Day 12, Getting everybody enough to eat

     We were tired and cranky this morning and so glad the lunches were all made last night!

     Standard fare for breakfast---cold cereal with milk and tea.

breakfast menu:  life cereal, milk, tea
Cost:  $2.20
one box cold cereal, divided 10 ways: 1.00
half gallon milk: 1.20

  The good news came at lunch time, when there were two sandwiches, plus two vegetables, plus gogurts for all the kids.  It felt more luxurious to have an extra sandwich, which I personally saved for that 2 o'clock hour when I just really want food.

lunch menu:  ham sandwiches, peanut butter and jam sandwiches, sliced carrots, lettuce wedges, go-gurts for the kids

cost: $3.49

8 oz ham: .75

2 loaves homemade bread:  .56

a head of iceberg lettuce:  .83

1 lb carrots: .33

peanut butter: .18

jam: .12

8 go-gurts: .72 (close dated)

     Noah saved his peanut butter sandwich, too, which was hard for him, but at 2pm, when he was hungry, and I reminded him that he had another sandwich, he was all about that!  He saw the benefits of waiting, really enjoyed a peanut butter and jam sandwich, and is learning the benefits of delayed gratification.

snack:  popcorn and kettle corn, plus a bowl of black bean chili for Rodger

cost: $.62 for three large bowls full

12 oz popcorn: .35

6 tbsp oil: .18

1/2 c sugar: .09

     Supper was maybe better called "dinner" tonight, because dumplings were on the menu again, by popular demand. In the picture you can see the chicken gravy is augmented with diced cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and onions.  I was going to say that I "beefed" it up with the veggies, but can you really beef things up in a chicken gravy?  Ha. 

     Sarah, our resident nutritionist, wants to make sure we're getting enough of our leafy greens, which is why the cabbage made its way in there.  I thought there might be a rebellion, but there were no comments on the negative side, except from  Noah, who thought maybe he was only hungry enough to eat the dumplings.  He was promptly informed that no dumplings would enter his mouth until the vegetables had disappeared from his plate.  He managed alright.  There was enough veggie/chicken gravy for seconds and even thirds, so everyone was satiated this day.

    Here is a twin moment at the table. The self portrait was made just after the pictures of the soup, when the camera was found on the table.

dinner menu:  chicken and dumplings with mixed vegetable gravy

$3.24

biscuit dough, double batch: 1.32

1/4 chicken with broth: 1.00

carrot: .07

1/2 head cabbage:  .48

1 onion: .10

2 large potatoes: .21

1/2 cup flour (to thicken): .05

Today's Total cost:  $ 9.70

This day was a culinary success!