Another Week, Another Meal Plan

As usual, I play fast and loose with the word plan. When I think ahead to the week, what gets committed to paper or blog ends up being merely suggestions. Here was the plan last week.

Sunday- DH was at his brothers.I have an sore tooth and throat so had applesauce and yogurt, made DD2 and omelette when she got home
Monday-BBQ spare ribs, mashed potatoes, green beans
Tuesday-Pasta bake with cheese and pepperoni
Wednesday-I have a dinner out with two professional colleagues/friends as one is in town from Washington DC. DH and DD2 will eat leftovers or freezer finds
Thursday-Chicken, rice, veggie blend
Friday- Chicken wild rice soup and crackers
Saturday- Some kind of stir fry, friend rice and mixed vegetables


And what we really ate

Sunday- DH was at his brothers.I have an sore tooth and throat so had applesauce and yogurt, made DD2 and omelette when she got home
Monday-BBQ spare ribs, mashed potatoes, green beans
Tuesday-the afternoon and early evening went a little hay wire. I ended up picking up burritos from Taco Bell
Wednesday-Me-dinner out with friends, DH and DD2 had a pizza
Thursday-Chicken, mashed potato, veggie blend
Friday- Chicken nuggets, baked potatoes, frozen vegetables
Saturday- meatball subs and pasta

Going into this week, my ideas is to serve this. Monday,:

Sunday- HM vegetarian bean and vegetable soup
Monday- Crock pot pasta prima vera
Tuesday- Chili, crackers
Wednesday-leftovers
Thursday-Turkey meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans
Friday- Homemade flat bread pizza (reserved sauce and some veg from prima vera and last Saturday meatball subs) or Hot dogs/ chili dogs, or Tuna hotdish with peas. Oven french fries with anything because it's Friday!
Saturday- something not made the night before

I'm making a bean and tomato salad plus hard boiling some eggs for the week for speedy lunches.I have hummus supplies and having polished off the last of the store bought container yesterday, we need some. wish me luck that it tastes decent. When I was dicing carrots and celery, I prepped crudities ready for snacks or lunches. Depending on how today goes, I might get the bread maker out for cinnamon roll dough. It may wait until Saturday but I have been craving the smell, if nothing else. I'm still trying to reduce my simple carbs, and realize last week was an epic fail. Other breakfast/packed lunch and snack staples include  frozen bananas-I think they multiply-for muffins or smoothies, plus vanilla yogurt and frozen and fresh fruit. 

In prepping this list, despite only having $64 left for the month in the grocery budget ( and needing dog food, dishwasher detergent, personal supplies, and T.P), knowing what is still in the freezer and pantry, I think I almost could get to the end of the month with money still left! I've decided I will target a 5% reduction and give myself $380 for October. I had also challenged out entertainment/eating out budget to $165. We are at $158, due to both DH and I slipping off the not eating out for lunch wagon and me picking up a round of Margarita's with my friends Friday night, though, another friend picked up dinner Wednesday (so I'll treat next time).  Viva the bold budgets!