As follow-up to my Thrifty Thursday post, I'll both recap meals we did eat Sunday-Saturday, and the list of potential meals that I am able to make without adding anything to my grocery budget. I'm also trying to not buy household, cleaning, health and beauty products either. Of course, we could blow the plan with eating or take out, so trying not to do that more than once a week. Here's what meals were last week:
- Sunday: Frozen pizza (The Ibotta Red Baron)
- Monday: Hamburgers, last of the tots for DH, a pasta salad from a kit
- Tuesday: Beef, bean, and cheese softshell tacos, rice
- Wednesday: Spinach, cheese and bacon, quiche, boxed mac and cheese (forgot to take the bread dough out of the freezer I had planned to bake)
- Thursday: Chicken, bacon, ranch sandwiches and parmesan rice
- Friday: Burrito lasagna made up from Taco Tuesdays leftovers. It was a hit! ( Additional leftovers froze)
- Saturday: DH had an expected Saturday off. We had a two for one coupon for a Tex-Mex restaurant, picked up our daughter and feasted on a late lunch. Supper was fruit, cheese and crackers.
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| Burrito "lasagna" |
Now for potential meals, not including leftovers.
- Chicken tortellini soup with spinach
- Chicken broccoli, rice and cheddar hot dish
- Pattie Melts, rice pilaf, and vegetables
- Ham, Au gratin potatoes, mixed vegetables
- Cheesy corn and ham chowder with homemade bread ( might be today)
- Ham, cheese, and spinach quiche
- Goulash
- Spaghetti Bolognaise
- Chili with elote biscuits (I'm going to use baking mix with the TJ's Everything but the elote seasoning and cross my fingers)
- Homemade pizza with onions, sausage, and haloumi
- Sausage gravy over biscuits, vegetables and rice
- Grilled cheese and tomato red pepper soup
- Tuna hotdish with steamed carrots
- Tuna melts and homemade bean soup (from freezer)
- Chickpea curry over rice(maybe DH will eat it, but he can have frozen pizza if not!)
If I stick to this, potentially with a night or two of leftovers, I'll get to February 20, which is a Sunday of a three day weekend. I'd want to shop then for the week, and plan for DH when I am out of town, plus a few groceries for my daughter to bring back to college.. It would give our February savings a bit of a jump start, give me a good base to do a top to bottom refrigerator, freezer, and pantry clean out, and save me some stress wondering what to make for dinner. I'll disclose if I do any top offs, to keep me honest in the challenge. My goal is to cut my overall household, grocery, health and beauty spending by 50% for February, and come in at or below $202. I know for just two people, that seems high for many of you but fruit, veg, and meat is expensive this time of year and I'm trying to cut as much processed out as possible, though have no qualms about frozen. Wish me luck and share any challenges you might be doing this month.
Sounds good Sam. I need to do an inventory today and do my menu plans too. I know I have lots of little bits of things to use up in the freezer and would like to skip any grocery shopping this week if possible. Have a nice Sunday!
ReplyDeleteThat's my objective, and use up things that might get overlooked then thrown.
DeleteI made the Red Baron ibotta pizza for lunch yesterday for the kids. I wasn't expecting to get any, and I was right. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI opted not to go to Costco this weekend, and just fill in at the store (apples, pears, bananas, milk). Mostly for convenience, because Costco is a giant time sink. I likely saved money, as I would have picked up other things when I was there. The local store is way overpriced, but I had a $20 reward, as well as a $1 coupon & picked up the Friday freebie, so it all came out to be pretty manageable.
DH ate 1/2, I had a slice, then he polished it off in Monday for breakfast.
DeleteMy challenge is simply not shop as often for groceries. Prices are high here too. I did manage to keep under budget in January and I don't expect to shop again until later this week.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
With using things up, I'll have a clean slate
DeleteI don’t think $200 is high at all for two people. We spend that and more each month. Your menu sounds good. I like the burrito lasagne idea.
ReplyDeleteBut that will just be two weeks, really as I'm trying to avoid the stores past the 14th. The burrito lasagna worked out well.
Delete$200 for the month seems an optimistic target to me but then I may be comparing it to our prices. Either way, I'm sure you'll give it a good shot!
ReplyDeleteWe'll, it really would be just $200 for two weeks as I'm avoiding shopping until well after February 14. I'll restock once we're home so March will be typical.
DeleteSounds like a great plan. Have a wonderful Sunday!!
ReplyDeleteDH is trying to fix a tub faucet issue and he's stressed so I'm stressed!
DeleteI too will challenge myself can I use up what's here prior to purchasing something more.
ReplyDeleteI'm apalled at our waste some weeks. This will help give us a fresh start.
DeleteJon's not been to the supermarket for a week, he's missing it desperately. I don't think he'll be able to contain himself when he gets there tomorrow. Pre-pandemic he used to pop in every day, I'm not sure if its the food or the banter he has with the ladies who work in there! xxx
ReplyDeleteDH is same- lots of people to talk to in the store. He's already shaking his head at the shelves in the kitchen, but I see them chock full.
DeleteSounds like a good plan. For my relative on the new from major surgery this week, I made a modified chili soup. By modified I mean I used what I had on hand. I soaked red beans and coked them in crockpot. Halfway through I added thawed ground beef, garlic, salt ( beans had already been softened) a jar of Aldi pasta sauce, water, chili seasoning, and called it chili soup. We are that a couple of meals and then I added leftover spinach and fresh tomatoes. The meal after that I added a can of corn, and a little water. This has turned into the crockpot soup for the week. Luckily the relative is not picky. Relative had a kale salad kit that needed to be used and I used leftover rotisserie chicken in it along with Mayo. It was edible. I am not fond of kale but I am not gonna waste food if I can help it. None of the food would win awards but it was reasonably nourishing. Cindy in the South
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your relative appreciated the meal. I know I would if someone was taking care of me! I am with you on the kale. I worded as a server in a Pizza hut in the 80's and Kale was what we used to cover the packed ice-not something to be eaten!
Delete$400 a month does seem like a lot, but it is your life! I just cooked another pot of soup, so good. I could never pan meals so far ahead, yet we always manage to eat well.
ReplyDeleteFor two working adults? According to the USDA, Were basically on the Thrifty budget for our ages. Add that we also occasionally have our adult daughter join us for meals, buy items that I send back with my daughter to school, and I think I do pretty well. Remember, we have a small growing season in the north as well, so fresh fruits and vegetables are likely much higher here than in climates that both start to get produce earlier and it grows later. Plus, I have to say I would be bored to tears eating the same foods over and over, not experimenting with new ingredients and flavors, and these splurges can add up. https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/media/file/CostofFoodDec2021Thrifty.pdf
DeleteGood luck with your February goals. It would be pretty easy for me to do mainly because my freezer is so well stocked. This month I hope to buy only fresh produce and bread, plus some protein bars TheHub takes to work with him each day (though he might have enough in the pantry). But there is always the possibility of some super good deal on something I use and if so, I will buy at stock up prices.
ReplyDeleteReally, if I'm just talking making meals and not cooking to whims and daily preferences, I wouldn't even blink at this challenge. If we really saw too good to pass up deals, I'll happily break the challenge.
DeleteTuna melts and soup/stew is one of my regular meals! I also do:
ReplyDelete- chicken breasts cut in chunks and fried w/barbecue sauce as burgers, with side of roasted potatoes and roasted veggies.
- stir-frys (chicken or beef).
- pastas (sausage, chicken or beef) with loads of veggies.
- burritos (such an easy meal).
Every couple of weeks, I make a big pot of stew (if we've just had a roast), soup (if I've bought one of those deli chickens) or chili (meat is on sale), and freeze a ton of extras. I'll be making two big batches of chili (one all-beef, one w/ground turkey thigh and mushrooms) for the Super Bowl this weekend!
I have never tried burrito lasagna, and I need to.
ReplyDeleteIt was a total repackage of leftovers, but was quite tasty. I might keep as a regular option. I think it would be a hit at the cabin cleaning day and Memorial Day weekend when it is still chilly. We have teens, tweens, and lot of young men who are hungry! I think I could make two 9 by 13 pans of it for about $15, easily feeding 12-16 people, and a lot less mess than tacos. The beans and rice really bulk it out.
Delete