In Part 9 of What We Ate This Week, I’m sharing a very full February week — what we ate, how I prepped, and what we spent as a family of six after returning from travel.

This week includes:

• A full fridge reset after vacation
• Two Trader Joe’s runs + one Costco trip
• Scratch cooking (as always)
• Frozen cookie dough confessions 🍪
• Homemade tortillas 🌮
• Shabbat rhythms ✨
• And how I manage leftovers so I don’t cook on Saturdays

Total grocery spend: $309
Dining out (besides airport): $0

What I Prepped This Week 🥣

• Hard-boiled eggs
• Sourdough pancakes
• Homemade sandwich bread
• One loaf sourdough
• Blueberry scones
• Frozen cookie dough balls
• Sourdough tortillas
• Roasted chickpeas
• Challah for Shabbat
• Pre-packed school lunches
• Washed + chopped snack vegetables & fruit

Meals Mentioned 🍽️

• Chicken noodle soup
• Lentil soup (freezer stash win)
• Meatloaf + mashed potatoes + Brussels sprouts
• Slow cooker chicken taco bowls
• Sheet pan salmon + frozen vegetable mix
• Steak + salad + challah (Shabbat dinner)

Systems That Are Working ✔️

• Bulk mashed potatoes for future meals
• Frozen cookie dough for emergency dessert
• Large after-school snack platter
• Homemade bread rotation
• Leftover-only Saturdays

Budget Notes 💸

Goal: Keep groceries under $1,200/month
Reality this week: Higher than average due to post-trip restock
Win: Zero restaurant spending (minus unavoidable airport food)

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www.daraboxer.com

This year, I’m treating 2026 like a stewardship reset.

In this episode, I walk through the discretionary spending categories I’m tracking — groceries, household sundries, kids’ gear, memberships, family outings, clothing, and more — and how I’m identifying the “slow bleeds” that quietly add up. I also share why I’m prioritizing second-hand purchases, repairing before replacing, and using what we already have (yes, even the unopened lipsticks).

We simply have enough. And this year, I want to live like it.

Previous Episodes on Budgets:

• #31: Fluid Budgeting and a Spending Freeze Part I
• #32: Sinking Funds, Budgeting Part II
• #105: 2024 Budgeting for a Smooth Year
• #188: Raw Monthly Budget | What My Family of Six Actually Spends

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www.daraboxer.com

This week, I’m talking about the Ten Commandments, and why I believe they are still a blueprint for human flourishing today. I share my thoughts on integrity, faith, and choosing what is right in a world that often celebrates the opposite.

If you’ve been feeling unsettled by what you see in the culture, this episode is an invitation to choose light, truth, and moral clarity — imperfectly, but sincerely.

Other Shabbat Episodes:

• #193: The Radical Gift of Sabbath
• #96: How and Why the Sabbath Balances Out Your Weekly Flow

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www.daraboxer.com