Everyone's been taking part in telling what they're having for dinner THAT NIGHT. It's come up again and again that, while many of us think menu planning is a great thing, saves money, helps in the long-run, etc., few of us actually DO it. I know I've tried in the past, and can't seem to keep it up. I could probably do it better if, instead of telling you what we're eating TONIGHT, to try and tell you for a whole week. That way we can sort of hold each other accountable to actually DO it. What do y'all think?
I made our menu today, I write it on the back of the grocery list for DH~he goes grocery shopping. That way incase I forget to put something on the list he can double check. Anyway This is what I put: pork chops, lima beans, boiled potatoes spaghetti, garlic bread (maybe meatballs) hamburgers on the grill, potato salad roast beef, mashed potatoes, veggie steak, salad, potatoes hot dogs with chili, fries pizza night all ready in the freezer: beef roast, pork chops, hamburges(already made them and freeze between wax paper) steaks, and beef for spaghetti sauce. On sale: 10# bag potatoes $1, tumbstone pizza 3 for $9.99 (free 2 liter of pop), hotdogs (oscar mayer~buy one get one free. Milk and eggs are buy one get one free too. {safeway}
Amy, I'm moving to where you are!!! I can't imagine potatoes that cheap! Milk I can usually buy on sale for $2/gallon. There's a meat market right across from us that had whole sirloin for $2.99/lb. We'll buy a whole one and have it cut free and packaged 2 per package. That will last us for several months, until it's on sale again. I will also buy 10 lbs. boneless chicken breast there for $1.99, and again it will last me a while.
Potatoes aren't that cheap here either. Usually over $4 for 10 lbs. Milk is also much more expensive here. Never under 2.50 and usually closer to $3/gal. I have started buying more in bulk, because my parents gave me a Sam's membership for my b-day. I have to gradually build up my bulk supply since my grocery budget didn't change with the membership. I got 72 slices of Kraft cheese or $4.15 and 4 lbs. of shredded cheese for $4.75. Five lbs. of ground chuck (90/10) was a little over $14. I also got a 3 pack of detergent (all- 96 loads) for 11 something. Milk is cheaper there, too - about 2.80. Of course there are some things that aren't good deals, so you have to be careful. I do usually prepare a tentative menu on grocery day. I plan for 2 weeks (+ or - a few days), because my dh gets paid twice a month. I really just try to use it as a guide, so that I have enough to cook for 2 weeks, more than using it as a strict day-to-day guideline. I'll have to think about what's left for this week! Wed. is payday, so I'll start fresh that day!
Ok this is what I have: S-Enchilada Casserole M-Chicken Pot Pie T-Hot dogs/fries (girls have dance from 3:45-6:00 & we get home after 7)
Tonight we were suppose to have hamburgers, but DH (who is the Saturday Cook and Meal Planner) is still sick and forgot to put some out to thaw. I would have (knowing he's sick!), but didn't think about it until it was too late. So tonight we had like a chicken pot pie, except there was no 'crust'. Tomorrow: Potato-Topped Swiss Steak Monday: The hamburgers we didn't have today! Tuesday: Possibly chicken again Wednesday: ??? Thursday: Chili (We have dance, too, and I can put it in the crock pot!)
I'm IN!!! I need to get in a good habit of menu planning! This would be a great way to share recipes too! I'm going to be working on my weekly menu tomorrow or Monday (get to start shopping on Weds)....so I'm floating for a couple days right now. I'll post mine when I'm done!
Let's see- Sloppy Joe Casserole Upside down Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole Spaghetti Thanksgiving Casserole- made with chicken breast Sausage with fried potatoes Hot dogs with mac and cheese chicken breast sandwiches with pasta salad I want to eat at Amy's house instead!!!
Beckym the upside down bacon cheeseburger casserole sounds wonderful. I am going to Amy's too. If not to shop to eat.
Kris, all that casserole is, is ground beef, bacon bits, and whatever else you put on a pizza. Cook all that, then put in a 9x13 pan. On top of that sprinkle mozzarella. On top of that put a jar of pizza or spag. sauce. on top of that put biscuits or mix up some of that baking mix and pour it over the top. Bake until the top is baked all the way through. This makes a big pan full.
Becky, that sounds wonderful and easy, guess what we are having this week for Becky's caserole I read it to dh and the girls and they thought it sound wonderful. Thanks again for sharing this with us.
I like to make stuff you can just dump into one pan. I'm Amy's complete opposite when it comes to homemaking, lol.
I will Post but I always wait until the new ad comes on Sunday to make my grocery list,(so i can buy what is on sale) But we also bought 1/2 of a cow so my freezer has plenty of that right now. Thus far I have S- Spaghetti with Garlic Bread (salad) M-Pot Roast with potatoes and carrots (salad) T- Pizza (frozen this is basketball and Ballet night) W- Chicken in the Crockpot (youth group) Th- Grilled Sandwiches and Soup Fri- Pizza or Tacos????? Sat- Chili brown rice and corn muffins
AHHHH AZ Milk prices...THEM I miss! I love when it goes on sale for $1.67 a gallon at Fry's! Oh well. The cheapest you can get it for in PA is like $3.03 a gallon or something. I miss my AZ grocery stores! our Fry's had a childcare center. You'd drop your kids (ages 2-8) in the center, go shopping and come pick them up after you check out. It was HEAVEN. I also miss all the Produce Grocery Stores (Henry's, Sprouts, Sunflower Market). They were half my trips! I'd walk out of there with 12 bags of produce for like $25 bucks!!!! Food is so much more expensive here in PA. Just another reason I miss Phoenix. There are days I question why we moved back to PA. I feel I made a grievous error!! OKAY....back to menu planning....
kbabe, milk is expensive in AZ now! the buy one get one free was not so bad but was about $3.79 but that doesn't happen to often, the kids drink 2-3 gallons of milk a week. (and if we have to have 3 I have to watch where I put it if I put it in the way back of the fridge, it freezes wich I used to do on pourpose in WA but here you can't just leave it on the counter to defrost because it may spoil first) and yes Becky I think you have it easy because you can make casseroles, not that they are always easy, but my gang (including me) are so darn picky that even when I make pizza casserole I have to make plain pasta for Eva and Donald and give them peperoni on the side because they don't like spaghetti sauce. (Eva has the worst acid refllux I've ever seen in a kid)
also, I just plan my meals, I don't plan what day they usually are, and we try to add an extra day so we have room to change our minds, and thus, giving us extra food for the times when we don't have the money to buy extra at the grocery store. Like this week we have 2 things planned for the grill.......... but if DH doesn't go get propane, guess who has to come up with 2 other meals? Please come on over to my house, you'll see how bad of a house cleaner I am, but I'll cook you all some yummy food and deserts.
Amy, you can't do everything you can't teach, be crafty women and Martha S. and clean too. I got I idea why don't you cook I will pick some ladies up in my rv and we will come and do the cleaning.
If you pick me up, I'll help with the cooking, but NOT with the cleaning! Why in the world is Pennsylvania so much more expensive than Ohio? That just doesn't make sense!!! Krista, I would go ahead and freeze the milk, and then put it in refridge to thaw. It would take a bit longer, but I can sure see why you wouldn't want it to thaw on the counter! We use to freeze milk, too!
We pay alot for our food down here too. Milk is almost 4 dollars a gallon, and bread is over a 1 a loaf. I think they are very high down here. We don't have many stores to choice from here. I don't know why we only have Wal mart and HEB in this town and it's not a small town. Ok Jackie you can help with cooking she will need it.
Kris, you are so sweet, Jackie, I could use help in the kitchen too...... you should hear me some times, yelling at the kids to stop playing hide and seek or tag in the kitchen. Then last night my DS said "mom my hand fell in your tea"~~his lego guy's hand.
