Day 51 Monday takes everybody back to school except Rodger

There is something else good about the way we have been eating on 10for10for10, and I have only just realized it today.  The difficulty in affording much meat has improved Rodger's health.

What I mean by that is that he is prone to gout, which runs in his family.  Too much meat and rich foods contributes to gout attacks, and that is what Rodger is suffering from today.  I'm blaming the gout attack on the men's retreat food.  The main thing on the menu every meal was meat, meat, and more meat.  They really feed the men like kings up at that camp, and kings (and other rich men) were usually the ones to get gout...just like Rodger every year after the retreat.

Well, on our dollar a day diet, it is kind of like detox for Rodger's system, and he has been really healthy with our new menu, with this one exception.  Hey, FYI, not my fault!  (sorry, that is a line from another kid's movie, which we like to quote around here)

Today was not food to write home about, or to put on a resume` to show healthy diet planning, that is for sure.   But we got the children out the door, and there is always tomorrow, a new day with a new start, right?

I fixed pancakes tonight, no meat, and easy on everybody's stomachs, which still aren't feeling so good from yesterday.  Maybe the fact that we have weaned ourselves from sweets and treats is what has made the Easter candy affect us so negatively this year.  It's the only thing I can think of, because really it was not so very much candy and nothing out of the ordinary, for candy choices.

There was one item which always has the effect of chirking me up a bit.  I have it pictured below.

On our strict budget, real maple syrup is not affordable, but I found this tin of real maple in the discount bin at Alberstons.  We can only have a little taste of the stuff, but even that tiny bit makes me happy.  Funny, isn't it. 

 I gave anyone who likes maple syrup a dolop for dipping.  It was only a teaspoon, but on the plate it was a puddle about the size ot a silver dollar.  Just a hint of the sweet goodness.  Otherwise, we put apricot/raspberry jam on the pancakes, and a few of the children added peanut butter as well.  Some eat the pancakes plain, with their tea, but I like them sweet.

Look at that price tag!  Awesome, considering is it usually over 7 bucks a bottle.

Here is our eating for the day---pathetic, I know.  Expedient, though.  And not a single leafy green.  Not any vegetables at all, I am ashamed to say.

breakfast menu:  cold cereal and milk, cheese for Rodger

Cost:  $1.90

9 servings of cereal:  .90

(I measure out everyone's portions)

milk:  .90

1 oz cheese:  .10

sack lunches: egg salad sandwiches, potato chips, apples

Cost: $1.58

14 boiled, colored eggs:  .70

one loaf my whole wheat bread:  .38

1 cup mayonaise for eggs:  .50

apples:  no charge, from my brother's farm

potato chips from men's retreat for everyone except Rodger:  No charge, gift

supper menu:  panacakes with syrup, jam, and peanut butter, tea

Cost:  $3.50

1 1/2 batch my homemade pancakes:  1.65

8 tsp real maple syrup:  .64

6 oz jam:  .40

3 oz peanut butter:  .18

1/2 cube butter:  .13

quart of milk for tea:  .50

Today's total:  $6.98