Even though we started over and have one kid in di Even though we started over and have one kid in diapers, this time around feels lighter 🥹🙌🏽

I don’t know exactly when it happened. When the chaos became bearable. When the joy stopped getting buried under my never ending to-do list. But here we are. Laughing. Letting go. Actually having fun. 

It’s not the easy season. But it’s definitely the good one. The fun one. And I’m learning to enjoy it while I’m in it. 

For every mama in the thick of it, I’m right there with you, but I’m here to tell you, YOU WILL WIN ❤️💦 #momlife #girlmom #boymom #motherhood #momof5 #familylife
5 kids. 2 parents. What were we thinking? 😂🐺 5 kids. 2 parents. What were we thinking? 😂🐺💦

We spent the 4th of July weekend this year at @greatwolflodge — and it was a lot. A lot of noise. A lot of walking. A lot of snacks. A lot of towels. A lot of joy.

We had 5 kids running in 5 directions. There were moments I wanted to cry — and moments I laughed until I couldn’t breathe.

I didn’t get the perfect picture. But I got something better: presence.

Somewhere between the water slides and the late-night pizza, I caught myself watching them. Really watching them. And it hit me: they won’t be this little for long 🥺

The 4th of July means freedom. And this weekend gave me mine — not from responsibility, but from distraction. From comparison. From rushing through what matters most.

We left tired. Hair wet, suitcases messy, hearts full. I won’t remember everything from this trip. But I’ll remember how it felt. And that’s enough.

You can read all about our weekend at Great Wolf Lodge with 5 kids, including how much we spent (and saved!) over on the blog today! www.DanielleSkeaton.com 🔗 LINK IN BIO
Been waiting for this getaway all week!! Side note Been waiting for this getaway all week!! Side note: Savannah is getting so big 🥺 #familyvacay #roadtrip #momlife #toddlermom #momof5
Holidays are my fave ❤️🇺🇸✨ Holidays are my fave ❤️🇺🇸✨
They ran wild. We kept up. Barely 😅 Would do it They ran wild. We kept up. Barely 😅 Would do it again tomorrow! Visit @funbox at Polaris and get your tickets online! 

#funbox #funboxcolumbus #family #momlife #familyfun
Swing by @marketdistrict and grab these festive tr Swing by @marketdistrict and grab these festive treats, refreshing drinks, and party supplies for your Independence Day celebration! Happy Birthday, America 🇺🇸🌭🎉 #GiantEaglePartner #4thofJuly #IndependenceDay #July4th #partyideas
We made it to the world’s biggest bounce park an We made it to the world’s biggest bounce park and it was a blast! ✨🌈💕 @funbox
This just elevated my entire DIY lash routine! LIN This just elevated my entire DIY lash routine! LINK IN BIO 😍 @leisurelash 

#beautyhack #selfcare #lashextensions #volumelashes #lashkit #lashatyourleisure
Approved by the kids. And my lactose-intolerant se Approved by the kids. And my lactose-intolerant self. 🫶🏾 #GiantEaglePartner @marketdistrict #icecream #dairyfree #momlife #boymom
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Danielle Skeaton

Hands Full, Heart Full

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By: Danielle Skeaton

How to Plan Family Meals On A Budget

When you have a family to feed, buying groceries every week can get expensive. Especially right now with grocery prices skyrocketing.

These days we’re getting less food for more money.

Its crazy! Thankfully, there are lots of ways to save money on groceries that still work. Learning how to weekly meal plan and stick to it is one of them.

You may not feel the results immediately, but the more you make weekly meal planning a habit, you will soon find extra money you didn’t know you had.

Today, I’m sharing five strategic ways I feed my family of six on a budget through weekly menu planning.

Related: Overcoming My Grocery Shopping Anxiety

1. Plan to eat the same meals.

You probably don’t notice that when you eat the same budget-friendly meals in rotation for breakfast, lunch, and dinner it keeps your grocery bill under control.

Now, our grocery bill is pretty predictable at around $150-$180 every week because we plan to eat a lot of the same things. Then for dinner, we try one new recipe at a time so we don’t get sick of our favorites.

2. Plan to eat from your pantry.

If you need meal ideas, start with the ingredients that you don’t need to buy. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found items like noodles, sauces & condiments, or rice buried in my cabinets that I turned into easy meals!

So check your pantry, fridge, and freezer to see what meals you can make from what you already have! Sometimes those ingredients will help you put together meals you would’ve never thought of, which will save you time and money as you’re menu planning.

3. Plan to eat less meat.

The biggest budget buster for groceries is always buying meat. So to offset this cost, I recommend you have a meatless day on your menu once a week.

You can make homemade pizza or find kid-friendly vegetarian recipes on Pinterest to try with your family!

But if you prefer to make meat the star of every meal, chicken is definitely one of the cheapest cuts of meat you can buy. And there are SO MANY ways you can cook with chicken—from pulled chicken sandwiches to chicken tacos, homemade chicken nuggets, and southern fried chicken (yum!).

(I cook with chicken a LOT and my kids don’t complain!)

4. Plan to eat leftovers.

Once or twice a week I will plan to make a Stretch Meal—which is one meal intended to stretch over two days!

It gives me a break from cooking and it helps our grocery budget stretch further.

When I make these Stretch Meals, I always store the leftovers inside food storage containers to keep it fresh to eat the next day!

But you can also use the leftovers from your Stretch Meals to pack lunches instead of ordering food.

5. Plan around sales.

Some moms plan their ENTIRE menu around what’s on sale every week! (I have to admit, I’m not that creative.) The best way to do this is to grab the sales ad from your favorite store before you go shopping.

Then, you can plan what you’re going to make for dinner during the week using the ingredients that you find from the sales ad!

Plus, planning your menu around sales is a smart way to save money on meat and other groceries without couponing. Because you can stock up and freeze it for later, or treat your family to a steak or roast beef dinner without going over budget!

You certainly don’t have to use all of these methods to stay on budget. You can try a few at a time and or mix and match until you find the right formula that works for you!

These days, I primarily plan to eat the same meals, plan to eat leftovers, and plan to eat from my pantry because combining all three is helping me kill it even with inflation! I’m sure if I also started planning around sales, I could save even more money on groceries, but I supplement this by shopping at grocery stores that already have very low prices (Walmart and Aldi are my fav!).

Cheap & Easy Dinner Ideas You’ll Love:

  • Simple, Cheesy Ranch Chicken Alfredo To Make This Week
  • Slow Cooker Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs
  • One-Pot White Chicken Chili
  • The Baked Ziti Recipe That My Picky Kids Approved

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Welcome to my little corner on the internet! I’m Danielle Skeaton — wife, mama of 5, and storyteller at heart. I'm so glad you're here. About Me
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Even though we started over and have one kid in di Even though we started over and have one kid in diapers, this time around feels lighter 🥹🙌🏽

I don’t know exactly when it happened. When the chaos became bearable. When the joy stopped getting buried under my never ending to-do list. But here we are. Laughing. Letting go. Actually having fun. 

It’s not the easy season. But it’s definitely the good one. The fun one. And I’m learning to enjoy it while I’m in it. 

For every mama in the thick of it, I’m right there with you, but I’m here to tell you, YOU WILL WIN ❤️💦 #momlife #girlmom #boymom #motherhood #momof5 #familylife
5 kids. 2 parents. What were we thinking? 😂🐺 5 kids. 2 parents. What were we thinking? 😂🐺💦

We spent the 4th of July weekend this year at @greatwolflodge — and it was a lot. A lot of noise. A lot of walking. A lot of snacks. A lot of towels. A lot of joy.

We had 5 kids running in 5 directions. There were moments I wanted to cry — and moments I laughed until I couldn’t breathe.

I didn’t get the perfect picture. But I got something better: presence.

Somewhere between the water slides and the late-night pizza, I caught myself watching them. Really watching them. And it hit me: they won’t be this little for long 🥺

The 4th of July means freedom. And this weekend gave me mine — not from responsibility, but from distraction. From comparison. From rushing through what matters most.

We left tired. Hair wet, suitcases messy, hearts full. I won’t remember everything from this trip. But I’ll remember how it felt. And that’s enough.

You can read all about our weekend at Great Wolf Lodge with 5 kids, including how much we spent (and saved!) over on the blog today! www.DanielleSkeaton.com 🔗 LINK IN BIO
Been waiting for this getaway all week!! Side note Been waiting for this getaway all week!! Side note: Savannah is getting so big 🥺 #familyvacay #roadtrip #momlife #toddlermom #momof5
Holidays are my fave ❤️🇺🇸✨ Holidays are my fave ❤️🇺🇸✨
They ran wild. We kept up. Barely 😅 Would do it They ran wild. We kept up. Barely 😅 Would do it again tomorrow! Visit @funbox at Polaris and get your tickets online! 

#funbox #funboxcolumbus #family #momlife #familyfun
Swing by @marketdistrict and grab these festive tr Swing by @marketdistrict and grab these festive treats, refreshing drinks, and party supplies for your Independence Day celebration! Happy Birthday, America 🇺🇸🌭🎉 #GiantEaglePartner #4thofJuly #IndependenceDay #July4th #partyideas
We made it to the world’s biggest bounce park an We made it to the world’s biggest bounce park and it was a blast! ✨🌈💕 @funbox
This just elevated my entire DIY lash routine! LIN This just elevated my entire DIY lash routine! LINK IN BIO 😍 @leisurelash 

#beautyhack #selfcare #lashextensions #volumelashes #lashkit #lashatyourleisure
Approved by the kids. And my lactose-intolerant se Approved by the kids. And my lactose-intolerant self. 🫶🏾 #GiantEaglePartner @marketdistrict #icecream #dairyfree #momlife #boymom
True story 🙌🏽🙏🏽❤️ #godisgood #tha True story 🙌🏽🙏🏽❤️

#godisgood #thankyoujesus #blessed #grateful #christianreels

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