As always, I feel it's important to note that this is not the healthiest plan to follow. It's a great plan for us, because it's breaking our addiction to fast food and other unhealthy habits, and it's cut our food budget by about 50%. Slowly, we're making substitutions that will lead us to a healthy cheap meal plan. Rome wasn't built in a day and all that jazz.
"Recipes" for all menu items can be found here and here.
MENU:
Breakfast Options for the Week:
Heart Healthy Pancakes: Instant Mix by Krusteaz. Mix with water as directed and make all on your shopping day. Freeze in groups of three in wax paper and then aluminum foil. When ready to reheat, remove aluminum foil, and heat for 80 seconds.
Bagels and Cream Cheese: Self explanatory.
Milk and Cereal: Self Explanatory.
Heart Healthy Pancakes wrapped around a link of turkey sausage for Jon on the way to work.
Reminders:
This is another uncomplicated week. Nothing planned, just lots and lots of rest.Don't forget to get pancake syrup.
Sunday:
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs, Home fries, Sausage
Lunch: Lasagna from frozen stock, broccoli with lemon pepper.
Dinner: Jon's Chili Recipe, cornbread muffins, southwest salad.
Monday:
Lunch:
Jon- Turkey and Muenster Sandwich, or leftovers
Rowy - Leftover chili, cornbread and salad.
Dinner: Chicken Salad Sandwich with apples and celery. Apple slices with brown sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top.
Tuesday:
Lunch: Leftover chicken salad sandwiches **with extra ice packs!**
Dinner: Taco Salad
Wednesday:
Lunch:
Jon: Turkey and Muenster Sandwich, or leftovers.
Rowy: Leftover Taco Salad
Dinner: Turkey Meatball Subs
Thursday:
Lunch:
Jon: Turkey and Muenster Sandwich, or leftovers.
Rowy: Leftover Meatball Subs
Dinner: Cheeseburgers, baked beans, carrots
Friday:
Lunch:
Jon: Turkey and Muenster Sandwich, or leftovers.
Rowy: Leftover Meatball Subs
Dinner: Grilled Ham and Cheese,Cheddar broccoli soup
Saturday:
Breakfast: French Toast, Fried Apples, Sausage
Lunch: Chicken Quesadillas
Dinner: BLT Sandwiches, pear halves
SHOPPING LIST: (all prices are current for Wegmans)
2 Beefsteak Tomatoes - $2.29
Iceberg Lettuce- $1.49
Wegmans Garden Salad: $1.29
Small Celery: $1.69
2Wegmans Giant Bread - $1.98
Wegmans Italian Sub Rolls - $2.99
Wegmans Hamburger Rolls- 18 count- $1.99
Banquet Turkey Sausage: $1.29
Wegmans Fully Cooked Bacon:$3.49
80% Ground Beef Club Pack (6 pounds) - $12.00
2 Wegmans Bagel Packs - $5.09
Fitness Trail Mix- 1 pound- $4.99
Wegmans Muenster Sliced Cheese: $2.49
2 Wegmans Cream Cheese - $2.98
1 Gallon of Milk - $2.51
Wegmans Sour Cream - $1.39
2 Wegmans Mozzarella -$3.60
Wegmans Shaved Ham- $2.99
Wegmans Turkey Meatballs - $5.99
Wegmans Pear Halves - $1.19
2 Cambells Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup- $3.78
Wegmans Basil Pasta Sauce - $.99
Wegmans Ranch Dressing - $1.69
Betty Crocker Cornbread - $.69
Luck Leaf Apple Pie Filling - $2.49
Log Cabin Syrup - $2.98
Pillsbury Fudge Brownie Mix - $1.25
Wegmans Pancake Mix- $1.99
Slim Jims - $3.49
Cheese Its (White Cheddar Reduced Fat) - $2.99
Total Groceries for the Week: $83.06
Already have At Home:
1 package of shredded cheddar cheese (small)1.5 bags of frozen grilled chicken breasts
1/2 Jar of Salsa
Taco Seasoning (1/4 packet)
Taco Sauce
1 Can of Corn
Salad Topping
3/4 Package Family Size Deli Turkey
1/2 package of American Cheese slices
Baked Beans
Frozen Carrots
Potatoes Obrien
1/2 Package Frozen broccoli
3 Burrito Wrappers
BLT Sandwiches
Cheddar Broccoli Soup
Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Taco Salad
If you can, you should try and make up some heat and heat meals and pop them in the freezer for after the baby gets here. It will help when you are too tired to go shopping or cook.
ReplyDeleteAnother great post!
I'm a step ahead of you! Well, a half step anyway. We've got frozen chicken enchilada casserole, frozen layered quesadilla casserole, frozen chicken and wild rice casserole, Jon's making chili to freeze tommorow night, and Mom and Dad are coming down as soon as the little guy arrives, and I hear they're bringing steaks. I'll do 2 more freezer casseroles this weekend, but after that our frezeer's out of room. Once things get settled, we're going to look into finding a cheap deep freezer.
DeleteAnother great post and now I am hungry! :-)
ReplyDeleteThat's my problem lately! When I add the photos, I suddenly have cravings for BLT's, chicken salad, taco salad and broccoli cheddar soup all at once:)
DeleteI just wanted to let you know that it is so great of you to share your tips on meal planning and grocery shopping! It takes a lot of discipline and I love getting advice and ideas form bloggers that do it. And I also wanted to say that your meal ideas are great. Not every household is designed to eat tofu and brussel sprouts and it frustrated and saddened me to see individuals making comments that atacked what you are doing for your family. Just something that I felt compelled to say. Thanks for being helpful and sharing your life and family with the blog world :)
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome comment! You're now officially my favorite:) Thanks so much!
DeleteI have been enjoying checking out your blog today (arrived from Pinterest) and seeing all the meal plans--they've given me ideas! We also used to eat out ALL THE TIME and have slowly been trying to work our way back to a healthier and hopefully cheaper eating lifestyle. One thing that helped us was once we got better at eating at home instead of out all the time, then I started making substitutions. So, instead of regular pasta, I buy vegetable or wheat pasta. Instead of regular white rice, I buy brown rice. Not for everything by any means, because sometimes the budget doesn't allow it, but just little bits at a time to get my family used to eating healthier. :) So often with four kids running around I have to go for the quick and easy dinners, so on days that I CAN I try to be as healthy as possible. Good luck with all of your changes and upcoming little one! Thanks for your awesome meal plan ideas as well!
ReplyDeleteThe best part of blogging by far is meeting people like you. I had no idea that there were so many people like me in the world! We slowly substitute things in as well. Breaking an addiction to fast food and eating out is hard. This is our twelve step program. Start eating a home made version of "fast food", then slowly move into healthier "fast food", start utilizing crock pots and freezer meals and eventually we'll be eating real food that's great for us and we won't miss chipotle! (In theory- I can't imagine not missing Chipotle right now)
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