2014 $50 Budget Menu Plan Week #1: We’d like to welcome you to our 4th straight year of sharing our $50 weekly menu plans! This year, like many families, our goals are to find ways to save more money in our daily lives, eat healthier and avoid processed and GMO foods. This weeks menu plan focuses on fresh, full flavored dishes using . . . in season veggies. If you’d like to see how we started out our $50 weekly menu plans you can start here.
From the Farmers Market & Store: Artisan Lettuce, Celery, apples, bananas, cabbage, green beans, fresh pears, fresh pineapples, fresh cantaloupe, blackberries, Vanilla Yogurt, bell peppers, onions, carrots, organic grape tomatoes, lemons, popcorn kernels Total spent $36.72 (the remaining balance will go towards next weeks Meat Restocking Week).
By the way, This is a great time to stock up on Boneless Skinless Chicken, it’s on sale in a ton of different stores nationwide. In our local Aldi, boneless skinless chicken breast is on sale for $1.49 a lb this week!
From our Backyard: Fresh Eggs
Breakfast Options for this week: Fresh Fruit (Pineapples, Cantaloupe, Bananas, Apples)
- Fruit & Yogurt Parfaitsor Yogurt & Homemade Granola Parfaits
- Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Cantaloupe/Banana Fruit Bowls
- Cinnamon Apple Breakfast Quesadillas
- Home Canned Grapefruit Sections & Toast
- Guilt Free Blackberry Muffins (swap blackberries for the strawberries)
- Breakfast Burritos (Scrambled egg, cheese, veggies in homemade bacon tortillas)
Monday December 30th:
- Lunch: Peanut Butter & Jelly or Leftovers
- Dinner: Lemon Chicken Breast over Pesto Bowtie Pasta
Tuesday December 31st: New Years Eve Celebration- Potluck Get Together with Friends, Hosting!
- Lunch: Lemon Chicken over Salad Greens
- Midday/Dinner: Providing Kick off Kebabs(To kick off the new year & the Football Game of course!) & Veggie Platter- all of our get togethers are potluck, so each person brings a dish to share
Wednesday January 1st: Happy New Year!
- Midday: Invited to Dinner with Friends,traditional Hoppin’ John New Years Dinner
Thursday January 2nd:
- Lunch: Winter Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing
- Dinner: Country Herb Chicken & Dumplings (over veggies)
FridayJanuary 3rd:
- Lunch: Leftover Country Herb Chicken
- Dinner: Shrimp Tacos with Green Apple Salsa & Mashed Black Beans
SaturdayJanuary 4th:
- Lunch: Honey Dijon Egg Salad Wraps
- Dinner: Split Pea Soup with Ham, Country Biscuits (The ham listed in this recipe was actually leftover ham & ham bone from Yule which was frozen. By the time we’d eaten ham for several days in various dishes, we were all tired of it, so I froze the leftovers for later)
SundayJanuary 5th:
- Lunch: Leftover Split Pea Soup
- Dinner: Grilled Steak (Venison), Steamed Garlic Haricots, Poor Woman’s Taters
Various Snacks & Desserts:
- Fresh Fruit Choices Available– Apples, Bananas, Cantaloupe
- Roasted Apples with Cinnamon ButterCrunch Topping
- Microwave Popcorn
- Hardboiled Eggs
- Cashews
- Homemade Cheezy Crackers
Drinks Available:* Iced Tea (Unsweetened or Sweet Tea)
* Coffee
* Hot Chocolate/Cocoa
* Iced Coffee Drinks
* Almond Milk
Less Likely to be used, but still available:
* Copycat Gatorade
* CopyCat Arizona Green Tea
* Lemonade
The shrimp listed in this weeks menu plan is a large package that we had caught ourselves with a casting net that I discovered (nearly forgotten) in our freezer. If you ever have the chance to go, it’s great fun. You can learn how to throw a casting net by watching youtube videos (at least, that’s how we learned!) Just a note, we don’t recommend the teeth method- it’s a good way to chip a tooth accidentally!
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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
- December Sales Trends–not sure what Should be on sale right now? Here is a list of the current Sales trends throughout the month of December 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./HHLtDave5
Thank you for doing a 4th year of menus…it has become my favorite Monday morning activity (reading the menu for the week) and of course all the great recipes. 🙂
Wishing you and your family a wonderful & healthy 2014!
Karen
Where can I find Shrimp Tacos with Green Apple Salsa recipe?
http://www.grocerybudget101.com/showthread.php/210825-Shrimp-Tacos-with-Green-Apple-Salsa?p=211845#post211845
How can this even be considered possible when more than half of the ingredients weren’t even on the shopping list. This post is a bogus and misleading!
I hate that for you that you took the time to Post a comment WITHOUT Bothering to read the full post first. Obviously not ALL of the items are going to be listed in a single weeks menu plan. This is explained in depth here: http://www.grocerybudget101.com/content.php/695-Menu-Plan-Grocery-List-doesn-t-Add-Up Although- that link was also provided in the article and you failed to see it there the first time.
When you purchase groceries do you buy Sugar, flour, peanut butter, ketchup, mustard, etc every Single week? No, I didn’t think so, neither do we. Some ingredients you already have on hand from previous weeks.
It would be helpful if you would register before you comment next time, rather than posting anonymously so that we can offer you more direct assistance in attaining your goals.