2014 $50 Budget Menu Plan Week #29: The southern summer heat is really hitting hard in our area and with my guys all doing Construction work, their desire to eat during the day has dwindled! Here’s our budget-friendly menu plan for this week…
This week we purchased the following: 2 gallons milk, Bananas, nectarines, greek yogurt, artisan lettuce, Mesquite Pork Loin, Bacon Wrapped Filets, asparagus, kielbasa, 1# frozen Shrimp, oyster crackers, onion buns, celery, portabella mushrooms, coffee
This week we were shocked to find great meat deals including bacon wrapped beef filets at Aldi for only $3.99 (for 2 filets!) We thought we’d give them a try to see how they taste, how tender they are, etc. For only $2 per person, it sounds like a decent deal. Their marinated pork loin is also cheaper per pound than Piggly Wiggly’s pork, about 1/3rd of the price, so we picked up one of those to try as well.
From our Backyard: Fresh Eggs (down to about 12-15 a day)
From our Windowsill/ Garden: Chives, Scallions, Fresh Herbs(Cilantro, Parsley, Rosemary, dill, oregano, basil, mint), Spinach, onions(grown from scraps), green peppers, Cucumbers, summer squash, Tomatoes, watermelon
Blueberries and blackberries are in season and we picked several quarts of fresh berries and froze them as well. As you can see from the photo, our little peach tree produced very well this year and we now have plenty of peaches to chow down on.
Total spent this week on groceries $ 47.96
Now, before you read the menu and say wait a minute, they didn’t buy any “whatever” this week, we urge you to read ALL of the Helpful articles at the Bottom of the menu that explains our Menu plans and HOW they work!
Breakfast Options for this week: (Fresh Fruit Choices, Watermelon, bananas, blueberries, Blackberries, Peaches)
- Omelets
- Bacon Egg & Cheese McMuffins
- Harvest Peach Refrigerator Oatmeal
- Cold Hard Boiled Eggs
- Fresh Peaches
- Peach Melba Refrigerator Oatmeal
- Poached eggs on toast
A couple things to note, it’s mid-July in the South- it’s HOT here folks. We generally don’t eat much at all for lunch because we work OUTSIDE in the heat and eating in this weather during the day makes you sicker than a dog. So we generally will grab something Very light, if at all for lunch on these days. The boys are doing Construction work/Cleanup crew- how this affects our groceries is that they eat non-stop in the evenings when it cools down.
Lunch Options for this week:
- Creamy Dill Potato Salad
- Cucumber sandwiches
- PB & J (probably too heavy!)
- Bananas (the kids are more likely to eat these for lunch during the hot days when they’re working than anything else).
- Meatball subs from leftovers (if wanted) Chances are it’ll be too heavy for the heat this week
- Watermelon Salad– another favorite during hot weather spells
- Fresh Peaches
Monday July 14th:
- Dinner: Portabella “Burgers” on Onion Sub Rolls & Salad
Tuesday July 15th:
- Dinner: Pizza Pastaw/ fresh diced tomatoes & grated mozzarella
Wednesday July 16th:
- Dinner: BBQ Meatball Dinner
Thursday July 17th:
- Dinner: Grilled Mesquite Pork Loin, Scalloped Potatoes, salad
Friday July 18th:
Saturday July 19th:
- Dinner: Grilled Bacon Wrapped Filets, Grilled Asparagus, salad with homemade croutons
Sunday July 20th:
- Midday: Cajun Jambalaya, Salad
Various Snacks & Desserts:
- Fresh Fruit Choices Available– Peaches, Bananas, Blackberries, Blueberries, Watermelon, Tomatoes
- Carolina Firecrackers
- Angel Food Cake & Fresh Berries
- Homemade 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:
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
- July Sales Trends-not sure what Should be on sale right now? Here is a list of the current Sales trends throughout the month of July 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
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