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Menu Planning: #227

 

Meal planning is essential to eating healthy, keeping the grocery bill down, and maintaining your sanity throughout a workweek.   In addition to meal planning, I try to prepare meals as much as possible over the weekend.   This helps to lower my stress during the week.    However, if we have a busy weekend, I try to plan simple or crockpot meals.      


Our grocery bill has been reaching or surpassing $200 a week for a while and this month, I am going to try to bring that price tag down.  In addition to spending so much money on groceries, we have also been eating out more often.    It is time to change our ways.  Our goal is $150 per week and only eating out 1 time in the month of November.     


Week 1 = 193.10

  • $169.10- 10.35 (IBOTTA) = $158.75 

  • $24.00


Week 2 = $277.84

  • $219.72- $4.85 = $214.87

  • $62.97 (Stock Up Haul + fruit and vegetable for the week ) 

Stock Up Items includes: 

  • 6 Creamette Pastas ($0.29/1)

  • 4 Vlasic Pickles ($2.49/1)

  • 15 Tuna Pouches ($1.00/1) 

  • 7 Chicken Pouches  ($1.00/1) 

  • 4 Beef Stock (32 oz) ($1.00/1)  

  • Onion (3lb) ($1.00/1) 

  • 3 Gala Apples (3lb)  ($1.00/1) 

  • Carrots (2lb) ($1.99/1) 

  • 5 Nut bags (individual) ($1.00/1) 

  • 1 Pickle (individual)  ($1.00/1) 


** NOTE- I picked up a 22lb turkey for Thanksgiving/lunch meat, multiple berries for the week and freezer, and Dt. Coke for the month.   I also earned enough points for a free Butterball Turkey next week.   It will be significantly smaller, so it will go into the freezer.    


Eating Out Solution:   

  • Pre-Cooking of meats

  • Using the Crockpot this week. 

  • Sandwich Night

 

Monthly Total: $470.94


Meal Preparation Plan

  • Hard Boiled 18 eggs

  • Hummus

  • Chli

  • Egg McMuffin Sandwiches 


NOTE- 

1- Click on the picture and get a link to a post sharing the recipe. 

2- Although all prices were correct at the time of the blog postings, the current cost of preparation of these dishes may be higher due to inflation and/or location.     


Breakfast Options: 


Hard Boiled Eggs

Egg McMuffin Sandwich

Cereal


Monday

Beef Stew


Tuesday


Sheet Pan Dinner *

Salad


Wednesday

 Hamburgers

Rice

Cauliflower


Thursday


Sandwich

Chips


Friday

Pizza

Salad


Saturday

Roast Chicken *

Broccoli

Rice

Salad


Sunday



Chili

LO Cornbread


M- Taco Night

T- Beef and Blue Cheese Salad

W- Sheet Pan Dinner (New Flavor)

Th- Sandwich Night

Fri- Jambalaya 

Sat- Chicken Noodle Soup

Sun- Cajun Shrimp Pasta


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


If you are interested in last week’s Menu Plan, the link is below. 

What is your meal plan for this week?


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