Menu Plan Monday

We did better at sticking to our menu last week but still ate out too much, especially over the weekend. We're going to be moving in less than two weeks and hubby and I both seem to be using that as an excuse to go out for dinner. ("We'll have more energy for packing after the kids go to bed if don't have to cook and clean up!") Well, very little packing has been done and we're spending too much on eating out. Hopefully I'll have more willpower this week! :-)

Breakfasts
frozen waffles and Boca sausage links
cold cereal and yogurt
oatmeal
scrambled eggs and toast

Lunches
tuna salad sandwiches, apples, pretzels
pizza quesadillas, grapes, salad
spinach and brown rice casserole, salad
baked potatoes w/broccoli, cheese and bacon bits
pbjs, grapes, pretzels
taco casserole leftovers
warm potato salad leftovers

Dinners
warm potato salad w/ smoked sausage (made w/ Boca smoked sausage instead of the real stuff), salad
taco casserole, salad
spinach & bacon pizzas on tortilla crusts, fruit salad (apples, grapes, mandarin oranges & walnuts w/ yogurt)
grilled ham & cheese sandwiches, canned tomato soup
black bean & corn stew over brown rice (my meatless version of this recipe)

Be sure to visit OrgJunkie for lots more menu planning ideas!

Grocery Shopping

I finally went to the grocery store today for some real shopping--with a list and a plan and everything. There were quick trips to Aldi and Kroger on Friday for some necessities (grapes, cheese, crackers, bread, ham, pretzels, soft drinks, and a great deal on Boca products), but unfortunately I can't find the receipts on those. I think we spent about $16--definitely between $15 and $20.

I shopped at Aldi today and here's what I got for $20.94:
ground beef 3.70
frozen waffles 1.29
black beans .59
2 8oz. blocks of cheese 2.58
2 lbs green grapes 2.69
can of albacore tuna 1.05
yogurt 1.59
tortilla chips .99
12-grain bread 1.69
italian-blend salad 1.00
iceberg salad .69
egg noodles .99
pepperoni 1.99

I also had to pay .10 for a shopping bag. I took one, but it wasn't big enough to hold all I bought. Even though it's only a dime, it just kills me when I have to buy a bag there!

Menu Plan Monday

I haven't been very organized for the last couple of weeks, so I didn't do any menu planning or blogging. We did stay under our $40/week grocery budget, but largely because we ate out far too much. I can tell I've put a few pounds on lately and I'm sure the frequent trips to Arby's have contributed to that! I'm determined to get organized and back on track this week. I went grocery shopping on Friday (the first day of our budget week) without a list or a plan and spent $39.26. That means I had to look at what I bought and what was in the house and come up with a plan to feed us, since there wasn't any money left to run out and pick up extra ingredients. It's not the greatest menu ever, but we won't be going hungry! :-)

Breakfasts
Scrambled eggs, toast
Cold cereal, yogurt
Oatmeal
Bacon, toast

Lunches
Ham sandwiches, pretzels, grapes
Hot dogs, chips, apples
Leftover pasta w/ chickpeas & broccoli
Pbjs, pretzels, apples
Leftover white bean soup
Omelets, toast, canned fruit

Dinners
Pasta w/ chickpeas & broccoli
Vegetable stir-fry, egg rolls
Mixed-grain pancakes, bacon, fruit
White bean soup, cornbread
Spaghetti w/ meat sauce, garlic bread, salad
Chorizo tacos, roasted potatoes

Check out Menu Plan Monday at OrgJunkie.com for hundreds of menu ideas!