In honor of Hunger Action Month, IFFS Nutrition Education Division wanted to share an article we found in this month's Eating Well Magazine that ties into our Cooking Matters at the Store $10 Challenge.

For those of you that are not familiar with CMATS, we provide families with hands-on education as they shop for food, giving them skills to compare foods for cost and nutrition. Participants learn how to plan and budget for healthy, affordable, and delicious meals for their families. At the end of the tour, we have participants go back out into the store and complete a $10 challenge - selecting healthy items from each section of My Plate or putting together 1 meal to feed a family of 4 for $10. We then provide the $10 gift card for participants to purchase the items and take them home!

One Bag of Groceries, 5 Fast Dinners! - October 2013 issue

Here is the shopping list to make 5 great meals for less than $50 total:

Produce & Herbs:

1 pound Brussels sprouts, 1 small bunch chard, 1 head garlic, 1 lemon, 1 small onion, 1 bunch fresh sage, 1 bunch scallions, 1 large shallot, 2 large sweet potatoes

Dry Goods & Bread:

14-16 ox package whole-wheat angel hair pasta, coarse dry whole what breadcrumbs

Canned & Bottled Goods:

15-oz can chickpeas, 14-oz can petite diced tomatoes

Refrigerator Items & Dairy:

reduced-fat sour cream, Parmesan cheese, 1 dozen eggs

Frozen:

30-ounce bag frozen shredded hash browns

Meat & Seafood:

4 thin-sliced chicken breasts (about 1 lb), 1 lb pork tenderloin, 4 oz Spanish Chorizo (or pepperoni)

Check your Pantry for:

extra-virgin olive oil, dijon mustard, all-purpose flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, dried rosemary, dry white wine (1 cup)

Day 1 - Meatless Monday - $2.50/serving

Brussels Sprout & Potato Hash

Makes 4 servings - 1 egg/1 cup hash, 45 minutes to prepare

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup chopped onion, 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, 5 cups frozen shredded has browns, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground pepper, 1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced (I would use food processor to shred), 1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, 4 large eggs

1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and rosemary; cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in hash browns, salt and pepper. Shread into an even layer, Cook, undisturbed, for 4 minutes.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in Brussels sprouts, spread back into an even layer and cook, stirring every 2-3 minutes and returning to an even layer, until golden brown, 12-14 minutes total. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.

3. Meanwhile, bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a dutch oven. Reduce to a gentle simmer. Break an egg into a small bowl, submerge the bowl's lip in the water and slide the egg in. Repeat with the remaining eggs. Cook for 4 minutes for soft set, 5 minutes for medium set and 8 minutes for hard set. Transfer the eggs to a clean dish towel to drain. Serve eggs over hash.

Hunger Action Month - $10 challenge recipes