Every week I sit down and figure out what we are eating this week. After mapping out who all needs to be where when, I can see who needs to have meals to pack, who will be home to cook, and what kind of time line we have. This saves me countless dollars and helps reduce my stress considerably. When I have a plan like this, it helps me to make a specific list, or the reverse, I can see what is on sale and make a list, then plan out our meals.
I plan for a week because I have a fridge and freezer, but you can plan for whatever length makes sense for you. If you have to shop every three days or so, then plan for the next three days. If it makes more sense for you to shop every two weeks, then planning will help keep track of where all your ingredients are supposed to go, so they aren't accidentally used up.
Menu planning also helps you spend your food dollars or SNAP dollars efficiently. We get paid every two weeks, so I know after paying the bills that are due in that time I will have a certain amount to pay for food. I take stock of what we have in the fridge first, look at the sale ads to see what is on sale at our local store, and make a plan. I create my shopping list as I go, and since I have been shopping for so long and I am using the sale ads, I can estimate how much we will spend. This helps me prevent the end of the month panic when we are out of food and out of money.
Menu planning and budgeting is hard. It is work to keep track of where all the money goes, especially if you are not the only one spending it. Try menu planning to get a handle on food cost for your family and to help you provide nutritious meals you will like.
In this weeks menu plan, I planned to use the same ingredients in different ways. Apples, ham, cheese slices, carrots, waffles, oatmeal and apple sauce all make multiple appearances so everything gets used up.
Monday-
Me-11-7 Him-7-3 Kids-At Auntie's
Breakfast- eggs, toast, half a banana
Lunch- School is virtual! Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, carrot sticks, pretzels
Dinner- he cooks polish sausage, green beans, Mac and cheese (2 boxes so there are leftovers for lunch)
Tuesday-
Me- off Him- 7-3, 4-8 Kids- Home
Breakfast- frozen waffles, applesauce
Lunch- Him- Mac and cheese with a little polish sausage sliced up in it, green beans; Us- tomato soup and cheese sandwiches, half a banana
Dinner- chicken legs, microwave sweet potatoes, frozen broccoli (make extra for lunch) He packs sandwich, pretzels, fruit for his dinner at second job
*To prep for Wednesday, make Ham and Cheese tortilla rollups and put in fridge
Wednesday-
Me- 10-5 Him- 7-3, 4-8 Kids- At Auntie's Scouts 6:00
Breakfast- oatmeal, canned pears
Lunch- He and I pack sandwiches and leftovers for work, Kids- Pb & j sandwiches, pretzels, applesauce
Dinner- Ham and cheese roll ups, carrots and celery sticks, granola bar
Thursday-
Me- 11-7 Him 7-3 Kids- At Auntie's
Breakfast- Frozen waffles, half a banana
Lunch- Sandwiches (ham or pb&j) pretzels, apples or carrots or celery or bananas, whatever we have
Dinner- Hamburgers, microwave baked potatoes, corn (make extra for lunch)
Friday-
Me- Off Him- 7-3, 4-8 Kids- Home
Breakfast- Oatmeal, canned peaches
Lunch- Him- leftovers Us- Chicken noodle soup, crackers, whatever fruit or vegetables are left
Dinner- Him- Chicken noodle soup, fruit Us- Spaghetti and meatballs (make extra spaghetti for lunch, extra meatballs for subs), green beans
Saturday-
Me- 10-5 Him- 4-8 Kids- Basketball 11-12
Breakfast- eggs, toast, sausage, Orange Juice
Lunch- Me- leftover spaghetti, green beans Them- Meatball subs using up sliced cheese, spaghetti sauce and hot dog buns, peas
Dinner- Him- leftover spaghetti, green beans Us- Chili, any fruit or vegetables left
Sunday- He goes to the grocery store with next weeks list
Me- 11-7 Him- off Kids- home
Breakfast- eggs, toast, sausage, orange juice
Lunch- Me- whatever I can scrounge or a can of soup Them- Leftover chili on microwave baked potatoes, granola bar for snack till I get home
Dinner- Eat late so we can all eat together- Frozen pizza, salad, frozen fruit made into a cobbler
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