Feed a family of 4 whole, healthy food for $125 a week? That's a challenge

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It was not easy, Leake said, adding that sticking to the budget sometimes meant eating a healthy, tasty meal, but not necessarily enjoying what her family was craving that night.

This new cookbook is a companion to her first challenge, “100 Days of Real Food: How We Did It, What We Learned, and 100 Easy, Wholesome Recipes Your Family Will Love,” which was published in 2014.

After that cookbook came out, readers of her bolg
which chronicled the challenge, gave her a wake-up call: That’s all good and well, they said, but it is way too expensive for most families to eat that way.
Leake decided to see if that was true, so she set a budget of $125 a week, which is less than a family of four receives on full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. (Read about what can and cannot be purchased with

For this second cookbook, Leake did not rely on organically grown foods because these items often were too expensive. And, she limited drinks to water, milk, real juice, coffee, tea and, in moderation, beer and wine. (“To help the adults keep their sanity,” she noted.)

“I’m not saying it was easy, but we never had to succumb to processed foods,” she said.

Leake was first inspired to change the way her family was eating by journalist Michael Pollan’s “In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto” (2008, Penguin Press), which explores how the Western diet has negatively affected our health. (Read more about Pollan here: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.")
“I wanted to draw attention to how Americans had become dependent on processed foods,” Leake said.

Since then, she has educated herself about the health benefits of eating whole foods: whole grains, meats, vegetables and fruits.

The decision to eat whole foods is not without its sacrifices, especially if you’re on a budget.

“Shopping this way wasn’t about getting what you’re craving, but buying food you could afford and be creative with,” she said.

“Definitely, the initial transition is the hardest part, as with any big change you make in life,” she said. “Once I got over that hump, it felt like a new normal, and it’s just a way of life for us now. It is more cooking and more dirty dishes, but based on the changes in health, it is worth that effort.”

Along with saving money, her family has seen improvements in their health, such as improved cholesterol and fewer asthma and digestive issues.

It’s important to involve the whole household, Leake said. Her children were 3 and 5 years old when the family did its first challenge.

“We explained to them what they were doing and why,” she said. “We told them that we want to live longer lives. Now that they are older, we get them a little more involved.

“They are still kids,” she said. “If they are at a birthday party or pool snack bar, we give them flexibility.”

The change in lifestyle isn’t just about what Leake and her family eat.

“Most importantly, I am teaching my kids to cook,” Leake said. “They are 11- and 13-years-old now, and they can both cook really good meals without any help.”

Leake, who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, is convinced that even people who are on a very tight budget can eat in a healthier way much of the time.

Still, she said she realizes that resources, such as reliable transportation, a variety of nearby grocery stores, an herb and/or vegetable garden, a well-equipped kitchen and, perhaps, most valuable of all, the free time to prep food and cook all played a major role her ability to pull this off.

Without these, one might be hard-pressed to stick to a 100 percent whole food diet, but people can make healthier choices more often, she said.

“Any little positive change counts,” she said. “Even if you can’t completely overhaul your diet, start with breakfast and try to clean up the first meal of the day before you move on to something else.”
The book contains 100 real-food and budget-friendly recipes. Each recipe includes a shopping list and the cost of the dish based on the Publix grocery near her family’s house. She did not use any sale-priced items in her calculation.

(Here are some of Leake's and our strategies for spending less at the grocery store.)

Leake does assume a pantry with a few basic spices, such as salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, olive oil and vinegar, so every teaspoon of these is not figured into the cost.

If, however, a recipe calls for a special ingredient, such as sour cream, Leake includes the total cost of an 8-ounce container, not the two or three tablespoons called for in the recipe. You have to buy the whole thing, right?

“My recipes are all very easy and simple recipes that basically call for ingredients that you probably all have on hand,” she said.

Here are three examples of her whole food, budget-friendly recipes.

She describes this egg dish from “100 Days of Real Food: On a Budget” (2018, William Morrow, HarperCollins Publishers) as easy to make, taking about 20. The only special tool required is an oven-proof 10-inch sauté pan or skillet.

“I never would’ve thought to put olives on an omelet or frittata until we tried it while on a trip to Morocco,” Leake writes in her cookbook. “With olive trees in abundance in the area, olives showed up in a variety of dishes, and it really opened my eyes to the many ways you can cook with them (not just eat them as a snack or appetizer). I’ll never look at olives the same again!”

It is gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian, (if one eats eggs). It is great as reheated leftovers, Leake said.

Black Olive and Tomato Frittata
Make 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

Ground black pepper

8 eggs, whisked until smooth

2 small Roma (plum) tomatoes (about ¼ pound each), diced

12 pitted black or Kalamata olives, sliced (or diced)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion, paprika, turmeric, salt and pepper to taste and cook until the onions soften, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes.

Take pan off heat, spread onions into even layer, pour in eggs, and evenly sprinkle with the tomatoes and olives.

Transfer to the oven and bake until the egg is firm, 14 to 18 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste (if desired), slice like a pie, and serve warm.

The shopping list for this recipe:

1 small onion -- 56 cents
1 dozen eggs -- $1.19
2 small Roma (plum) tomatoes (about 1/2 pound) -- $1
One 3.8-ounce can (or jar) black olives -- $1.59

Total: $4.34
Cost per serving: $1.09

Pantry check list:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Salt and pepper

Leftover ingredients

Onion
Eggs
Olives

Instead of take-out, try the next two “super-easy” dishes from “100 Days of Real Food: On a Budget” (2018, William Morrow, HarperCollins Publishers).

Of this easy Chinese chicken, Leake writes: “It would be great served over brown rice with a green veggie on the side, such as raw sugar snap peas or sautéed bok choy.”

“I used chicken thighs in this recipe because they are a better deal (and I often think they taste better, too),” Leake said. “But you could substitute chicken breasts if you’d prefer.”

It takes about 15 minutes to prepare, is dairy-free and freezer-friendly.
Easy Chinese Chicken
Makes 4 or 5 servings

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch cubes

1 cup whole wheat flour

4 tablespoons coconut oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, (1/2 teaspoon if you prefer it mild)

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water

To make chicken: In shallow dish, combine soy sauce and water. Add chicken and marinate for at least 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature or up to a few hours in refrigerator.

Place flour on a plate. Remove chicken from marinade and roll pieces around in flour until all sides are coated.

In large skillet, melt coconut oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown all over and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate, leaving the flavorful bits in the pan.

To make the sauce: In same pan over medium heat, cook the garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes for 30 to 60 seconds, then whisk in vinegar, honey, soy sauce, and water and bring to a boil. Cook, scraping up the browned bits in bottom of the pan, until liquid begins to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken, stir to coat it in the sauce, and serve warm.

Shopping list:

One 15-ounce bottle soy sauce -- $2.49
1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs -- $4.03
One 2-pound bag whole wheat flour -- $3.49
1 garlic head -- 50 cents
2 ounces fresh ginger – 63 cents

Total: $11.14
Cost per serving: $2.23

Pantry check list:

1/4 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons honey

Leftover ingredients

Soy sauce
Flour
Garlic
Ginger

Most of Leake’s recipes do not require special tools, but the one device she does recommend is a slow cooker, especially if one is working or in school.

“Many moo shu recipes call for hoisin sauce, which contains sugar,” Leake writes in “100 Days of Real Food: On a Budget” (2018, William Morrow, HarperCollins Publishers). “Since cutting out processed food, I’ve missed them both, (but) I just cannot serve refined sugar for dinner. So, I’m thrilled to have this more wholesome alternative, which is everything I could hope for.”

Leake describes this recipes as “super-easy.” She said it takes about 10 to 15 minutes of prep time and then seven to eight hours in the slow cooker on low. It is gluten-free, if gluten-free soy sauce is used. And, it is freezer-friendly, too.

Slow Cooker Shredded Moo Shu Pork
Makes 6 or 8 servings (as sandwich), 4 or 6 (by itself)

3-pound pork shoulder roast

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup honey

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Set pork in a slow cooker.

In medium bowl, whisk soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, garlic, sesame oil, vinegar and spices. Pour mixture over the pork. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or until the meat is tender enough to shred easily with a fork.

Shopping list

3 pounds pork shoulder -- $9.87
One 15-ounce bottle soy sauce -- $2.49
One 16-ounce jar peanut butter -- $2.67
1 garlic head -- 50 cents

Total: $15.53
Cost per serving: $2.59

Pantry checklist

1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pepper

Leftover ingredients

Soy sauce
Peanut butter
Garlic

Note: If making sandwiches, use whole grain tortillas and shredded cabbage mix, otherwise plate with brown rice or riced cauliflower.