As we set off into a new year, I want to refocus on menu planning. Having a plan saves money, time and stress. I am less likely to grab pizza on my way home when I have a meal planned out and the items purchased. I will stick to once a week grocery shopping which helps reduce extra spending by grabbing extras every time I go to the store.
I have a plan for dinners. Breakast in our house during the week is always something quick. I do cook a family breakfast on the weekeends but always have the items on hand for that unless its something special. The kids eat lunches at school and I will pack leftovers, soup or salads to work for my lunches.
I did make out a 3 meal plan for now until the first though. With all 5 of us home for 4 days straight meal planning is a MUST.
29th:
B: Cinnamon Rolls
L: Pizza rolls & salad
D: Soup &
sandwiches
30th:
B: Waffles & eggs
L: Pizza casserole
D: ??
something from the freezer
31st:
B: Donuts (free from bread
outlet)
L: Spaghetti and hm French rolls
D: Appetizers to celebrate new
years
1st:
B: Biscuits & gravy
L: Layered Enchilada bake
1- Turkey Dinner (turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing etc)
2- Cracker Barrel
Chicken & Dumplings (Made with turkey)
3- Ranch Chicken Encheladas (made
with turkey)
4- Hamburgers & fries
5- Chicken & cheese lasagna
roll ups and salad
6- Ham, scallop potatoes and veggies
7- Spaghetti,
french bread & salad
8- Meatloaf, mash potatoes and veggies
9- Taco
soup
10- Tacos
11- Pizza
12- Hamburger french dips, french fries
13-
Roasted chicken, mash potatoes and veggies
14- Pasta carbonara, french bread
& salad
15- Smoked mozzarella stuffed meatballs, rice &
veggies
16- Tuna noodle casserole
17- Pork carnitas & rice
18-
Philly cheese steak sloppy joes, roasted potatoes and veggies
19- GAME
NIGHT-POTLUCK
20- Pepper steak, rice
21- Spaghetti, french bread &
salad
22- Chicken cordon bleu with parm dijon sauce, rice and veggies
23-
Tomato soup & grilled cheese
24- Tacos
25- Pizza
26- Steak, baked
potatoes and salad
27- Roast, baked potatoes, veggies
28- Pasta with
chicken sausage, peppers & escarole
29- Kahlua pork, rice and
veggies
30- Perogi casserole, salad
31- Nachos
After I do the grocery shopping for each week I will post that as well!
Friday, December 28, 2012
Back to Blogging
Really, my lat post was in JUNE? Time to get back on track. I love the start of a New Year. So many options and a fresh start. That is one thing I plan to do with this blog, get going again and back on track with meal planning, tracking my grocery spending and frugality in general.
2012 was a whirlwind year. I went from being a full time student to being employed full time again. I love my job and work with an amazing crew. However, it was a large cut in pay so finances have been even tighter than they were before. The kids are invovled in even more activites which = more $ out the door.
Its time to get creative and get back into focus!
2012 was a whirlwind year. I went from being a full time student to being employed full time again. I love my job and work with an amazing crew. However, it was a large cut in pay so finances have been even tighter than they were before. The kids are invovled in even more activites which = more $ out the door.
Its time to get creative and get back into focus!
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Grocery Shopping/Menu Planning Week of June 10th
We are working on using up some things in our freezer & pantry so that I can restock it with fresh. I also still have quite a bit of produce left from last week to use this week.
Total spent $56
$1.77 Shredded cheese
$1.98 Gravy Packets (2)
$3.94 Milk (2 gallons)
$3.78 Butter (2 pounds)
$1.98 Ketchup (2)
$.89 Conditioner
$2.98 Diced ham
$2.89 Tortillas
$4.30 Pork Chops
$4.84 Chicken drumsticks
$6.63 BS Chicken
$3.78 Tilapia
$2.99 Basil
$2.98 Arugula
$.68 Lemon
$2.78 Cauliflower
$1.25 Cabbage
$3.98 15# potatoes
$2.50 Parmesan Cheese
DINNERS:
S- Crispy Balsamic Chicken, Roasted Cabbage, Potatoes
M- Out for our teams soccer party
T- Chicken drumsticks in crockpot, rice a roni, salad
W- Potato Soup & biscuits
Th- Pork Chops, Rice & Roasted veggies
F- Roasted chicken, mashed poatoes/gravy, green beans
BREAKFAST:
Pancakes
Eggs/Turkey Bacon
Muffins
Bagels & fruit
Cereal
Smoothies
LUNCHES:
The kids eat at school
I will pack leftovers or salad
Total spent $56
$1.77 Shredded cheese
$1.98 Gravy Packets (2)
$3.94 Milk (2 gallons)
$3.78 Butter (2 pounds)
$1.98 Ketchup (2)
$.89 Conditioner
$2.98 Diced ham
$2.89 Tortillas
$4.30 Pork Chops
$4.84 Chicken drumsticks
$6.63 BS Chicken
$3.78 Tilapia
$2.99 Basil
$2.98 Arugula
$.68 Lemon
$2.78 Cauliflower
$1.25 Cabbage
$3.98 15# potatoes
$2.50 Parmesan Cheese
DINNERS:
S- Crispy Balsamic Chicken, Roasted Cabbage, Potatoes
M- Out for our teams soccer party
T- Chicken drumsticks in crockpot, rice a roni, salad
W- Potato Soup & biscuits
Th- Pork Chops, Rice & Roasted veggies
F- Roasted chicken, mashed poatoes/gravy, green beans
BREAKFAST:
Pancakes
Eggs/Turkey Bacon
Muffins
Bagels & fruit
Cereal
Smoothies
LUNCHES:
The kids eat at school
I will pack leftovers or salad
Getting Back on Track
Wow I cannot believe I haven't posted since February! Our life has been so crazy since then with kids activities, work etc. I have really slipped from my organized and on track self and really need to get back to it. We finally have a free weekend this weekend and that is exactly what I am doing. Getting caught up on housework, paperwork, menu planning, grocery shopping, errands and quite a few things on the back burner, like this blog post. I am setting a goal for myself to post at least twice a week starting NOW!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Week of 2/26-3/3
Its hard to believe we are coming up on March so quickly! As is the norm in our household, last week brought some huge changes. I am reaching the end of my pre requisites for the LPN program. The wait list for the program itself is now at 24 months, which means I need to go back to work. I am not giving up on the goal of finishing the LPN program, its just not something thats going to happen anytime soon due to the wait list.
I started applying for jobs the week before and got an interview right away. Last week I was hired and started my new job. I am loving it so far and honestly its really nice to be back to work. This last week was a challenge though, as I was still finishing clinicals. It made for long days, leaving home at 7am and not getting home until after 10pm. Add to that a cold and sinus infection and by Friday I was done in for. This week I will finish up clinicals and take the written final for the NAC class and its onto full time training for work!
To get us better organized I have put a chore chart back in place. I also have some amazing friends who have stepped into help with getting kids where they need to be and helping with child care. I cannot thank them enough!!
Onto this week! The menu is planned, chore chart is made and we are set to go!
Dinner menu:
S- Stuffed shells with sauce (freezer meal), green salad and hm french rolls
M- Tuna Casserole (freezer meal)
T- Tacos
W- Garlic lime marinated pork, cilantro lime rice and veggies
Th- Garlic lovers roast beef, mashed potatoes, oven roasted cauliflower
F- Pizza
S- Subway after church
Lunches: I will pack leftovers from dinner the night before or soup/sandwich.
I started applying for jobs the week before and got an interview right away. Last week I was hired and started my new job. I am loving it so far and honestly its really nice to be back to work. This last week was a challenge though, as I was still finishing clinicals. It made for long days, leaving home at 7am and not getting home until after 10pm. Add to that a cold and sinus infection and by Friday I was done in for. This week I will finish up clinicals and take the written final for the NAC class and its onto full time training for work!
To get us better organized I have put a chore chart back in place. I also have some amazing friends who have stepped into help with getting kids where they need to be and helping with child care. I cannot thank them enough!!
Onto this week! The menu is planned, chore chart is made and we are set to go!
Dinner menu:
S- Stuffed shells with sauce (freezer meal), green salad and hm french rolls
M- Tuna Casserole (freezer meal)
T- Tacos
W- Garlic lime marinated pork, cilantro lime rice and veggies
Th- Garlic lovers roast beef, mashed potatoes, oven roasted cauliflower
F- Pizza
S- Subway after church
Lunches: I will pack leftovers from dinner the night before or soup/sandwich.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Menu week of 2/19-2/25
Week 1 of clinicals was a success. Now, onto week 2. This week again was a little weird. Monday was my youngest daughters 11th birthday. She and I went out of town to a friends so most of our meals were on the go. The other kids were scattered (one at cousins, one at birthday parties and one at home). I made the mistake of not planning the menu before going shopping yesterday but think I did pretty good on the fly this week.
Dinners:
M- Fondue (cheese fondue w/raw veggies, apples and french bread), chocolate w/strawberries, bananas and marshmallows. (Daughters bday dinner)
T- Taco soup
W- Ruben sandwiches and spaghettios (oldest son is cooking) I will pack LO taco soup
Th- Zupa Toscana Soup
F- Pizza for the kids, I will pack leftovers
Dinners:
M- Fondue (cheese fondue w/raw veggies, apples and french bread), chocolate w/strawberries, bananas and marshmallows. (Daughters bday dinner)
T- Taco soup
W- Ruben sandwiches and spaghettios (oldest son is cooking) I will pack LO taco soup
Th- Zupa Toscana Soup
F- Pizza for the kids, I will pack leftovers
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Menu Week of 2/12-18
This week is a little different for us. I am starting my clinicals for the NAC course this week which leaves my oldest to fix dinner 2 nights this week. I also need to pack my dinner/snacks with me so I have to prepare ahead of time.
Breakfast Options:
Cereal (Special K, Cheerios or Rice Crispies)
Eggos
Eggs/Turkey Bacon
Smoothie
Lunches:
*The kids will have school lunches.
*My oldest will be eating at home (he gets out early for Running Start). He usually has leftovers, salad or a burger.
*My lunch focus this week will be on salads with protein. I will cook up extra steak, chicken and hardboiled eggs to have on hand for those. I am also going to thaw a freezer meal of white chicken chili I receive din our last swap and will use that for lunches and some dinners for myself this week.
Dinner:
S- New York Steak, brussels sprouts and sweet potato. I will fix burgers for 3 of the kids they don't care for steak.
M- Tacos for the kids at home. I will pack white chicken chili and cut up raw veggies.
T- Crockpot Santa Fe Chicken, Rice and raw veggies with LF ranch
W- Tomato Soup and grilled cheese for the kids, I will take leftovers from Tuesdays dinner
Th- Asian Glazed Chicken, rice and broccoli.
F- We are scattered this day. The kids are all doing something different for dinner. I am going to pack leftovers from Thursday.
S- I will be eating at a scrapbook crop and the kids are having pizza.
Breakfast Options:
Cereal (Special K, Cheerios or Rice Crispies)
Eggos
Eggs/Turkey Bacon
Smoothie
Lunches:
*The kids will have school lunches.
*My oldest will be eating at home (he gets out early for Running Start). He usually has leftovers, salad or a burger.
*My lunch focus this week will be on salads with protein. I will cook up extra steak, chicken and hardboiled eggs to have on hand for those. I am also going to thaw a freezer meal of white chicken chili I receive din our last swap and will use that for lunches and some dinners for myself this week.
Dinner:
S- New York Steak, brussels sprouts and sweet potato. I will fix burgers for 3 of the kids they don't care for steak.
M- Tacos for the kids at home. I will pack white chicken chili and cut up raw veggies.
T- Crockpot Santa Fe Chicken, Rice and raw veggies with LF ranch
W- Tomato Soup and grilled cheese for the kids, I will take leftovers from Tuesdays dinner
Th- Asian Glazed Chicken, rice and broccoli.
F- We are scattered this day. The kids are all doing something different for dinner. I am going to pack leftovers from Thursday.
S- I will be eating at a scrapbook crop and the kids are having pizza.
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