Meal Prep Monday: Many Ways with Ham

This week, our prepped meals feature the ham I bought after Christmas, when they were marked down so much the stores were practically giving them away.

Step 1: Bake the ham. While the ham was baking, I took advantage of the already running oven. This saves both time and resources, using the same hot oven for multiple meals, even ones we're not eating right now.

I tossed in a few sweet potatoes, still in their jackets and straight on the rack. These would go into our lunches, below. Step 2: Prep breakfasts Next, I made up a batch of high-protein muffins for breakfasts with a coupon score - $.75 for a package of Birds Eye Steamfresh Protein Blends, California Style bean, grain, and veggies, mixed with 4 eggs ($.14 each) to bind it all together. This made 6 muffins at $.22 each. I'll add free oranges from the neighbor's tree, and each of the three kids will have breakfast of 2 muffins each for $.44. If I found more coupons for this mix, I'd definitely make these again, but I'm not likely to pay full price for the mix. I also used the time to make a batch of oatmeal in the Instant Pot, with applesauce and apple pie spice.

Step 3: Prep lunches with cooked hamOnce the ham was finished baking, I packed lunches for my spouse and me: a variation of this ham and pineapple dinner  with sweet potato and diced jalapeno for heat, peas on the side, and ham and pineapple fried rice, peas included. Dried fruit and some candies from a holiday gift basket round out the meals. These are each under $.50 a serving.

Step 4: Pack up the hamWith breakfasts prepped and lunches packed, I went to work feeding the freezer with meals for future weeks, so we don’t burn out on ham eating it all at once! A little ham gives a lot of flavor and really stretches, so most of it was diced to add to soups and casseroles. This is one of my best money saving tips: serve meat as an accompaniment rather than an entree.

We ate ham, green beans, and cornbread for Sunday dinner, have packed lunches with ham, and there are 9 packages of diced ham for upcoming meals, so our 11 lb. ham made for 11 meals for 5-6. I'll be using the rest of the packaged ham, one a week for the next 9 weeks, to make:

• Western Quiche - a pie tin filled with spinach, potato, diced ham, onions, and ready for the addition of whipped eggs.
• Beans with ham and collard green soup, following the beans with sausage and greens method.
• Creamy potato soup with ham
• Split pea soup using the ham bone
• Mac and cheese with ham and peas
• Broccoli, ham, and rice casserole
• Sliced ham for grilled ham and cheese sandwiches
• Another round of the ham and pineapple dinner - it's tasty!
• The rough bits were added to a pot of green beans and cooked until the beans were soft and hammy. We had them for dinner but have another batch for another night. Yummy!
  

Everyday Oatmeal

Oats are hearty, filling all morning, easy to prepare, and very affordable.  My favorite are steel cut oats, which take a bit longer to cook but provide a nice chewy texture.

I've taken to preparing a big batch over the weekend so we can quickly grab a bowl in the morning. I cook 2 cups of dry oats with a can of evaporated milk, a stick of cinnamon, and a large can of fruit, such as pureed pumpkin or peaches in juice or applesauce. I only add sugar if needed at the end of cooking; usually it isn't necessary.

Oats are one of the items I can regularly find in bulk bins at WinCo, at about $.68/lb.

I occasionally find deals on canned fruit and stock up. I try to keep the fruit under $.99. Grocery Outlet and the Dollar Tree frequently have large cans, 24-28 oz, for this price.

During the winter holidays, evaporated milk goes on sale and I stock up. I bought several dozen cans at $.78 each right after Thanksgiving and am slowly working through my stock.

By stocking up at the best prices, this makes for a satisfying meal for about $.35.