January meal planning

[zebra15]

In addition the pantry challenge and decluttering thats going on around this house I need to maintain some sort of meal plan for the month.

I am feeding myself and a very hungry 11yr old DS.  DS just started competitive swim again so he eats like a grown man.  DS is homeschooled and I WOH part time but bring my lunch.  So thats 3 meals a day.   I do allow for Saturday night dinner out and Saturday lunch DS is usually at his friends house while I am out doing errands.

1/1 Sun

B 

L 

D  Ham, potatoes, veggies, salad

1/2 Mon

B Waffles

L

D- went to Chili's after swim club 

1/3 Tues

B Waffle

L

D - Eggs, sausage, toast, hot cocoa

1/4 Wed

B Pop tarts

L Hotdogs, chips, applesauce

D Ham, potatoes, veggies, salad (new years dinner left overs)

1/5 Thurs

B Pop-tarts
L Hotdogs, chips, applesauce, SALAD (cleaned up some leftovers)
D ham sandwich for mom, ham veggie potato (leftovers kiddo) yogurt

1/6 Fri

B
L
D Hamburger Helper, yogurt, 

1/7 SAT

B
L ds at friends house
D probably dinner out?

1/8 SUN

B

L

D Chicken, rice, veggie

Edited by zebra15 - 1/5/12 at 12:49pm

[FrugalGranolaMom]

I should write out a meal plan too since I just jumped in on the pantry challenge. I will probably just plan out dinners since breakfast during the week for DS and I is generally either oatmeal, pancakes that I make ahead and freeze for grab and go or yogurt and fruit. DH usually just grabs a banana on his way work and has lunch at work too. Sandwiches are our go to lunch at home. DS would live solely on PB&J sandwiches if I let him.

I need to go take a quick inventory of the pantry & freezer, then I will be back to update...

[artemis33]

I just posted mine on the Pantry Challenge thread, but I suppose I can keep track of the actual meal plans here  :)

1/1  Black eyed pea soup and cornbread

1/2 grilled salmon, mashed potatoes, spinach

1/3  grilled pork chops, cooked kale, leftover soup

1/4 shredded pork tacos with avocado, salad

1/5 burgers and sweet potato, bacon and arugula hash

1/6  thai style pork and rice noodles

1/7 roasted chicken, mashed (or roasted?) parsnips, kale

For lunches I usually have a big salad and leftovers.  Breakfast is usually eggs or oatmeal.  This girls have a little cereal or something else to snack on while I make the eggs, cause I usually need to get a cup of coffee down before I am ready to cook ;)

[AnkaJones]

I'm game.  This week is kind of a recovery week for us.  And we're just starting solids for baby.

Desert of the week: chocolate chip cookies

Monday: Meatloaf (already had made in freezer), mashed potatoes, peas.  Avocado for baby.

Tuesday: Skillet chicken tikka masala (easy cooks country 30 minute recipe) and rice.  Avocado for baby.

Wed: LO meatloaf, stuffing (from box in pantry).  Yams for baby.

Thurs: LO chicken tikka masala.  Yams for baby

Fri: homemade pizza.  Yams for baby.

Sat: Southwestern frittatas (have pretty much all the ingredients in the pantry... will probably need to buy some eggs).  Rice and yams for baby.

We usually have fend for yourself breakfast and lunche -- this week we're still burning through the leftover ham from Christmas.

Thinking forward to next week, I need to use the ham hock I've got in the freezer -- so I guess soup is in order.  I think Derby pie for desert of the week.  Maybe introducing peas for baby (vs carrots?  we've got both).

[AnkaJones]

 Okay, I figured out next week

Dessert of the week: Derby pie

Sat: Southwestern Fritatas (Saturday is our breakfast at night day).  Baby: rice + LO yams

Sun: Split pea soup using ham bone, cornbread. Baby: rice + LO yams

Mon: Black bean chili.  Baby: peas

Tues: LO split pea soup and cornbread.  Baby rice + LO peas

Wed: eating at a friend's.  Baby LO yams + rice

Thurs: LO black bean chili.  Baby carrots

Fri: homemade pizza.  Baby carrots + rice.

For the weeks following, a couple of things I want to work in: chicken pot pie (yes, it's COLD here!), a steak with a nice berenese sauce.  But we'll have to see what the loss leaders are this week at market.

Anka

[FrugalGranolaMom]

Ok, so here's is the plan for the remainder of the week.

Thurs 1/5 - eggs, hashbrowns, turkey bacon

Fri 1/6 - Ranch chicken, pasta, mixed veggies

Sat 1/7 - Chicken sausage, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans

Sun 1/8 - burrito night

Sunday I also need to soak a pot of beans overnight and do my baking for the week.

[FrugalGranolaMom]

Ok, so I swapped Saturday and Sunday's dinners.

Here's what I have for the week so far:

Mon 1/9 - Beans and rice mixed with cream of mushroom soup

Tues 1/10 - lemon pepper chicken with capers, pasta and chickpeas

Wed 1/11 - grilled cheese and tomato soup

[my2girlz]

My work in progress.

1/8 fajitas

1/9 waffles

1/10

1/11 enchiladas?

1/12 goulash

1/13 homemade pizzas

1/14 turkey, potatoes, carrots, drop biscuits

1/15 turkey wild rice soup and homemade french bread

[Callimom]

Here's mine.

We usually determine Saturday and Sunday based on what is on sale the flyers and whether we are entertaining. One night we typically do a roast chicken or pork or a big pasta dish

Monday - Veggie Stirfry w brown rice,

Tuesday - breaded sole, potato wedges, steamed beans, spinach and citrus salad

Wednesday - shepherd's pie, mixed greens salad

Thursday (our crockpot day) meatball subs, veggie platter

Friday - homemade pizza

We homeschool as well so lunches are at home. We rotate through a list usually: 1 pasta, 1 soup, 1 sandwich, 1 bean based (baked, chili etc) and 1 "bits lunch" which is our version of plowmans lunch w cheese, bread, veggies, nuts - that kind of thing.

Breakfasts are usually granola, baked oatmeal, eggs - that sort of thing.

[artemis33]

Ugh, I am struggling a bit this week because baby and I are both sick, so I am having a hard time getting motivated to plan (let alone cook!).  But, I must.

Also, I realized as I was writing things out that I was about to plan 3 'new recipe' nights in a row which I've learned is a huge risk!  If they are all flops, the family will rebel  LOL  So, I'm spreading those out a little more and working in a tried and true favorite dinner.

I bumped things a little to eat more leftovers, so it has been....

Sat 1/7 roasted chicken, roasted brussels sprouts and parsnips, salad

Sun 1/8 leftover shredded pork

Mon 1/9 (new) Baked Thai Chicken and rice (was OK)

Tues 1/10 (new) Butternut squash and mascarpone gnocchi  (I hope this is good!)

Wed 1/11 Roasted chicken legs, rice pilaf, cooked kale

Thurs 1/12 (new) Crock pot beef with veg and salad

I also need to make some things for snacks - muffins, granola, etc.   Working on the rest of the week's plan.

[sewaneecook]

I'm trying to get better about meal planning.  Here's my menu for this week + for a family of 4 (the 2 kids eat about half an adult serving each dinner):

At the beginning of the week I cooked down the chicken bones used on 1/8 and veggie scraps from the freezer to make broth, then I cooked about 4-5 meals of black beans to freeze, and thawed a buffalo chuck roast to split in to 2 meals (it was about 2 pounds) and I chopped up leftover chicken to use in future meals (about 2-3 more).

1/8 roasted chicken, scalloped potatoes, peas

1/9 spinach, goat cheese, and black bean burritos

1/10 crock pot stew with rice (buffalo, onions, carrots, and lots of different spices)

1/11 Black bean and ground buffalo soup with various veggies I have

1/12 crock pot stew with rice (buffalo with wine sauce)

1/13 Pad See Yew (using leftover chicken) with broccoli

1/14 Chicken Pot pie (using leftover chicken) with biscuits

1/15 black beans with rice

1/16 tuna noodle casserole

Our breakfast usually is a fruit smoothie, PB&J on toast, or homemade granola and lunches are leftover dinners. 

[AnkaJones]

Okay, here it goes:

Saturday (today): LO Black bean chile (used the Cook's Illustrated recipe for this... it was amazing)

Sunday: Bake bread for the week.  Southwestern Frittatas for dinner.  Working night shift, so need something easy and cheap.

Monday: Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

Tuesday: Skillet greek lasagne

Wed: LO chicken pot pie

Thurs: LO skillet greek lasagne

Friday: pizza and beer (DH does a homemade deep dish pizza; beer is home brewed)

Over the next week I'm hoping we can get some steaks for cheap to so DH can do his steaks with berenese sauce.  Our loss leaders haven't been too great, though, so we may be eating a lot of vegetables coming up.  We'll see.

Speaking of vegetables, do any of you frugal meal-planners have experience with CSAs?  I was thinking of joining, but it would be most of our food budget, so we'd have to use pretty much what we got each week... I'm just worried we won't know what to do with some of the vegatables.  Or maybe it will open up whole new words.  What do you all think?

Anka

[colemom]

I'll join   We have always has pretty strict grocery budget, but life got crazy lately as business picked up and I have not been sticking to my menus and spending too much. We're going back to only paying cash for groceries and following weekly meal plans. I do not assign certain meals to certain days, I just go into a week having all the ingredients for 8 or so dinners that I can choose from, some quick and easy and others more complicated.

last night: CP shrimp curry, peanut noodles, brown rice, spinach

tonight: chicken tetrazzini (with leftover rotisserie chicken), broccoli

steaks, roasted vegetables (gold and sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts), cornbread

CP chicken cacciatore (zucchini, mushrooms, red pepper), wheat rotini

CP bbq chicken, rice pilaf, sauteed zucchini and onions, broccoli

ground turkey and refried bean enchiladas, salad, carrots

salmon, alfredo noodles, sauteed brussels sprouts and garlic, broccoli

spaghetti and meatballs, salad

CAT sandwiches, sweet potato fries, salad

sausage, red pepper and mushroom pizza, salad, celery and carrots

shrimp tacos, refried black beans, salad, carrots

ground turkey and black bean chili, cornbread

Edited by colemom - 1/17/12 at 11:30am

[artemis33]

**Thurs 1/12 (new) Crock pot beef with veg and salad

**I decided to put off that beef until this week (it is frozen) and have leftover gnocchi that night.  The recipe was good and it made a lot!

Fri 1/13  Homemade pizza and salad

Sat 1/14 Ricotta Tart and a Pistou with rice (both new - just made chicken stock and homemade ricotta)

Sun 1/15 Leftover Pistou - really good.  The tart could have used more seasoning.  (also made granola today and a big pot of pinto beans)

Mon 1/16  Mexican....have the pintos I made today - not sure exactly what dish but I have plenty to go with it (tortillas, avocado, cilantro, sour cream, cheese, ground beef....lots of possibilities...maybe something over rice...)   *possibly make bread for DD's lunch this week

Tues 1/17 Pork roast with roasted carrots, apples, and brussels sprouts, creamed parsnips

I'm going through the refrigerator tomorrow and will further plan from there. 

[AnkaJones]

Here we are for week 3:

Baking today -- a couple of loaves of bread

Sa: [breakfast for dinner day] cornmeal mush and katchup for DH and maple syrup for me; eggs.

Su: Poached salmon with bourbon and maple

M: Sopa Seca with black beans (quick recipe from cook's illustrated... never done it before but we have pretty much all the ingredients except the cilantro)

Tu: Soup (DH is making stock today or tomorrow... not sure what kind I should make)

W: LO sopa seca

Th: LO soup

F: Homemade beer and pizza

Anka

[colemom]

Last night: sauteed sausage, onions and peppers, mashed potatoes, broccoli and brussels sprouts

Tonight: nachos with turkey taco meat, black beans, cheddar cheese and other toppings, cheddar potato soup

This week (in no particular order, I pick based on what I feel like that day):

Chicken, corn and noodle soup, homemade wheat bread and cheese

High fiber spaghetti and meatballs, sauteed spinach

Steak, sauteed onions and spinach, roasted potatoes and vegetables 

CP bbq chicken, rice pilaf, broccoli and brussels sprouts

Ground turkey and black bean enchiladas, salad toppings

Chicken avocado tomato sandwiches, sweet potato fries, salad

Salmon BLTs, sweet potato fries, salad

[artemis33]

1/18 chicken tenders and roasted potatoes, salad

1/19 beef stew meat, roasted potatoes, salad

1/20 beef veggie stew (with leftover meat) for lunch;  pork chops, potato soup, salad dinner

1/21 leftover potato soup, ricotta fritters

1/22 stir fry with leftover pork and veggies

1/23 pinto bean cakes w/lime sour cream and avocado, salad

1/24 pasta with italian sausage (GF for me)

1/25 roasted chicken thighs, roasted fingerlings, salad

Planning the rest of the week and making a grocery list now.  Going tonight - trying not to buy much (mostly fresh greens, etc)! 

Coming up (based on freezer/pantry):

pork kebabs

beef stir fry

something with ground beef

whole chicken (prob sunday)

salmon (prob saturday)

pizza

chicken livers

I've been making lots of different muffins for snacks and also granola.  Need to try yogurt again and some different grain/gluten free flatbreads and crackers.

[AnkaJones]

colemom, that chicken/avocado/tomato sandwitch is such a good idea.  I think I'll work that in next week.

My plan got a little screwed up because of baby induced exhaustion.  I wound up doing Chicken Adobo for Monday, soup Tuesday, and Sopa Seca today.  Far more leftovers than I would have liked, so we'll be eating a lot of leftovers next week.  Today I'm making some apple butter to can (I found really, really cheap apples), and DH has decided he's going to make his own meusli and soy milk!  So breakfast will be getting cheaper around here, at least.

Anka

[MonkeyPrincess]

Mon - steak, leftover potatoes and carrots, collards with sauteed garlic

Tues - chili 

Wed - sloppy joe sandwiches, roasted sweet / potatoes

Thurs - buffalo chicken sandwiches and veggies

Fri - shrimp alfredo w pasta and veggies

Sat - leftovers

Sun - roasted chicken and whatever I get from the veggie box

I am looking forward to every one of my dinners this week. :)

[artemis33]

1/25 ended up making pasta

1/26 pork and zucchini in marinade over rice (was supposed to turn into a sauce but that didn't go so well)

1/27chicken 'fingers' (from boneless thighs), 'spud puppies', salad

Sat 1/28  sloppy joes w/ ground beef and lentils, homemade slaw

Sun 1/29 apple stuffed pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes, buttery cabbage, applesauce

Mon 1/30 Roasted chicken, roasted squash, salad, applesauce

Tues 1/31 Pulled pork tacos (slow cooker) and salad

Planning the rest of the week later, but I guess it will be for Feb!