Sunday, November 14, 2021

Another Budget Meal Week

     

CDC.gov

     My new picture is a menu form CDC.gov that I Think is a downloadable template. I just nabbed for the picture. Ahh meal planning again-but really, I meal suggest. Here's what we ate:

  • Sunday- nibbled all-day, and had a bowl of the pasta fagiole soup, but later made three large burgers because I had thawed 70-30 that had to get cooked. We ate two and saved one for DH for lunch Monday.
  • Monday- Impromptu dinner at Applebee's since we were both off and didn't want to mess up kitchen
  • Tuesday-  Pasta fagiole soup with hot turkey and cheese sandwiches
  • Wednesday- Asian style meatballs over rice, with garlic green beans 
  • Thursday-Chicken tortellini soup with saltines
  • Friday- Mac and cheese, with spinach and mushrooms
  • Saturday-Met friends for Happy Hour drinks and appetizers, then later had popcorn at home, and DH had cheese and crackers
     Today we'll eat leftovers for all meals as I did a freezer sort, in addition to leftover tortellini soup. I have a massively busy work week heading into the holiday week, so don't want to over think meals. Here's some options and you'll possibly remember some from last week:
  • Taco night
  • Chicken stir fry 
  • Fried rice and egg rolls
  • Cheese ravioli
  • Tuna Tetrazzini
  • Pizza night
  • Potato cheese soup or loaded baked potato soup with crackers, charcuterie plate
  • Sausage and vegetable sheet dinner
  • Crock pot pasta/ pizza hotdish
     Groceries needed are munimal- fruit, bread, eggs, mozzarella cheese, hamburger, egg rolls if that meals a go, but will likely add few loss leaders. What's nice about last week and these options, is the variety of lunch options for us both. Why would we consider a boring BK burger when there's leftover meatballs and rice? I'm loving big pots of soup, so expect them here on out until spring. I'm going to remind my daughter to bring home her plastic containers and I'll send her back to school over Thanksgiving with frozen soup in portions, so we'll swap out and I'll keep ones she brings home. I save glass jars for leftover soup I'll eat later in the week, for my MIL, or if vegan, send home to DD1.

     These are all bargain meals too. I am pretty sure my $300 November and December challenge will be a breeze. I'm pretty stocked and have over $100, not counting the reserve for holiday meal shopping, to the end if the month. My freezer is now filled with the low priced chicken, but I'd like to pick up a turkey and make the Saturday before Thanksgiving, if I can maneuver space for all the leftovers I'll have of it, plus, soup stock, and soup because we all know I only make massive pots of soup. In hindsight, I think I'll wait for Christmas as we do not have turkey at either families' get together. Oh the kitchen dilemmas. What are you cooking this week?

16 comments:

  1. I really need to inventory what we have here and go from there. The freezer is stuffed full since I picked up a turkey on Friday. I had $15 rebate from Ibotta so it only cost me about $5. My son was the only one that liked the sausage tortellini soup I made last week and the crockpot cubed steak was rather bland so I’m back to the drawing board. I have a nibbled on rotisserie chicken to use up today or tomorrow. Maybe we will do soup and grilled cheese today. Chicken pot pie tomorrow, something spaghetti ish Tuesday. I may borrow fried rice and egg rolls from your menu for Wednesday and something with ground beef Thursday. I’m off Friday and daughter’s boyfriend comes home for thanksgiving break so maybe I’ll make a nice dinner. Maybe. We need milk, creamer, bananas, and a few items for thanksgiving dinner. I don’t want to be scrambling last minute for that stuff. JoAnn

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    1. I still need to sho for the sides for my sisters, but I picke dup a Mediterranean platter of assorted olives, cheeses,a artichokes etc. at Sam's Club, and will get breads and crackers for Thursday night TG at MIL's. I'mn ot thrilled about going both places but the BIL's family has weekends taken up with hunting and sports stuff with their kids, and his mom really still wanted everyone together. I need to get things next week, but early-not Tuesday or Wednesday night

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  2. I'm already looking forward to Thanksgiving & leftovers. ;-) I have this week as a crazy work week, and then a really quiet week (fingers crossed) the week of Thanksgiving. I'm making chicken curry tonight, which will generate lots of leftovers. We also have one leftover steak, and M has salmon. We haven't yet gotten to the balsamic chicken, so that combined with the rest will get us through the rest of the week.

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    1. There's been some good ideas floating for turning leftovers into something new. I am just glad I am not cooking a full mea-sides will be enough.

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  3. We will be getting groceries sometime this week, but I still have plenty of rice, beans, and pasta on hand. Seems like we always have those things on hand. I would like to get a turkey too, but will have to wait and see. We are low on freezer space too. Thanksgiving will be here before we know it.

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    1. With extra stops, I am quite low on my budget challenge now, but other than milk, eggs, maybe bread,a nd fruit, we are also good. The holiday things can come out of that set aside.

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  4. Looks like tacos today and probably turkey joes tomorrow with salad. Then baked pork chops with stir fried green beans and garlic and mashed potatoes. An Aldi pre- packaged Curry to use up leftover rice from last weeks stir fry and some Greek yogurt at the bottom of the container. Left over pork chops (I make 4) along with butternut squash. Probably tuna fish hot dish at the end of the week. I've got some broccoli that needs to be used also, so may make a salad or just stove top stir fry with garlic. As time goes on, it is often we have 2 vegetables with a meal and no potatoes or rice or noodles. Fewer carbs just because I buy too many vegetables and need to prepare them so they don't go bad on me. Not really a plan, is it? Have a great week. Ranee (MN)

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    1. Tacos are one night to be sure. I'm tiring of soup, and will have for lunch tomorrow, so a break a few nights will be good.

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  5. I roasted a huge hen, so there is that. Today or tomorrow, I will cook the turkey breast and freeze most of it. I still have most of the 40 pounds of sweet potatoes, so those will be for several nights. I think kale (2 nights), tomatoes that are ripening, and carrots will play a role in meals this week. Often, Tommy looks into the refrigerator and comments that we have such and such that we need to eat when I muse about what to eat.

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    1. I will need to buy sweet potatoes for my sister. I have the full rotisserie chicken now, as I stopped at Sam's CLub.

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  6. Tonight I'm making stuffed manicotti, meat sauce, salad and bread. It's gotten chilly here the last couple of days and comfort food is needed. Enjoy your Sunday!

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  7. Just bought a cookbook I bet you would like- lots of easy recipes not from scratch but tasty I’m sure! Pioneer woman’s latest Super Easy. I’m gifting it to college sophomore GS- he likes to cook. I’ve been spending a lot on gifts for the dice gsme our family plays Christmas Eve but as long as I’m still working, I can do that. I am looking forward to the holidays! I hope you are all well- I haven’t even had a sniffle for over 2 years thanks to mask wearing. Nan

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    1. It does sound up my alley, but I won't be adding to my collection. YEs, not all of us have time or inclination to cook from scratch every night, but still want tasty food. Thanks for mentioning it-might check out from library.

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  8. Tuna Tettrazinni! I vote for that one.

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    1. To be sure! It sounds like a good Friday dinner in honor of my judgemental Catholic peers who insist no meat, but fish is OK on Fridays. We Lutherans are heathens when it comes to allowing meat on Fridays.

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