Sunday, December 23, 2018

Holiday Meal Planning

I've exceeded my grocery budget and the special food allowance. However, we did save at least $100 by not going downtown last night to the brewery and for dinner, so overall, I feel like I am within my December/holiday budget. 9Just forget that bit a few months back where I was going to only spend $100 total on eating out in November and December.) I think my overall budget, if not the categories themselves, will be spot on. DS hadn't done shopping before he left so while the first step in my truffle making, chilling the Oreo and peanut butter balls was happening, he and DD1 went shopping. DD2 was working with a friend on a project and did her shopping after, having missed a couple days due to being out of school sick this week. The older two picked up beer, and DS found a small bottle of Fireball in our liquor cupboard he was given last year and didn't take with him. It was such a relaxing day. chatting, making treats, hanging with my adult kids. Once DH and DD2 were home, still with homework that had to be finished by 11:59, we decided to change our plans a bit from heading down town. We did a pizza for the oven run and the kids and DH went to a later movie, but I knew I would not stay awake,  so stayed back. 

I let my body stay in bed, though answered and commented on blogs for a bit from my phone. Everyone is still asleep, so here's my time to do a mental walk through of the meal plan for the next week. I hope I can stay out of the store with the exception of milk, bread, and eggs until next Saturday. We are celebrating our immediate family's Christmas today, and it will be low key and casual to brace for the crowds the next two days.

Today
For football watching-a pub feast: Brats, soft pretzels with cheese and mustard and assorted other items-entirely too much I am sure.
Pre-Christmas dinner: Baked/broiled salmon, steak, Egg plant Parmesan, steamed broccoli, asparagus, French bread.
Monday-Christmas Eve
Lunch nibbles from yesterday, more cheese, fruit, bread, and olives
Ham and an appetizer to bring to my sisters for the buffet. (So much food!!!)
Tuesday-Christmas Day
Morning muffins
For Christmas lunch at MIL's: I'm bringing cheesy potatoes, broccoli salad, to go with her ham and dinner rolls, and for the later leftovers/snacking a Stromboli. There are a couple hot vegetables and salads coming, plus more appetizers for the leftover round.
Wednesday
Eating up leftovers for lunch, dinner, lasagna  and salad to eat before bringing DS to the airport
Thursday
Back to work for me, but DD2 is home: Leftovers for lunches, Chili for supper
Friday
Leftovers for lunch, ham and au gratin hot dish
Saturday
Inventory where we are at for holiday leftovers-for back-up; soup and grilled cheese

DD2 has show choir dress rehearsals both next Saturday and Sunday, so as I inventory leftovers, I'll see what can be upcycled into soups and hotdishes for quick reheats. If anything like last year and prior years, I'll need to manage  well to avoid waste. I feel January needs to be an austere month-not just for spending but for dialing back the amount of rich foods, and focus on clean eating. If you celebrate and with food, what's on  your menu. Share in comments ore link below. I'm off to Google how to cook salmon now, a collaboration with DS!

8 comments:

  1. We are having salmon as well - we found sockeye at the local Costco here, and it's a rare treat in December. Yum! We'll be having it baked with garlic, a little olive oil, lemon juice & salt. We will serve it with rice & salad. I'll also make goat cheese crostini to serve as an appetizer.

    For truffles, I saw your question. I made these. https://www.thefrugalgirl.com/chocolate-mint-truffles/

    Simple & delicious! The kids were able to help. They were really easy to assemble.

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    1. OOH-I have all the ingredients for those truffles as well, but do I need more? (and does that matter!) Between your recommendations and Meg's, I think I'll be able with DS's help to pull this salmon off.

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  2. I put lemon juice, oregano, thyme, garlic, pepper, butter and sometimes honey on my salmon, and tent it in foil. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes.
    Our Christmas Eve is usually pastrami sandwiches on rye, with other appetizers, usually smoked salmon, a tradition made from when we used to leave Santa pastrami on rye and a beer. No cheese though, because my eldest got it in his head at about age 4 that Santa kept Kosher.
    More smoked salmon on bagels with mimosas on Christmas morning, with a rib roast for dinner. I will make a cheesecake today or tomorrow. Today I am also baking more cookies--pecan butterscotch sandies and macaroons, as well as making more peanut butter cups. Dinner tonight is grilled tilapia. Yes, we celebrate with food!
    H.P...DH drove to Costco on Friday after picking youngest up from school. They took one look at the line going in, turned around, and went straight to a Chinese buffet instead! He was supposed to pick up smoked salmon then. I had to buy it from the supermarket instead. *GASP* Much cheaper at Costco.

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    Replies
    1. I actually got what I think is a baurtiful piece, I hope, from Aldi's. I will take your recommendation-though I don't eat salmon, perhaps a taste, it sounds mouth watering. I may need to splurge some year again on a smoke salmon. We had brought one back from Alaska two years ago, and DH, DS, and DD2 still talk about it! We celebrate with food as well, and for the game today, we are reliving our trip a bit with yummy German and French treats, and I reserved two bars of Belgian chocolate. OF course, beer and wine will be plentiful. Have a very Merry Christmas, Meg-no one will complain of being hungry in either of our houses.

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  3. You know I never meal plan, except this week I did. Last night stirfry chicken, shrimp, veggies over rice (Kid #2 is here for Christmas), today we go to A Christmas Carol play so right now I am baking salmon (free from fishing) for hubby to make salmon chowder before the play and I will make garlic toast to go with it when we get back. Tomorrow is our traditional Ukrainian food day. Perogies (bought from a Ukrainian baba here so homemade), Ukrainian sausage from Alberta that we flew back on our visit, a cornmeal dressing called Nachynka(my fav) and a salad. In years gone by it would be meatless but we don't observe that part. On Christmas day Turkey, homemade stuffing in the bird, mashed potatoes, salad, corn, sweet pickles, cranberry sauce. After that leftovers for 2 days....then likely super light meals for the remainder of the month of whatever is in the fridge. If it wasn't for the Ukrainian food and sausage we hauled back I would be on budget but we went over a bit, so worth it as hubby is nostalgic for the Ukrainian food of his youth

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    Replies
    1. I'm slightly disappointed that I have no turkey and mashed potatoes and stuffing on any menu. My MIL doesn't do that,, and my sister has a turkey on Christmas day for her immediate family an din-laws. I thought about doing one for ours, but then thought the salmon would be special.

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