Cheap + Food + Diet = Impossible for me ?

This is the post that has been in my head since lunch. I debated on posting but since this is an honest blog thought I should go ahead and get it out!

I was very poor as a kid. I am ONLY 38 but I remember things like the first time we got a Polaroid pictures of myself and my brother, a stranger took it and gave it to us at a store, and we actually lived in a rent house without indoor plumbing for the first several month. So living cheaply is something I learned from the best My MOM! I know we were poor now but I can't tell you one time that I didn't have something we needed like food or clothes! Food is the biggest area of expense in our house. I can't stand the thought of throwing away food for any reason. I am famous for my left over nights where we pull out of the fridge and make at least one if not several meals. I have even been known to look up recipes to use the ingredients I have on hand! Since I am now staying at home, leftovers are a staple for lunch. Lily thinks getting a sandwich is a treat! So after Zach's dedication last week, there was an entire baked ziti left untouched. No big deal I thought at the time. I even put it in our weekly menu plan in my head, Thursday! But even the best laid plans are interrupted! On Wednesday, I received in the mail some free items from Atkins and showed them to Matt. He decided Thursday morning to start the diet and asked me to join him. I did with the acknowledge that he would be more successful than me but I wanted to support him! I am actually glad he is starting to attempt to lose weight with the deaths of both his Mother and Sister, I get worried. So of course the Baked Ziti is off the menu. I have actually feed it to the girls 2 days for lunch but 3/4 is left. Today I broke down and had some for lunch because I hate for it to be wasted!