Family/Budget Friendly Induction Recipes?

[jaclyng]

So this is my 3rd try on Atkins, I always do well in the beginning and then I hit a wall with menu planning.

It's always ends up being kind of expensive to find things that both my husband and son will eat and are also induction friendly....There are the basics-ribs, steak, pork roast, etc....but those get expensive night after night as does coking something for them and then something completely different for myself. So any suggestions on family/budget friendly dinners?

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Family/Budget Friendly Induction Recipes?

I wouldn't feed two completely different meals!

Budget Low-Carb Eating - How to Save Money While Eating Low-Carb

might help

and there's:

Atkins Food and Recipes - Atkins Diet

Linda's Low Carb Menus & Recipes - Home

You can give the family additional foods, but your family should be able to eat the same entree and most vegetables as you.

My opinion ... that is!

[Carne!]

Re: Family/Budget Friendly Induction Recipes?

You can use the crock pot to make cheap/tough meats palatable...think LC stews with celery, onions, spinach, whatever. They can have it with rice or potatoes and you can have it with a nice salad or some mock mash (google "cauliflower mashed potatoes").

Make a main dish you can all have and then if they want, give them a carby side option.

Also frozen and canned veggies are your friend. As is pork and dark meat chicken.

This WOE is not that expensive, unless you want to have rib eye every night.

[LisaIsLosingIt]

Re: Family/Budget Friendly Induction Recipes?

Agree with atkinsgal, my hubby loves my new woe because now we eat the same main dishes! He's anxious for me to make an atkins meatloaf. The kids and him can have their mash taters or mac n cheese and I'll have a couple cups of salad or a cup of broccoli.

thanks for the links too.

[Aprile]

Re: Family/Budget Friendly Induction Recipes?

I eat the samethings my family does minus the starchy/carby foods. We always have a meat, veggie and starch. I just skip the starch and have extra veggies. My family doesn't even notice the difference. I very seldom make a seperate meal for myself unless we are having pizza or something like that.

[Minerva]

Re: Family/Budget Friendly Induction Recipes?

So this is my 3rd try on Atkins, I always do well in the beginning and then I hit a wall with menu planning.

It's always ends up being kind of expensive to find things that both my husband and son will eat and are also induction friendly....There are the basics-ribs, steak, pork roast, etc....but those get expensive night after night as does coking something for them and then something completely different for myself. So any suggestions on family/budget friendly dinners?

Last night I made spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread and salad. I ate meatballs w/o the noodles, and salad with the carrots picked out.

[MarlaSinger]

Re: Family/Budget Friendly Induction Recipes?

First of all, where do you buy your meat? At a bog box store like WalMart? I've personally found that it's the little meat processors/butchers that tend to have the best prices - plus, they tend to have local livestock and that's a plus. The first time I bought ground chuck from a meat market I burnt it right to the pan as I was used to cooking on high to boil off all those nasty dyes and water. Do some checking around in your area. I am in Michigan so we have these meat markets all over the place that process deer, sell beer, etc. They don't usually look all that inviting but I consistently buy ground chuck at $1.89/lb. and bone-in chicken breast at .99/lb. If you never see prices that low, look for sales and then shop to stock up. Make sure you 'invest' in good quality freezer bags if you are getting bulk instead of butcher wrap.

Secondly, try to buy in bulk to save. Look for 'family packs' if shopping at grocery stores, and also ask about meat specials at meat markets. Lots of them will have freezer bundle packages. You can do the same with the carb side dishes for your family. Pasta, rice and potatoes are all cheap anyway, but buy them in bulk and keep them on hand for convenience and you'll save a little more.

Just today I picked up EVOO and Philadelphia cream cheese at Sam's Club. The price on that olive oil is awesome and those little one ounce cream cheese packets are going to be perfect for me - not only are they pre-measured, but they'll last a long time in the fridge wrapped like that.

Also consider making extra portions when you cook. We had burgers this week, so I made two extra and put them in the fridge. The next night my family had a pasta meal for dinner, so I nuked my burgers and had a separate meal. It didn't bother them, no one wanted my burgers instead, as we'd just had them the night before. Most of the time, like many of the others posters have said, we have the same meals only I don't eat certain parts of it.

Chicken dark meat is your friend. I haven't seen a store yet that doesn't sell thighs and legs cheap. Toss those babies into the slow cooker with some seasoning and YUM!

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Family/Budget Friendly Induction Recipes?

>>those little one ounce cream cheese packets are going to be perfect for me>>

They're a much higher price per ounce though.

[MarlaSinger]

Re: Family/Budget Friendly Induction Recipes?

>>those little one ounce cream cheese packets are going to be perfect for me>>

They're a much higher price per ounce though.

Still better than the $1.79/8oz. at the regular grocery store. That price is crazy! I know it cost a little more for the packets vs. buying the 8 oz. bricks at Sams, but I know that individually wrapped, they won't go bad before I can finish them. Plus, one of those and some pre-chopped celery and I have a snack I can take with me

Oh, and this way when my husband grabs for the cream cheese for his bagel, he'll get a single ounce instead of 4. He isn't on Atkins, so this is a good thing for him!

[mission to lose]

Re: Family/Budget Friendly Induction Recipes?

Still better than the $1.79/8oz. at the regular grocery store. That price is crazy! I know it cost a little more for the packets vs. buying the 8 oz. bricks at Sams, but I know that individually wrapped, they won't go bad before I can finish them. Plus, one of those and some pre-chopped celery and I have a snack I can take with me

Oh, and this way when my husband grabs for the cream cheese for his bagel, he'll get a single ounce instead of 4. He isn't on Atkins, so this is a good thing for him!

Do you have Super Walmart near you, that sells food? Mine sells 8 oz Philly cream cheese for 1.25.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Family/Budget Friendly Induction Recipes?

>>Still better than the $1.79/8oz. at the regular grocery store.>>

I buy the Philadelphia bricks at Sam's Club. They're around less than $1 per 8 ounces.

Also, my grocery store does have it on sale sometimes.

Sometimes convenience and portion control are worth it.

[MarlaSinger]

Re: Family/Budget Friendly Induction Recipes?

I am just starting out, so my plan is to catch it on sale when I can. I save on just about everything (except fresh produce and meat, argh!) by combining coupons with sale prices and stockpiling things as far out as I can use them. The last time I stocked up on cheese. I wasn't on Atkins then, it was just a deal. I'd love to see another one like that come around!