See that picture in the background? It was taken from the top of the hill I grew up on. And, after a 12-year wait, I am now able to raise MY children in this beautiful area. I LOVE climbing mountains, here. I love Farmer’s markets, hidden beaches, special events, family barbeques, meeting people, having guests and much, much more.

And lucky me; I live in the most beautiful place on earth to do these things. Every weekend, instead of, say, unpacking, cleaning, or decorating our house, we find ourselves exploring, enjoying, and eating on the go. Remember: That’s 8 allergen-free, health-nutty people needing 7-9 meals.

This weekend, I intend to be prepared. I invested $50 in ingredients, and will draw on my existing pantry. Speaking of existing pantries, I am absolutely convinced that a well-stocked pantry, full of foods that your family will actually eat, is essential to budgeting now, and surviving through hard times. (I grew up in the land of sudden snowfall, with generally seasonal business-owning parental figures. Knowing how to survive lean times is ingrained in me.)

So, here’s what I’m making ahead. You will see where I balance the tension between budget, ethics, and health. It’s a TOUGH ONE!!!

A nice, big batch of homemade salsa. I admit it. This blows the budget. But I bought locally-grown tomatoes, and am adding peaches, which are in season, so it’s okay, right? Just agree with me. I can come up with more rationalizations than you can imagine.

Fried chicken. This is my complete and utter food sin for the week. I bought one of those big, hideous 10-lb bags of chicken leg quarters, which I know came from tormented birds. They’re full of evil antibiotics and resistant, dangerous bacteria, I am sure. I have no justification. I’m begging God, nature, and you, gentle readers, for forgiveness. They’re a step up from a 3-lb package of gluten free turkey hotdogs, right? I’ll fry them up this evening, with my husband’s special spice blends to hide the flavor, and we’ll have them to eat cold for a meal or two.

Health-nut Ghetto Sushi Rolls. These are my own special recipe, where I use a combination of sushi rice and red quinoa for the grain, gorgeous raw, organic nori I bought in a big, discount 50-pack, a cucumber, an avocado, organic carrots (juicing carrots are cheap, and YUMMY), and canned fish mixed with vegenaise and liquid smoke. Yes, you heard me right. I am dairy-sensitive, so I eat as much canned fish as I can stand. Besides, I’m pretty sure raw sushi is a great way to get some evil parasite.

I made a hearty breakfast cake for this morning, and saved half for this weekend.

A big crock-pot of baked beans. I cooked up a bunch of Great Northern Beans from my pantry. I’ll be adding something acid, something sweet, and something smoky. How I pull this off changes every time I make it. I consider baked beans a flexible recipe. Today, leftover cranberry juice, onions, spices, and the package of turkey bacon I picked up on my way home will factor in. Currently, I am wishing that I had picked up an apple or two, as well.

I’m also making a big pot of yellow split pea soup with sweet potatoes and kale for dinner tonight, and plan to use leftovers for at least one meal this weekend.

I bought a few bunches of bananas, 2 bags of chips, 24 cheese sticks, a watermelon, cups and napkins (disposable, but we can use cups a few times, rather than just once, like juice boxes or water bottles.)

I’ll also be popping up a BIG grocery sack full of organic popcorn, and I should seriously consider replacing the chips with that. BUT–popcorn is really lame at scooping salsa. Just sayin’. I LOVE organic popcorn, though, because I bought a 25-lb bag for $20 from http://azurestandard.com, and had it delivered free, along with most of the rest of my pantry’s contents. You can check their site, to see if you’re on a delivery route, and no, that is not an affiliate link. It’s just me, getting you the hook-up.

What are your plans this weekend? How do YOU keep your weekend food budget under control?