Eat at Home 3!

[westcoastfldisneygirl]

Hi all!

Monday: Slow cooker café rio chicken http://todayscreativelife.com/cafe-rio-recipe/ carrots and ranch
Tuesday: Italian Wonderpot http://www.budgetbytes.com/2013/05/italian-wonderpot/
Wednesday: I have my workout class. Leftovers/easy night
Thursday: Buffalo chicken strips, rice and corn
Friday: Jalapeno popper pasta http://alidaskitchen.com/2013/06/18/jalapeno-popper-pasta/
Saturday: DISNEY!!! We have an ADR at 50's Prime Time Café at 4:50 pm (early yes but we don't want to get on the road too late getting home)
Sunday: Either leftovers or frozen pizza.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Gonna plan early since I shopped today (we did have the planned cheese pizza, strawberries, and fresh fruit pina colada smoothies for Friday)
Sat - Cheeseburgers, French Fries, Blueberries, Choco Banana Nut Muffins as dessert
Sun - Meatballs, Gnocchi in a Brown Butter Sauce, Roasted Cauliflower (dipped in any extra browned butter!)
Mon - Ham and Cheese Quiche or Egg Scramble (eggs have been so cheap and I have tons!), Clementines, Fruit Smoothie
Tues - Thai Peanut Baked Chicken (Missed this meal this week), Roasted Carrots, Thai Coleslaw (or regular if I'm lazy)
Wed - Chicken Soft Tacos, Clementines (Getting my 1st farm box of the season - yeah!)
Thurs - Maybe Chicken Pot Pie Soup in the Crockpot (using Collards, Mushrooms, Onions, Carrots, and/or Sweet Potatoes - all farm box), Green Salad
Fri - Cheese Pizza, Homemade Kale Chips, Leftover Berries

 

[LuckyBelle81]

This is the first time I've come across this thread. What a GREAT idea!! DH and I were JUST discussing how much money we have been wasting getting take out and going out to eat lately and I have made a personal commitment to be better at planning and at actually sticking to the plans I make.

Friday - Crockpot Taco Soup (will freeze a qt for later and also have enough leftovers for lunch over the weekend)
Saturday - friends invited us out to eat; prob should have passed for budget sake but we didn't
Sunday - Crockpot baked potatoes w cheese, bacon, sour cream and broccoli
Monday - One Pan Pasta, bread, maybe a salad?
Tuesday - Herb Crusted Pork Chops, Roasted Red Potatoes, Asparagus
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Vegetable Beef Soup, bread
Friday - Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

 

[wishesuponastar]

Sat- venison/beef stuffed peppers
Sun- Rachael ray sausage bucatini pasta pepper dish
Mon- chicken cutlets
Tues- italian wonderpot-thank you to pp upthread
Wed- ?
Thurs- meatloaf
Fri - homemade pizza

 

[westcoastfldisneygirl]

This is the first time I've come across this thread. What a GREAT idea!! DH and I were JUST discussing how much money we have been wasting getting take out and going out to eat lately and I have made a personal commitment to be better at planning and at actually sticking to the plans I make.

Welcome! Hope you get some great meal ideas!

You are so right-eating out so much wastes so much money. The more variety of things you make, the less tempting it is to eat out/get takeout and freezing is a life safer!

 

[Jake&IzzyLand]

I'm trying to see what I can make without going to the store. For sure I can make blueberry pancakes and a veggie scramble, pasta with veggie meatballs and roasted chicken, potatoes and broccoli.

Tonight we have an event, so I am good until Wednesday. I will probs find at least 2 crock pot recipes and either do cheese pizza or tuna casserole for friday.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Welcome! Hope you get some great meal ideas!

You are so right-eating out so much wastes so much money. The more variety of things you make, the less tempting it is to eat out/get takeout and freezing is a life safer!

I agree - if there's a meal I'm dying to have that I can make at home...I try to buy it b/c I'll still save a ton making it at home. So, I'll put steak on the menu 1-2 times a month (with cheap but traditional sides, like mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, green salad, carmelized onions), but I buy it on sale and get a nice one so I enjoy it - NY Strip being my current reasonably-priced favorite...I also put large shrimp on the menu 1-2 times a month, since it's a huge family favorite and do it with cheap sides like rice, orzo, cucumber salad, and fruit. And sometimes, being really frugal, I save the shrimp shells and make a stock for a later soup! So, we have 2-3 "expensive" meals to offset all the chicken and ground beef in a month...

When I make both of these meals, I have to make at least 2lbs of meat/fish to feed my family. When I think about what semi-low-end places like Outback or Red Lobster would charge me for 32oz+ of NY Strip or 2 lbs of 21-25 size shrimp...I accept the $12-$14 I spent on the protein (since I only buy it on sale) and the roughly $20-$22 I spend on the whole meal and am very, very happy (for our family, with tax and tip, we can't leave either place for under $100 if we all get steak or shrimp...here, that's not an issue...and my family thinks I make a better steak and a better shrimp that either place, so maybe I should consider it an even bigger savings...

 

[queenofthehive]

Menu Plan Week of 2/27
Saturday - chicken stir fry
Sunday - grilled burgers, baked beans and pasta salad
Monday - leftovers
Tuesday- grilled chicken salad
Wednesday - pulled pork, sweet potatoes, okra
Thursday- pork roast, mashed potatoes, roasted beets/carrots
Friday - grilled salmon, avocado tomato sandwiches, asparagus

 

[Arich01]

Hi all!

Monday: Slow cooker café rio chicken http://todayscreativelife.com/cafe-rio-recipe/ carrots and ranch
Tuesday: Italian Wonderpot http://www.budgetbytes.com/2013/05/italian-wonderpot/
Wednesday: I have my workout class. Leftovers/easy night
Thursday: Buffalo chicken strips, rice and corn
Friday: Jalapeno popper pasta http://alidaskitchen.com/2013/06/18/jalapeno-popper-pasta/
Saturday: DISNEY!!! We have an ADR at 50's Prime Time Café at 4:50 pm (early yes but we don't want to get on the road too late getting home)
Sunday: Either leftovers or frozen pizza.

Yum, your menu looks great!!! Saved the Jalapeno Popper Pasta- sounds delicious and my guys would love it!

So far here's what my week will look like:
Sun- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup in the crock pot (leaving out the potatoes) http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2015/01/07/lightened-creamy-chicken-noodle-soup/
Mon- Cinnamon raisin french toast and bacon
Tues- Spaghetti with home made meaty marinara sauce
Wed- Hubs and I are going to try to see a movie. Tacos for dinner if we don't get popcorn at the theater
Thurs- Roasted chicken breast with roasted sweet potato wedges
Not sure the rest of the week

 

[charming23]

Menu for the week

Tonight will be bratwurst with German potato salad and green beans
Tomorrow will be pork chops with cous cous and Brussel sprouts
Tuesday will be steak sandwiches with sweet potato fries
Wednesday will be leftover night (I work late)
Thursday will be tacos with Spanish rice
Friday we are going to the local church fish fry
Saturday will be various appetizers as it is girls night in

 

[pigletto]

I agree - if there's a meal I'm dying to have that I can make at home...I try to buy it b/c I'll still save a ton making it at home. So, I'll put steak on the menu 1-2 times a month (with cheap but traditional sides, like mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, green salad, carmelized onions), but I buy it on sale and get a nice one so I enjoy it - NY Strip being my current reasonably-priced favorite...I also put large shrimp on the menu 1-2 times a month, since it's a huge family favorite and do it with cheap sides like rice, orzo, cucumber salad, and fruit. And sometimes, being really frugal, I save the shrimp shells and make a stock for a later soup! So, we have 2-3 "expensive" meals to offset all the chicken and ground beef in a month...

When I make both of these meals, I have to make at least 2lbs of meat/fish to feed my family. When I think about what semi-low-end places like Outback or Red Lobster would charge me for 32oz+ of NY Strip or 2 lbs of 21-25 size shrimp...I accept the $12-$14 I spent on the protein (since I only buy it on sale) and the roughly $20-$22 I spend on the whole meal and am very, very happy (for our family, with tax and tip, we can't leave either place for under $100 if we all get steak or shrimp...here, that's not an issue...and my family thinks I make a better steak and a better shrimp that either place, so maybe I should consider it an even bigger savings...

You are one smart lady. I've never looked at it like that. I go to the store and go for frugal frugal frugal. But splurging a little out of the grocery budget makes way more sense than the restaurant we inevitably end up at sometime in the month. We are pretty good about not eating out, but this weekend we had a basketball tournament and with three meals out with the team there is $150 less in my pocket and what I ate was anything but memorable. Even saving half that amount by packing a lunch would have left a nice amount for some splurges at the grocery store.

I'm going to make my grocery lists and menus for the week.. so I'll be back to update!


Back to add the menu..

Sunday... Roast Chicken, Cauliflower, Sweet Potato Fries
Monday... Chili
Tuesday... Meatballs and bowtie pasta (spaghetti squash instead of pasta for me), salad
Wednesday...Homemade wonton soup, baked lemon pepper sole, roast asparagus
Thursday... Breakfast for dinner, omelettes, toast and fruit smoothies
Friday... Homemade pizza and family movie night
Saturday... Baked spicy chicken thighs, veggie stir fry
Sunday..Dinner with my parents

 

[TwoMisfits]

You are one smart lady. I've never looked at it like that. I go to the store and go for frugal frugal frugal. But splurging a little out of the grocery budget makes way more sense than the restaurant we inevitably end up at sometime in the month. We are pretty good about not eating out, but this weekend we had a basketball tournament and with three meals out with the team there is $150 less in my pocket and what I ate was anything but memorable. Even saving half that amount by packing a lunch would have left a nice amount for some splurges at the grocery store.

I'm going to make my grocery lists and menus for the week.. so I'll be back to update!

Thanks for the compliment.

It helps us strike the balance of frugality and enjoyment. Once my spouse got no raises for pretty much all of the 2010s, we had to make cutbacks, but I didn't want them to be ones my family "felt". It used to be we'd eat out 3 times a week (1 meal on Fri/Sat/Sun, either lunch or dinner), but extra kids and no raises meant we could do it once, and even then, that was with finding the best deals or values out. So, I decided we'd still get to eat what we used to enjoy at the "American" restaurants and we'd savor our 1 family outing at a place I don't cook well or is a royal pain to cook or I can't do cheaper (which tends to be the Asian realm - I can handle pretty much anything European, American, or Mexican, but the time and effort to make authentic Asian when all my family members like different dishes is not worth it. This outing tends to be lunch b/c it's cheaper and less crowded with no waits (but sometimes gift cards and/or groupons enable a nice dinner plan).

Case in point, our one outing this week was Vietnamese and we went to a nice downtown location for the lunch special that for $10.95 gave hot tea in a baby pot (love this presentation, shrimp crackers with dip, Vietnamese cold spring rolls with peanut sauce (which I could eat every day til I died - this is my favorite app and favorite sauce), a lunch-sized entree, and a petite creme caramel. So, in our family for entrees, we had 2 phos with different proteins, 2 fried rices with different proteins, one grilled vermicelli with chicken (the surprise awesome dish - we'd never gotten it before), and 1 banh mi with protein. Since everyone likes such different Vietnamese dishes, this works for us, b/c I'd hate to have to try to put those 4 different entrees out for one meal...this would have cost almost 2x as much at dinner and let everyone have a really nice meal to enjoy together (and me the day off, since I tend to make a very simple, easy dinner after we have a nice lunch and vice versa - if we're gonna out for dinner, it's leftovers and PBJs with fruit at lunch)...

This location also had the advantage of being by a park, so we got to burn off lunch with some beautiful sunshine and play, making for a very nice complete family outing (we try to do 1 family outing per weekend, so the meal and an activity together which fits in around kid solo activities and Church...

I should add the meal is something we enjoy together, so no devices allowed. My one rule is if I'm paying for a nice meal, I'm also paying for them to enjoy it and the company/ambience (not to zone out on Angry Birds while absentmindedly eating everything in sight. I don't let hubby or myself on them either - what's good for the goose...

 

[jsmla]

Hi home cooks!

I had to take a little break from posting. My parents' health issues led to my spending a good chunk of my weeks there for the past year. Poor DH existed on take out and stuff he could grill. My mother passed away recently. It was pretty awful but I am able to spend more time at home these days.

Here's my meal plan for the week

Sunday
DH and I are still getting over a rather nasty cold that I brought home from WDW and neither of us felt much like dinner. I did make brunch brunch:
Biscuits
Sausage
Smokey Cheese Grits
Broiled Grapefruit

I think DH ate leftover grilled porkchops for dinner but I'm not sure. I went to bed early with my new nightly companion-Alka Seltzer Plus Nighttime.


Monday
Butternut Squash Risotto
Green Peas
Garlic Toast


Tuesday
I'll be at my dad's house for the night. He'll probably want to go out for dinner. DH will scrounge.


Wednesday
Chicken Andouille Jambalaya
Honey Glazed Carrots


Thursday
Chicken Fajitas
Spicy Pinto Beans
"Mexican" Rice


Friday-Sunday
TBD-This is DH's 3 day weekend week. We may go somewhere, we'll definitely go to my Dad's on one of those days. He's 81 and not in the best of health. My mother's stroke was sudden and unexpected and she was the one who did all of the housework and, for the past year or so, stuff like cleaning the pool. I'm slowly teaching him to do things like laundry, simple cooking (not going very well!) and cleaning. DH goes every couple of weeks to take care of the pool and any handyman-type stuff.

 

[5kidsmommy]

What a fun thread!!

Monday: Guinness Stew made with lamb
Tuesday: chicken curry (crockpot), rice, lentils and steamed carrots
Wednesday: roasted potatoes, carrots, peppers, onions and lamb sausage. (I have a freezer full of lamb from a friend so still trying to use it up)
Thursday: roasted turkey and veggies
Friday: using the turkey from Thursday to make turkey, rice, broccoli casserole
Saturday: orange chicken, rice and steamed broccoli
Sunday: homemade mac & cheese (college son is coming home for spring break and this was his request)

 

[DnA2010]

How did I do last week: the plan
Monday- I think DH is doing pad thai (yum!)
Tuesday- at the inlaws as DH and I are both working so don't get to the farm till 6pm-ish, so MIL will feed us
Wednesday- DD will get fed by inlaws again, as we are both at work days and I have a massage therapy appt so won't be home till 7pm ish
Thurs- Fish of some sort- we have white fish, salmon, and canned salmon for salmon loaf- with rice and veg
Friday- we are at our little place at the ski hill (ie large hotel room) which has small kitchen (no oven) so I will need to plan dinners that work ahead- thinking hamburger helper type thing with mashed potatoes
Saturday- At ski hill- need a second easy stovetop meal-
Sunday- MIL was talking about family dinner, so may not be cooking again! Whoop! Otherwise it will be something easy as we will have come down from the hill- I'm thinking breakfast for dinner

We didn't go to the ski hill as I was still feeling quite crappy...

What we had:
Monday- Pad Thai
Tues- DD had dinner at the inlaws, DH and I had poached eggs on toast
Wed- chili at the inlaws
Thurs- I can't remember- oops but I know we didn't eat out!
Friday- pork chops, mixed veg, perogies
Sat- I had a burrito, DH had leftover pork chops (DD at sleepover)
Sun- chicken tortellini with pesto and salad

We did it!!!! yay go us!
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This Week:

Monday- Just DH and I, so I think we will have poached eggs on toast as the bread is getting a bit stale
Tuesday - White fish, rice, broccoli (didn't have fish last week)
Wednesday- frozen soup, cheese toast, salad
Thurs- Slow cooker ribs, mashed pot, veg
Fri-
Sat-
Sun-

Will finish the week after I talk to DD and review what everyone else is having for ideas...
short list:
home made burgers, fries (just got our beef and pork from the butchers- inlaws have small farm so we get beef/pork from them- lucky I know!)
salmon loaf
lentil soup from recipe above
stuffed meatballs above

 

[stayhomemom77]

Well DH is not eating low carb again this week as we are all just over this weird flu/cold hybrid thing. I'm not sure why that means he can't/won't eat low carb but whatever!

Thankfully he told me before I made a meal plan so I didn't have to go back and change anything.

On the menu for this week:

Mon-pretzel bread sammies, chips, veggies and dip
Tues-pork chops, twice baked potatoes, broccoli or green beans
Wed-bacon, eggs, waffles, fruit
Thurs-tomato soup and grilled cheese, not sure of veg
Fri-rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, corn
Sat-leftovers
Sun-beef tacos

Soup of the week: lentil soup
Treat of the week: banana bread

 

[Deffenm]

Sunday - Dinner at in-laws
Monday - Cream Italian chicken, pasta, salad
Tuesday - Sloppy Joes, mac and cheese, tator tots, watermelon
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Fajitas, Spinach artichoke Chip, fruit salad
Friday - Frozen Pizza, Salad
Saturday - BBQ Chicken, Baked Potatoes, left over veggies/fruit

 

[bigsis1970]

Hi Gang.. my week looks like this Sun Mon Tues just me and the Hubs, Wed - Fri us plus my dad, Sat back to just us..

Yesterday - Amato's sandwiches Ham Italian for me and meatball for hubs
Mon - Pork Chops, roasted Veggies and Tater tots
Tues - Sweet Italian sausage sandwiches
Wed - Lasagna with bread
Thurs - Chicken pot pie for the guys and fish and roasted veggeis for me
Friday - Digorno frozen 3 meat pizza
Saturday - afternoon jack and jill baby shower so we will eat there and just scrounge around if we need dinner

 

[queenofthehive]

jsmia- so sorry to hear about your mother. Glad to see you back.

 

[queenofthehive]

Just wanted to share with you all the cutest slow cooker I ordered today. It is a Pixar slow cooker. It is sold at JCPenny of all places. Here is the link- http://www.jcpenney.com/disney-pixa...et=UTF-8&colorizedImg=DP1222201517045516M.TIF

Just a little bit of Disney cuteness in my kitchen