2013 $50 Weekly Menu Week #18

2013 $50 Weekly Menu Plan Week #18: A number of fresh fruits and veggies are available at great seasonal prices right now including spinach (which is really cheap!), zucchini, and kiwi. This weeks menu plan uses the oven a little more than usual because we’re expecting another cold spell and the extra warmth will be . . .
welcomed with open arms! This week we shopped at the local farmers market to get some decent deals, total spent $32. and we purchased the following: 2.5 lbs shrimp, apples, yogurt, milk, kiwi, zucchini, spinach, peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, jasmine rice, rice krispies *generic brand, marshmallows and bananas.

Breakfast Choices this week:

• Egg White Omelets (Egg whites, diced veggies, seasonings)
• Copycat Cinnabon Rolls
• Toasted English Muffins or Morning Sunrise Sandwiches
• Guilt Free Strawberry Shortcake Muffins
• Eggs- Poached, scrambled, fried, etc
• Fresh Fruit (always available) ( Apples, Bananas, Home-Canned Peaches)
• Fruit & Yogurt Parfaits(peaches/granola)

MondayApril 29th, 2013:

• Lunch: Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Onions
• Dinner:Grilled Chicken with Kiwi Salsa

Tuesday April 30th:

• Lunch: Kiwi Strawberry Spinach Salad
• Dinner:Shrimp Stir-Fry over Jasmine Rice

Wednesday May 1st:

• Lunch: Wraps made with Leftover Shrimp Stir-Fry
• Dinner:Amish Poor Man’s Steak, Riced Potatoes, Spinach

Thursday May 2nd:

• Lunch: Bermuda Spinach salad
• Dinner:Chorizo & Pepper Frittata

Friday May 3rd:

• Lunch: Cucumber Sandwiches
• Dinner:Cornbread Taco Throw Together

Saturday May 4th:

• Midday: Potluck Gathering with Friends at lunchtime throughout the evening, Making Catfish Stew, Cornbread

Sunday May 5th:

• Lunch: Grilled cheese & tomato
• Dinner: 7th Heaven Chicken, Salad

Various Snacks:

• Fresh Fruit– Apples, Bananas, blueberries, strawberries, pineapple
• Honey Crunch Granola Bars
• Pickled Eggs
• Microwave Popcorn
• Deviled Egg Dip & Veggies
• Cinnamon Bun Krispy Delights

Drinks Available:A note about our drink offerings, while we do always have coffee and tea in the house, coffee is usually with breakfast, hot tea is usually in the evening and for the most part our other drinks consist of Water. We don’t “drink milk” at all, it is usually used in making homemade yogurt, or in cereals, baking, etc.* Iced Tea (Unsweetened & Sweet Tea, various flavors)
* Coffee
* Hot Chocolate/Cocoa
* Lemonade

A few things we’d like to share with you: Our garden is starting to produce grape tomatoes and we’re really hoping by next week, they won’t be on the grocery list at all! The garden has been in for a few weeks and if you’d like to see what we planted this year, you can take a look here.

We designed and implemented our own homemade automatic watering system as well so that we wouldn’t have to worry about our garden dying during the summer heat.

FYI Section:
It has been brought to our attention that a few folks who are just joining us are getting the wrong impression that we purchase EVERYTHING at once for each weeks menu plan. This is not the case at all, nor do we recommend it. We are incorporating items purchased or home canned weeks ago into the menu plan this week.

For Further reading/help we recommend the following:

• The 2012 Family Guide to Groceries under $250 a Month– a guide of how and where to cut grocery expenses to get spending under control while providing an eye-opening view of the dirty manipulation tactics retailers use to keep you spending.

• $50 Weekly Menu Plan Help across the USA–Do you find yourself struggling to reduce your grocery bill each month? Check out our Menu plan help across the USA to see if your area has been featured for more 1-on-1 help, if not, feel free to add your request to have your city/state featured.

• April Sales Trends-not sure what Should be on sale right now? Here is a list of the current Sales trends for the month of April, so you know what savings to expect

• Making Fruits & Veggies Last: At the beginning of each week we prepare the vegetables and fruits to make meal preparation easier during the week and to save money by preventing waste. You can read more about that here.

• How Spending $25 Now can save you Hundreds Later

• $50 Dollar Menu Frequently Asked Questions– a few of the most often asked questions regarding our $50 menu plans

  • Basic Questions– Why we don’t provide a shopping list, Random ingredients that aren’t in the shopping list, are groceries cheaper , etc
  • More Questions– more in depth questions regarding dietary guidelines, dealing with picky eaters, junk food and more