I probably am not going to shock anyone by saying that here in Maine grocery prices are through the roof as we head into the fall. I think we are all feeling the squeeze, right?!
As we move closer to winter, and the dreaded heating season, I’m already turning my attention to cost cutting and cost containment solutions for my kitchen. There are seriously months in the dead of winter here that our heating costs can reach up to $1,500 a month between our electric and propane bills. Compounding the concern this year is that we will be welcoming baby number 3 in January next year, so facing a reduced income plus an increased utility bill is terrifying!
Needless to say, we are working on pinching every single penny possible and my husband is working as much OT as he can get. Thanks babe – I see you mid-14 day stretch!
I’ve talked before about how much I’ve learned to enjoy cooking at home over the last four years since our oldest was born, so we are already primarily an ingredient household. However what I’ve been teaching myself lately is how to stretch those ingredients so much further than ever before, as well as find new things I can make at home rather than buy at the store.
My goal has never been to restrict what my kids eat. Rather it’s about ensuring I know what is in their food while also making those mainstream snacks affordable to make.
My favorites at home that I know my kiddos see in others lunches at daycare are are fruit/veggie pouches and fruit gummies. We also never run out of homemade chocolate sauce, as a chocolate milk on the ride to school is now part of our daily routine.
So how much am I talking about trying to spend for our household, which includes 3 adults and two toddlers? Plus a third baby on the way?
$150 a week.
Yup, you read that right. That’s the goal.
Will I make it every week? Absolutely not. But that’s the goal!
So, how am I accomplishing that you ask. The answer: Anchor Meals.
What is an anchor meal?
These are two meals per week that can be cooked once and eaten multiple times or have multiple uses.
The goal is to take a simple set of ingredients and use them throughout the week repeatedly, saving time and money.
The best example of what I mean here is a roasted whole chicken. I usually wait to buy chickens when they are $0.99 a pound, like they are next week. I’ll buy several at a time, which is an upfront cost, but I then include the cost of the bird in considering my weekly budget. Otherwise I feel like it’s cheating to say I’m only spending $150 😅
From a single roast chicken we usually get 3 meals: the chicken dinner and then a casserole which is eaten once for dinner and also for lunch the next day. Not only is it practical, I personally believe that the best way to eat a chicken is roasted! And when we think about the cost of meals with that chicken, if the chicken cost $10, I just spread that to be about $3.33 per meal for our protein.
Plus, a chicken carcass leads to an amazing bone broth, which I’d say just adds to the value of that single chicken!
How I Choose Anchor Meals
Well, as completely unpractical as this sounds, I actually start by looking at the weather. Sure right now it’s September, and we generally know that any variety of soups, chili, and casseroles will fly, but what if we have one random week where it’s going to be unseasonably warm, I am not one who can deal with hot food and hot weather! So we adjust.
I also love to pair my meals with how I’ll most likely feel that day based on the weather and how long I have to work. If it’s going to be a cold and rainy day, that is also a 10+ hours out of the house day, I’m solidly planning soups! If I’ll have a little extra time when I get home, I know casseroles will work fine.
So from those two completely emotional and arbitrary spots, I think next about practical issues: what do I have, what’s on sale, and how much time to prep that weekend.
I also look back at the last 2-3 weeks and see what we ate so we don’t get too bored!
And when all else fails, I look at my list of anchor meals that I keep in my phone. Right now I have 10 and they really help sometimes!
The goal when choosing the meals is that I want to have two per week. Those two represent 8 meals total: 2 dinners and 2 lunches each!
Three Important Meals
I know I just spent the last section talking about two meals, but now I want to talk about three others that we plan for or have every single week.
A fun meal
This usually Monday or Tuesday for us, and is a single meal that breaks up the anchor meals. This avoids us being bored by eating the same things every other meal! I usually choose something that has similar ingredients or proteins, again to save money, but combines everything differently than my anchor meals.
Clean out the fridge night
This is Thursday! Every week we take out all the leftovers, package up lunches for Friday, and then eat up whatever we have left. I also sometimes call this restaurant night since everyone “orders” something different based on what we already have on the menu. It works pretty well with my four year old who sometimes will remind me that he just had a certain meal for lunch as well as dinner.
Pasta Night
While pasta is often an ingredient in my staple meals, on Friday it is the star of the dish (please hear that in Bobby Flay’s voice so it sounds ultra exotic! And if you’ve never watched Beat Bobby Flay, you need to so you get the reference and start to understand amazing cooking).
On Friday night we always have pasta. Sometimes with roasted tomatoes & cream cheese, sometimes a simple red sauce, sometimes Alfredo if I’m feeling like taking the time to make it. Most often it’s just the most basic butter and sprinkle cheese. The point is, every single Friday to close the week and have an easy transition into the weekend, we boil some water, add oil and salt, and toss in a box of pasta!
These three meals bring comfort, familiarity, and excitement to our table in different ways, while still helping us stay within the budget.
How Anchor Meals are Different than Meal Planning
Traditional meal planning asks you to do a few things: create a single meal per dinner, shop for a lengthy list of ingredients based on 7 meals, and prep like a crazy person one day a week.
At least that’s what I’ve seen and honestly what I’ve done in the past!
There isn’t anything inherently wrong with meal planning, but if you’re looking for ways to reduce your budget or spend less time in the kitchen (or both), making a plan for 5-7 individual meals per week is just not sustainable.
I’ve found that creating a system of anchors throughout the week really does help with saving time, eliminating (or nearly so) food waste, and makes your grocery bill shrink substantially.
Pulling It Together
If you’re anything like me, it’s probably helpful to see this in real action. So here’s what my next 7 days of meals actually looks like!
Saturday:
Anchor Meal!
Chili & Cornbread
Sunday:
Anchor Meal!
Chicken Noodle Soup with Chive & Cheddar Biscuits
Monday:
Fun Meal!
Creamy Ground Pork & Pasta
Tuesday:
Anchor Meal!
Chili & Chips
Wednesday:
Anchor Meal!
Chicken & Rice Soup with Biscuits
Thursday:
Clean out the Fridge
Friday:
Pasta Night
Did you catch the subtle changes on the anchor meals? One night where the soup has noodles and another with rice! One night with the chili has cornbread and another it has chips.
Those small variations don’t cost much (especially if you already have certain ingredients, like the mix for cornbread or the rice in your pantry), but they can make a huge impact in not letting your family get bored.
How To Start Your Own Anchor Routine
I have to admit that I’m very fortunate with the crew I’m feeding. Two of them are children who have been eating this way their whole lives.
Another is my husband who can rationally understand from looking at our bank account just as often as me why we need to save money!
And of course my mom who can always eat something else if she wants to!
But, if this is something new that you’re going to fold into your family, I’d suggest starting small. Do one anchor meal twice in a week, and plan a clean out the fridge meal. Pick something your family LOVES. For me, that would be our favorite Tater Tot Casserole. If I was starting this as a new tradition, that would be my first anchor meal that I served twice in the week.
I’d also suggest making a list specific to your family. Other people’s lists are great, but you know what your babies like and what your husband’s favorite comfort meal is. Focus on that first!
And finally, relationships 101: talk to your partner about what you’re doing and why! Getting them onboard will make this a much easier endeavor whether you’re feeding just the two of you or if you have a gaggle of kiddos in tow!
You’ve Got This!
No matter what season of your life that you’re in, I know that you’ll never regret saving some money and having control over your kitchen.
By starting small and making adjustments as you go, this anchor meal system may be just the thing for you! I know it’s made a big difference for me and my family.
In conjunction with other food preservation methods, learning to create minimal easy meals for my house that we can repeat and enjoy has been a a game changer!
I’m rooting for you, friend!
Sending love & yummy spices,
Meg
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