2014 $50 Budget Menu Plan Week #17: If you want to save on fresh produce, ask the manager of the produce department in your favorite grocery store what days that their shipments normally arrive. Shop the day BEFORE as those are the days that the produce will be marked down for quick sale. Our store stocks on
Mondays, so yesterday morning I was able to buy 4 pounds of fresh broccoli for $1.00, 6 lbs of Fresh String beans for a measly $1.29 and a 6 pack of beefsteak tomatoes for .89¢. Sometimes you may need to toss out a couple beans or trim off a soft spot, but the savings are immense and totally worth the couple minutes of extra effort.
Easter Hams are still on sale this week, so if you haven’t already, it’s a really great time to pick up a couple extra and toss them into the freezer for meals later on. We picked up 3 in all, despite having one in the freezer already. The ham prices will likely skyrocket within the next couple of days, doubling or even tripling. In addition to the hams, We purchased the following: (Aldi)Wheat Bread, cream cheese, celery, Ham (sale at .99¢ per pound), asparagus, fresh pineapple, crescent rolls, sweet potatoes, 1/2 gal Milk, apples, pears, bananas, swiss cheese, Sharp cheddar cheese (Piggly Wiggly) broccoli, green beans (aka string beans), Lg Pkg of Fresh Tomatoes
From our Backyard: Fresh Eggs (Getting nearly 3 dozen per day)
From our Windowsill/ Garden: Lettuce, Chives, Scallions, Fresh Herbs (Parsley, Rosemary, dill, oregano, basil)
Total spent this week on groceries $51.62
Breakfast Options for this week: (Fresh Fruit Choices, Apples, Pears, Fresh Pineapple, Bananas)
- Poached Eggs on Toast
- Raspberry Cream French Toast Rolls
- Omelets (Veggie Omelets using whatever bits of leftover veggies from previous nights dinner)
- Fresh Fruit Salad with Cinnamon Croutons
- Guilt Free Strawberry Shortcake Muffins
- Banana Nut Refrigerator Oatmeal
- Ham & Cheese Omelets
- English Muffins w/ Jam
- Toaster Waffles
Monday April 21st:
- Lunch: Salad with Sliced hard boiled eggs & homemade dressing
- Dinner: Swiss Crab Quiche
Tuesday April 22nd: Happy Earth Day!
- Lunch: Leftover Quiche
- Dinner: Sesame Chicken, Jasmine Rice, Steamed Asparagus
Wednesday April 23rd:
- Lunch: Egg drop Soup
- Dinner: Grilled Pork Loin, Mashed Potatoes, Copycat KFC Gravy, Garlic”y” Green Beans
Thursday April 24th:
- Lunch: Leftover Sesame Chicken
- Dinner: Pork Burritos (using leftover roast), Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes, Salad
Friday April 25th:
- Lunch: Dijon egg Salad wraps
- Dinner: Roasted Ham with pineapple & a touch of brown sugar, cloves & nutmeg, Garlic Smashed Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli
Saturday April 26th:
- Lunch: English Muffin Pizzas (split an english muffin, top like you would an pizza, bake at 400F until cheese is melted & bubbly.
- Dinner: Homemade Mac & Cheese with Ham & Broccoli– For those wondering why you never see dried pasta in the grocery list, we usually make our own. It tastes much better and is simple to make in about 15 minutes time. Then we dry or freeze it until needed.
Sunday April 27th:
- Lunch: Grilled Catfish Fillets, Grilled Sweet Potato Home Fries, Salad
- Dinner: Split Pea Soup w/ Ham& Copycat Logans Roadhouse Butter Dinner Rolls
Various Snacks & Desserts:
- Fresh Fruit Choices Available– Apples, Bananas, Fresh Pineapple
- Deviled Egg Dip & Veggies
- Chewy Granola Bars
- Pickled Eggs
- Homemade Churros
Drinks Available:
* Iced Tea (Unsweetened or Sweet Tea)
* Coffee
* Hot Chocolate/Cocoa
Less Likely to be used, but still available:
* Copycat Gatorade
* CopyCat Arizona Green Tea
* Lemonade
* Iced Coffee Drinks
* Almond Milk
FYI:
For Further reading/help we recommend the following:
- $50 Dollar Menu Frequently Asked Questions– There are certain questions that seem to pop up again and again, so rather than be redundant and repeat answers, we’ve put them all in one convenient place for you!
- 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
- It Doesn’t Add up– Learn why some items in the Menu plan aren’t listed in this weeks grocery purchase list & how it all comes together
- April Sales Trends–not sure what Should be on sale right now? Here is a list of the current Sales trends throughout the month of April so you know what savings to expect and look forward to.
- 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.
- 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 – if you gain nothing else from this site, don’t overlook this tip. It has been an EXTREME money-saver for our family
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / Lester120
I’m on a mission to get my grocery bill down! I just stumbled upon your site, it’s great! One place I struggle with is the kids lunches to take to school. I’m not seeing how your lunches you have described each week would work for a kids lunchbox.
You must homeschool 😉 I have 2 teenage boys that would be starving if I gave them a salad with a few eggs on it. Am I missing something? Is there a place on your site where you address this? Thanks!