Monday, February 9, 2009

Menu Plan Monday! and More on My Cheap (Frugal) Life

Here is my menu plan for the week. I hope to include breakfast and lunch in upcoming weeks...but I am not quite that organized yet. Posting helps motivate me to get it done! I shop on Saturdays so I am starting my plan on Saturday- at least for this week. I am also making some granola this week, my own taco seasoning, and some vegetable stock.

Saturday- Curried Carrot Bisque /w/ bread
Sunday-Tacos
Monday- Taco pie /w/ leftovers
Tuesday- Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew
Wednesday- Chickpeas /w/ rice
Thursday- Leftovers
Friday- Raviolis
Saturday- Homemade Pizzas with Dana and Brian! Happy <3>

I received some great feedback and suggestions after last week's money saving post.

I love Lori's suggestion of making enough for multiple meals and freezing some. Unfortunately, as the picture below shows I have a teeny tiny freezer. BOO! :(


and that isn't Rita's in those containers-although my husband wishes it was. We reused them.


But I do have a ginormous (and messy) pantry! woohoo :)




In response to some questions...

Q. Erin asked, "Do you base your menu on what you want or by what is on sale that week? "

A. I used both along with what I have in the house. I usually first see what I am in the mood to make. Then I look to see what I have in the pantry, freezer, fridge and then check what is on sale. This combination usually determines what we will have for dinner. I almost always have rice, onions, beans, some type of canned tomato (diced, stewed, crushed) and pasta in my pantry.


The free range chicken we buy is $3.99 per lb at the local butcher. It really doesn't go on sale. So we just buy some and freeze it two breasts at a time. I have cut down on the meat I use in my recipes as well as how many recipes per week I make using meat in order to save money. Eating vegetarian meals is cheaper. Including some vegan meals (like curried carrot bisque) stretches our money even further. No dairy, no meat = save big time! A bean chili over rice may not be that exciting but it goes a long, long way.


Q. Andrea asked where I have had luck finding coupons for healthy food.

A. Mainly at manufacturer's websites. I request newsletters and contact companies asking for coupons. I basically beg! :)

Hopefully I will get another post up with all your wonderful money saving tips.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for dropping by my blog! LOVE your blog banner (or is it called a header?)!! I would love to make my menus more frugal! Looking forward to watching how you do it :-)

EP said...

All the meals you're planning on making this week sound delicious!

Lori said...

I should post my menus too, but I create mine on Fridays... I too plan Sat - Fri.

I also make my own taco seasoning, my taco meat never tastes the same twice (o:

My Messy House said...

That little freezer would drive me CRAZY!! We had a large chest freezer and still not enough room!! Great Blog!!

CC said...

boo to the small freezer :( :( We have a small one too, but bought another one that we keep outside!

Andrea said...

Gotta love those tacos! And thanks for answering my question...I'll have to look into that!

Christy said...

I just noticed that Whole Foods has a little coupon book near the registers. Very helpful.

Shanilie said...

Wow you do have a big pantry. I really wish I had one, you do NOT want to see what is behind my cupboard doors lol.

What a great selection of healthy meals for the week. I love squash but I can not for the life of me swallow sweet potato. Wish I liked it.