This week we are starting a Pantry challenge with Jessica of Good Cheap Eats. She does this twice a year, January and July, and I've found that my freezers thank me when I participate both times. I desperately need to defrost my chest freezer, so hopefully that will happen before the end of the month. I'll still be shopping, but I'll be meal-planning to use up all of the weird bits that get lost in the freezers throughout the year. Here's what we've got on the menu this week...
Breakfasts: Cold Cereals, Fruit, and Yogurt
Lunches: Leftovers, Chili from the freezer, misc frozen TV dinners, and PBJ Sandwiches
Dinners:
Sunday - French Toast, with Fresh Raspberries
Monday - Cheesy Baked Pork Chops, with Butter Noodles, and a Vegetable
Tuesday - Baked Fish Fillets, with French Fries
Wednesday - Orange Chicken, with Jasmine Rice
Thursday - We're taking a day trip to Tuckahoe Steam and Gas show, so we'll have
sandwiches there; they have the BEST Italian Cold Cut subs!
Friday - We'll be at Joe's Grandfather's, so we'll go out to dinner with him
Saturday - Mac and Cheese, with Kielbasa, and Broccoli
Extras: Banana Bread (from the freezer), Chocolate PB No-bake Cookies
For more AWESOME Menu Plans, visit Org Junkie!
Your plan looks great! I love it when I can get rid of those little bits in the freezer and no one (but me) is the wiser. ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks - me too!
DeleteI love taking day trips and going to visit my favorite restaurants that aren't close by! So fun! Hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThat's one of our favorite things to do -- we're definitely foodies :)
DeleteI'm just curious about where these meals are coming from, been following (and enjoying) your frugal journey for quite some time but have never seen in your pictures of your food purchases these healthy veggies, meats, fish or fruits (rarely see you buying any fruit at all). You seem to lean heavily on the chips, snacks, pop tarts, cookies, candy, ice cream and puddings, which is fine for you but it doesn't seem to follow your menu planning for this challenge. Just wondering.
ReplyDeleteI do get a lot of snack foods, mostly for my husband. We also have quite a stash of frozen fruits and veggies in our freezer from the Cascadian farms coupons that come out in January/February. I buy all that I can with the coupons I can get my hands on. Mostly broccoli, corn, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. But I will also buy the birds eye steam fresh varieties, and the boxed vegetables from Green Giant. I usually watch for sales at Giant and match what coupons I have, so I always have something in the freezer. I have posted these purchases throughout the year. I am also reaping the benefits of my father's garden - wine berries, raspberries, tomatoes, cantaloupe, and bell peppers. A lot of these things I freeze for use later on. As for meat, I usually purchase chicken and bacon from BJ's (with coupons), and Laura's lean ground beef from Giant (sometimes with coupons), when on sale, and I post these purchases as well. I do not post my other pork purchases, because we buy it from a local farm/butcher, and Joe's Grandfather buys it for us, two or three times a year when he buys his. I hope this helps. When I post my weekly spending report, I only post things I purchase, so things like produce we are gifted, I don't bother posting, but maybe I should...
DeleteActually, she mentioned getting the frozen veggies/fruits several times using coupons (organics also, if I am not mistaken). If I blogged this time of year, folks would think I was never eating fruits/veggies because I work in my sister's garden/yard and get to repeat the benefits for free. So although you wouldn't see the blueberries, broccoli, yellow squash, watermelon, zucchini, cucumbers, butternut, potatoes, beans, onions, etc. in my shopping pics, it would most def be on my menu.
ReplyDeleterepeat - reap
DeleteThank you for following along! And for your reply. We are on a tight budget, and sometimes our meals aren't perfect, but we try. We are also reaping the benefits of other's gardens, gotta love free produce! :)
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