I promise myself I'll track my spending better in 2023. Big changes necessitate being more thoughtful than I've been. I don't think I've been wastefully spending though; meals have been so frugal and basic. I just don't know! Here's last week's meal.
- Sunday: Pinto beans, potato, and squash soup with homemade bread
- Monday: Stuffed chicken breasts with baked potatoes
- Tuesday: Leftover soup and grilled turkey and cheese sandwich
- Wednesday: Chicken, rice, broccoli and cheese hotdish
- Thursday: Leftovers
- Friday: Chicken salad, broccoli, and apple wraps with sweet potato fries from air fryer. DH really liked this meal. I used broccoli in place of celery.
- Saturday: Went out for supper
I finally did a real grocery shop at Aldi. I feel like Laura Ingalls must have felt after Pa got back from Mankato! We are bursting again with full cupboards. And yet....I have no idea what will be on the menu. Here's top of mind thoughts, of course subject to change and more than seven possibilities.
- Chicken Tortilla soup with quesadillas
- Pork loin, baked apples, and mashed potatoes
- Hamburgers and french fries
- Goulash
- Lasagna and salad
- Pork stir fry vegetables and rice
- Hamburger stroganoff over egg noodles
- Red bag chicken and spinach salad
- Tuna hotdish with peas
- Biscuits and sausage gravy and au gratin potatoes (Doesn't this sound like ultimate comfort food!)
By the end of the week, DH and DD1 have vacation. No doubt they'll connect and go for lunch a day or two next week. Eating bigger lunches means leftover nights would be part of the meal options as I won't cook for just me. I'll likely stick some of this week's leftovers in the freezer for the coming weeks, soup for sure.
I haven't found a good price on ham for Christmas Eve, but do have a few other items for the celebrations to tuck away. My daughter has a friend who is an actress in town for a few days for a film project for her work, but likely won't see much of them. I am making another batch of jam today, mixed berry, cleaning out odds and ends from freezer, plus a bag I bought. I'll use jam as part of Christmas gifts. I'll have the puppy for three days, one night of which is his class so easy meals work for me. What food will your household be eating?
I will bake chicken tonight. Two turkey breasts are thawing to bake. And, the ham is waiting to be sliced. Most of this meat will go into the freezer. I will make blackeyed peas today. There is a bag of slaw waiting to be mixed. There are lots of zucchini and squash leftover. There is no famine here! There is not a lot of energy, though. When I am exhausted, Tommy gets the food out and makes him a plate. Then, I get mine. It is so satisfying not to have to cook every single night.
ReplyDeleteYou are all set with protein. I might get some coleslaw for the pork loin, or pulled pork sandwiches later. DH loves it.
DeleteI have portabella mushrooms to use up this week so I'm making beef stroganoff too. It's one of the dishes I don't make often enough.
ReplyDeleteI've been keeping track of our spending and it really hasn't been too bad especially for the holiday season. I think January will be a low month since we're relatively stocked up on things.
I am on the hunt for big portobello shrooms to make a Wellington for my daughter. January won't be cheap with son home, but worth every penny.
DeleteM made chicken on our indoor grill yesterday, and served it with rice. I'm making pulled pork (first time making it, for whatever reason, but at Sam's request) with coleslaw for tonight. We will fill in the gaps with leftovers, & lasagna from the freezer. We have a few other options, depending on how many leftovers we have. We have three school soccer games this week, so it's going to be very busy!
ReplyDeleteYou'll love pulled pork made yourself. Oh the busy night's. Has it helped with Sam driving? But I'm sure you want to see the games too.
DeleteI just stocked up on potatoes and greens, so those will definitely be on the menu this week. Tonight is Dirty Rice, then Sticky Pineapple Chicken for tomorrow. Glad you were able to do a proper stock up at Aldi. 😊
ReplyDeleteI bought a big bag of spinach so salad, pasta, and quiche can be good uses. Aldi trip was still expensive but at least 20% less than the nearby store.
DeleteOh, I love an Aldi Mega shop. Isn't it a good feeling to have full cupboards and fridge? Megan
ReplyDeleteNow to make sure fresh, dated items get used up. I'm happy to have so many veggies again.
DeleteI want to pin Someone down to make a menu at Christmas time. I enjoy making things then. A ham sounds scrumptious.
ReplyDeleteWel have ham twice, but I don't mind. There's other options for both meals too.
DeleteThis week we are having hot turkey and cheese sandwiches, chili, chicken enchilada soup, pizza for the kids, going out to dinner with my coworker and her husband. Still have to figure out a couple of days. I think an Aldi shop is also on my list of things to do this week.
ReplyDeleteYour kids will be happy. Delicious kid friendly menu.
DeleteRoasted chicken with roasted carrots, mashed potatoes and gravy tonight. I so made a batch of ricotta cookies. Tomorrow will see tonight's leftovers in a chicken pot pie. That's all I have planned. I will see what the week brings. The freezer and pantry are both full, so making meals on the fly is fairly easy...It's the planning I have been finding vexing lately.
ReplyDeleteOh the pot pie sounds delicious. If I could master crust, I'd do them more often. I should force myself this winter.
DeleteThe recipe I use is idiot-proof. 2 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/cup oil, 1/3 cup water. Mix flour and salt in bowl. In another bowl, whisk oil and water together. Add to flour mixture, and work with a large fork. Gather in ball, divide in two. Press each ball into a flat disc on a floured service, roll out, flipping and re-flouring the surface as necessary. (Re-flouring is my own coined phrase.) But...I found store brand frozen crusts at our Grocery Outlet, two crusts in each, two packs/$1.00...even more idiot-proof than the above recipe, so guess what I have been using?
DeleteYour meal possibilities sound really good. I think I want biscuits and gravy one night soon.
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting them for ages. Maybe this week. Of course I'll have to eat for days as it'll make so much.
DeleteWe have leftover turkey burgers tonight and leftover meatless chili the next. After that it will be pulling some meat/poultry/fish from the freezer for a main dish or making another meatless one. Also we may have a tuna chef salad. Just the two of us so we decide in the morning unless we have leftovers which we love as then we don't have to cook!
ReplyDeleteIt's just two here as well. We pulled cheesy potatoes from freezer last night to have with chicken sandwiches. It froze well and was a great side. I'll have with an egg for lunch today.
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