...and the freezer, and the fridge. June was not a low spend month, but we can still stay within the $500 for household, groceries, health and beauty budget if I use up what we have already. We grabbed take out and ate out a little too much for my preferences this month too, so want to avoid that these last days of June. As we head into July, I'm aiming to spend as little as possible before a shopping for 4th of July weekend. This is not an actual meal plan, but options to make with what I have on hand with minimal purchases. Both DH and DD2 will need lunch items to pack. I'll eat whatever and my daughter will take leftovers but DH needs his sandwich fillings.
In no particular order, here's meal options.
- Chili dogs with cheese, potato wedges
- Sausage meatballs and cheesy potatoes, green beans
- Vegetarian chili, loaded with vegetables and at least two kinds of beans, grilled cheese sandwiches
- Chicken cordon blue and au gratin potatoes
- Spaghetti and meatballs
- Homemade pizza with last of pepperoni
- Pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches with baked beans
- Chicken and rice hotdish with steamed vegetables
- Quinoa rice blend, grilled haloumi, stuffed peppers
This was my weekend shopping list:
- Deli turkey
- Cheddar cheese
- mozzarella cheese
- apples
- yogurt
- bread
- hamburger buns
- hummus
- baby carrots
- Hot dog buns
- milk
- juice
- bananas
I've got the last in a box of burgers to bring to either bring to the lake today or eat at home (weather is iffy again), along with chips and salsa, rice crispy bars, and a tuna pasta salad. I need to use up bunches of bananas and other odds and ends in my freezer to make multiple loaves of bread-hopefully the rain cools things off and I can pop in the oven tomorrow morning. Using up what is already on hand helps me keep my grocery budge tin reason, but I'd like to do better in July.
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| Stock photo used before 'cuz I was lazy. |
I still haven’t done a proper shop since the last time I said I would but picking up what I need as I go. If I haven’t mentioned before, I work just a few doors down from Walmart so I can easily run in and grab the things we always seem to need-bread, bananas, coffee creamer etc. if I don’t get a cart then I can only grab what I can carry and then I won’t overdo it. In an attempt to eat down the freezer, I cooked some Italian sausage in the crockpot and made that as one meal and used the leftovers with pasta. I have one pack of ground beef in the freezer that I will brown for tacos. Also used a portion of chicken along with a pasta side dish packet leftover from quarantine, some lingering heavy cream and cheese to make a hot dish of sorts. Hubby found a whole boneless ham for 79 cents a pound that was close to date and I chopped that into cubes and froze it in three portions. It’s perfect for the crockpot, using a recipe a friend gave me that includes potatoes and green beans. I’m definitely doing a grocery pickup Tuesday after work to get essentials for the 4th, though I anticipate it just being us four, the boyfriend, and my bestie and her son (our usual group lol). It’s too hot to cook the next two days so pizza and odds and ends will likely be our menu. I also have a touch of something and my energy level is next to nothing, so I hope no one expects much from me ;) JoAnn
ReplyDeleteItalian sausuage with pasta sounds really good. I think I will put ont he July 4th weekend list!
DeleteIf you have yeast & the time, making homemade hot dog or hamburger buns is super easy. Nick makes them all the time for me. We use this recipe & just adjust the shape. https://www.thefrugalgirl.com/make-fluffy-homemade-hamburger-buns/
ReplyDeleteSO good & so easy.
I suppose I could, but it seems like a lot of work for hotdogs! urgers-yes, I will need to try that.
DeleteSounds good Sam and you have lots of options. My fridge and freezer are now empty other than our leftover Cuban food, eggs and milk. My pantry is almost bare too other than canned food for hurricane stock up. I'm starting over tomorrow but only buying food for the week, no more stocking up until after hurricane season.
ReplyDeleteI would worry too about the loss of power and lose all that food. Isn't hurrican season through November?
DeleteIt always feels like you're winning when the month's shopping looks like it's going to be a low spend. I've snaffled a couple of your meal ideas as I would like to do a few new dishes in July. Arilx
ReplyDeleteLow, not quite, but on budget so that is a win. I do wan tto cut the take out and convenience food down this month.
Deletei go for the cordon bleu
ReplyDeleteThat may be tonights dinner-I'm in a rut and they are easy as premade.
DeleteI have enough cooked meat for about 40 meals in the freezer. I am trying to cook all the meat and freeze it, too, in meal portions. As long as I have cooked meat, I can make a delicious and nutritious meal in under 30 minutes. Right now, I am trying to cook all the poultry (hens and turkeys) and the ground meat. As I am cooking the poultry in the oven, I usually cook vegetables in the cooking bag.
ReplyDeleteThat sure is a time saver and a lotof meat.
DeleteI so need to do this, Ugh!
ReplyDeleteI need to tighten the belt and make sure we ar enot wasting so a double win.
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