Meal Plans and Cabin Cunnundrum

Another week, and another plan to maximize our food shops. While I might be maximizing my trips and avoiding waste, I sure am spending a small fortune. Here was last weeks plan and actual meals, noted in red. 

Sunday: Rice hotdish with hamburger, onion, celery and carrots, green salad Actual: Frozen Pizza-'cuz it was Mother's Day and I didn't feel like cooking
Monday: Calzones stuffed with cheese, tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms and onions, Rice hotdish with hamburger, onion, celery and carrots, green salad
Tuesday: Taco Tuesday! with refried beans, and rice Actual: cheese ravioli
Wednesday: Ham, steamed mixed vegetables, cheesy diced potatoes Taco Tuesday on Wednesday! with refried beans, and rice
Thursday: Hamburgers or veggie burgers and homemade French fries Ham, steamed mixed vegetables, cheesy diced potatoes
Friday: Spaghetti with meat sauce Hamburgers or veggie burgers and homemade French fries
Saturday: Combination of leftovers and or frozen pizza Chicken tenders on buns-one wanted a real meal 

     We mostly stuck to the plan, but because I was under the weather with a headache on Sunday and it was Mother's Day, we were a day off the plan each night. We used up a lot of pantry items this week, and as I did just the shop for my  mother-in-law where I picked up a couple things, and a small shop for us for fresh items, I didn't restock until yesterday morning. 

     I picked up a few things with my MIL shop, plus milk, bananas and bread. DD1 picked up Aldi special, so spent $47. Then, yesterday I did a huge shop, spending $240! And, I was lured with a coupon for Jimmy John's Friday picked up by DD2 for lunch. That brings us to $519 for all food/H&G. $22 was dog food and treats, which I included in the H&G budget. That $625 suggested last week for the month is looking pretty good! It's doubtful we'll only spend $106 the rest of the month. I'm not sure about Memorial Day weekend and if we will be at the lake. Cleaning and getting the dock in needs to happen, which worries me with a lot of bodies. 

     DD2 and DH are on the road today to get her moved out. While they might get hungry  on the way back, they both ate before they left, and I packed sandwiches, fruit, juice, and snacks. They'll need a bathroom each way though I' sure, but I think rest stops are open and heavily maintained. For this week, I'm just going to list all the options I can think of. It would be nice to get to June with only buying milk, bread, eggs, and fruit. I'm aiming to reach 18+ meals with what I have in the house, which gets us to every night, plus lunches on the longer weekend.. 

1. Hamburgers and homemade fries
2. Hotdogs and pasta salad
3. Crock pot pasta with vegetables
4. Spaghetti and meatballs
5. Meatballs in mushroom sauce with roast potatoes
6. Chow Mein with Rice
7. Rice Hot Dish with vegetables
8. Tuna hotdish
   
9. Chicken and stuffing hotdish with mashed potatoes
10. Chicken, rice, and broccoli hotdish with cheese
11. Grilled chicken, steamed carrots, wild rice
12. Sausage and biscuits and scrambled eggs
13. Lasagna
14. Cheese Ravioli with vegetables
15. Frozen pizza
16. Home made pizza with  vegetables
17. Bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches and soup (canned or bean fro freezer)
18. Chili and grilled cheese

     Success! If we go to the cabin, I'll bring the crock pot for either the pasta or ravioli or both, chicken for grilling, hotdogs, hamburger, plus pasta sald, I have stuff for fruit and jello and desert bars. We usually combine  efforts and eat family style, but not sure that is the workable this year, or if we will be coming different days. We shall see.