11/17/12: This Weeks Menu Plan for 15 minute meals for under 120 dollars per week.

Sadly, after almost three months at home with baby squishy, I'm getting ready to head back to the office. I've been cooking from scratch using "5 Dollar Dinner Mom's cookbook" while I was at home. This week, we're back to 15 minute meals until we adjust to the change, then I plan to start mixing in the slow cooker.

Each Week, I sit down with my schedule book and plan out this weeks meals. Breakfasts are serve yourself from pre-made options, and snack bags for lunches are separated into snack baggies on shopping day (Sunday). I just grab 3 snack baggies for each of our lunches to toss in. We both pack our lunch every day, even being at home these last few months. I pack my lunch as well so I can grab it and go while running errands etc.  Jon took over the shopping as one of his chores (You rock Jon!), He does that on Sunday and then I can do food prep that day for the week. I share our menu for the week for those that are new to menu planning. If you have no idea what to do for the week and would like to steal some or all of our plan... I promise not to prosecute:-)

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.

This week, I went through the pantry, fridge, and freezer and listed food that I would like to use up. We're making a lot of progress in clearing that stuff out. I should note that I don't want excess food in the kitchen because it's hard to find the things that I need and things get lost. In case of emergency, we're very well prepared with extensive food stocks in the basement. We're ready for anything (except zombies).
"Recipes" for all menu items can be found here and here.

Italian Chicken Pasta Salad



MENU:

Breakfast Options for the Week:

Sausage Breakfast Burrito: I made and froze a ton of these yesterday while I made dinner. just heat for 90 seconds and enjoy!

Milk and Cereal: Self Explanatory.

Snack Options for Lunches:

Pudding cups
Slim Jim's
Peanuts
Popcorn
Granola Bars
Fruit
Carrots

Reminders:

This is complicated week. Lots of things to catch up on before I start back.
Movies with Alison on Friday at 7pm.- early dinner (5pm?) Plan easy packed lunches for me since I have at least 2 days of errands.
Use pantry inventory to plan meals this week.
"Cooking Date Night" on Saturday. (We stay on and make a fancy meal together, it's cheap, romantic and I learn a few things from my fancy cookin' husband).

Sunday:

Breakfast: Breakfast burritos

Lunch: Leftover lasagna from dinner party.

Dinner: Crispy chicken wraps stuffed with southwest salad. (We had an extra southwest salad kit from dinner the night before, we mixed it, and stuffed the tortillas with that and the crispy chicken).


Monday:

Lunch: Turkey and muenster sandwich, three snacks. (sorry for the repetition, but Jon never gets sick of this).

Dinner: Italian chicken pasta salad, pears.


Tuesday:

Lunch: Italian chicken pasta salad
            

Dinner: Hot dogs, sauerkraut, baked beans, mandarin oranges.


Wednesday:

Lunch: Turkey and muenster sandwiches.

Dinner: Chicken Parmesan (using the leftover crispy chicken tenders from Sunday- Just heat, cover in sauce and mozzarella, you can also put these in hot dog buns from Tuesday night), angel hair pasta on side, green beans.


Thursday:

Lunch:  Turkey and muenster sandwiches.

Dinner: Chicken salad sandwiches, broccoli cheese soup
*Thaw turkey for "Date Night" on Saturday)


Friday:

Lunch: Turkey and muenster sandwiches

Dinner: Tortellini with peas and cheese


Saturday:

Breakfast: French Toast with strawberry preserves

Lunch: Chicken salad sandwiches and chicken noodle soup

Dinner: Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Veggies and Gravy.

Sunday:

Breakfast: French toast with strawberry preserves

Lunch: Home made sloppy joes (recipe found here), served in leftover hot dog buns, macaroni and cheese.
Dinner: Leftover from Saturdays cooking date night.

Shopping List: (All prices are approximate based off memory- If we shop before I post, I'll include total)

Wegmans Granola Bars - $2.50
Wegmans Club Pack Turkey- $8.99
Wegmans Muenster Cheese- $2.50
2 Loaves Wegmans Giant Bread- $1.99
Slim Jims- $5.00
Wegmans Plain Potato Chips- $1.50
Wegmans Italian Dressing- $1.50
2- Wegmans Frozen Grilled Chicken Breast- $11.00 (Use coupons)
Green Pepper- $1.00
White Onion- $1.00
Baby Carrots- $1.00
Wegmans Rotini- $1.00
Black Olives- $1.00
Gallon Fat Free Milk- $2.50 (I LOVE WEGMANS! - mostly because they sell cheap milk!)
Wegmans Hot Dogs- $5.00
Wegmans Club Pack Hot Dog Buns- $2.00
Sauerkraut- 1.00
Small Mozzarella Cheese- $1.50
Campbell's Broccoli Cheese Soup- $2.00
Parm Cheese- $2.00
Tortellini -Cheese (Frozen)- $2.00
Frozen Peas- $1.00
Wegmans Steamed Veggies (any)- $2.00
Canned Pears x 3- $4.00
Wegmans Chocolate Pudding Cups- $2.00

Total: $68.00 for this weeks groceries

I was pretty much right on, it turned out to be $69.71:)

Items already at Home:

Burrito Tortillas- $1.50
Baked Beans- $2.00
Cereal- 6 boxes thanks to the Harris Teeter double coupon sale - each 80 cents:)
Crispy Chicken Tenders- $6.00
Pasta Sauce- $1.00
Angel Hair Pasta- $1.00
Chicken Noodle Soup- $1.00
Mashed Potato Mix (4 boxes -Same Harris Teeter Sale- about 1.00 per box!)
Ketchup- $3.00
Brown Sugar- $2.00