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Family Feasts for $75 a Week: A Penny-wise Mom Shares Her Recipe for Cutting Hundreds from Your Monthly Food Bill
What would you do with an extra $100 each month?
Let 's face it. Staying within a budget these days is a hard act to stick with, especially if you have a family of four or more. When juggling a busy schedule dedicated to school, work, and family activities, convenience has a tendency to overrule thriftiness-and we all know convenience comes at a cost. But if you can master your spending in just one area-your food bill-you will greatly expand your spending options for other, more rewarding areas of your life.
What would you do with more free time in your day?
You 've heard the saying " time is money, " and time well spent can save you big bucks. Learning how to compile grocery lists, compose weekly menu plans, and shop less will not only save money at the register, it will also save you time in the store and in the kitchen. Come to the table prepared to enjoy the feast as you build time-saving skills that will serve you and your family for a lifetime to come.
What would you do with more fun-filled family opportunities?
Saving time and money will not only make you feel good about yourself, it will also give you the greatest spending opportunity of all-more family fun. Whether planning for a special getaway, staycation, or simply a weekly family night, your family is your best investment. With all the time and money you 'll save, you 'll be able to refocus your energies where they matter most-with the ones you love.
Whether you 're overhauling your entire budget or just trying to save a little here and there, making a dent in your grocery bill may seem challenging in today 's market. A typical supermarket trip can easily cost a minimum of $100, and if you 're feeding an average family or larger, that number can soar even higher. What 's a mom on a budget to do?
Family Feasts for $75 a Week to the rescue! Written by blogger mom and penny-pincher extraordinaire Mary Ostyn, who prepares three meals a day for her family of 12 for $800 to $900 a month, this book is stuffed to the gills with Mary's expert, in-the-trenches tips on savvy food shopping, plus 200 delicious recipes for homecooked meals that make the most of economical ingredients.
Selected by Good Morning America as one of the best cookbooks of 2009, Family Feasts for $75 a Week offers real-world advice teaches real-world families how to save in more ways than one.
Let 's face it. Staying within a budget these days is a hard act to stick with, especially if you have a family of four or more. When juggling a busy schedule dedicated to school, work, and family activities, convenience has a tendency to overrule thriftiness-and we all know convenience comes at a cost. But if you can master your spending in just one area-your food bill-you will greatly expand your spending options for other, more rewarding areas of your life.
What would you do with more free time in your day?
You 've heard the saying " time is money, " and time well spent can save you big bucks. Learning how to compile grocery lists, compose weekly menu plans, and shop less will not only save money at the register, it will also save you time in the store and in the kitchen. Come to the table prepared to enjoy the feast as you build time-saving skills that will serve you and your family for a lifetime to come.
What would you do with more fun-filled family opportunities?
Saving time and money will not only make you feel good about yourself, it will also give you the greatest spending opportunity of all-more family fun. Whether planning for a special getaway, staycation, or simply a weekly family night, your family is your best investment. With all the time and money you 'll save, you 'll be able to refocus your energies where they matter most-with the ones you love.
Whether you 're overhauling your entire budget or just trying to save a little here and there, making a dent in your grocery bill may seem challenging in today 's market. A typical supermarket trip can easily cost a minimum of $100, and if you 're feeding an average family or larger, that number can soar even higher. What 's a mom on a budget to do?
Family Feasts for $75 a Week to the rescue! Written by blogger mom and penny-pincher extraordinaire Mary Ostyn, who prepares three meals a day for her family of 12 for $800 to $900 a month, this book is stuffed to the gills with Mary's expert, in-the-trenches tips on savvy food shopping, plus 200 delicious recipes for homecooked meals that make the most of economical ingredients.
Selected by Good Morning America as one of the best cookbooks of 2009, Family Feasts for $75 a Week offers real-world advice teaches real-world families how to save in more ways than one.
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2009
9 people are currently reading
252 people want to read
About the author
Mary Ostyn
7 books5 followersMary Ostyn shares encouragement with mothers through her books, speaking engagements, and her blog at owlhaven.net. She lives in Nampa, Idaho with her husband and the youngest six of their ten children, including four daughters born in Ethiopia and two sons born in South Korea.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
June 21, 2011
Checked this out from the library and liked it so much I am planning to buy a copy.
Excellent tips and tricks for stretching the grocery dollar, and - just as useful - cutting time in the kitchen. I expect to try several of her lunch ideas (possibly for dinner, though!) in the near future. I am also having fun making a price book.
There are no photos with the recipes, which usually is a deal-killer for me in a cookbook. But it's not really bothering me here: most of the recipes are pretty straight forward, and they're laid out on the page in a very readable fashion with plenty of explanation.
Update: Going through the dinner recipes and bookmarking the ones I may wish to try - and I find I am marking at least every other page! Coming from someone who loves to browse recipes in magazines but almost never actually makes one, this is impressive odds. I think the secret here is that everything uses *normal* ingredients: basic meats, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, peppers, cheese, beans, rice, pasta, etc. There are a few unusual spices, but nothing you can't easily find. In other words, stuff I already have in my cupboards or freezer. And there's nothing fancy in the prep either. Good stuff.
Excellent tips and tricks for stretching the grocery dollar, and - just as useful - cutting time in the kitchen. I expect to try several of her lunch ideas (possibly for dinner, though!) in the near future. I am also having fun making a price book.
There are no photos with the recipes, which usually is a deal-killer for me in a cookbook. But it's not really bothering me here: most of the recipes are pretty straight forward, and they're laid out on the page in a very readable fashion with plenty of explanation.
Update: Going through the dinner recipes and bookmarking the ones I may wish to try - and I find I am marking at least every other page! Coming from someone who loves to browse recipes in magazines but almost never actually makes one, this is impressive odds. I think the secret here is that everything uses *normal* ingredients: basic meats, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, peppers, cheese, beans, rice, pasta, etc. There are a few unusual spices, but nothing you can't easily find. In other words, stuff I already have in my cupboards or freezer. And there's nothing fancy in the prep either. Good stuff.
February 9, 2014
A lot of the money-saving tips are things I've already learned over the last 10 years, but the book is worth it for the recipes that can stretch for a large family or a regular-sized family with guests. Usually when I read through a cookbook, I mark 2 or 3 recipes to try, but with this one I ended up using an entire stack of post-it flags!
July 1, 2017
Years ago, I borrowed this book from the library and liked it so much that I bought a copy for myself. I loved the author's sensibilities and recipes.
We eventually fell off the frugal eating bandwagon, but now I'm ready to get back on. I dragged this book out of the back of the cupboard and completely expected it to be thoroughly dated. However, so much of what she writes -- even the price points she mentions -- is relevant today.
I love that this author provides lots of different ideas for how to save and doesn't rigidly recommend you do it all. It's a bit refreshing to hear her say that she even doesn't use all the suggestions on a regular basis. As a bonus, every recipe we've tried from this book has been a hit.
The $75 a week in the title might be a stretch, but I highly recommend this for anyone who is looking to trim their grocery budget.
We eventually fell off the frugal eating bandwagon, but now I'm ready to get back on. I dragged this book out of the back of the cupboard and completely expected it to be thoroughly dated. However, so much of what she writes -- even the price points she mentions -- is relevant today.
I love that this author provides lots of different ideas for how to save and doesn't rigidly recommend you do it all. It's a bit refreshing to hear her say that she even doesn't use all the suggestions on a regular basis. As a bonus, every recipe we've tried from this book has been a hit.
The $75 a week in the title might be a stretch, but I highly recommend this for anyone who is looking to trim their grocery budget.
October 19, 2018
Awesome Cookbook. Has A lot of Good Recipes.
February 24, 2019
A lot of great tips for decreasing what you spend on food!! A lot of recipes that look delicious and thrifty, too!
January 20, 2023
Was written a long time ago. A few helpful tips but overall this isn't something most could follow if they tried. And with today's prices, probably impossible.
October 21, 2016
Love this book. Great, easy recipes with real ingredients, no condensed soup or other processed crap. I borrowed it from the library, but I'll be getting my own copy.
November 11, 2009
I'm on a quest to conquer my grocery budget, so I checked this out from the library.
It's cute, clear, and straightforward. I really like how Ostyn gives a recap checklist at the end of each chapter to remind you of the action steps you can take to become more of a frugalista in the kitchen and grocery store.
I didn't really learn a whole lot of new information about how to cut costs, but if you're not into scouring the internet and message boards for these tips and tricks, this is a great one-stop place to get great cost-cutting tips, like creating a price book and menu planning.
I would have given this a higher rating, but even though Ostyn gives a lot of lip service to including meatless meals in her menus, she really doesn't deliver in the recipes section. There are a handful, but none are really that new. This was really disappointing to me, because of all the ways to cut down on your grocery bill, going vegetarian is such a no-brainer! Not saying this should have been a vegetarian book, but I was hoping that at least 1/3rd-1/2 would have been. OR as an alternative, having vegetarian options for some of the "regular" recipes would have been a really easy way to include more people AND show omnivores even more ways to cut down on buying expensive meat.
That's my beef (ha ha!). But overall, I really appreciated Ostyn's tips. She gives a lot of useful information in a way that's not overwhelming to the reader.
It's cute, clear, and straightforward. I really like how Ostyn gives a recap checklist at the end of each chapter to remind you of the action steps you can take to become more of a frugalista in the kitchen and grocery store.
I didn't really learn a whole lot of new information about how to cut costs, but if you're not into scouring the internet and message boards for these tips and tricks, this is a great one-stop place to get great cost-cutting tips, like creating a price book and menu planning.
I would have given this a higher rating, but even though Ostyn gives a lot of lip service to including meatless meals in her menus, she really doesn't deliver in the recipes section. There are a handful, but none are really that new. This was really disappointing to me, because of all the ways to cut down on your grocery bill, going vegetarian is such a no-brainer! Not saying this should have been a vegetarian book, but I was hoping that at least 1/3rd-1/2 would have been. OR as an alternative, having vegetarian options for some of the "regular" recipes would have been a really easy way to include more people AND show omnivores even more ways to cut down on buying expensive meat.
That's my beef (ha ha!). But overall, I really appreciated Ostyn's tips. She gives a lot of useful information in a way that's not overwhelming to the reader.
May 27, 2018
Lots of good information about saving money and being frugal in the first portion of this book. There wasn't much there that I hadn't already come across in my years of learning this already, though. The recipes were good. I copied at least 10 down to try. I also liked the recipes in the back that were to make the seasonings. Things like chili powder, homemade pancake syrup, and homemade cocoa mix were added to my recipe book.
March 26, 2010
Filled with great tips on cutting shopping costs this is aimed at the grocery shopping public at large, but especially has some terrific applications for large families. She covers ways to cut costs while shopping, efficient tips for speeding along cooking at home instead of using prepared foods or eating out; and she shares lots of yummy recipes. She admits that people who are brand specific or food specific (eating organic or local) may not find as many tips or enjoy the recipes, but there are still tips for that audience too.
I'm not quite finished going through the recipes, but I've really enjoyed this book. I'm pretty good at the shopping end and didn't find a lot of ways to cut any more off my budget, but I have learned new things. Who knew you could freeze cream cheese? I'm excited to try out some of these recipes. In fact I may need to buy the book. There are that many recipes I could use.
I'm not quite finished going through the recipes, but I've really enjoyed this book. I'm pretty good at the shopping end and didn't find a lot of ways to cut any more off my budget, but I have learned new things. Who knew you could freeze cream cheese? I'm excited to try out some of these recipes. In fact I may need to buy the book. There are that many recipes I could use.
February 7, 2010
I'm giving this 4* only because of her idea of making a change and putting that money toward a 'goal'. I told Jamie about that, casually mentioning that maybe we could go to Disney if he stopped eating out at work and if we cut back our family meals out. More than a month later, he hasn't eaten out once and neither have we as a family. I figure we saved about $200 in a month, not exactly a trip to Disney but certainly something.
The ideas themselves weren't very helpful to me. I'm not giving up organic and I don't want to load up on pasta and rice. My grocery store is cheap and I make most things homemade already, what I really need to do is plan meals better, which she addresses but I had to return the book to the library before I could try the ideas. The only recipe I tried was Boston baked beans, and I liked it (I had never 'baked' them before!).
The ideas themselves weren't very helpful to me. I'm not giving up organic and I don't want to load up on pasta and rice. My grocery store is cheap and I make most things homemade already, what I really need to do is plan meals better, which she addresses but I had to return the book to the library before I could try the ideas. The only recipe I tried was Boston baked beans, and I liked it (I had never 'baked' them before!).
July 22, 2014
There were some very easy and practical ideas in this book. I have several recipes I want to try and some strategies that we'll put into practice at our house. One of my favorite things about the book is that the author really leaves the ideas she has used and likes out on the table for people to make their own or not. Since it is a book, of course it is our choice whether we use the strategies we find in the books that we read but this is one of the first ones I have read that really laid it out there, like take it or leave it...use this book as a tool as long as it works for your family and your goals. I liked the book so much I found the author on Pinterest. If you want some easy ways to save money on food items and maybe adjust the way your family looks at food and meal time, this might be the book for you.
June 18, 2010
This is a book that I actually think I'll buy at some point to have in my collection. This Idaho mom of 10 seems to have a pretty good system down for feeding her family on a limited amount of money each month. I must admit that much of her advice means more work in shopping around at various different stores and I'm not sure how feasible that is in NYC, but there were other things I thought I could implement. Also, we fed my family and the missionaries her Chicken Chimichangas and both missionaries came up to me on Sunday to tell me how much they loved them. Since she has adopted children she incorporates a number of international, and spicy, recipes that I'm excited to try. I've all ready renewed the book three times so it may be time to get my own copy.
March 26, 2015
I'm always interested in cookbooks for some reason. This cookbook didn't have any pictures, and is somewhat "old school" in how it is presented, but I still enjoyed reading it. I haven't tried very many of the recipes yet, but several have caught my eye. Many of the ideas weren't "new" for me as far as saving money (which was why I actually picked up the book), but there were little tidbits that were gems. I am especially excited to try all the homemade mixes/dressings/etc that were in the last chapter. I admire this author (I read one of her adoption books recently), in how she makes a tight budget work for her family of 12. Parts would be worth reading over again and I will try to remember to add my feelings about the recipes once I try more.
September 16, 2010
When I requested this book, I thought it would just be a cookbook. While there are about 200 recipes, the first several chapters of the book are dedicated to frugal grocery shopping. Unlike the Coupon Mom, she doesn't rely on coupons, but careful meal planning (she has 10 kids!). She's also fairly into nutrition and not eating a lot of processed food, and discussed the organic issue a little.
I thought the tone of the book was very down-to-earth and her advice was sound. She didn't offer anything earth-shattering, but she made me think about some of our dietary choices. Definitely worth checking out if you're trying to save money on groceries.
I thought the tone of the book was very down-to-earth and her advice was sound. She didn't offer anything earth-shattering, but she made me think about some of our dietary choices. Definitely worth checking out if you're trying to save money on groceries.
March 1, 2010
This book is written by a mom with more children than I have. So these are recipes that have really worked for a large family whose mother has time constraints. That made it attractive to me, as well as the money-saving possibilities. And I have been very pleased as I've read it and tried the recipes. In fact, our family is eating a lot better because of this cookbook. One of our favorites is the Mexican Chicken Salad. I've made it for family and church functions as well, and it's been a hit. This is a GREAT book.
September 30, 2009
Positive and forward thinking, but not revolutionary. Tightwad Gazette is still the master of blackbelt tightwaddery (and Ostyn uses many of TWG's methods, like the price book.)
The recipes look good, and are much more than the cream of mushroom in a can stuff we often are subjected to. She incorporates African and Asian dishes and influences in her food, which was really interesting and eye-opening. Recommended to those of us on a budget who need some new ideas!
The recipes look good, and are much more than the cream of mushroom in a can stuff we often are subjected to. She incorporates African and Asian dishes and influences in her food, which was really interesting and eye-opening. Recommended to those of us on a budget who need some new ideas!
November 18, 2009
I checked out this book from the library and had a hard time returning it. I decided to quit paying the late fees and order a copy for myself. There were some basic budget saving ideas, but also some I never thought of. Also, I can't wait to try some of the recipes. The author made it an enjoyable read. 5 stars for living up to what a book about budgeting without taking extreme measures should be.
December 1, 2009
Surprisingly good. I was expecting a bunch of recipes for tatertot casserole and tuna surprise but there are actually recipes for dishes made with *real* ingredients and a good variety of them as well. I also found a lot of good tips for saving at the grocery store and stocking your pantry that didn't just rely on "go spend 7 hours a day clipping coupons and driving from store to store." This is one I am putting on my wish list.
January 5, 2010
This mom of four and struggling meal planner found this book quite useful. If Mary Ostyn can raise 10 kids and still do as much as she does (and pretty successfully, I might add) I'm going to take her advice seriously. I'm sorry I have to take it back to the library- guess I just need to go get my own copy. You can read my full review here: http://ldswbr.blogspot.com/2010/01/fa...
March 17, 2010
i bought this book for the recipes, which have been great. i didn't realize that there was going to be so much commentary about saving money. i've really enjoyed it though. her point is basically to educate yourself on where you can get the best prices ... not over all, but on individual items. i think what i like best is just knowing that this woman really lives what she's preaching here. 10 kids, SAHM, husband makes $56000 a year. if she can do it ...
June 14, 2010
I'm
going to cheat and give it 5 stars now, just because the book was so enjoyable. There are many tips to try, and she has checklists/points of action to help the reader make concrete changes.
An interesti thing is that MO does not advocate the use of coupons. I do not know how to do coupons effectively myself, but I'd be interested to hear from somebody who does.
I'll come back and revise/add to my review once I start saving on my grocery budget.
going to cheat and give it 5 stars now, just because the book was so enjoyable. There are many tips to try, and she has checklists/points of action to help the reader make concrete changes.
An interesti thing is that MO does not advocate the use of coupons. I do not know how to do coupons effectively myself, but I'd be interested to hear from somebody who does.
I'll come back and revise/add to my review once I start saving on my grocery budget.
July 25, 2010
This book had some helpful hints, although a lot of them don't apply to me because I shop at the commissary. Some of the recipes look good, but unfortunately my family (meaning, husband) is picky. A couple ideas that helped me: when you cook dinner, cook double and put one half in the freezer for another day. Also, she precooks most of her meat and stores it in the freezer until she needs it for a meal.
December 30, 2010
Picked this up at Home Goods for $5.00 (sorry Mary Ostyn!) and am curious to see if there are some good strategies to streamline my family's menu.
Great ideas and recipes. I will definitely put these suggestions to good use when I'm able to invest in a freezer. Right now I don't have the space to utilize a separate freezer and my fridge is not big enough to store anything "extra". Good stuff though.
Great ideas and recipes. I will definitely put these suggestions to good use when I'm able to invest in a freezer. Right now I don't have the space to utilize a separate freezer and my fridge is not big enough to store anything "extra". Good stuff though.
May 9, 2011
I liked this book well enough to purchase it after having the library copy checked out. The author has some helpful tips. What i most appreciate is the recipes for salad dressings, croutons, granola, international as well as other entrees and baked goods. She helps you to make a lot of basics that go into recipes, such as sauces or soup mixes or how to substitute tomato paste for pureed tomatoes. I've already tried over 14 recipes, making several of them multiple times.
July 20, 2011
Okay, so this might, in fact, be a 5 star read. I went out and bought my own copy of this book and I have been using some of the methods herein, but I need a little more time to incorporate things before I really test whether it works or not.
Jury's out, but definitely worth looking at, if you're looking to save money on your groceries/cooking, especially if you're in the Pacific Northwest US (since that's where the author lives, lots of more local tips).
Jury's out, but definitely worth looking at, if you're looking to save money on your groceries/cooking, especially if you're in the Pacific Northwest US (since that's where the author lives, lots of more local tips).
June 24, 2011
Great book - the tips and general savings information were great. I didn't give it more than 3 stars only because I already knew most of the information, although I did get a couple of new ideas. The recipes are what I love about the book. Very good recipes that will work well for my family. Many of them can be partially or wholly prepared ahead of time, which is awesome. Good breakfast and lunch ideas, which is what I struggle with most. Great book!
January 2, 2010
This book had a lot of practical tips. And I have tried tons of the meal ideas and they are great. Now, I won't give up my trips to my favorite Thai spot. But, now I can make the soup for my whole family for what it cost for a kids noodle bowl. Even if you do two or three of the things that she suggest then you are going to save a ton. Just look at my latest 2 week shopping bill.
April 27, 2010
I already do a LOT of what she advocates in this half instruction manual/half cookbook. But there are a few new nuggets that I took from it and will use. The recipes look good and are not all of the hamburger casserole variety as I feared. It appears to be a varied menu, without too many fru fru ingredients. I can't wait to try more of them.
August 12, 2010
The author gives a lot of interesting ideas on saving money and time in preparing meals for your family. I like her recipes because she uses whole ingredients instead of pre-packaged soups and sauces. Not only is it cheaper, but it is healthier. Most of her recipes make large quantities, but like she suggests, you can freeze 1/2 for a quick meal later. :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews