Culinary Awareness

After several posts by others summarizing their grocery bills, their eating out bills, and their food waste logs, I was feeling pretty down trodden about my efforts in all three areas.  Not only do I estimate that we spent more than $175 on meals out and take out, our grocery bill for a family of three, including household supplies, exceeded $500 (of what I could track), and I did a very guilty fridge and freezer toss. Last month was 1)not thrifty, 2) not minimalist, and 3) not healthy. Why this realization over a week into August? First, our credit card goes from the 7th of the month to the 7th the following, and I also wanted to get the 4th of July spending off because I didn't want to be able to justify the out of whack spending with the holiday thrown in. 

My plan this week is to stay completely away from  restaurants, deli counters, and drive through windows. I'm going to do a good look and see that I find any perishables that are lurking in the back of refrigerator or freezer, and cross my fingers that they do not need to find the trash bin. So here is the plan.

Sunday:
I was very under the weather yesterday and sent DH and DD#2 off to the lake for the day.  I was alert enough to send a cooler with hot dogs from the freezer and buns, a cantaloupe, can of beans, chips and salsa, and two mini loaves of banana bread that were in the freezer as contributions to the communal meals. I drank loads of water, ibuprofen, and had toast.
Monday:
Feeling more myself, I used up 5 good noodles and a bunch of broken ones to put a small lasagne together using canned tomatoes and nearing the sell by date cheese. Today is DH's birthday, so I did stop for three slices of $1.00 pie, as he is not much of a cake eater.  We are celebrating his and  other birthdays on Sunday, so this will be about as much attention as he wants. 
Tuesday:
I used a large onion hiding in the bin, two large and three small zucchini that needed to be cooked, and the last of the plain yogurt from last weeks masala dish to make a zucchini curry.  Made tonight, I'll just reheat tomorrow. 
Wednesday:
Spinach, cucumber, and tomato salad with chicken cutlets.  
Thursday:
DH is usually the one that makes the meals, so I will leave him to his own devices, but make him promise to use what is in the house. I'm going to take a wild guess and say he will make spaghetti. That would be fine as have a few egg plant I can bread and fry up, and I'll make an extra chicken cutlet or two to make chicken and eggplant Parmesan. 
Friday:
Comfort food by weeks end is in order, so think a tuna hot dish, with peas and cheese might fit the mood. 
Saturday:
Use up any leftovers, and if needed some grilled cheese sandwiches or omelets.

I'm not much of a menu planner, but I am fed up with the waste. These are all foods my family enjoys, so shouldn't fee like we are giving up anything.  Lunches will be any leftovers form the night before, yogurt, cheese and crackers, and sandwiches. No fast food.  No take out. I have a lonely ear of corn-would that taste well in the curry? What's on your table this week?