Menu for the Week

In an effort to not spend so much on groceries I spent Sunday afternoon finding recipes and ideas for the foods I have on hand. I needed quick, easy meals that are filling and have leftovers that I can take for lunch at work.

Here's what I had on hand in the way of meat:
Talapia fillets
3 pounds of hamburger already cooked and crumbled
tons of sliced deli ham that my neighbor gave us
3 Delmonico Steaks and several smaller bacon wrapped fillets
3 pounds of cooked, frozen shrimp
5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast

Here's my menu plan:
Monday- grilled steaks, potato salad, sliced cucumbers, yeast rolls
Tuesday- (our crazy schedule day) crockpot chicken cordon bleu, green beans, rolls
Wednesday- Talapia fillets broiled with butter, lemon, and herbs, baked potatoes, okra, pears
Thursday- (our other crazy schedule day)Quick mexican rice and hamburger skillet meal, tortilla chips
Friday- breakfast for supper (pancakes, sausage, fruit)

Snacks for the week:
ham dip with Wheat Thins
microwave popcorn
cereal
Sunshine muffins
brownies
apples
carrot sticks

Things I bought for this week:
green onions
instant rice
tortilla chips
swiss cheese
4 Healthy Choice Frozen meals (for hubby)
2 Boxes microwave popcorn
brown sugar

Menu Plan for the Week: Getting ready for Vacation Style

My niece, Gabby, enjoying corn on the cob

This week is dedicated to eating what we have on hand so that we can achieve two things.


1. Saving money so that we have more for vacation dinners next week. 2. Emptying the fridge and pantry of items that need to be eaten so they won't waste while we are on vacation. All meals WILL be made and eaten at home!

Monday-
Breakfast- Cold cereal with milk

Lunch- Brats on hotdog buns with Doritos

Dinner- Chicken Breasts sauted in Ranch dressing sauce, Angel Hair Pasta, green beans

Tuesday-

Breakfast- scrambled eggs and toast

Lunch- Leftover Chicken breasts and pasta

Dinner- Black Beans and Rice, corn on the cob, salad

Wednesday-

Breakfast- Oatmeal

Lunch- tuna sandwiches with chips

Dinner- grilled pork chops, foil veggie packets with whatever veggies are in the fridge

Thursday-

Breakfast- Cold Cereal

Lunch- Leftovers

Dinner- Eating at my granny's house

Friday-

Breakfast- Omelets or French Toast

Lunch- Leftovers or turkey sandwiches, chips

Dinner- Tacos

Saturday-

Breakfast- Eat whatever cereal is opened

Lunch and Dinner- eat what is leftover in the fridge

Sunday-

Leave for the beach vacation

Very Tight Grocery Budget for this Week

Last Thursday was Ciarra's field trip to the zoo. My babysitter for Camryn also has a daughter in first grade (Ciarra's bestfriend) so we all went together. But since I could not get off work last year to go with Caleb to the zoo I wanted him to go too. And well, then I couldn't leave out Christin because she is such a great girl and a big helper with the baby. So, my four kids and I went to the zoo along with Ciarra's bestfriend and mom and her one year old son. She drove her SUV so we could all fit. Anyway, the zoo trip cost more than I had budgeted and the bottom line is I have $18 for groceries this week! I will not take more money out of the budget since we are trying to pay off the IRS this month. Now, I can do this. But it won't be much fun. But it is a great challenge and I'm ready to play. I love competition and this week it's me vs. little money. All during the month of April we ate out of the pantry and freezers so really there isn't all that much in them anymore. But here is what I am planning:

Breakfasts for the week:
cereal
oatmeal
grits
toast with jelly

Snacks for the week:
popcorn
homemade peanut butter cookies (from free Peter Pan pb)
crackers and cheese cubes (from free LiveActive Cheese at Winn-Dixie)
cottage cheese (cheap from LiveActive at Winn-Dixie)
homemade zucchini bread (zucchini given to me yesterday by a friend)

Lunches for the week:
leftovers
1 Lean Cuisine
3 egg rolls
chicken salad sandwiches from leftover chicken Monday night
Homemade Hot Pockets

Menu plan:
Sunday lunch: hot dogs and fries (not a typical Sunday lunch but oh well!)
Sunday dinner: chicken wings, carrots with dip, baked potatoes
Monday dinner: Roasted sticky chicken, squash casserole, steamed brocolli
Tuesday dinner: Veggie Fettucini, Garlic Bread
Wednesday dinner: French Toast, Sausage Links, fruit salad
Thursday dinner: Cheeseburger Casserole, Corn on the Cob
Friday dinner: Baked bean Casserole, Cheese Toast, salad

These items are from the freezer:
chicken wings (bought as meat manager's special)
Whole Chicken (bought as meat manager's special)
Brocolli (put up from the Free Target Brocolli from December)
Garlic Bread made from Texas Toast (bought at bread outlet)
Sausage Links (bought on sale with coupon from Winn-Dixie)
Ground Venison (given to us from a friend)
Fries (Made by me from cheap potatoes)
French Toast will be made from the same loaf of Texas Toast from above

Things I have to buy:
sour cream for the squash casserole
milk for cereal
eggs for French Toast
can of cheese soup for the Cheeseburger Casserole
corn on the cob (at the flea market for cheap, sister-in-law picking this up)
fruit (on sale at Winn-Dixie for BOGO: strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries)

Menu Plan Monday

Spring Break Edition!

Breakfasts for the week:

cereal, french toast, pancakes, scrambled eggs, grits, or oatmeal

Lunches for the week:

corn dogs and fries

hamburgers and corn on the cob

turkey sandwiches with chips

leftovers

chicken noodle soup with crackers

tuna salad on crackers

Dinner for the week (Mostly courtesy of Blissfully Domestic)

Monday- ??? Not many people eating today courtesy of the stomach bug

Tuesday- corn chowder with cheddar biscuits

Wednesday- Chili with cornbread

Thursday- Crock pot Chicken and Stuffing, green beans

Friday- Pasta with Ham, Peas and Cream, side salad, biscuits

Menu Plan Monday, April 7-13

This week is going to be a very different week for us. My husband and oldest daughter Christin left for a school trip to New York today and will be home Friday. The younger 3 and I will be home but I'm not planning any big cooking this week.

Breakfasts:
Cereal
Oatmeal
Pancakes

Lunches:
Me: baked potatoes with toppings, cheese and crackers, tuna salad, BLT
kids: PBJ, ham and cheese, tortilla roll-ups with whatever they choose inside

Snacks:
bananas
homemade peanut butter cookies
$1 per box Winn-Dixie shortbread cookies. (these are new I think. they are really good, too.)
yogurt
cheese sticks
canned fruit

Dinners:
Monday- bacon strips, sunny-side-up eggs, toast
Tuesday- Pizza Hut book-it free pizzas
Wednesday- eating with my grandma Yummy!
Thursday- macaroni and cheese, hamburgers
Friday- homemade cheese and chicken quesidillas
Saturday- ?
Sunday- Ben 10 Party! Yippee!

Menu Plan Monday

Breakfast choices for the week:
Pancakes
Grits
Cereal
Oatmeal
Toast

Lunch choices for the week: (Pack a lunch)
Chocolate Pudding
Pretzels
Cheese cubes
apples
mini carrots
ham and cheese roll-ups
peanut butter and jelly
quesadilla
mandarin orange cup
Easter Candy
Boiled Eggs
Egg Salad sandwiches
leftovers

Dinners:
Marlboro Man sandwiches with baked potatoes (recipe at The Pioneer Woman Cooks)
Thai Noodles with cooked cabbage
Fancy bacon-wrapped chicken with brocolli and cheese, crescent rolls
Hamburger Helper, green beans
Rachel Ray Pork Chops, corn casserole, cucumber and tomato slices

Thai Noodles- great for leftover cooked noodles
8 oz pkg of noodles, spaghetti or angel hair, cooked and drained (but reserve 5 tbsp. of the water)
1 cup cooked diced chicken (can leave out for vegetarian style)
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 - 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup shredded carrots
2 green onions, thinly sliced.
While the pasta is cooking, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes until smooth. Set aside. After the pasta is cooked, drain and reserve 5 tbsp. of the water. Mix the water with the peanut butter, soy sauce & red pepper flakes mixture and blend until smooth. In a med. bowl, combine the pasta and peanut butter mixture and toss. Stir in the carrots and onions and serve.