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Menu Planning #166

 

Our meals need to be nutritious, clean, flexible, quick and cost effective. Between our work schedules and after school activities, we need to carefully plan our meals so that we do not end up ordering out.  


Instead of guessing regarding our food budget, I looked up the Official USDA Food Plans as of December 2020 which was enlightening.    Since, we have 3 members in our household and use the thrifty plan, the food only weekly budget would be $123.40.  However the monthly SNAP benefits average $125 per person or about $260.00 per household.   


Goal: $500.00 

What did we spend? 


Week 1- $108.97

Kroger: $87.83

Meijer: $21.14

Rebates- $9.65

IBOTTA: $7.55

IBOTTA: $1.10

Kroger Cash: $1.50


Week 2-$84.37

Kroger: $84.37

Rebates: $7.44

IBOTTA: $7.44

Kroger Cash: $2.19


Week 3: $183.11

Meijer:$10.19

Kroger: $25.08

    $36.60

Aldi: $111.24

Rebates: $13.29

IBOTTA: $11.00

Coupon.com: $2.29


Week 4-$133.87

Kroger: $76.87

Aldi: $57.00 

Week 5- $49.52

         Kroger:$26.82

Meijer: $18.57

Walgreens: $4.13

Total: $559.84

Rebate Total: $30.38

Final Total: $529.49


NOTE: Rebate total DOESN’T include Kroger Cash or Refunds because they will come off of the Kroger Bill automatically the following week.   In addition, I don’t count CVS as part of the grocery bill because I normally use gift cards and ECB to get my items for free, so in the end the money is usually to my benefit.   


Grocery Shopping Tips:   Take stock of your freezer and refrigerator before you go shopping.   At least 1 time per month, eat down your freezer and refrigerator to ensure you are not throwing your money out the door along with food that has gone bad from not using it in time.   

     

Let’s take a look at what we ate this week. 

NOTE- If you want to see the recipes, just click on the picture to see the link. 



Breakfast Options: 

https://sweetlifeonabudget.blogspot.com/2018/11/making-yogurt-101.html


Yogurt

Bagels 

Cereal

Eggs


Monday

Food Court Bourbon Chicken

Rice

Broccoli


Tuesday


Family Taco Kit 

From Yabba Tacos

(Lucky to have a gift card)

 

Wednesday

(Homemade Gravy)

https://sweetlifeonabudget.blogspot.com/2020/04/classic-gravy-aka-marinara-sauce-049-cup.html


Pasta

Meatballs

Salad


Thursday

Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie


Friday

https://sweetlifeonabudget.blogspot.com/2019/05/pizza-277-per-pie.html


Pizza

Mushrooms 


Saturday

Jimmy John’s Subs

Chips


Sunday


Greek Chicken

Salad

Pita/ Hummus



This week’s rough plan: 


M- Lasagna 

T-  Tacos

W- Jambalaya 

Th-  Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Fri- Pizza 

Sat- Turkey

Sun- Leftovers


* Indicate that the recipe is a new one for our family.    


What is your family having this week for dinner?


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