two adults and two children 6 to 11 years old.

WEEK 1. MENUS FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR

BREAKFAST

Orange juice (3c)

Ready-to-eat cereal (3c flakes)

Toasted English muffin (4)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Orange juice (3c)

Banana (4)

Bagel (4)

Margarine (4tsp)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Orange juice (3c)

Cooked rice cereal

Bagel (4)

Margarine (4tsp)

Orange juice (3c)

Scrambled eggs (4)

Hash brown potatoes (2c)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Orange juice (3c)

Ready-to-eat cereal (3c flakes)

English muffin (4)
Margarine (4tsp)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Orange juice (3c)

Baked French toast

Cinnamon sugar topping (4tsp)

1% lowfat milk(2c)

Orange juice (3c)

Baked potato cakes

White toast (4slices)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

LUNCH

Turkey patties

Hamburger bun (4)

Orange juice (3c)

Coleslaw (2c)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Crispy chicken

Potato salad

Orange gelatin salad

Peaches, canned (1c)

Rice pudding

Turkey chili

Macaroni (2c)

Peach-apple crisp

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Orange juice (3c)

Turkey ham (11 oz, 2 tbsp salad dressing) sandwiches (4)

Baked beans

Banana slices (2c)

Oatmeal cookies

Orange juice (3c)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Potato soup

Snack crackers, low salt (5each)

Tuna pasta salad

Orange slices (2c)

Oatmeal cookies

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Potato soup

Snack crackers, low salt (5each)

Apple orange slices (2 apples, 2 oranges) (2c)

Rice pudding

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Baked fish (12 oz, 4 tbsp salad dressing) sandwiches (4)

Crispy potatoes

Macaroni salad

Melon (1- 1/ 3c)

Orange juice (3c)

1% lowfat mik (2c)

DINNER

Beef- noodle casserole

Lima beans (2c)

Banana orange salad (2 bananas, 2 oranges) (2c)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Turkey stir fry

Steamed rice (3c)

White bread (4 slices)

Peach-apple crisp

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Baked cod w/ cheese

Scalloped potatoes

Spinach (1- 1/ 3c)

Margarine (4tsp)

Chocolate pudding (2c)

Beef potroast

Noodles (4c)

Peas and carrots (1c)

Orange slices (2c)

Biscuits (8)

Margarine (4tsp)

Rice pudding

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Beef potroast (12oz)

Noodles (4c)

Green beans (1- 1/ 3c)

Leaf lettuce (1- 1/ 3c)

Salad dressing (4 tbsp)

Rice pudding

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Saucy beef pasta

White bread (4)

Canned pears (2c)

Orange juice (3c)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Turkey-cabbage casserole (8c)

Orange slices (2c)

White bread (2 slices)

Chickpea dip

1% lowfat milk (2c)

SNACK

White bread (4 slices)

Chickpea dip

Lemonade (4c)

Orange juice (3c)

Crispy potatoes

Lemonade (4c)

Biscuits (8)
Margarine (4tsp)
Lemonade (4c)

Lemonade (4c)

WEEK 2. MENUS FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR

BREAKFAST

Orange juice (3c)

Hash brown potatoes (2c)

Bisquits (8)

Margarine (4 tsp)

Jelly (8 tbsp)

Orange juice (3c)

Ready-to-eat cereal (3c toasted oats)

White toast (4slices)

Margarine (8tsp)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Orange juice (3c)

Bananas (1/2c)

Ready-to-eat cereal (3c toasted oats)

White toast (4slices)

Jelly (8tbsp)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Orange juice (3c)

Cooked rice cereal

White toast (4slices)

Margarine (8tsp)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Orange juice (3c)

Ready-to-eat cereal (3c toasted oats)

White toast (4slices)
Margarine (4tsp)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Orange juice (3c)

Scrambled eggs (2c)

Turkey ham (11oz)

Bagels (4)

1% lowfat milk(2c)

Orange juice (3c)

Melon (1-1/3c)

Pancakes (12)

Pancake syrup (8 tbsp)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

LUNCH

Chicken and vegetables

Scalloped potatoes

Grapes (12oz)

Whole wheat bread (4slices)

Margarine (4tsp)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Pizza meat loaf

Noodles (4c)

Margarine (8tsp)

Orange slices (2c)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Tuna macaroni salad

White bread (4slices)

Margarine (4tsp)

Apple slices (2c)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Cocoa drink mix (2oz)

Hamburger (12oz) sandwiches (4)

Ranch beans

Orange gelatin salad

Banana slices (1/2c)


1% lowfat milk (2c)

Baked chicken nuggets

Shoestring potatoes

Macaroni (5c)

Margarine (4tsp)

Orange gelatin salad

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Chicken noodle soup

Bisquits (8)

Canned peaches (2c)

Orange juice (3)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Cocoa drink mix (2oz)

Meatball (12) sandwiches (4)

Grapes (12oz)

Sugar cookies

1% lowfat mik (2c)

Orange juice (3)

DINNER

Southwestern salad

Steamed rice (6c)

Apple orange salad (2 apples, 2 oranges) (2c)

Margarine (4tsp)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Spanish baked fish

Steamed rice (6c)

Whole wheat bread (4 slices)

Margarine (4tsp)

Mandarin oranges (2c)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Stir-fried pork and vegetables with rice

Spinach (1- 1/ 3c)

Margarine (4tsp)

Chocolate pudding (2c)

Baked Chicken (10oz)

Mash potatoes (6c)

Green beans (1-1/2c)

White bread (4 slices)

Margarine (5-1/3tbsp)

Orange slices (2c)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Baked spicy fish

Noodles (4c)

Peas and carrots (10oz)

White bread (4 slices)

Margarine (8 tsp)

Chocolate Rice pudding

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Baked meatballs

Spaghetti and sauce (5c)

Leaf lettuce (2c)

Salad dressing (4tbsp)

French bread (4slices)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

Cheese-stuffed potatoes

Macaroni (5c)

Peas (1-1/3C)

Margarine (8tsp)

Orange slices (2c)

1% lowfat milk (2c)

SNACK

Popcorn (6c)

Shoestring potatoes

Fruit drink (4c)

Popcorn (6c)

Orange juice (3c)

Chocolate rice pudding

Baked French fries (11oz)
Fruit drink (4c)

Ice milk fudgesicle (4)

Popcorn (6c)

Fruit drink (4c)

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