New Posts  All Forums:
 

Frugal Meal Planning 101 - Page 6

post #101 of 642
1/31/07 at 5:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sincitymama View Post
I mysteriously have canned salmon in my pantry. Is that any good? Any yummy recipes or should I just give it to the cat for a treat?
If you need a simple salmon patty recipe, let me know, I'll post mine. Canned salmon kind of grosses me out, but in patty form, we all love it!

This is the oatmeal pancake recipe I use. The kids especially love it with chopped apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and I love it with chocolate chips (but the carob chips sound so good, I can't believe I never thought of that!):

http://hillbillyhousewife.com/oatmealpancakes.htm

Kathirynne, you rock for doing this. I'm following along with everyone else
Sponsored Links
post #102 of 642
1/31/07 at 5:07pm
Thread Starter 

Optional (mini) assignment

After you have planned and shopped for the first week of February, please post your total spent in your signature, and keep a running total as we go through the month.
post #103 of 642
1/31/07 at 5:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by melissel View Post
If you need a simple salmon patty recipe, let me know, I'll post mine. Canned salmon kind of grosses me out, but in patty form, we all love it!
Yes please! I'm sure there are a million versions out there, but something I know you like seems a good place to start.



I think, looking back at my menu, I will switch the days around a little bit. That's too many days in a row of bean dishes for this family
post #104 of 642
1/31/07 at 6:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kathirynne View Post
After you have planned and shopped for the first week of February, please post your total spent in your signature, and keep a running total as we go through the month.
Are we counting non-food things, too? Like I just bought some saline solution for my contacts, and some garbage bags. Do these items count?

If so:

$10.69 for saline solution
$6.98 for garbage bags
post #105 of 642
1/31/07 at 6:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sincitymama View Post
Yes please! I'm sure there are a million versions out there, but something I know you like seems a good place to start.



I think, looking back at my menu, I will switch the days around a little bit. That's too many days in a row of bean dishes for this family
It's so basic, I can't even remember where I got the original from.

Mix together in a bowl:

One can salmon (I guess it's 6 oz? the standard tuna-can size)
1 or 2 Tbsp finely diced onion (depending on your tastes)
a dash of soy sauce
1 egg
some bread crumbs, enough to dry the mix out a little and make it hold together when you squeeze it into patties (I use preseasoned, like progresso, which may account for some of the extra flavor )
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil (whichever you like, I use EVOO) in a frying pan. Form the mix into patties about 1/2 inch thick and fry in the oil. The oil should be deep enough to come about halfway up the sides of the patties. Fry until golden brown.



There are definitely fancier recipes out there, but this is so easy, I make these about as often as we feel comfortable eating salmon.

HTH!
post #106 of 642
1/31/07 at 6:05pm
I just found this meal planning worksheet online -
http://www.changeyourlifechallenge.c...lymealplan.pdf
- it makes weekly planning really easy and there's tons of space for us newbies to write each course of each meal.
post #107 of 642
1/31/07 at 6:41pm
subbing...this is gonna be great! i'm off to catch up!
post #108 of 642
1/31/07 at 6:59pm
Total spent: $32.67 (family of 7)
post #109 of 642
1/31/07 at 7:10pm
Thread Starter 

Awesome!

Quote:
Originally Posted by superstella View Post
Total spent: $32.67 (family of 7)
Is that for the entire week? (What was your previous monthly average?)

That works out to 67 cents per day per person.
post #110 of 642
1/31/07 at 7:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kathirynne View Post
After you have planned and shopped for the first week of February, please post your total spent in your signature, and keep a running total as we go through the month.
OK- so what do I count as my Feb. spending?
My DH bought some essentials which we used at the end of Jan and will use for the beginning of February...things like milk, eggs, lettuce...Do I count the whole shop he did on Monday, Jan. 29th?...or part of it? Or not at all????
post #111 of 642
2/1/07 at 2:24am
Total spent $22.87 on food -I did not include the toilet paper I bought in the total. (family of 5)
post #112 of 642
2/1/07 at 3:12am
Ok, so here's our menu for the rest of the week. I LOVE making menu's (and list's), but so rarely stick to them, but I will this time. We normally spend a LOT on food, but things are very tight for the next few months. My goal is to only spend what I make baby-sitting on food, so on Fri I'll make $50 (so about $200 scheduled for the month) but I am on call for a couple families, hopefully I'll be able to work more Anyway, here's the menu, we're veggie btw...

Thur.
AM- Veggie BLT & fresh green juice
Mid- left over soup & bread
PM- Wheat pasta w/ sundried tomatoes & pumpkin seed pesto

Fri
AM-hot cereal & juice
Mid-Smoothie & L.o. pasta
PM-coconut soup

Sat-
AM-pancakes & applesauce
Mid-sandwich & fruit
PM-homemade beans, rice, tortillas, guacamole & sauteed veggies

Sun
AM-hot cereal
Mid- l.o.
PM-Asian Stirfry & brown rice

Mon.
AM- vegan french toast, soy sausage
Mid-sandwich, fruit
PM-Yams with veggies and mushroom gravy


Snacks-
fruit
nuts
homemade fruit leathers
homemade apple sauce
" banana bread


I have a small list of things to buy on Fri.. I will bake our bread and any dessert type things. I just need to break my bad habit of getting coffee when running errands and make it at home or better yet have some tea!
post #113 of 642
2/1/07 at 5:38am
Did my shopping today, will start the menu plan tomorrow.
$33.68 (and some of that will last longer than a week, like the bag of potatoes and stuff )

Would have been even lower had I not gone so late at night, for example if the deli counter was open the cheese wouldn't have been so expensive.

I didn't count the other stuff, dishwasher detergent and all that. Just food.
post #114 of 642
2/1/07 at 8:53am
I'm going to join starting today.

I have some obstacles though. My mother lives with us and she eats quite a bit. Because my mom lives with us, I have to cook meals that lean toward her tastes (meat... lots of meat, potatoes). Dh is from Turkey and I cook with lamb a lot (expensive). And lastly, we love gourmet cheeses... that really nails us at the checkout counter. I'll do my best, though. I joined the no eating out challenge, too, so this will be a true test of my character.

My menu for Thursday - Next Saturday. Dh is a university professor and teaches late classes Tues. & Thurs. so those days are usually a bit wonky. Breakfast will be toast or whole wheat toaster waffles and Dinner will be deli sandwiches or leftovers. Supper will be the following:

Thurs. 01.02.07
- Leftovers from Tues. & Wednesday (spinach stuffed ravioli with potatoes, green beans and pesto sauce or chicken, carrot and zucchini casserole)

Fri. 02.02.07
- Sloppy joes (from scratch, of course)
- Peas
- Caesar salad

Sat. 03.02.07
- Savory Chicken Cups
- Steamed corn on the cob

Sun. 04.02.07
- Beef stroganoff (we're going to my dad's & stepmother's, but my mom will still have to eat)
- Salad

Mon. 05.02.07
- Eat out for dh's birthday

Tue. 06.02.07 (dh's birthday, but he teaches late)
- Pot roast
- Carrots
- rice pilaf (baked potato for mom)

Wed. 07.02.07 (I'll be out of town until late for a Breastfeeding Coalition Mtg.)
- Freezer Fodder (I double up on recipes and freeze one for just about everything I make, so I have a well-stocked freezer of ready-to-go foods)

Thurs. 08.02.07 (dd's birthday, so her favorite meal)
- Spaghetti & Marinara sauce
- Green Salad
- Birthday Cake and Ice Cream

Fri. 09.02.07
- Herbed Chicken and Broccoli Quiche
- pickled beets
- apple carrot salad

Sat. 10.02.07
- Onion topped hamburger casserole
- Green salad
- bulgur pilaf
post #115 of 642
2/1/07 at 11:26am
twogreencars, thanks for the link on meal planning.
post #116 of 642
2/1/07 at 12:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anna06 View Post
twogreencars, thanks for the link on meal planning.
You are most welcome! Anyone else find it helpful? BTW - don't be afraid to turn it sideways so the days of the week are at the top!
post #117 of 642
2/1/07 at 1:19pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by twogreencars View Post
OK- so what do I count as my Feb. spending?
My DH bought some essentials which we used at the end of Jan and will use for the beginning of February...things like milk, eggs, lettuce...Do I count the whole shop he did on Monday, Jan. 29th?...or part of it? Or not at all????
I would just count it, since you'll be using it for at least the first week of February. It's really just a tool to help you keep track of what you've spent for February, so that you can compare it to what you've spent for previous months.
post #118 of 642
2/1/07 at 1:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kathirynne View Post
Is that for the entire week? (What was your previous monthly average?)

That works out to 67 cents per day per person.

Yup, the entire week . Our usual monthly average is around 200-250, so this is great! .67 per person per day? I'll take it! Oh well one of them is too small to eat yet so I guess I'm really feeding 6 (but dh eats enough for 3 normal people )
post #119 of 642
2/1/07 at 1:52pm
subbing
post #120 of 642
2/1/07 at 1:52pm
Thread Starter 

Assignment #3

I am coming down with the mother of all colds, : so I am posting this weekend's assignment today.

Look through your grocery supply and choose 3 different convenience foods. (These can be anything from boxed pasta side dishes to store-bought cookies to cold breakfast cereal.) Can you make a similar version of these items? Can you use something else instead of any of these items? (Buttered noodles with herbs, homebaked cookies, oatmeal porridge are all cheaper than their store bought counterparts.)

Post your convenience food and your replacement.