2012 $50 Weekly Menu Plan Week #29

We thought we'd try something a little different this week. We're sharing our receipt as well as our menu plan to help give a better idea on how we plan the budget. This weeks Menu plan total came to $49.96

We understand that it can be frustrating to learn how to effectively menu plan to reduce your budget, sometimes things happen that change your plans during the week- for instance, it may be hot and no one feels like cooking/eating, or perhaps your family was invited to a cookout last minute, etc. This weeks menu actually incorporates a few items that we purchased last week that need to be used up because our plans changed last minute.

For $49.96 (after taxes) we purchased the following: 3 green peppers, pound of fresh cherries, 2 avocado, 3lbs bananas, 3 lbs apples, 5 lbs yukon gold potatoes, mango, Giant cantaloupe, Honeydew melon, Strawberries, Celery, Artisan lettuce, Giant can of Coffee, Whole Pineapple, 2 cucumbers, apricot preserves, 2lbs sausage, Half & Half, Blueberries, 2 cans Solid White Tuna, 2 lbs Baby Carrots, 12 grain bread, Sandwich skinnys (bread), 2 packages oreo cookies, 2 packages english muffins.

Please also note that this Receipt is from this morning July 16th, 2012- we often receive messages that it is Not possible to take care of a family for only $50 a week. I assure you, not only is it possible, but we've been doing it for over a decade- in 3 different states with vastly different resources and economic situations.

We'll be using a few items that didn't get used last week including a head of cabbage, some cheese, cream cheese, as well as a few meats and seafood choices from the freezer. The halibut mentioned in this weeks menu is fish that we caught. The shrimp mentioned in this weeks menu are from a deal we found several weeks ago where shrimp dropped to $3 a pound for a weekend.
Normally we'd make our own cookies for snacking, but these yummy little chocolate twists are great for our favorite cookies & cream ice cream recipe. Since Heavy cream was so expensive this week- we opted to alter the recipe slightly and use half & half instead.

Monday 16th:

* Breakfast: Bacon Egg & Cheese McMuffin Sunny Side Up (With a tomato slice)
* Lunch: Open Faced Toasted tomato/Cheese
* Dinner: Tandoori Chicken w/ Cucumber Raita, Steamed jasmine rice w/ curry seasoning

Tuesday 17th:

* Breakfast: Strawberry Melon Summer Salad
* Lunch: Tandoori Chicken on Sandwich Skinnys Flatbread
* Dinner: Shrimp Alfredo over Cracked Pepper Rosemary Pasta

Wednesday 18th:

* Breakfast: Blueberry Muffins
* Lunch: Leftover Shrimp Alfredo
* Dinner: Bubble & Squeak

Thursday 19th:

* Breakfast: Strawberry Melon Summer Salad
* Lunch: Salad
* Dinner: Apricot Sticky Chicken, riced Potatoes, Salad

Friday 20th:

* Breakfast: Toasted English Muffins w/ Mock Raspberry Jam, Scrambled or Poached Eggs
* Lunch: Eggplant Pizza
* Dinner: California Halibut Bake, Potato Salad, Okra Pickles (from a neighbor)

Saturday 21st:

* Breakfast: Breakfast Biscuits & Eggs
* Midday: Fried Green Tomatoes, Salad (Apparently this is true southern Cuisine and a friend of ours insists that we get together!) Since our garden is loaded with dozens of tomatoes in various stages, this one is a truly frugal meal!

Sunday 22nd:

* Breakfast: Cinnamon Apple Quesadillas
* Lunch: Tuna Salad Wraps
* Dinner: Grilled Chicken with Pineapple Mango Salsa, with a side of Black Beans (Or grilled chicken with avocado-Mango Salsa) with Grilled Pineapple for dessert

Various Snacks:

* Fresh Fruit- Bananas, Cantaloupe, Honeydew Cherries
* Strawberry Melon Summer Salad
* Microwave Popcorn (homemade)
* Walnut Cherry Cheeseball & Apple Slices
* Banana Bread
* Carrots
* Ants on a Log


Drinks Included:

* Iced Tea (Sweet Tea)
* Coffee
* Lemonade
* Copycat Gatorade
* CopyCat Arizona Green Tea

FYI:
Your most Frequently Asked Questions about our weekly Menu Plans are available here.

Our own garden is producing eggplant, a few summer squash, fresh tomatoes, and jalapeno peppers.

For those that are just joining our weekly menus, we do raise our own chickens (for fresh eggs) and get about a dozen per day- So if you're noticing a large number of eggs in our menu, that's why!

If you haven't read our eBook yet, "The 2012 Family Guide to groceries under $250" check it out :-)

If you are struggling to reduce your own grocery bill and would like additional assistance, check out our $50 Menu plan help across the USA.