2014 $50 Budget Menu Plan Week #15: Last week we were asked, “Where do you shop”, although we’ve addressed this many times, this week we decided to break down our weekly menu plan and show you exactly where we shop to make it easier for you to see how our weekly menu plan comes together. . .
If you haven’t seen it already, check out this weeks Woman’s World Magazine as we weighed in on their budget Expert panel on eating healthier on a budget (April 14, 2014 Issue- page 23!)
We purchased the following: (Aldi)Green Peppers, Diced Tomatoes, pineapple slices, crushed pineapple, red potatoes, sweet potatoes,onions, mushrooms, grape tomatoes, Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce (I really MUST make a copycat recipe for this!), fresh mushrooms, Monterey Pepper Jack Cheese ($22.27) (Food Lion) 10 #’s Chicken Leg Quarters $6.90 (Farmer’s Market) lettuce, celery, asparagus, cukes $7.
From our Backyard: Fresh Eggs (Getting nearly 3 dozen per day)
From our Windowsill/ Garden: Fresh Scallions, Fresh Basil, Fresh Cilantro, Fresh Thyme. A couple weeks ago we planted lettuce ( 3 varieties), tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, eggplant, zucchini, squash (3 varieties), spinach, carrots, strawberries, and a few others. We’re anticipating the lettuce to be ready to start harvesting within the next few days. Did you know that some varieties take only 15 days to mature? It’s very simple to grow in your windowsill.
Total spent this week on groceries $36.17
Breakfast Options for this week: We’ve had so much fruit the past couple of months that it’s being ignored, so this week we didn’t buy ANY. There are still home canned peaches,applesauce, spiced pear-sauce (much like apple sauce), etc.
- Jam Breakfast Bars
- Guilt Free Cinnamon Mango Muffins
- Veggie Omelets, Denver Omelets (Ham/Cheese)
- Muffins -various tyoes
- Country Breakfast Casserole(Few alterations to the recipe- I make my own sausage& use my own shredded hash browns, rather than buying them).
- Strawberry Chocolate Chip Scones (using frozen strawberries)
- Homemade Bagels-Blueberry, Cinnamon Raisin or Onion
- Poached Eggs on Toast
Monday April 7th:
- Lunch: Cucumber Sandwiches
- Dinner: Slow Cooker Black Bean/ Corn Salsa Chicken, Sweet Potato Fries
Tuesday April 8th: Yes, I know this one has appeared in the menu often, it is seriously everyone’s favorite throw together meal.
- Lunch: Salad with leftover salsa chicken on it
- Dinner: Monterey Chicken, Salad, Baked Potato
Wednesday April 9th: (If you recall, during the last big sale on Ham’s we purchased several- during this time we sliced a couple of them into 1 1/2-2″ thick slices & froze them for quick weeknight meals. With Easter coming right up, Ham is once again on sale and we’re scrambling to use the previous hams to make room for the new ones.)
- Lunch: PB & Dill Pickle Sandwiches (I know, odd, but my personal favorite)
- Dinner: Pineapple Glazed Ham, rosemary roasted potatoes & asparagus spears
Thursday April 10th:
- Lunch: Egg & (Leftover) Ham Salad Wrap
- Dinner: Dinner at my sons College (Special Event)
Friday April 11th:
- Lunch: Thai Chicken Salad Wraps
- Dinner: Sweet Terriyaki Chicken served over stir-fried rice, salad (Make extra rice for tomorrows lunch)
Saturday April 12th:
- Lunch: Puerto Rican Bacon Rice
- Dinner: Meatball Subs (how to make the rolls)
Sunday April 13th:
- Lunch: Asparagus Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Dinner: Parmesan Encrusted Chicken, Salad, garlic Bread
Various Snacks & Desserts:
- Fresh Fruit Choices Available– Apples, Bananas, Fresh Pineapple
- Honey Crunch Granola Bars
- Homemade Chips & Vidalia Onion Dip
- Microwave Popcorn
- Chewy Granola Bars
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:You may have noticed that a few items on our grocery list/receipt didn’t get mentioned in this weeks menu at all (like the mushrooms). Like most kids, ours have a tendency to get home from school/work ravenous and grab various items. My sons latest favorite is snagging my mushrooms, slicing them thinly, adding sliced onions and minced garlic and sauteeing them all together, then throwing on a slice of cheese or a bit of shredded cheesein homemade sub rolls(which I make ahead of time and freeze). Sometimes they’ll make things like this using leftover vegetables from the previous nights dinner in a basic white sauce with various seasonings- fresh or dried such as thyme, parsley, basil, rosemary (haha, they’ve learned a LITTLE goes a LONG way!), cayenne and garlic as well as others. Sometimes they eat these over homemade biscuits or rolls, homemade pasta noodles, or even ramen. Sometimes, they’re crammed into a sandwich or over toast points.
I wish I could get them to snap photos of these creations because, quite frankly, they’re delicious!
Both of my kids regularly cook and I encourage them to do so. I don’t want them heading off to college thinking that spreading peanut butter & jelly are staple foods. I never have to worry about whether I shoved a few tablespoons of leftover veggies into a tiny container and finding them blue in a week because the kids will scarf them down.
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. / vanillaechoes
Does anyone know when the new menu will be out?
Does anyone know when the new menu will be posted? :fishing: