Menu Plan for October 10-16 and Meal Planning Tips

Monday
breakfast-apple crisp with yogurt and scrambled eggs
lunch-chicken sandwiches, popcorn, carrot sticks and hummus
dinner-lasagna, garden salad, garlic bread

Tuesday
breakfast-buttermilk pancakes, bacon
lunch-bean soup and cheese toast
dinner-chicken enchiladas, rice, chips, salsa, salad

Wednesday
breakfast-applesauce muffins, eggs, grits
lunch-refried beans on tostados with various toppings
dinner-chicken with rice soup, homemade bread

Thurdsday
breakfast-baked oatmeal, strawberry smoothies
lunch-chicken sandwiches, popcorn, carrot stickes
dinner-meatball stroganoff over rice, glazed carrots, salad, dinner rolls

Friday
breakfast-applesauce muffins, eggs, grits
lunch-leftovers
dinner-black bean chili, cornbread, salad

Saturday
breakfast-biscuits, sausage, eggs, grits
lunch-leftovers or sandwiches
dinner-pork roast with potatoes, carrots and onions, green beans

Sunday
breakfast-cinnamon rolls
lunch-finger foods at church
dinner-veggie soup or French onion soup, bread, salad and dessert



I have had a few questions and comments recently about planning a weekly menu and thought I would take a moment to answer them.

1.  What do you do for snacks?  What are those?  No, really, I don't plan much for the snack area.  We generally have homemade bread or muffins on the counter and fruit in the refrigerator.  I make about 2 gallons of granola every few weeks and all of these are free for the snacking.  My wheat-free toddler gets gluten-free pretzels and rice cakes as well.  Raisins, sunflower seeds, sliced cheddar,  peanut or sunflower butters and sometimes popcorn round the selections out.   Every few weeks or so one of the girls will make a batch of cookies.


2.  Lunches are so hard to plan.  That's what leftovers are for!!  If we don't have leftovers--and I do try to cook enough to have SOME leftovers--we will have bean or beef tostados, some type of sandwich, homemade soups, hummus and veggies, popcorn, and fruit.


3.  When I make extra food at one meal in order to put extra in the freezer, the family eats it all.  Hide it!!    Don't put it on the table.  Put it in the freezer before mealtime.  Threaten!!


4.  What is the average cost of a meal at your house.  As frugal as I try to be, I really have no idea!!  We have been eating more bean based- meals recently and spread the meat thin.  Meat tends to be the big expense.  Devin recently made a chicken dinner for us using a pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts that I bought at a great price.  There were three chicken breasts and there are eight of us at home.  She cut each piece into three pieces, so that there were nine pieces.  And can you believe there was a piece leftover!!!  My secret to eating less meat is to eat heartier side dishes and they don't miss the meat!  Or use the meat in pasta or rice dishes.  With our food allergies, we tend to not eat many casseroles  unless we want to cook two meals, but sometimes that is what we do.   And with my boys, having freshly baked bread on the table always brings smiles.


For some other frugal menu planning tips check out these past posts.


http://busyhandsbusyminds.blogspot.com/2011/03/musings-from-grocery-store-and-some.html


http://busyhandsbusyminds.blogspot.com/2011/02/lifestyle-changes-becoming-producers.html


http://busyhandsbusyminds.blogspot.com/2011/06/quit-spending-even-more.html


http://busyhandsbusyminds.blogspot.com/2011/06/quit-spending.html


http://busyhandsbusyminds.blogspot.com/2011/01/frugal-shopping.html

http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2011/10/plan-it-dont-panic-meal-planning-challenge-and-recipe-for-okonomiyaki.html#more-12800