Skip to main content

Menu Planning: #235

 

The USDA food plans represent a healthy diet at four different cost levels.

(thrifty, low-cost, moderate-cost and liberal-cost)  The Supplemental Nutrition

Assistance Program (SNAP) utilizes the thrifty level of the USDA food plans.  

Each food plan specifies quantities of food and beverage categories that can be

purchased and prepared to make healthy meals and snacks at home.  



This year, we decided to use the Official USDA Plans: Cost of Food Reports to guide our food budget this year at the thrifty level.   


December 2022 Report

Per Week 

Male (14-18) = $68.90

Male (51-70) = $64.20

Female (51-70) = $57.70

Total = $190.80/Week or $954.00


Week 1: 

Aldi: $51.74

Meijer: $0.49

Kroger: $81.48

Week 2: 

Kroger: $212.76

Week 3:

Aldi: $38.96

Kroger: $79.92


Total: $460.05


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.     


Cost Saving Tip of the Week: 


Work on Food Waste:   The average American Family wastes 30% of their food each year.   This translates to approximately $1,866.00 per year. This provides each of us with an opportunity to trim our budgets with a little effort.  If you want to read more about this, 2 references are below:

Food Loss and Waste- USDA

Americans Waste $280 Billion In Food Each Year


Here is what we did this week to make our week easier: 

  • Cut up Vegetables for weeknight side dishes and to pack with lunches.

  • Made Banana Bread for Breakfast

  • Use pre-cooked ground beef from the freezer



Breakfast Options: 


Crustless Quiche

Bagels

Banana Bread


Monday

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Salad

Chips w/ Salsa


Tuesday

Mississippi Pot Roast

Cole Slaw

Mashed Potatoes

Broccoli


Wednesday

Enchiladas

(LO Chicken from Monday)


Thursday


Sandwich Night


Friday

Pizza

Salad

Leftover Buffalo Wings


Saturday

Sausage

Peppers and Onions

Coleslaw


Sunday



Pasta 

w/ Homemade Gravy 

Salad

Bread



M- Jambalaya 

T- Soup and Sandwich

W- Enchiladas

Th- Chicken and Rice

Fri- Pot Luck @ Swim 

Sat- Tacos

Sun- Stir Fry


* 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?


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Menu Planning #132

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.   The news is very scary at this time because of all the news of meat plants shutting down, grocery stories limiting the amount of meat a family can purchase and all of the talk about a depression on the horizon.    We have decided to keep our grocery budget the same, but to economize any way we can.     This week we tried to pick up some shrimp that was on sale, but the store was out of shrimp and not expecting to get any more in.    We were grateful to find wild caught salmon for the same price, so we picked that up instead for our Mother’s Day Dinner.    What did we spend?  Week 1: $96.44 Kroger: $96.44 Rebates: $3.55 IBOTTA: $1.35 Kroger Cash: $0.45 Checkout 51: $1.75 ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Menu Plan #322

  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 these dishes may be higher due to inflation and/or location.      Published September 2025:  USDA Thrifty Food Plan According to this plan, our family has a weekly budget of $190.50. Since  October has 5 weeks, our monthly budget is $952.50.   We elevate our dining experiences by including fresh fruits, vegetables, and higher-quality meats.  Since our family has specific dietary needs, we limit our consumption of highly processed food.   Grocery Shopping Tip:     Rethink lunchmeat.     The deli will provide you with thin-sliced meat or presliced deli meat, but you will pay a premium per pound.     ($6.49 to $15.00 per pound) However, if you buy a ½ boneless ham (unsliced or presliced), the price point will drop to between ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Frugal Five: #133

  With inflation rising and salaries staying the same, our ability to make ends meet is becoming increasingly difficult. Therefore, we must be more careful with our money. The Frugal Five is a series that celebrates the daily or weekly activities that help us live a frugal life.     This year, my focus is on Simple Abundance , so finding ways to live well while staying on budget will be challenging.    Come along and enjoy my journey of elevating joy, enjoying what you have, and finding luxury in my local area.    1- Giving Back to the Community  Supporting your community can take countless shapes. Some people choose to write a check, and that generosity absolutely matters. But many outreach efforts require more than funding—they need time, hands, and hearts willing to show up. I’m grateful that I’m able to participate in several programs that make a real difference for the people around me. One of the most meaningful ways I give b...
Post a Comment
Read more