I'm not good at planning menus. Well, maybe I am good at planning, just not following them. I am totally at my January target budget-on January 19th, so we'll go over. My goal for the whole year is $5,000 so starting January high doesn't keep me down. I know I am buying more expensive meat, as I am skipping any packages that have extra sodium added. I am gobsmacked at reading the sodium levels on things I never thought about before being so high. Since we are going out for dinner today with the play, I only need six meals. I have a relatively quiet week, and Monday I can do some prep ahead, plus use some leftovers for at least one meal, so really only a five day meal plan is needed. Here's what I got.
- Hamburgers, sweet potato wedges
- Tuna hotdish and broccoli salad
- Chicken Tetrazini with steamed vegetables
- Meat loaf, mashed potatoes and corn
- Chili, with rice on the side
- Spaghetti and red sauce with salad
- Beef and Broccoli stir fry
I've also got bean soup, frozen meatballs, and another portion of fish in the freezer. There's taco meat and more hamburger and a box of veggie burgers. There's a bunch of other stuff but I need to sort that better-on docket for the weekend as I only did the refrigerator yesterday. I'll plan on using up stuff so the menu above is merely suggestions at this point. We'll need juice, milk, and more fruit, but I could possibly stretch to the end of the month if I wanted to get very creative, but at this point, I'll just buy what we want, within reason. I could apply my rules ad estimate the surplus household/personal items bought last week to prorate into February and free up $6, but that still won't keep me under $400, so why bother. Oh, and my bread maker decided not to work, so no rustic bread from scratch. (Edit-I have no stand mixer, with bread hook or otherwise.) What about your meal plans this month and any strategies? Who's doing a Vegan-January or a use it up January, or heaven help me, a dry January? Have any of you done a no spend or low spend January meal plan?
On an edited note, I do not understand why Blogger sometimes has the weird highlighted fonts in a post. There is nothing other than I might have edited a sentence or rearranged something. If anyone using Blogger has a hint on keeping the format the same-let me know.
I bet you would like Jim Leahy's no knead bread- real simple to make and all done by hand. I'm not a bread eater but my sis used to make this every few days. Also, I wouldn't worry too much about sodium in regular foods- it's the processed foods that are loaded and of course, cheese- Swiss doesn't have that much if I remember correctly and there are some low sodium deli meats. It does cost more to eat healthy so you might have to adjust your food budget but it will be worth it. I try to eat organic produce when I can and honestly, I haven't been sick in years. I did have a little cold after my trip to SF Thanksgiving but it was gone in a couple of days and I always get my flu shot. I did notice in your meal plan you rarely repeat a day- do you eat the leftovers for lunch? Even when I had a family I was cooking for, I would serve the same thing 2 days in a row often and no one ever complained. I guess I have always cooked for leftovers. Sometimes changing them a little like making hash from a roast/whole chicken/potatoes/carrots or barbequed shredded beef or chicken. I am never out of celery or onions.
ReplyDeleteI definitely will look that up. I do make a lot of drop biscuits which are good as well. I just like the yeastiness. e are spending more, and if in the long run, health costs are mitigated that's a bargain.
DeleteOh, and you are right guessing we use leftovers for lunch mostly, though I tend to have at least one leftover night a week, but try and come with ideas for a full week. I rarely cook more than five meals though.
DeleteBlogger is a crappy platform, one of my recent blogs goes across pictures. Difficult to leave this platform though. One thing that shocked me was asian noodles, some have loads of salt in them. I recently saw chow mein noodles with twice as much sodium as the next one. I am not a salt fan so usually look for the lower salt options anyway. Frugal in Istanbul posted a great no salt chicken marinade that she made from scratch - you might want to have a look as a future option for your menu
ReplyDeleteBelinda's suggestion worked. The difference food to food is interesting-I'll have to check out the marinade, though he seems to like just a little lemon juice and garlic.
DeleteI posted a reply to a comment in your previous post: You can use a stand mixer to knead your dough. I have the dough hook, but you can use the regular attachment and keep the mixer on low. I have never had a bread maker--don't think it saves much in terms of time.
ReplyDeleteMy family's schedule this quarter is making meal planning a challenge. I have two kids who just don't ever seem to want/are able to join us at dinner--except when I assume they aren't!
I edited my post to share that I have no stand mixer. Perhaps regrettably, I sold a hand me down about 20 years ago as I wasn't using it much and it took up so much space. I've then never felt a need to buy one. The convenience was really being able to just throw ingredients in, go about my day and have a fresh loaf hours later. If it can be repaired, great, but I doubt I'll replace.
DeleteI have a mixer that really does all the work with bread and I love it. It is a Bosch.
ReplyDeleteI know many use their mixers for kneading, but I don't have a mixer.
DeleteSam, when you are in the section where you are creating your blog post, look up to the top right hand side of the blogger screen. You should see a TX there. It's right next to the ABC button. Hover over the tx sign and it will say remove formatting. Highlight the text you want to remove the formatting from (the highlighted part) and click the TX button. That should send it to a default setting and then you can change it how ever you want to. Hope that helps.
ReplyDeleteIt worked! Thank you.
DeleteAwesome! You're welcome.
DeleteMy crow to pluck with Blogger at the moment is it is not letting leave comments x 1 week - at least not from my laptop (this is on the office PC); I've been lurking without comment x 1 week.
ReplyDeleteYou "meal plan" like I do. I have food! I have enough food! I mix and match the food within time and energy restraints and according to what Tommy wants. I ask him, he does not often volunteer what he does or does not want. I bought many bread machine for $3 and $4 at yard sales. I then sold them for $10 over what I paid. First, I made a loaf of bread.
ReplyDeleteA meal plan for me is just a suggestion for meals based on what I have on hand. I make 'em and break 'em.
ReplyDeleteMy issue with blogger is that it will not allow me to post comments from my phone. It is a bummer since I read a lot of blogs on my phone while I am with Mom. Waiting rooms are a great place to read them.