I believe he uses about 3 tablespoons per shake. Don't get me started on the not being able to grow hemp issue. We use hemp seeds, hemp protein powder, and hemp oil almost daily. It is so good for you. Not always the most frugal but I've learned where to find the best deals.
Ohhh- I will ask DH about the hemp. How much does he add? Does anyone else find it bizarre that while illegal to grow hemp for any reason- we can buy it in various forms?
I know I posted many of these meals in the end of Jan, but am organizing the meal plan for the coming week, so posting again. I am cutting out gluten and large servings of starches for myself, so I will have spaghetti squash or sauteed spinach instead. The kids also have fruit with dinner.
Tonight: Thai red curry with shrimp and vegetables, peanut noodles with tofu and spinach, brown rice
High fiber spaghetti and ground turkey and sausage meatballs
Ground turkey and black bean chili, cornbread
Shrimp tacos, black beans, salad
CP bbq chicken, rice pilaf, cauliflower
Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts, broccoli
Steaks, roasted vegetables, broccoli
CP beef stroganoff, egg noodles, broccoli
Sausage, red pepper and mushroom pizza, salad
Breakfasts are early morning cheerios/cream of wheat and banana for kids, then scrambled eggs, fruit, homemade muffin/waffle/toast/bagel. I have eggs and spinach.
Dh takes leftovers for lunch, the kids have sandwiches/crackers and cheese/tortilla wraps, fruit, yogurt. I eat greek yogurt and whatever I can put together.
Snacks are string cheese, fruit, homemade muffins/cookies, honey wheat pretzels and snap pea crisps.
Not a very exciting menu, but it gets us through the week without wasting food and is kid friendly for my kiddos.
Great ideas here. I also plan weekly. As for food preferences/necessities, I am an omnivore, DH is an omnivore minus cow dairy, DD1 is pescatarian (she calls it vegaquarian), and DD2 is an omnivore, but likes veggies raw and everything separate and unsauced. So, given all that, I like to make "modular" meals that we can add stuff to like cheese, meat, sauce, based on preference, or the person who doesn't eat what we're having gets a sandwich or something similar and side dishes. I do tend to make the same 10-12 meals in rotation because I have figured out what I can make quickly (DH WOH and I am a WAHM) and most people will eat and fits in the budget.
Breakfast is leftovers, cottage cheese, eggs, toast, cereal - depending on the family member.
Lunch is leftovers, sandwiches, easy stuff like soba noodles & tofu or salad - depending on the family member. Plus snacks for the kids.
Here is what I am making this week:
Mon - pasta with canned salmon & tomato sauce, kale or carrots/cucumber
Tue - fish curry, rice, cauliflower
Wed - vegetable chap chae with meat/tofu on the side
Thu - possibly baked tofu and vegetable stir fry
Fri - probably I will save 1/2 the larger pkg. of fish or meat from earlier in the week & make with quinoa and leftover vegetables (or more kale from the freezer)
Here is an interesting idea I recently read about:
http://www.simplesavings.com.au/21dollarchallenge/tools/
The idea is to challenge yourself to spend a very low amount (I chose $25) for just a week, relying on what you already have at home and really using your creativity to use everything up before going shopping. Well, it worked! I was able to do this last month despite having only a small pantry, no hunting/gardening, etc. This is not meant to be an every-week plan, but instead a means to get by until the end of a tight month, save a set amount each month, use up pantry and fridge stuff before it gets too old, etc. I am trying to cut our grocery bill by about 30%, and this really helped last month.
Sun 2/5 roasted chicken, roasted potatoes, cooked spinach or kale **soak white beans for soup**
Mon 2/6 pork chops, buttery cabbage, applesauce **cook white beans with ham hock**
Tues 2/7 white bean soup, leftover biscuits OR make cornbread if they are gone, cooked greens
I am bumping things out a bit because we still have leftovers to eat. So today, Sun, is leftover pizza for lunch and leftover shredded pork tacos for dinner.
Sun - leftovers
Mon 2/6 Roasted chicken, roasted potatoes, greens (soak beans)
Tues 2/7 Pork chops, applesauce, buttery cabbage (cook beans)
Wed 2/8 White Bean Soup and cornbread, sauteed greens
Th 2/9 Chicken soup of some sort?
Fri 2/10 probably a leftovers day
I also want to make oatmeal cookies this month and use up the fruit snacks that have invaded my pantry. I think winter is over here (AZ) so I need to be conscious of items that need baking/cooking and use them because soon it will be quick items that do not heat up the place.
We are only doing a week at a time right now, so we can establish what's in the freezer for each week.
2/6 - Potato soup
2/7 - Meatloaf
2/8 - Turkey leftovers
2/9 - Flounder
2/10 - Broccoli salad (using broccoli instead of lettuce)
2/11 - Shrimp alfredo
I made a meal plan. Basically it's a two week plan. I haven't done this for a long time and it's great to finally get my act together to start again.
I try to shop only once a month based on these meals. I have a printed out grocery list of all the ingredients I need to renew each month, and another printout of our pantry staples that need to be kept up with. I have an extra fridge and freezer and a good storage system.
This plan hinges on the fact that the kids are at their dad's every other weekend and I have to feed them something substantial before they leave on Thursday (2 hour drive) and fast/easy when they return on Sunday.
My 7yo LOVES potatoes so we will have them twice a month (at least)
My 9yo LOVES kale, so we will have it twice a month (at least).
My 12 yo LOVES pot pie and shepherd's pie, so we'll have that sort of thing twice a month.
My 13yo LOVES hamburg, so we'll have that twice a month.
On Mondays and Wednesdays, we're out all day and need something easy, so we'll have easy dinners on those days.
On Tuesdays we have to eat on the run, and we can get "cheap" dinner out (1 loaf bread, 2 slices deli meat each, small salad bar salad) for about $15, which the kids LOVE, or else I will precook hot dogs and bring raw veggies and call it picnic dinner.
My budget wants us to eat beans, lentils, soup, rice-n-stuff, and other creative things made with leftovers. My kids need to get used to eating more legumes and non-meat meals.
My nutritional conscience says we need more salad, so we'll eat it as a main meal twice a month. My kids need to get used to eating more veggies of all kinds.
Picky kids get eggs or peanut butter for their backup option.
Leftovers become breakfast and/or lunch.
Su - potatoes, kale, beans/sausage or other meat if on sale
Mo - soup
Tu - cheap dinner out ($15/all five of us), or pre-cooked hot dogs and raw veggies
We - lentils or french toast
Th - pasta with meat, or hamburgers
F - (kids are at their dad's)
Sa - (kids are at their dad's)
Su - homemade pizza
Mo - soup
Tu - cheap dinner out ($15/all five of us), or pre-cooked hot dogs and raw veggies
We - lentils or french toast
Th - rice-n-stuff or leftovers
Fr - pot pie or shepherd's pie
Sa - salad or homemade tacos/burritoes
2/1- shrimp and scallop cocktail with lasagna for the kids (the cocktail was amazing) and homemade chocolate pudding for dessert.
2/2 bacon/mushroom/cheddar stuffed meatloaf and baked potatoes with sautéed spinach
2/3 we have plans with friends
2/4 we have plans with different friends
2/5 cheddar/jalopeno/guac burgers with homemade fries and corn
2/6 Fried chicken with sweet potatoes
My week was shifted by going to my Mom's on Sunday for supper and picking up my beef order. But we haven't gone out for supper yet! We did go out on Sunday for lunch- but that is our usual Sunday lunch after church- since we wouldn't normally get home until 1 pm- and if we don't eat before that the kids are monstrous :) I did do a stock up grocery on Monday afternoon- and that was expensive- but necessary.
2/6 cheddar/jalopeno/guac burgers with sweet potato fries and corn
2/7 same since the burgers were packaged in 12s... but with carrots and cucumbers
2/8 fried chicken and mashed potatoes
2/9 general chicken and rice (new recipe- hope it is good!)
2/10 homemade pizza- everyone might revolt since I will be gone all day at a conservation class- must be delis :)
2/11 banquet at church (DH surprised me and bought us tickets)
2/12 plans with friends
2/13 steaks for DH and I and burgers for the kids
2/14 chili
double post
I'm trying not to do much/any shopping until the end of the week.
We had sloppy joes on Monday but only had 4 buns and no bread and people were still hungry. We had a few taco shells so we experimented with some "sloppy tacos". They weren't bad.
Last night I made stuffed bread using homemade bread dough, leftover ham and some cheese. I made minestrone soup to go with it because we happened to have the ingredients for that.
Tonight dd and I will have leftover soup.
Thursday we will have fish and probably rice.
Friday we will have veggie burgers and french fries.
Breakfast and lunches are cold cereal, oatmeal or leftovers.
I'm going to make some oatmeal cookies.
I've switched somethings around. Yesterday was horrible at work and I just didn't feel like cooking. Now we are out of salad stuff. (and most produce). Tonight is breakfast. Tomorrow who knows.
I think I have 2 tomatoes left that I could slice up and put with the eggs today. I refuse to go to the store until Saturday. We will probably be out of eggs after tonight.
Do you ever look in the pantry and see tons of 'stuff' but nothing to make a meal? I'm starting to feel like that. Ugh.
Do you ever look in the pantry and see tons of 'stuff' but nothing to make a meal? I'm starting to feel like that. Ugh.
And the fridge, and the freezer...all the time!
I keep thinking I'll post when I get a plan set but that isn't happening so I am just going to jump in. Forgive me I've been throwing together horrible meals lately and I am hoping this will help me get it together. Anxiety and stress have been making me lose my appetite lately so cooking for picky kids is near impossible.
2/7: Potato, kale, soysage stew (kids had veggie chick'n burgers and fruit)
2/8: Bacon avocado veggie burgers (kids had bacon and pumpkin pancakes)
2/9: Lemony garlic pasta with soysage and broccoli
2/10: General tsao tofu, brown rice and green beans
This is how I figure out what to buy, and how to get by with purchasing as little as possible. To me it's like a game or a puzzle, listing all the stuff in my pantry (with amounts) and seeing how many meals I can make with the fewest (or cheapest) possible additional ingredients.
Good luck. I know it's a challenge. You could post what's in your pantry and we could help with ideas...
Next week
Sat: LO black bean chili and bread
Sun: Skillet Lasagne
Mon: Baked potatoes, loaded
Tues: LO lasagna
Wed: Friends over. We're making adobo chicken, and they're bringing a Philipino dessert
Thurs: Leftovers if any left, or bacon and eggs as breakfast at night
Fri: Homemade pizza and beer
I'm really looking forward to Wed!
Anka
Here's our plan for the next little while. I have a well stocked pantry and freezer and I am hoping to get buy without buying anything but fresh fruit and veggies, eggs, dairy and any super deals for pantry stocking if anything comes up. Aiming to keep grocery bill under $200 for the rest of the month unless there are great sales. I have all the meat, grains and pantry items I need for this meal plan already, so it should be doable. Most Mondays I feed an extra 2-3 teenage boys and 2 Dads, so we do soup, salad and bread as it can be adjusted quantity wise quite easily. (i'm often not sure who is coming until the morning of) I make a big salad and bake up a big batch of bread and some dessert and it seems to tie them over.
Sat 11 - chicken, broc and rice casserole, with salad
Sun 12 - ham, potatoes, beans and carrots, chocolate cake, (guests for dinner) (left over ham for sandwiches later in the week, and Monday's dinner)
Mon 13 - breakfast for dinner, left over ham, green salad with fruit
Tues 14 - sausage and peppers, rice, spinach salad
Wed 15 - carrot ginger soup and salad with apples pears and feta, bread, brownies for dessert (guests)
Thurs 16 - crockpot meatballs for subs, with veggie and fruit tray,
Fri 17 - homemade pizza
Sat 18- chicken piccata with rice and veggies
Sun 19 - pasta dish (will depend what if any cheeses are on sale next week as to what we do - hoping for spinach and red pepper manicotti)
Mon 20 - veggie soup (broc? potato? red pepper? - will depend on whats for sale) and salad, bread, peach cobbler (guests)
Tues 21 - pancakes of course, fruit salad
Wed 22 - nothing planned yet - waiting to confirm an appointment - back up will probably be vegetarian chili
Thurs 23 - crockpot chicken and rice, salad
Fri 24 - homemade pizza
Sat 25 - sheppherd's pie
Sun 26 - roast pork, baked potatoes, salad, veggies, cherry crisp and apple pie (guests for dinner)
Mon 27 - chicken soup and salad, bread, applecake (guests for dinner)
Tues 28 - veggie stirfry with rice and almonds
Wed 29 - baked fish, quinoa, salad
Zebra - YES, that is a huge problem here! I can usually come up with something creative for dinner when I have time to cook, but our problem is a lack of snacks and a lack of things that are ready to eat. If you are hungry right then, staring at dried beans in the cupboard doesn't help much! We are fortunate to have plenty of ingredients here though, I just need to plan for making more snack foods as well as meals - mostly to satisfy the hubby and kids (I'm fine with veggies and hummus or apples and PB, but they crave other things...)
I ended up changing things this week, too. It has been busy, lots of things came up to deal with, and I have felt completely wiped out and exhausted. So I've been keeping things very simple. I'm hoping to catch up on cooking some "extras" for snacky type things this weekend.
Tues 2/7 chicken nachos with salad
Wed 2/8 White Bean Soup and cornbread, sauteed greens
Th 2/9 Beef and pepper fajitas, salad
Fri 2/10 leftover bean soup, cornbread
Sat 2/11 pork chops, potato leek zucchini soup - also make chicken salad for lunch with leftover chicken
Tomorrow I will figure out the next week's menu and plan some time for making snacks and things.
Have you considered cooking double the amount you need some days and freezing the extra for future meals?
We have trail mix, popcorn, granola bars, cereal, crackers, cheese, hard boiled eggs or fruit on hand for snacks usually.
I have a plan for the next two weeks now.
buffalo chicken nuggets and fries
veggie burgers
steak, pasta and salad
chicken, mashed potatoes, vegetables
shephard's pie
soup and sandwiches
pasta
pancakes
chili, cornbread
gyudon, rice
falafel
bbq chicken sandwiches
pasta
beans and rice
General Tso's chicken, rice, egg rolls
Just picked up the few things I need for the coming week. Looking forward to pay day on Wed so I can restock for the month at Costco. As usual, the kids always have fruit with dinner and we have simple breakfasts (cereal, eggs, fruit, toast) and lunches (sandwiches, cheese and crackers, fruit, yogurt, leftovers) and cheese, pretzels and homemade treats for snacks. I also pulled some pumpkin puree out of the freezer to make muffins.
Tonight: fish and chips, coleslaw, pears and veggies
Tomorrow: kielbasa, mashed potatoes, asparagus, broccoli and apples
V Day: indian chicken curry, channa masala, brown rice
Tostadas with corn tortillas, turkey taco meat, black beans, salad veggies
CP bbq chicken, rice pilaf, cauliflower
High fiber spaghetti and meatballs, sauteed spinach and eggplant for me
CP chicken stroganoff, egg noodles, brown rice for me
Waffles, eggs, sausages, strawberries
CP black bean soup (with ham bone from the freezer and a new recipe that uses curry powder), cornbread
Swim team is kicking my meal plan butt. Swim team is 4-5 3x a week so we get home by 530. DS is starving. I try to have the salad ready to he can have that while dinner is cooking. And I try to have something that can be done by 6pm.
Cooking double to freeze doesn't really work, I can and do cook extra for lunch the next day or dinner/left over nights.
I'm also dealing with a child who has Reactive Hypoglycemia so I try to have snacks available to avoid total melt down. (not good)
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