Menu Plan Monday

We're moving this week (aaack!), so my menu planning is really just jotting down a few ideas of things we can throw together quickly. I dream that one day I'll be organized enough to prepare for something like a move by making all kinds of meals ahead of time, then storing them in the freezer so we can just heat and eat healthy homemade meals when life gets crazy. Until then, my plan is to buy lots of snacks and convenience foods in times like this. I figure living on peanut butter sandwiches and hot pockets for a week won't kill us, and is probably better for us than eating fast food. It's definitely better for the budget! :)

Armed with that philosophy, here's what we'll be eating this week:

Breakfasts
cold cereal
scrambled egg on bagel
bagel & cream cheese

Lunches
zucchini-black bean-bacon quesadillas, fruit
pbjs, chips, fruit
hot pockets, chips, fruit
tuna salad sandwiches, chips, fruit
pesto pasta

Dinners
waffles, bacon, fruit
turkey (from freezer), stuffing, steamed broccoli
ginger-soy noodles w/ broccoli
zucchini-black bean-bacon quesadillas, fruit
whole-wheat pasta w/ broccoli, bacon & cheese sauce

Pasta is definitely my favorite quick meal, in case you didn't pick up on that! :) I fried up a pound of bacon tonight, so it's ready to go for all those meals that will use it. That will make several meals really quick to put together. We had the quesadillas for dinner tonight, and the leftover filling is in the fridge ready to go for lunch tomorrow. We used monterrey jack cheese and really liked the combination of bacon, black beans & zuchini--definitely something we'll be making again! Maybe next time I'll add some corn, too.

I went to Aldi tonight and spent $27.86 on the following:
two pkgs frozen stuffed sandwiches (hot pockets) 3.78
frozen multigrain waffles 1.29
ginger-soy noodle dinner 1.69
zucchini 1.59
broccoli 1.65
chewy fruit snacks .99
pesto pasta dinner kit 1.29
stuffing mix .89
cocktail crackers 1.19
syrup 1.39
saltines .89
pasta salad kit .99
yogurt-covered raisins 1.49
dried fruit 1.49
mixed nuts 1.99
whole wheat pasta 1.09

Hubby will run to Kroger and pick up fruit (probably bananas, apples and grapes), eggs, bagels, and milk tomorrow. He'll probably get some Kellogg's cereal, too, since they have some varieties on sale this week for $1.99 and we have $1 coupons. (Click on the coupons.com link at the top left of this page if you haven't printed yours yet! CVS and Kmart both have some Kellogg's varieties on sale this week, too.) We eat a lot of cereal for breakfast, but we also love to snack on it. As a matter of fact, I'm crunching on some frosted mini-wheats as I type. :)

Want more meal-planning inspiration? Take a look at Menu Plan Monday on orgjunkie.com.

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!

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!

Menu Plan Monday

Last week we ate several "picnic" lunches at our new house while we were painting. That meant lots of sandwiches (pbj or lunch meat), chips, and apples. Because of that, there were several dishes we didn't make that are back on the menu again this week. We'll probably have a few more "picnics" this week, so I haven't planned much for lunches. The Mexican lasagna should make enough leftovers for at least two meals, so I think this menu will get us through the week.

Breakfasts
Oatmeal w/ cinnamon apples
Cold cereal, bananas
Scrambled eggs & toast

Lunches
Peanut butter sandwiches, pretzels, bananas
Canned tomato soup, grilled cheese sandwiches
Turkey sandwiches, pretzels, apples
Popcorn shrimp, fries, apples

Dinners
Veggie stir fry, egg rolls
Mixed grain pancakes, sausage, cinnamon apples
Open-faced pot roast sandwiches w/ gravy, au gratin potatoes, corn
Mexican lasagna, fruit
Sausage & cheese omelets, fruit, toast

Be sure to visit Menu Plan Monday for hundreds of great menus!

Menu Plan Monday

This week I planned our menu with the goal of cleaning out the freezer out some, since we're going to be moving in about a month. I managed to incorporate several items (salmon, popcorn shrimp, sausage, english muffins, lots of frozen veggies), but I have some cheddar bratwurst in there that I got really cheap a couple months ago and have no idea what to do with them. I've never cooked bratwurst before. If you have any suggestions for me, please leave them in the comments! I'd really like to work them into next week's menu.

BREAKFASTS
oatmeal
scrambled egg on english muffin
cold cereal and bananas
pigs in a blanket (sausage links in crescent rolls)
applesauce muffins

LUNCHES
chili dogs, pretzels, apples
black bean soft tacos, mexican rice, grapes
chili nachos, grapes
pizza quesadillas (pepperoni, pizza sauce & mozzarella between two tortillas), carrot sticks, apples
turkey sandwiches, pretzels, grapes

DINNERS
black beans and rice, fruit salad (apples, mandarin oranges, walnuts, & grapes mixed with yogurt)
slow-cooker pork chops with apple stuffing (variation on this recipe), green beans
salmon, broccoli & cheese rice, green beans
popcorn shrimp, french fries, corn
vegetable stir-fry, egg rolls
mixed-grain pancakes, sausage, apples

Be sure to visit Menu Plan Monday at OrgJunkie.com for hundreds more great menus!

Menu Plan Monday

We did not stick to our menu or our budget last week. It was the first week this year we've gone over our $40/week goal, and we went way over! Hubby had minor surgery on Thursday and his mother came up for a couple of days to help us out, so it was not a typical week. There was a lot of eating out and convenience foods. We're going to get back on track this week!

I didn't make the beef stew I had planned last week, so it's on the menu again. The beef stew and lasagna should each make enough leftovers for a couple of meals, so I'm only planning five lunches and five dinners.

BREAKFASTS
oatmeal
cold cereal
biscuits and sausage
scrambled egg and toast
granola bars, yogurt

LUNCHES
hot ham & cheese sandwiches, chips, apples
pizza muffins and tomato soup, carrot sticks
ham and cheese waffles, fruit
peanut butter sandwiches, pretzels, fruit
chicken nuggets, fries, fruit

DINNERS
spinach lasagna (slow-cooker), garlic bread, salad
beef stew (slow-cooker), biscuits
teriyaki salmon over spicy peanut noodles and broccoli
tortilla soup
chili dogs, french fries

You can find more menu planning inspiration at $5 Dinners this week.

Menu Plan Monday

At least three of our dinners this week should make enough for leftovers, so I've only planned four lunches. I'm fortunate to work close enough that I can come home and eat lunch with my family most days. I try to keep lunches really simple (sandwiches and heating up leftovers work really well), since I don't want to spend my lunch hour cooking. Hubby is wonderful and does lots around the house, but cooking is not his thing! :-)

BREAKFASTS
Sausage & egg on English muffins
Cold cereal, applesauce muffins
Oatmeal
Peanut butter on English muffins
Biscuits and bacon

LUNCHES
Nachos w/ black beans, cheese, avocado & salsa; apples
Tuna salad on English muffins, pretzels, grapes
Cheese quesadillas, Mexican rice, grapes, carrot sticks
Lightlife mushroom burgers on English muffins, pretzels, carrot sticks

DINNERS
Pork chops with corn stuffing (slow-cooker), green beans, salad
Paprika beef over egg noodles, steamed broccoli & carrots
Mixed grain pancakes, bacon, apples
Mushroom-barley soup, beer bread
Omelets w/ cream cheese, avocado, bacon & salsa; English muffins; grapes

For lots more menu ideas and recipes, visit Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan Monday

We're going to be out of town a couple of days this week, so I'm only planning four meals. I'm also going to try to get back on track with the blog and actually write about the groceries we're getting for our $40 a week. We've been doing a great job of sticking to our budget, but I haven't been doing such a great job of posting about it!

We have some crescent rolls in the fridge nearing their expiration date, and hubby requested we use them to make pigs in a blanket. I'm not a big fan of hot dogs, but I can work them into the menu occasionally if it makes him happy. :-) I'll definitely spend a little more to get the all-beef ones--even on a tight budget those are worth it to me!

Since we aren't going to need to spend as much for meals this week because of being out of town, I'm planning to buy some parmesan cheese and walnuts or pecans. Kroger has red bell peppers on sale this week too, so I'll probably also get several of those to chop and put in the freezer. I did that with green peppers at the end of summer when they were cheap, and it's super-handy.

BREAKFASTS
Yogurt muffins (I'm working on a recipe for these. I'll post later this week!)
Egg on English muffins
Cold cereal
Oatmeal

LUNCHES
Pigs in a blanket, mac & cheese, baby carrots
Tomato soup, toasted cheese on English muffins
Leftover white bean soup
Chili dogs, corn chips, baby carrots

DINNERS
BBQ pork pizza (leftover pork from freezer, bottled bbq sauce, red onion & cheddar cheese on homemade crust)
White bean soup (meatless variation on this recipe)
Black bean burritos, corn chips, fruit
Biscuits & sausage gravy, scrambled eggs, fried apples

Want more menu inspiration and recipe ideas? Check out this week's Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com!

Menu Plan Monday

We stayed in our grocery budget last week, but didn't do too well sticking to our menu plan. We ate out far more than we should have--we had a couple of gift cards that we used up and we also had fast food a couple of times. While fast food once a week isn't too hard on the budget, it does add up when we go more frequently. We didn't make everything on the menu since we didn't eat at home as much, so the sausage-apple-cheddar bread pudding is on the menu again.

BREAKFASTS
Scrambled egg on English muffin
Cold cereal and banana
Fiber one bars, yogurt
Oatmeal
Peanut butter on toast

LUNCHES
Tuna salad on English muffins, baby carrots, chips
English muffin pizzas, baby carrots, fruit
Spicy peanut noodles w/ broccoli
Canned soup
Spinach & brown rice casserole, fruit

DINNERS
Salmon, roasted potatoes, green beans, salad
Sausage-apple-cheddar bread pudding
White pizza w/ spinach, fruit
Omelets w/ spinach & mushrooms, toast, fruit
Potato soup
Mixed-grain pancakes, sausage, fruit

Head over to OrgJunkie's site for lots more great menu planning ideas!

Menu Plan Monday

This week I'm making it a priority to use up some of the things in my cabinets and freezer. A couple months ago, we found some great deals on Betty Crocker potatoes so I have several different varieties on hand. While digging in the freezer today I came across some forgotten turkey we froze back around Christmas, so I'll be using that up, too. I also have lots of frozen veggies so I've tried to incorporate those into the menu. Since most of the dinners I have planned this week should make leftovers, I only have three lunches planned.

Breakfasts
Waffles
Scrambled egg on English muffin
Oatmeal
Cold cereal, yogurt
Oatmeal-carrot bread

Lunches
Baked potatoes w/ broccoli & cheese
Cheese quesadillas, Mexican rice, fruit
English muffin pizzas, carrot sticks, pretzels

Dinners
Bbq beef and corn shepherd’s pie, salad
Cheesy broccoli-potato soup
Crockpot vegetable curry over basmati rice
Sausage, apple & cheddar bread pudding, fruit (I'm subbing sausage for bacon in the original recipe since that's what I have on hand)
Ham & bean soup, potato-rosemary bread
Hot open-faced turkey sandwiches, mashed potatoes

Be sure to visit OrgJunkie's site for lots and lots of great menu planning ideas!

Menu Plan Monday

Another week has flown by and it's time again for menu plans. Hopefully I'll be better about sticking to mine this week. Last week we ate a lot of junk, but I also made the brown rice & spinach casserole three times. And I have it on the menu again this week, too. I just can't get enough of that stuff--it's cheap and easy to make, healthy, and it tastes great. I've planned five lunches and five dinners this week, since we'll probably go out to eat once and a couple of the meals should make enough for leftovers.

Breakfasts
scrambled egg on toast
cold cereal
Kashi TLC bars, yogurt
oatmeal
waffles and fruit
cinnamon rolls, sausage, fruit

Lunches
spicy peanut noodles with broccoli
cheese quesadillas, rice, salad
tuna salad sandwiches, carrot sticks, apples, pretzels
hot ham & cheese sandwiches, carrot sticks, apples, pretzels
brown rice & spinach casserole, fruit

Dinners
mixed-grain pancakes, sausage, applesauce
pizza, salad
pulled pork sandwiches, roasted potatoes, green beans
red beans & rice, salad
ham & cheese omelets, biscuits, fruit

Menu Plan Monday

For our $40/week grocery budget to work, I need to have a plan before we do our shopping. I've found it works best for me to have a list of things that I can choose from, rather than assigning each meal a day of the week. I plan six lunches and dinners, because there always seem to be enough leftovers to cover at least two meals during the week. Here's our plan for the coming week.

Breakfasts
scrambled egg on english muffin
cold cereal and fruit
fiber one bars
oatmeal
peanut butter on toast
carrot-raisin bran bread (my variation on this recipe)

Lunches
vegetable-cheese soup
tuna salad sandwiches, chips, fruit
spicy peanut noodles with broccoli
omelets, biscuits, fruit
baked potatoes with broccoli & cheese sauce and bacon bits
black bean & corn stew over brown rice (my turkey-less take on this recipe)

Dinners
homemade pizza with goat cheese & spinach
salmon, brown rice pilaf, green beans
homemade corn dogs, french fries, fruit
warm potato salad w/ smoked sausage, steamed broccoli & carrots
red beans & rice
homemade spinach-alfredo pizza