Monday Madness and Meals Planning

This weeks Finding Freedon Friday from Phoebe was meal planning.

SO here was my repsonse:

I am so happy to say that for the 1st time ever I am meal planning. I plan 1 week at a time but purchase food for the month. I plan three good wholesome meals and 2 random ones due to schedules + leftovers. We keep our reciepts and I have a budget journal that I write it all in. I have been searching many cookbooks, family recipes and blogs to find recipes that I want to try so this is mainly how I get my ideas. It has helped us eat healthier, for cheaper, we are on strict budget and it helps us stick to it and most importantly we are eating more as a family. We have estimated we dropped our eating out by 90% in 5 weeks. (Sad to say we ate out a lot!) Happy to say we DO NOT anymore! :)

Here I am again getting my thoughts in order for what we are going to be eating for the week. SO here goes it.....

Monday- Pizza night. (DD has an awards night) This was budgeted about 3 weeks ago with cash set aside. (we will be spending $12 for the 1 pizza, drinking water.)

Tuesday- Leftovers. (DH has class) Yes it is Baked Spaghetti AGAIN. We made a little too much last week. With green beans and apples with PB. (Free Baked Spaghetti since it was already accounted for, green beans and apples with PB will land about $1.25)

Wednesday- Potato Chowder and sourdough bread. The bread was more than the soup. Eek! ($6.69 total)

Thursday- Chicken, rice and carrots. (Est. $5)

Friday- Leftovers. If leftovers are slim then I will make homemade Mac and Cheese and fries. Carb overload?? Owell, its cheap. (Free if leftovers. If not then $2.75)

Saturday/Sunday- Baked Potato with the goods cheese, sour cream, chili ($2.50) and/or grilled cheese sandwiches/tomato soup ($3.00). Fruit ($1)

Estimated total for the weeks dinners is around $31. (NOTE: This estimate is a little low as I did not look at my recipes and actually tally to the penny. My goal is to do this for the nest weeks menu. Obvioulsy it is cheaper to eat in than eat out but I like numbers so I will have it acurate next week.

There it is. I have a few other things I am anxious to try but will have to wait. I cannot cook big meals each and every night so I will have to be patient. Which I'm not real good at.

I am going to work on the sack lunches ideas. I am very simple and don't care for super strange lunches so my ideas are VERY easy that virtually anyone to do. Plus I'd love ideas, so if you have any leave me a comment. :)