2012 $50 Weekly Menu Week #26

2012 $50 Weekly Menu Week #26- Using what you have available to you in your particular location can greatly reduce your weekly grocery bill. This week, you’ll see that we combined some cheap family fun into a neighborhood feast!
Living along the coastline has always been a benefit to the grocery budget. Having grown up in a seafood loving household, catching and eating sweet blue crabs is both fun and delicious! We’ll spend an entire day on the coast with the kids, catching blue crabs (& the occasional flounder), as well as tossing the cast net for a few shrimp.
For our efforts, we’ll bring home a large cooler full of fat blue crabs for a neighborhood seafood bake as well as have plenty to stock the freezer for dishes later in the season.
Every area has it’s own offerings- when we lived in the mid-west, we frequently had access to venison, costing us about $45 per deer for processing, or about $1.25 a pound average for fresh, lean meat. It’s worth taking advantage of your local resources to save bundles on your grocery bill.
Another great example of this- this past week we discovered an old farmer that planted more than 20 acres of corn, which he sells u-pick for only .10 per ear! So, for a few minutes of our time, we were able to purchase 100 ears of corn for $10. A few of which we have incorporated into this weeks menu plan, the remaining will be blanched, vacuum sealed and frozen for dishes later in the year. Bartering is also a great way to find deals on groceries. Perhaps you only have a window box in your kitchen of fresh herbs- your neighbor may be willing to trade a few fresh red potatoes for a handful of fresh dill or cilantro. Be creative and double check for bartering boards in your area.

Total Spent this week- $49.11 – groceries included fresh strawberries, blueberries, oatmeal, milk, lemons, corn on the cob, bacon, cabbage, tomato paste, yogurt, artisan lettuce, celery, canola oil, fresh spinach, cream cheese, coffee, peaches, nectarines, steaks and onions.

Monday 25th:

* Breakfast: Poached Eggs on Toast
* Lunch: Cool Cucumber Soup
* Dinner: Savory Meatloaf, Garlic Smashed Potatoes, pickled beets, salad

Tuesday 26th:

* Breakfast: Blueberry ginger Smoothies
* Lunch: Cucumber Egg Salad sandwiches,Fresh tomato & cucumber slices
* Dinner: Eggplant Meatballs over tomato Basil Pasta

Wednesday 27th:

* Breakfast: Blueberry Muffins
* Lunch: Herbed Cottage Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes
* Dinner: Campfire Pig Greens, Corn on the Cob

Thursday 28th:

* Breakfast: Veggie Omelet & Toast
* Lunch: Bermuda Spinach Salad
* Dinner:Montreal Steak, Grilled Red Potatoes & Green Beans

Friday 29th:

* Breakfast: Yogurt Parfaits & Honey Granola Bars
* Lunch: Spinach Bread Bowls & Tomato Salad
* Dinner: Grilled Chicken Pesto Pizza, Salad

Saturday 30th:

* Breakfast: Blueberries & Cream Oatmeal
* Midday: Steamed Blue Crabs, Corn on the Cob, Salad – Additional Potluck Dishes

Sunday 1st:

* Breakfast: Cherry Cinnamon Raisin French Toast
* Lunch: Grilled Eggplant Pizzas
* Dinner: Crab Stuffed Baked Halibut, Baked Potatoes, Steamed Asparagus

Various Snacks:

* Fresh Fruit- Peaches, nectarines, strawberries
* Zucchini Crisp
* Microwave Popcorn
* Blueberry Pie

Drinks Included:

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

FYI:
Our own garden is producing cucumbers, zucchini, summer squash, fresh tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, and eggplant.

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 🙂 It will be available for download FREE for All Day June 29th & 30th!!