As y’all have no doubt noticed, the $35 a Week project has been offline for quite some time now. Most of this is due to the time-sucking vortex that is Life With a Baby, and another part of it is due to the fact I work from home now, and any free time I have during Baby F.’s two distressingly short naps a day goes toward…well…making money. Not blogging. But I am still cooking! Am I doing it for under $35 a week, you ask? (And many of you have asked.) Unfortunately, no. For two reasons: 1. Baby F. is sensitive to dairy, so as long as I’m nursing I’ve had to cut out any traces of dairy from my diet—cheese, milk, buttermilk, etc. I couldn’t go straight vegan because I still needed protein for the nursing, so this necessitated eating more meat, which we all know is not cheap. And 2. We’ve switched to eating all organic produce, which has upped our bill considerably. But I’m still cooking with the $35 a Week principles in mind, and going dairy-free has definitely opened the door to some things I had never considered using before (almond milk, nutritional yeast) but most likely will continue to use even after I can eat dairy again. In any case, stay tuned in the next couple of months for some tips on what I’ve learned about cooking for dietary restrictions on a budget, and thanks for all your words of encouragement!
The $35 a Week Project 
YES!!!!! Welcome back!
So good to hear from you again!
Good to hear from you. Take care of yourself and baby and enjoy this time, it goes by quickly.
Glad to hear you’re doing well and you’re sort of back to blogging. Money and baby time are definitely more important. You’re the third new mom to tell me that their baby has a diary sensitivity. The reporter in me wants to know why so many babies. Can’t wait to read more from you.
Good to hear from you. Sounds like you’re new life is keeping you busy!
You can still continue $35 a week with no dairy. With our six, our budget is more $100 a week, but making my own soy milk and tofu really helps keep the budget under control. So much you can do with both (and that beautiful “waste” product called okara as well) and still feed a family healthy, filling, beautiful food.
Looking forward to your return! I’d love to know how well you did without dairy in your diet, as well as improving baby’s tummy. Hoping all’s well with you!