On Saturdays, I share my menu plan for the upcoming week along with a photo of my groceries and a tally of my spending. My goal is to spend $100/week for our food, toiletries, and cleaning products. I’m currently in the midst of trying to buy more local, sustainably-produced food while sticking to my budget. Can it be done? I don’t know, but I’m going to try, and I’ll share what I learn as I go along.
Weeks without grocery shopping totally rock. I know I say that on every off week, but it’s true! I love having that extra time to spend on something other than shopping.
I also find that going two weeks between shopping trips makes it easier to use up more of my food. When I was going every week, I was always bringing home new, fresh produce, and then of course I wasn’t as interested in eating the produce left from the last week. Now, though, I’m being forced to use up what’s in my fridge, and that’s good for the food waste front.
I did make a teeny grocery stop and I spent $6.18, so I’m right on target for my budget. Yay!
Breakfast this week is nothing out of the ordinary…cereal, oatmeal, toast, yogurt, fruit, scrambled eggs, and pancakes. Not all on the same day. 😉
Lunches will be comprised of sandwiches made with whole wheat bread, homemade yogurt, yogurt smoothies, cottage cheese, fruit, raw veggies, nuts, cheese, and leftovers as necessary. Of course, we don’t eat all of that every single day…it’s just a list of the things we choose from for lunch each day. And Mr. FG eats leftovers for lunch pretty much every day.
Here’s what’ll be cooking for dinner at my house this week:
Saturday
- French Bread Pizza (and then we’re watching The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, since we just finished reading the book aloud to the kids)
Sunday
- Lunch will be at church (I’m bringing Honey-Glazed Pan Rolls), and then in the evening, we’re going to eat some snacky stuff…fruit, veggies, smoothies, popcorn, cheese, and granola bars, I think.
Monday
- Shrimp Salad Sandwiches
- fruit salad
Tuesday
- Grilled Chicken w/Avocado Salsa (this got bumped from a previous menu)
- green beans
Wednesday
- BBQ Beef Ribs (I’ve never cooked these before in my life, but they came with our section of the cow, so I’m giving them a try!)
- Cheese Bread
- Spinach Salad
Thursday
- Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
- grilled veggies
- maybe some chips
Friday
- Takeout date night for Mr. FG and me, something easy for the kids
Today’s 365 post: Using up some pineapple
Joshua’s 365 post: Untitled
Vanessa
Monday 18th of April 2011
Kristen, will your family be watching the animated 1979 version of Lion, Witch, Wardrobe, or will you watch the live action movie from a few years ago? I LOVED the animated movie as a kid...although it is pretty bad animation by today's standards. A little painful to watch as an adult.
I also think it's great that you read aloud to your kids. My mom read the WHOLE Little House series to us when we were kids. Those are still some of my favorite memories with her. Keep it up, your kids will thank you. :)
Denise
Sunday 17th of April 2011
Have you ever established your own fruit/vegetable garden to save money at the grocery store?
Sarah
Sunday 17th of April 2011
Kristen, your menu sounds fantastic! Do you have a recipe for the shrimp salad or do you just add mayo? (everything is good with some mayo!!)
Cheryl S.
Sunday 17th of April 2011
Over the past year I have started to make my own cleaners. As my previous store bought cleaners run out I replace them with home made at pennies on the dollar. Thus far I have been really happy with it!
Amanda Y.
Saturday 16th of April 2011
Be forewarned even from a grass fed cow they are usually very fatty parts, we made the mistake of grilling them the first time--the fat drips down and starts its own fire, so cook with foil or use another method to get rid of lots of the fat first to avoid very charred ribs!