| Kimberly Saunders' book Budget Meals - Eight Weeks | | | | mix and match days from different weeks for endless |
| of Delicious Dinner & Dessert Recipes is not just | | | | meal variations. |
| another cookbook. Saunders goes beyond the | | | | Saunders points out that most of us miss budgeting |
| traditional cookbooks that only list the ingredients you | | | | and planning for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. She |
| need to make the dishes found within the pages - she | | | | suggests that this crucial part of meal planning and |
| provides 8 weeks worth of meal plans that will not | | | | budgeting can help you save money and get healthier |
| make you broke buying specialty ingredients you will | | | | by skipping the vending machine and the corner coffee |
| only use once. Each meal plan is broken into one week | | | | store breakfast of coffee and a muffin. Making your |
| stretches - complete with a shopping list. The shopping | | | | own bread is another avenue suggested for saving |
| lists are organized conveniently into sections that are | | | | money, but sometimes convenience has to win out |
| similar to the departments found in your local grocery | | | | over cost. |
| store. | | | | The simplicity of the recipes is refreshing and can be |
| The introduction to the book includes helpful tips on | | | | executed by novice chefs, making this book a perfect |
| how to stay on budget when you go shopping. | | | | gift for someone venturing out on their own for the |
| Saunders advises to stay away from deals that are | | | | first time or busy households. If you use a slow cooker, |
| too good to be true because they usually are and to | | | | most weeks have at least 1 or 2 meals with |
| double-check your cart before you pay - be ruthless | | | | instructions to convert the recipe. For instance, in |
| with yourself and take out anything that was not on | | | | Week 6 there are 3 days you can choose to use a |
| your list. | | | | slow cooker for meals like Mild Mexican Chicken, Italian |
| You are not left hanging when you are done the 8 | | | | Sausage Casserole, or Pork Steaks with potatoes, |
| weeks worth of meal planning, realistic advice is given | | | | carrots, and parsnips. |
| to create your own meal plans and you can always | | | | |