Eating Healthy on a Budget

I have a family of 7! That is a lot of people to feed. We also have a very strict food budget ($750 a month for food and other household items, i.e. cleaning supplies, paper goods, personal care items, etc). I hear a lot of people complaining that it is impossible to eat healthy foods because they are so expensive. Now, I might agree that it is too expensive to eat all Organic foods. But I do not agree that it is too expensive to eat healthy foods. 

Below are my four favorite strategies for eating healthy on a budget. It won't be easy, but it is possible. If you begin to implement these things, over time, you will get there. Plus, I rarely coupon! I hate it because it just takes too much time! Time is a precious commodity around here.

Number One: Change where you shop! I LOVE Publix. Who doesn't?! There is always someone nearby to help you. They give your children free cookies and bananas. They walk you to your car and load your groceries. The only thing they don't do is drive home with you and help you unload your groceries. However, Publix is expensive. Unless you only purchase BoGo's and other sale items each week, you will not save money there. You can do that, but I want to eat what I want to eat when I want to eat it, not when it's on sale. Occasionally they have something I just can't pass up (like BoGo shrimp), but for the most part shopping there weekly will drain your food budget very quickly.

Over the last few years, I have been shopping primarily at Aldi, Wal-mart, and Sam's Club (got a premier membership on Living Social for $45 plus a $20 GC, so $25!). Wal-mart is the only store I will clip coupons for because you don't need them at Aldi and Sam's Club. I do run to Publix for delicious deli and bakery offerings and when I run out of milk, but my weekly shopping takes place elsewhere.

Full load leaving Sam's Club! Tip: It is far from my house so I bring a cooler and store my frozen/refrigerated items in there so I can hit up more than one store. I love buying meat at Sam's Club. They have a great selection of fresh and frozen items for a fraction of the cost of the local supermarkets. 

Gratuitous ALDI shot! I really do LOVE it here even if I have to bag my own groceries with my own bags, get my buggy with a quarter and return it on my own, and can hardly find anyone to help me out. The number on that receipt at the end makes it all worth it! I often buy two weeks of groceries at a time and rarely is that bill over $150!

Number Two: Stick to fruits and veggies that are in Season! Not only do they taste better, but they are cheaper. Trying to buy peaches in winter will cost you triple the price in summer. You can find them in local markets because they are flown in from South America and that makes them cost more! Wait! Believe me, the taste alone is worth it! Aldi has helped me to master this. They rarely carry out of season fruits and veggies. I LOVE Aldi! Have I mentioned that?

Tip: Local roadside stands can put your local supermarkets to shame! Got all this fruit at a local vendor one week for $15 (2 lbs grapes, 1 pint strawberries, 1 cantaloupe, 2 mangoes, 5 peaches, 4 apricots, and 2 avocados) 

Number Three: If possible, make it at home! Some of you may tell me you aren't cooks. My sister told me this very thing about five years ago. And today you will find that she makes the best baked goods you've ever eaten. She wanted to learn and so she did! You can do it too. America's Test Kitchen and The Homemade Pantry are two of my favorite cookbooks. Both books offer you the recipe and tips and tricks that will teach you how to really cook! Making it at home eliminates preservatives, improves taste, and decreases cost!

Double Batch of Homemade Granola: Perfect as a snack on its own or with milk or in a yogurt parfait.

Pizza night! Making your own pizza is so delicious and so much healthier. No additives and fresher ingredients

Number Three: Prepare, prepare, prepare! You must meal plan in order for this to work. It takes time and is really hard in the beginning. But once you get into a rhythm and discover the foods your family will actually eat, it will become a lot easier. I plan breakfast, lunch and dinners. I do not work outside the home, which makes this easier to do. However, it is possible to work outside the home and do this. You'll just need to add more preparation and maybe implement a system where you spend Sundays (or Saturdays) meal prepping for the week, utilizing freezer meals, and keeping it simple. There are tons of sites out there that require minimal membership fees and they will match weekly ads to meal plans they create or provide step-by-step meal plans with shopping lists, etc.

I sit down a couple days before shopping day and take inventory of my pantry and freezers. Then I plan out our meals for one to two weeks at a time and make my shopping list. Don't veer from the list! My kids have heard me say, "It's not on the list!" way too many times.

Watermelon, cucumber, and mint salsa, Kale and quinoa blend, and Shrimp kebabs (Total cost: $25 or $3.57 per person!)
Next time I need to make more, but still a great value at about $5 per person)

Pinto beans and Southwestern Grilled Chicken with fresh tomato and onion salsa (Total cost: $10 or $1.43 per person!) 

Number Four: Grow a garden. This is my first year gardening, but it was so nice to have fresh veggies right in the backyard. I have a lot to learn and I hope to increase my crop next season and harvest even more. I have a large yard so I cleared a plot of land. My father in law has had enormous success growing tomatoes, peppers, and herbs in pots on his porch. Even small spaces can yield yummy results. I planted from seeds, which was more work, but cost a lot less than purchasing plants that needed to be transplanted. Trees can also help you out. We planted pecan trees and peach trees. I'm hoping we'll see them fruit in the next few years.

Cucumbers from our garden with red wine vinegar, salt and pepper

Be patient and make one small change to start. As that becomes comfortable, add another change. You will get there! I promise!

Cheat Meals

Cheat Meals!!!!! They are bound to happen. In our household, we say "Bake Big or Go Diet!" If you aren't going to cheat with an amazing homemade cheesecake or buttery shrimp and grits, don't do it. The crappy Halloween candy and Fast Food are NOT worth it. The other night we had one of my favorite cheat meals. It has healthy components, but that butter pushes it into the cheat category.
Here is a delicious recipe for Shrimp and Grits!!!!!!!!!!

Cook Grits according to package directions. I always use a whisk instead of a spoon to stir them. Helps with the clumps, especially if you are cooking a lot of grits. Once cooked, add salt, pepper and butter. Shredded cheddar cheese can also be stirred in to take it up a notch.

For the Shrimp:
Peel and devein 2 lbs of shrimp
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Place shrimp in a single layer in a large cast iron skillet or other oven safe pan.
Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the shrimp.
Mix 2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce, 3/4 tsp paprika, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, 1.5 tsp garlic powder and pour of shrimp.
Cut 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter into pea size pieces and sprinkle over top.
Cook for 8 minutes and serve immediately.

Serve with your favorite veggies and/or fruit.

I'm Just a Girl!

I want to take a minute to talk about why I decided to become a Beachbody Coach. I think it has surprised me more than anyone that I am actually running my own business as a health and fitness coach. My lifestyle has been pretty active for most of my life, but it wasn't until I started having children that I realized how much I actually NEEDED to pay attention to how I was taking care of myself. Good genes will only take you so far.
We moved into a "stair" house almost a year ago and my youngest baby (now 14 months) is quite a large little guy. To paint a picture, he is 31 inches tall and I am 60 inches tall. A few months ago, I realized that every time I climbed the stairs my breathing was ragged and my legs were burning. I had lost a majority of my baby weight, but I was still out of shape. Beachbody workouts, Shakeology, and challenge groups had gotten me to that point. But, I wasn't being very consistent with my workouts or nutrition.
I stopped working outside of the home when my daughter (now 3) was born. I worked professionally for over a decade in the field of Social Work. My passion is helping others achieve their goals and make lifelong changes in their lives. I was so happy to stop working outside the home because I felt so torn between my role as mother and my role as therapist. It was and still is the best decision for my family. However, I have missed helping others achieve their goals. The challenge group model Beachbody encourages has definitely helped me fulfill that need in my heart.
In addition to wanting to improve my own health and help others, I wanted to earn some money. Jared and I are finally in a position financially that we can take care of our family and have a little extra left over. It is very little, but enough to hit up a restaurant from time to time. We are very blessed and have always been able to take care of our family. However, we still owe tens of thousands of dollars in student loans and we just bought a house and we want to be debt free. I wanted to find something I could do to help us achieve those goals that did not require me to go back to work or keep my children out of sports and other activities in order achieve those goals.
My friend, Amy, approached me about the coaching opportunity. I researched it for months. Watched umpteen videos on YouTube, talked with Jared, talked with other coaches and friends. It just felt right.
So, here I am going for it! In the two short months I've been a Beachbody coach, my life has been so enriched and my health and fitness goals are on track. I'm currently working to build my team and I am loving it. Some weeks are stressful because I want to do a great job and I don't want to let anyone down. I am still figuring out how to find a balance with coaching and moming and wifing. All in all, this journey is exciting and I know it is the right thing for me and our family right now. It is changing my life!

Summer Fun

We are two weeks into summer and are having a blast. Sometimes it feels like too much fun because everyone is so worn out they start to get cranky. Seems we should be staying up later, but instead we are heading to bed early many nights. Here's some of the shenanigans we've been up to lately.

Mermaid fortress pool at Aunt Stacey's house. We literally spent 45 minutes putting up the canopy and blowing up and filling up the pool. About five minutes into the fun the wind picked up so strong that the canopy blew over and broke! The rain followed shortly after, but the kids were good sports and played their little hearts out.

The boys picked up their own library cards and are participating in a reading contest for some fun prizes. We also were part of the Minecraft Club!

We went to Hobbs Farm to pick up some fruits and veggies. It was a fun place to hang out too.

Jared took us on a family date to Chick-Fil-A. It is always a big hit!

The boys were introduced to marbles this summer. Instant hit! Landon has some pretty awesome natural ability. 

Went for a spontaneous drive to my parent's resort near Disney and played at an awesome pool. There was a slide and a lazy river. So fun!

Having the kids home over the summer means they have to join me on our grocery adventures. It could be worse, but it is not my favorite. Thank you, Publix, for providing free bribery!

Pulled out the good ole sprinkler for some backyard fun. 

For the most part, my children are awesome and well-behaved. However, it seems that they are already tired of one another. That means I am quickly getting tired of them tattle-tailing and complaining about one another and the house rules. 

My Favorite Oatmeal

Bring  2 Cups Water and 3/4 Cup Whole Milk to a low boil. Add pinch of sea salt.

Add 1 1/2 Cups Rolled Oats and reduce heat to simmer.

Simmer about 10-15 minutes (less if you're cooking less oats) until soft. Stir often.

Add sliced fruit (berries, peaches, etc), cinnamon and/or honey to taste.  Sometimes I even add sliced almonds or chopped walnuts.

CEO of Team Strongbody

Hey friends and family! Couple of things! I have changed the url for my personal blog to jaeglmwk.blogspot.com  So, change your favorites so you don't miss any of the Krause craziness.
Also, I am officially making a go of being a business owner. I am running a Beachbody business and am the CEO of Team Strongbody. I never thought this would be something I would do, but here I am doing it. I decided to start another blog for my business. It is still a work in progress and hopefully will provide valuable content. I plan to post recipes, fitness, nutrition, inspirational, motivational, and uplifting content. The address for my new blog is http://fitkrausehaus.blogspot.com/
I'd love for you to check it out and send me feedback at fitkrausehaus@gmail.com
I'd especially love to know what kinds of things would bring you back to my blog! What do you want to read about? Thanks for your continued love and support.

Granola

Double batch of granola today. Perfect addition to plain Greek yogurt (mixed with a lil honey, of course) or just eat it like cereal!

For one batch:
Preheat oven to 325 and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Stir together in a large bowl
3 cups rolled oats, 1 cup chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, 1/2 cup sliced almonds, 1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds, 1/8 cup ground flax
On the stove, melt on low 1/3 cup extra virgin coconut oil (canola or veggie will do in a pinch), 1/4 cup raw honey, 1/4 cup maple syrup
Add to oat mixture and stir well. Spread on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, stirring to rotate every 5 minutes.
Cool and add dried fruit. I was feeling fancy so I used dried cranberries today.

Fried Egg Sandwich

I often turn to "breakfast" foods for lunch. Because breakfast foods are basically the 💣.com
Fried egg over medium on top of a whole wheat sandwich thin and topped with tomatoes, avocado, Himalayan salt and pepper

Grilled Chicken Wings

Recipe: My dad, Drew
Rub wings with salt and pepper. Place in large Ziplocs or a Tupperware marinator/tenderizer (one of my top 5 favorite kitchen items). Mix Italian dressing packets with oil, water, and vinegar according to package directions (I used two packets for this amount of wings). Pour over chicken wings, shake to coat, and place in refrigerator. Grill on low heat, turning often, for about an hour and fifteen minutes. 

Weston is 14 Months!

My Favorite Little Man is 14 MONTHS! Weston is growing up so quickly. He has learned a lot since his first birthday. He is a proficient walker and can even run and dance. He hasn't attempted climbing yet, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time. Weston loves the water and watching his siblings do exciting things. He has a sweet smile and loves to give out smooches and hugs. Weston also has a lovely singing voice. He sings in the car and when he is falling asleep. So stinking adorable! We love this little man!

Mom-body Part 2: Beachbody changes my life in an unexpected way

After Weston was born, I was feeling a lot of different emotions. We had just moved and I felt so isolated. I'd been having babies for 7 years straight. 5 children in 7 years can wreak havoc on your body and your emotional health. I found that I was not taking any time for myself. I wasn't even eating healthy meals, which is something I really want to do and intend to do, but when the day gets away from me, it doesn't always happen. I have totally eaten cookie dough for lunch!

A friend of mine from college reached out and introduced me to Beachbody. I had heard of some of the workouts and was excited to have accountability in my efforts to shed some baby weight.  What I found was so much more than a way to lose weight. While doing Beachbody, I felt inspired, I felt confident, I felt strong, I felt like ME! It was wonderful. I loved reconnecting with my friend and meeting others who were all on their own individual journey to live their best life.  

Then, the holidays came. I got busy. I hurt my leg. I got sick. My kids got sick. I stopped sticking with my goals to be active, eat clean, and enlighten my mind. I became lethargic, cranky, and stressed out. My friend, Emily, posted her motto, "Mom is always one workout away from a good mood!" What an example Emily is to me in so many ways. She is like my "mom template" and she was right once again! I needed to take time out of every day to do something for me. 

I don't love to shop. I don't love to get my nails done. I don't have one ounce of crafting talent in me.  I have only had two haircuts in the last year. Fitness, reading, and being outside are the things that rejuvenate and inspire me. Oh, and raising chickens! We recently acquired five chicks and I am so in love with my new status as a backyard chicken farmer.

I think I've found a way to really make time every day to feel like ME. I am becoming a Beachbody Coach. I want to have more accountability and really stick to my own personal goals. I am also hopeful that I will be able to help others to create and accomplish their own fitness and healthy lifestyle goals. 

It cracks me up that I'm once again doing something that I never thought I'd do.  I have not worked outside of the home at all since Miriam was born. I have had a job since I was 15, so to not work the last three years has been kind of weird. Don't get me wrong, I DO NOT want a day job. My job as a mom is my dream and it's fulfilling and wonderful and so hard! I love the idea of being a Beachbody coach. I get to help people, which I LOVE and use a product regularly that makes me FEEL like Andrea and not just Mom. If you want to learn more or join me, please email me at fitkrausehaus@gmail.com

See my progress pics below!

I put on about 40 pounds with each of my five pregnancies. I loved watching my body grow with life, but each time I got so depressed afterwards when I just wasn't bouncing back. I should have relished those post-pregnancy moments in my 20's, because in my 30's the pounds have been even more difficult to shed.  I am happy to be fitting into pre-pregnancy clothing, but the biggest thing I lost was self-doubt and self-criticism! That, my friends, is some empowering stuff to let go of. 

My BEFORE photos taken in August 2015 (four months post-partum with baby #5)

My MIDWAY photos taken in September 2015 (CIZE 6 times a week and Shakeology every day)

My AFTER photos taken in December 2015 (PIYO 6 times a week and Shakeology every day)

Mom-Bod: The month I fell in love with Beachbody

I know I should wear my "mom-bod" like a badge of honor. This body helped me create five beautiful children. But, I just can't do it. I know I'll never be 105 pounds again, that ended in 2003.  I don't even want that.  I just want my freaking pants to fit!

A friend of mine from college, Amy, suggested I try Beachbody. She is a coach. She is an inspiration to me. She has Stage 4 Cancer (she's my age!), but that is another story and not mine to tell. So, despite how pricey it was, I decided I needed to do this for myself.  It turned out to be a great choice. I loved the accountability Amy provided me as a coach. I also loved that I made some time for just me every day for 30 days.  In addition to the emotional strength I gained, I also lost 4 pounds and 8 inches.  

Below are my before and afters. I'd say I see a difference and my pants are definitely loosening up.  I decided to go for another 60 days with Beachbody and see where I'm at by Christmas.  If my pants still don't fit, I'm just going to buy new ones.

Before

After (30 days)

End of the Year Festivities

The last month has been a total sprint! I am exhausted and so happy that TOMORROW is our last day of school. 

Up first is Grayson and his classroom awards ceremony.

Grayson and his friend, Julia, giving the welcome announcement. Grayson has become a great reader this year.

Grayson and his teacher, Miss Durias!

The Fan club!

Next up, Ethan! Ethan rocked the 2nd grade!

Ethan's Fan club!

He received A LOT of awards. Including perfect attendance, All A's all year, and several reading awards. Yes, that's a tablet back there.

Ethan and Mrs. Walton

Last, but not least, Landon was promoted from Pre-K. His teacher Mrs. Brown and her assitant, Mrs. Reyes, put together a wonderful program. We were blessed to be at a fantastic school with stellar teachers! 

Refreshments and Goodies

Landon received the 3 Musketeers award for being friendly and sharing with his classmates. He also received the Perfect Attendance award.

Landon told the audience he would miss specials the most over the summer.

Mrs. Brown, Landon, Mrs. Reyes

Landon, you are off to great things!

Landon's Fan club!

His teachers did an "unscientific guess" of what Landon will be when he grows up. They think he'll be a teacher because he loves telling stories and writing! His teachers know him! I love that they love him.

More of Landon's Fan club!