2012 $50 Weekly Menu Plan Week #51

2012 $50 Weekly Menu Plan Week #51: It's hard to believe Yule and Christmas are so near, where has the time gone this year!? Colds and flu have been rearing their ugly heads so we're focusing on a mostly fruits and veggies menu this week to keep the germs at bay throughout the holidays. This weeks budget includes the following items . . . artisan lettuce, celery, cucumber, carrots, cheddar cheese, cabbage, pomegranates, pineapple, cottage cheese, green peppers, vanilla yogurt, milk, fresh beets, sour cream, cranberries, shrimp, lemon, cranberry juice, navel oranges, bell peppers, fresh broccoli, fresh grapefruit, yeast, bananas, and candy canes.
Total Spent $41.44
This week is crazy busy for the entire family, kids with sports, work schedules, another finally getting a cast off his broken arm and of course, friends and family dropping by to celebrate the holidays! As such we're preparing several dishes that can be easily warmed and serve many.

Monday 17th:

• Breakfast: Pomegranate Fruit & Yogurt Parfaits
• Lunch: Creamy tomato soup (& Grilled cheese sandwich?)
• Dinner: Beef Stew, Biscuits

Tuesday 18th:

• Breakfast:
  Banana Bread
• Lunch: Leftover Beef Stew
• Dinner: Taco snob over shredded steamed Cabbage (instead of cauliflower)

Wednesday 19th:

• Breakfast: Fruit & Yogurt Parfaits
• Lunch: Winter Fruit Salad w/ Lemon Poppyseed Dressing
• Dinner: Montreal Grilled Chicken, harvard beets, salad

Thursday 20th:

• Breakfast: Banana Walnut Oatmeal
• Lunch: Fresh Pineapple Slices and cottage cheese or grilled chicken wraps from leftover chicken
• Dinner: Roasted Garlic & Herb Shrimp, Garden Salad, baked potato

Friday 21st:

• Breakfast: Toasted Bagels with Mock Raspberry Jam
• Lunch: Winter Fruit Salad w/ Lemon Poppyseed Dressing
• Dinner: Dinner at friends - an unusual week of extra gatherings, bringing cranberry relish appetizer, recipe to follow this week!

Saturday 22nd:

• Breakfast: Grapefruit halves & Toast
• Midday: Gathering with Friends/Family
  bringingWinter Lentil Soup
  

Sunday 23rd:

• Breakfast: Eggs, Toast, Coffee/Hot Chocolate
  
• Lunch: Leftovers- soups, stews, etc that need to be eaten before they go bad.
• Dinner: Grilled Pork Chops, Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Dried Cranberries, salad

Various Snacks:

• Deviled Eggs. Hard Boiled Eggs
• Fresh Fruit- Pineapples, Bananas, Pomegranates, Cranberries, oranges, grapefruit
• Gingerbread Cookies
• Chocolate Biscotti with Peppermint Snow

Drinks included:A few things I'd like to share: If you're just joining us, I would like to mention that we raise our own chickens for fresh eggs, which is why you'll never see them listed in the groceries purchased. The sweet potatoes mentioned in this weeks menu plan were grown in our own garden, although they are also on sale at Aldi this week for only .69! So if we didn't have 30 or so pounds, we'd have gotten a great deal at the grocery store.

In addition, in previous weeks those who are just joining us got the wrong impression that we purchase EVERYTHING at once for each weeks menu plan. This is not the case at all, nor do we recommend it. We are incorporating items purchased or home canned weeks ago into the menu plan this week. For example, back on week #39 we purchased over 40 pounds of meat- I promise you we didn't eat that all that week! For Further reading/help we recommend the following:

• 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.

• Current Sales Trends- not sure what Should be on sale right now? Here is a list of the current Sales trends for the month of December, so you know what savings to expect

• $50 Dollar Menu Frequently Asked Questions - a few of the most often asked questions regarding our $50 menu plans
  
  • 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

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