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Meal Plans - March

3K views 48 replies 21 participants last post by  jldumm 
#1 ·
What is everyone planning to finish up February and on into March? There are so few of us posting now I guess we can use one thread for the month even if we post our weekly plans!


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#2 ·
I think I have all of March planned so I'll go ahead and post all of mine.

25-dinner at my mom's
26-breakfast
27-chorizos and coleslaw
28-dinner at my dad's
29-leftovers

1-ginger chicken, rice, veggies
2-meatballs, mashed potatoes, corn
4-fritatta
5-burrito casserole, corn
7-blt's
8-hamburger rolls, mashed potatoes, green beans
9-homemade pizza
11-salmon, roasted potatoes, rice
12-chicken & dumplings, veggie
14-taco rice, beans
15-homemade chicken strips, fries
16-pork sandwiches, potatoes, salad
18-clam linguine, salad
19-bbq chicken, mashed potatoes, coleslaw
21-steak sandwiches, fries, salad
22-taco soup, quesadillas
23-cowpies, mashed potatoes, corn
25-steak and onion sandwiches, roasted potatoes
26-fried potatoes and onions
27-not sure, its my son's bday and he hasn't requested anything yet
28-sloppy joes, green beans
29-General tso's chicken, fried shrimp
30-tortilla soup, quesadillas
 
#3 ·
Well I haven't assigned specific days to things this week except for tonight. Here are our choices:
tonight - BBQ chicken, mashed sweet potatoes, corn on the cobb
- quesadillas, refried black beans
- stroganoff with egg noodles, broccoli
- veggie & rotini soup
- sloppy joes, peas
- saucy honey mustard chicken, broccoli, carrots

i'm making a peach crumble with frozen yogurt for desert one night
and lunches are leftovers. breakfast varies between oatmeal, eggs/toast, pancakes, and always with fruit
 
#4 ·
I don't have specific nights planned either, but we have these meals on hand.

Tonight-
Rotisserie chicken
yellow rice
baked beans

The rest of the week:
leftover green chile and pork stew, rice, muffins
Ground turkey tacos, chips, salsa,
Sloppy joes, mac and cheese, corn
Homemade beef soup, corn muffins
Chicken and sausage gumbo, white rice
Oven-Fried pork chops
, homemade augratin potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes, sauteed cabbage, green beans

I will be making double of some of these to put in the freezer for later meals.

Dawn
 
#8 ·
I don't assign specific nights, either. Lunches are leftovers.

Last night, we had Tamale pie from the Veg Mothers Cookbook with roasted broc and green salad. Other meals I have planned:

-Pot pie (either using fake chicken or chickpeas)
-Tofu scramble with potatoes o'brien
-Thai style pumpkin soup
-Lentil soup
-Black bean tacos
-Spaghetti
 
#10 ·
I'll update as I go.

Wed~turkey cutlets, mashed potatoes, edemame
Thurs.~pork steak, rice, carrots
Fri~tacos

1~almond chicken dijon, rice, veggies
2~turkey breasts, corn casserole, potatoes
3~chips and salsa, quesadillas
4~BBQ crispy chicken melts, baked potatoes, carrots
5~homemade mac 'n cheese
6~leftovers
7~fettuccini alfredo w/ chicken and broccoli
8~lasagna toss
9~grilled teriyaki chicken, rice, veggies
10~pork roast, potatoes, carrots
11~goulash
12~sausage & tomato rigatoni
13~pancakes
14~maple-mustard glazed chicken ,potatoes, veggies
15~?
16~?
17~?
18~?
19~?
20~tacos
21~?
22~french toast
23~?
24~chicken manicotti
25~?
26~?
27~?
28~?
29~leftovers or pancakes
30-5~out of town
 
#11 ·
Shut up... you guys plan for a whole month!?! I just began meal planning and am so proud of myself for doing a week at a time!


I am hoping that meal planning will help me cut costs of groceries, and help me organize my time better. Cooking in my house is a challenge b/c everyone likes different things. This is my first time on this forum, hoping to learn...
 
#12 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by granolalight View Post
Shut up... you guys plan for a whole month!?! I just began meal planning and am so proud of myself for doing a week at a time!


I am hoping that meal planning will help me cut costs of groceries, and help me organize my time better. Cooking in my house is a challenge b/c everyone likes different things. This is my first time on this forum, hoping to learn...

I used to do two weeks at a time.. it's a pain. I start off making a list of things we like to eat - I've got it saved on the computer. Then I just pull from that list depending on what's on sale. of all the things it takes to run a household, I really dislike meal planning!
 
#13 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by granolalight View Post
Shut up... you guys plan for a whole month!?! I just began meal planning and am so proud of myself for doing a week at a time!


I am hoping that meal planning will help me cut costs of groceries, and help me organize my time better. Cooking in my house is a challenge b/c everyone likes different things. This is my first time on this forum, hoping to learn...

DITTO THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!

i'm
:
 
#16 ·
It does keep my grocery bill lower. Otherwise I'd decide what sounded good for dinner, then end up stopping at the store every night and spending $30ish on stuff that looked good. Now I go once every 2 weeks and spend around $100 for a big trip. I still need to make one or two small trips for bread or veggies or fruit but I really do save alot.
 
#17 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Alyantavid View Post
It does keep my grocery bill lower. Otherwise I'd decide what sounded good for dinner, then end up stopping at the store every night and spending $30ish on stuff that looked good. Now I go once every 2 weeks and spend around $100 for a big trip. I still need to make one or two small trips for bread or veggies or fruit but I really do save alot.
No way! You spend $100 for a big trip every two weeks!?! How? I would say that we spend, on average, around $125-$150 per week. A big trip for us is closer to $200. Are we unusual? Or are you?
Sounds like a topic for a new thread...

Part of my reason for beginning to be a meal planner is so that we can cut costs.
 
#18 ·
I started meal planning for a week at a time. It really has helped our grocery budget. I spend about $80-$100/week for our family of 5 plus 2 cats. I'm such a list person anyway so it's right up my alley.
 
#19 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by my2girlz View Post
I started meal planning for a week at a time. It really has helped our grocery budget. I spend about $80-$100/week for our family of 5 plus 2 cats. I'm such a list person anyway so it's right up my alley.
How is it that I'm spending so much? Well, so much more than you?
 
#20 ·
Quote:
Are we unusual? Or are you? Sounds like a topic for a new thread...
I'm sure we are.
We don't have to buy beef, we raise our own. I'm raising some pigs now that we'll butcher this summer for pork. I do buy some chicken but only on sale and rarely do I buy boneless skinless breasts because they're expensive. We get some organic produce from my mom's boyfriend who has an organic farm. That's mostly potatoes so we eat alot of potatoes.

I shop sales, stock up on something we use alot or if its on my meal plan for the next month. I cook most everything from scratch. On my plans, I don't usually pick a specific vegetable to go with a meal, I wait and buy whatever's on sale at the store. Most of my meals are fairly simple and quick and therefore don't have a ton of ingredients.

And that bill doesn't include diapers or rice milk which I have to get elsewhere, but I usually only spend $30ish for those every couple weeks.
 
#21 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Alyantavid View Post
I'm sure we are.
We don't have to buy beef, we raise our own. I'm raising some pigs now that we'll butcher this summer for pork. I do buy some chicken but only on sale and rarely do I buy boneless skinless breasts because they're expensive. We get some organic produce from my mom's boyfriend who has an organic farm. That's mostly potatoes so we eat alot of potatoes.

I shop sales, stock up on something we use alot or if its on my meal plan for the next month. I cook most everything from scratch. On my plans, I don't usually pick a specific vegetable to go with a meal, I wait and buy whatever's on sale at the store. Most of my meals are fairly simple and quick and therefore don't have a ton of ingredients.

And that bill doesn't include diapers or rice milk which I have to get elsewhere, but I usually only spend $30ish for those every couple weeks.

Well, that explains a lot!
 
#22 ·
I started planning 2 weeks at a time, because DH gets paid once every two weeks
I still usually plan 2 weeks at a time, although it varies. This month I planned the whole month ahead of time because I know I need to cut down on my grocery budget.

For the second month, I'm buying meals from Let's Dish to incorporate into my meal plan. I'm pretty new to the concept, but so far I'm happy with the meals I've made, and DH and the kids have liked the meals also.

Breakfast will be cereal with milk, fruit, oatmeal, muffins and/or waffles.
Lunches will be sandwiches or leftovers if not specified otherwise (I usually schedule lunches on the days that DH is home for lunch).

Sat 3/1
Lunch: egg sandwiches, fruit
Supper: Thai Shrimp + Noodles in peanut sauce, broccoli

Sun 3/2
Lunch: crescent casserole, broccoli, carrots
Supper: Pizza, salad

Mon 3/3
Supper: Lasagna, salad

Tuesday 3/4
Supper: Burgers, broccoli, onion rings

Wed 3/5
Supper: mac & cheese (kids), leftovers or eggs (adults), fruit & carrots (all)

Thurs 3/6:
Supper: Mu Shu Pork, mixed veggies

Fri 3/7
Supper: Chicken with artichokes and mushrooms in white wine sauce, salad

Sat 3/8
Brunch: waffles, eggs, fruit
Supper: roasted Pork Tenderloin with currant sauce, green beans, salad

Sun 3/9
Brunch: egg sandwiches, fruit
Supper: pizza, salad

Mon 3/10
Supper: sub sandwiches, carrots

Tues 3/11
Supper: Sweet + Spicy Cashew Chicken (with peppers and onions)

Wed 3/12
Supper: Tacos with fixins

Thurs 3/13
Supper: Beef Stoganoff, peas, carrots

Fri 3/14
Supper: Garlic Ginger Teriyaki Shrimp + Broccoli with rice

Sat 3/15
Brunch: waffles, eggs, fruit
Supper: Cheesy Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas, salad

Sun 3/16
Brunch: egg sandwiches, fruit
Supper: pizza, salad

Mon 3/17
Lunch: Grilled cheese, soup
Supper: Casablanca Chicken (with peppers and onions), carrots

Tues 3/18
Supper: Honey-Dijon Pork Chops with herbed mashed potatoes, salad

Wed 3/19
Supper: grilled cheese and soup

Thurs 3/20
Supper: Greek Pork Pitas, salad, green beans

Fri 3/21
Supper: Ranch Steak Wrap, salad, carrots

Sat & Sun- at Grandma's for Easter


Mon 3/24
Lunch: Tacos
Supper: Butternut Squash Ravioli, salad

Tues 3/25
Supper: Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin with parmesan green beans

Wed 3/26
Supper: Chesapeake Crab Cakes with roasted asparagus

Thurs 3/27
Supper: Jerk Chicken w/ pinapple salsa, salad

Fri 3/28
Supper: Rosemary + Mustard Grilled Steaks, baked potatoes, salad

(end of the month: eggs (we have chickens
) plus assorted food that was planned but not eaten because we decided to do something else that night
)
 
#24 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by wife&mommy View Post
Ann, could I have your recipe for the honey dijon pork chops?
Sorry, I haven't made it yet and it's a meal from Let's Dish.
 
#26 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by granolalight View Post
How is it that I'm spending so much? Well, so much more than you?
Well, this is what I do.

~watch sales cycles. I know chicken goes on sale for a certain price every so often. I stock up at that time and get enough to last me till the next sale.

~use coupons for stuff I already buy. Did you know you can combine store coupons and manufacturer coupons? Combine that with sales and you can get a great deal! I also trade coupons so I can get multiples of a great coupon.

~plan meals based on what you currently have in the house. If I were to make a grocery list after I made a menu my bill would be much higher.

~try to stay out of the store when I'm not doing all of my grocery shopping. This is a big one for me!
 
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