Menu Planning and A Challenge

      

     I was planning to use January as a level setting Household and Grocery (H&G) month, seeing how we are eating, figuring out what needs to be regular  residents of the pantry, and when we will splurge. I feel bored though, so am giving myself a challenge to end the month. Later today I'm heading to Aldi. I added up all our spending on groceries, household, take out, and even  the special cake for my daughters birthday and the items I sent back with her. We are at an astronomical $388 in the month! In the household budget, I put both a placeholder for eating out (ha ha) and entertainment (double ha ha), not counting the streaming services because I just stuck those with utilities. I put on paper a  grocery budget, a H&G (and health and beauty goes here too), for significant overall chunk of change in all these categories. These, along with clothing, and Christmas and gifts, is where I feel I have the most opportunity to trim expenses and challenge myself to whittle $3600 for the year or an average of $300 a month. Of course there are some places in other categories I'll look to reduce-streaming services, utilities (turning lights off!!), using gas coupons, to name a few. There's a couple semi annual expenses I'm eyeing at reducing as well, and I may consider any side perks that reduce spending, part of the strategy, so the full $300 isn't coming from the month to month budget. Still, I get in the habit of lazy spending without targets and challenges. 

     I want to support local businesses but we have spent quite a bit this month already on take out, so will hold off more until February. My self imposed challenge is to spend no more than another $112 for the rest of January, bringing in the month for H&G, entertainment, and eating out/take out to $500. Of course this is totally doable eating  nothing but rice, beans, and pasta, but I still want DH happy. I'll leverage what remains in the pantry, fridge, and freezer, and work to buy only what is needed for meal planning. I don't want to be pound foolish though, so if I find a really good stock up price, I will do so, but only count the item needed now, and the rest will be deducted from February. Don't laugh at me-these challenges give me energy and a sense of direction.

First to recap meals last week;

• Sunday: I had popcorn and a slice of DH's frozen pizza. He had frozen pizza-the whole thing minus my piece. I've said he has an appetite, but this is not how he should be indulging it. 
• Monday: Hamburgers and steamed baby red potatoes with sour cream
• Tuesday: Bean soup, DH had a leftover hamburger with his
• Wednesday: Brats, homemade baked beans, french fries
• Thursday: Sloppy Joes, pasta salad
• Friday: Mushroom ravioli in a spinach butter sauce, mixed green salad
• Saturday: Chicken, cheese and farfalle pasta hotdish with mixed green salad (need to use this up)

     As I'll need fruit, bread, deli meat, cheese, and granola bars both weeks for DH lunches, plus breakfast items and coffee, the items to meal prep supper need to be carefully planned. I have a few things I'll buy this week that won't need to be bought again next week like coffee, large bags of carrots, potatoes and onions. I also need olive oil, flour, brown sugar, salt and garlic powder, so I am splitting my balance to $67 this week and $45 next Sunday. Roughly half each week will be towards the meal plan for supper-so $4 per supper, keeping in mind I'm using pantry items as well so really more like $5-6 per evening meal. For two people? Easy right?  I'm almost giddy putting this plan in action-such a nerd. Meals for the coming week I think will be...

• Sunday: Pork chops (or maybe pork loin), mashed potatoes, corn, biscuits 
• Monday: *Bean and cheese enchiladas with rice (make extra rice for Weds) Trying this enchilada sauce) if Aldi doesn't have a version on their shelf.
• Tuesday: *Chili, with *hotdogs ( chili in crock pot since I will be going to office for the day)
• Wednesday: Rice crust quiche with  mixed vegetables, rosti's
• Thursday: Parmesan chicken with roasted potatoes and green beans
• Friday: Homemade pepperoni pizza or depending on my budget and coupons, might get a take and bake. I have a $10 Domino's voucher as well, so for $5, I could pick up the 2 for $5.99 and leave a tip. It's a locally owned franchise. 
• Saturday: *BBQ Chicken sandwiches and  homemade french fries

Things with a * likely will have 1/2 tucked away in the freezer even with keeping any leftoers for my lunches so stretching the budget farther, even if not eaten until next month. Need to buy-besides the restock of basic vegetables, fruit, lunch items, and other previously mentioned groceries:

• Pork chops or loin
• Corn tortillas (but will also buy flour for breakfast and lunch wraps)
• Tomato paste
• Tomato sauce or prepared enchilada sauce
• 2 cans Chili beans
• Ground beef (but might do ground turkey for chili, or may leave it vegetarian)
• Turkey hot dogs and buns
• Frozen mixed vegetable bag
• Parmesan Cheese
• Chicken breasts, thighs, or cutlets
• hamburger/sandwich buns
• BBQ sauce
• Maybe Take and Bake or Pizza money. 

     I've been wanting to do rosti's and I haven't made a rice crust quiche in a long while and I think they'll be nice together. True Scandinavians would probably call my rosti's nothing more than hash browns. I have some of the cheddar-apple sausage balls in the freezer so may make a few for DH to go with that she-she meal. My menu is potato heavy so would love ideas for other side dishes. I'm giving pasta a break this week and already have rice twice on the menu. I need to learn to balance. Your thoughts? Is it doable with the other items I need for DH's lunches? Are you doing any self imposed challenges this January?