Eat at Home 3!

[Katy Belle]

Spending too much around here! I really need to plan! I currently have the ingredients to make...
*pork tenderloin , roasted cauliflower/broccoli, garlic parmesean spaghetti squash
*grilled chicken sandwiches, salad, fruit salad
*hamburger soup
*tamales, rice, beans
*Crispy chicken salads
*chicken salad sandwiches

I'm going to try very hard to buy ONLY what I need from the grocery store

 

[Tygerlilly]

I haven't been around in a while, but this year I'm really focusing on meal planning and making freezer meals because I'm plowing away at our debt before baby #2 gets here in April. So glad to read everyone's plans! They help so much!

The rest of the week looks like this for us (We only eat lunches together on week days and dinner together on weekends because of work schedules):
Today - tacos
Thursday - chili Mac hamburger helper
Friday - Brats and fries
Saturday - Fried pork chops and stuffing
Sunday - Ravioli and garlic bread

 

[Jake&IzzyLand]

Katy Bell, please tell me how to make tamales!

 

[Katy Belle]

Katy Bell, please tell me how to make tamales!

Lol! DH bought them from someone at work! They are in our freezer, and I microwave them! They sell them at Christmas. Soooo good!

 

[pigletto]

Well I have 7 months to save for our next Disney trip. One of the biggest ways I find to save is to make sure we aren't eating out, and planning meals so I'm not impulse buying at the grocery store. Even if I shave $100 a month off the grocery budget, that will be $700 towards our food budget for the August trip .

So this week..

Sunday - dinner at my parents
Monday - Honey garlic sausage on the grill, carrots , garlic bread
Tuesday - Slowcooker chicken cacciatore over noodles
Wednesday-Breakfast for dinner
Thursday-Wraps (seasoned beef, cheese, veggies, sour cream etc)
Friday- Just ds12 and I, so something easy.. maybe grilled cheese and soup
Saturday- BBQ chicken drumsticks, sweet potato fries, salad
Sunday -Homemade pizzas

 

[TnTWalter]

This week I actually meal planned 4 meals all CROCK POT!

Red beans & Rice w/chicken sausage [yummy] with mixed veggies...recipe below

Chuck Beef over mashed potatoes [I oven baked potatoes for an hour then mashed] with salad.
2-3 pounds beef or pork roast or stew chunks...i bought a 2.5 pound chuck roast and cut into chunks
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes, 2 tablespoons soy sauce (La Choy and Tamari wheat-free are gluten free) 1 (16-ounce) whole berry cranberry sauce
dump in slow cooker

Balsamic chicken with white rice [combo of thighs/breasts and 1 cup Newman's lite balsamic..when cooked, drain, shred and add more dressing]. Served with apple slices and green beans. Just made some instant rice.

Tonight is black bean soup and french bread recipe below...but I didn't add rice. After cooking all afternoon. I used a hand blender to mush it together more [kids don't like tomato chunks] and added some mashed sweet potatoes I had in fridge.


Recipe for Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Makes 6 servings
Cooking time: 2 hours on high or 4 hours
on low

1 medium yellow onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 (14.5 oz) cans of kidney beans, rinsed
and drained
12-16 oz of Andouille sausage, sliced into
half inch pieces
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup chicken broth
Red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Hot cooked rice

1. Combine diced onion, minced garlic,
oil, paprika, cajun seasoning and thyme in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on
high for 5 minutes, stirring every 90 seconds. Add mixture to the slow cooker.
2. Add diced green pepper, drained beans, sausage, bay leaf and chicken broth to the slow cooker.
3, Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or
on LOW for 4 hours. Remove the lid and stir. Add a splash of red wine and then
salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve in a bowl with a scoop of
rice.

Slow Cooker Black Bean and Rice Soup with Lime and Cilantro
(makes 6 servings)

Ingredients:
2 cans (15. oz. each) black beans with liquid
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) petite diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned chicken broth (or use vegetable stock for strictly vegetarian or vegan version)
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp. minced garlic (or more)
1 T ground cumin
1 T dried oregano
1 tsp. ground chile powder
1/4 cup white long-grain rice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (2 limes)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or more)
Instructions:
In Crockpot, combine beans, tomatoes, chicken or vegetable stock, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, Ancho chile powder Cook on low for 6-8 hours (or 3-4 hours on high), until tomatoes are disintegrating and beans are starting to fall apart.

When soup has reached the consistency you want, turn Crockpot to high if you were cooking on low. Add 1/4 cup rice and cook until rice is done, about 30 minutes.

Add fresh lime juice and cilantro and cook 5 minutes more. Serve hot, with additional fresh lime pieces for each person to squeeze into soup and more cilantro if desired.

 

[Eureka]

Another week of eating at home pretty well. I was home for the holiday on Monday and have tomorrow off for Inauguration Day bc I work close to DC, so that helps.
Monday: tacos
Tues: chicken and potatoes
Wed: leftovers
Thurs: DH got the kids Subway on the way to soccer; he and I had eggs
Fri: both of us are off (I.e. home at normal dinner time) so we're going to use a GC to Outback
Sat: don't know yet but plenty of meat in the freezer
Sun: football, so I'll make homemade pizza and maybe some potato skins

 

[queenofthehive]

Menu Plan - Week of 1/21
Saturday- out to dinner
Sunday- grilled chicken salad
Monday - fish tomato curry over rice, okra
Tuesday - roast chicken with carrots and potatoes
Wednesday - poached eggs in red pepper sauce over grits
Thursday - butter chicken over rice, peas, naan
Friday - beef tips, egg noodles, green beans

 

[Sydney2977]

Last week's plan:

Sun- grilled chicken salad- ended up eating leftovers from dinner out the night before
Mon- sloppy joes with carrots- ended up making meatball subs
Tue- DS making frito pie
Wed- DS making his mac & cheez with bacon
Thu- DS will make chicken sandwiches
Fri- Hawaiian sliders with chips- DS made pizza rolls so Dh and I just ate some too

Next week's plans will have me using up stuff we already have and only needing a few things from the store. I also still have part of the week off using my vacation days up.

Sun(off)- sloppy joes with carrots
Mon(off)- Hawaiian sliders with chips
Tue(off)- cheeseburger pizza
Wed(off)- steak sandwiches with fruit or veggies
Thu(12:30-9:30)- tuna or chicken pitas with fruit or veggies
Fri(8-5)- grilled chicken salad

 

[TwoMisfits]

So, we got sick this week...all of us (1st time in a long time) and of course, the littlest had to get double sick (thank you norovirus)...so the whole week's meal plan went out the window. I spent today figuring out what we had, what I needed to use, and what had to be tossed (thankfully, very, very little)...

I don't have a meal plan yet, but I probably won't be shopping for much. I made mac and cheese today with double blueberry muffins and sliced pears. I also made a homemade tomato sauce (had 2 bags of tomatoes to use) that will be in the fridge for a meal when everyone's stomach is ready for tomato products (we are still not quite there yet, and it's been a week. I also made a lemon bundt cake with a white glaze to drop off at my Church's homeless shelter week program. So, after a week of little cooking, it's been a bonanza today. Since we are still not 100%, tomorrow's restaurant outing is delayed (eventually, I will use my free $25 Macaroni Grill coupon if it kills me - this will be 2 weekends in a row skipping it, so I only have 2 left!). Oh well, at least it was a cheap and low cooking week (we had Rotisserie chicken, soup twice, and scrambled eggs for dinners!)...

 

[Aurora_Australis]

This week

Sun - Beans and rice
Mon - (swim) that butter chicken that is still in the freezer!
Tues - chickpea romanesco and soft polenta
Wed - sausages, chips and salad
Thurs - (Australia day bbq) no cooking!
Fri - (back at work! ) Chicken parmiganas with salad
Sat - (day out in the bush with friends) grilled sandwiches or baked beans

So just need to buy a bag of salad greens, two peppers, onions, tomato paste, tinned tomatoes, cheese and a bag of chips. Should help the budget a bit!

 

[westcoastfldisneygirl]

Monday: Slow cooker ranch/cream cheese chicken (with green beans and corn)

In a slow cooker combine place chicken, cream cheese, and Ranch seasoning. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until chicken shreds easily. Once chicken shreds stir with a large fork or spoon, so the chicken shreds and all the ingredients combine.

Tuesday: Black bean and corn burritos, Spanish rice
Wednesday: Veggie burgers, alexa tator tots
Thursday: I have my late night at work. Left overs
Friday: Buffalo chicken tenders, salad
Saturday: Going out to cheesecake factory with a gift card we got for Christmas
Sunday: French toast, raspberries, blue

 

[hmack]

I know this is good for me...I know this is good for me...meal planning is right up there with sorting socks as one of my least favorite chores.

But I have been reading this thread since Jan 01 and I've been inspired.

I know know what day we'll have what but I have a few meals planned. Which is pretty good for someone who literally plans dinner each night during my commute home.

Slow-Cooker pork roast, potatoes, melon and wheat bread
Slow-Cooker stew beef over egg-noodles, croissant rolls
"overnight" apple pie stuffed french-toast (I make this is the morning and let it do it's thing during the day)/bacon
baked beans with kielbasa and apple cinnamon bread

it's not perfect, but it's a framework so I'll take it.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Okay, we are about 95%, so I think I can meal plan again. Here it is...
Sun - Honey BBQ Boneless Wings, Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Green Beans (Bananas for kids), Guava/Banana/Kiwi Smoothies (this was GOOD!)
Mon - (New meal for me) - Doing a Cube Steak and Gravy in the Crockpot with Fresh Portbellos, Red Onions, and Sour Cream (or a Cream Soup), Cous Cous, Roasted Carrots, Strawberries
Tues - Cheese Ravioli with Fresh Tomato Sauce (feeling like we should be totally ready for this by now), Roasted Bell Pepper Salad, (Sliced Apples for kids)
Wed - Homemade Asian Meal - Thinking I'm gonna use up some of those products I bought a few weeks ago. Thinking Udon with my frozen homemade Peking Duck Broth with some veg, but this could become some other Asian idea
Thurs - Leftovers (this will largely depend on Wed) OR Breakfast for Dinner (Bacon, Waffles, Fruit)
Fri - Pizza, Fruit Smoothies
Sat - OUT - This is Macaroni Grill AGAIN (3 is the charm - finally gonna have our going out meal - this has been a VERY cheap month for eating out when I keep canceling for illness - gonna use up my free $25 if it kills me)

I'm also gonna be making some homemade cookies and muffins this week for kid snacking. After a full 8 days of illness, I wanted to use up what we have this week, so I shopped very lightly!

 

[tinkermom_of_two]

Our family continues to do mostly well with our menu following, but we did end up throwing in an eat-out this weekend as our son's basketball tournament ran late, plus it was fun to go out with the grandparents to celebrate 1st place! We also ended up with more leftovers than I thought towards the end of the week, so I cancelled the beef roast and just did more leftovers.

This week as follows:

Sunday: lunch leftovers, supper bacon cheeseburgers and tater tots
Monday: pulled pork sandwiches and chips
Tuesday: Tater tot casserole
Wednesday: French toast
Thursday: Chicken patties and curly fries

The rest of the week we will be out of town for kids activities, so making a mini vacation out of it.

Shopping this week is minimal - will need Texas toast, 4 gallons milk and a loaf of regular bread. We also ended up buying hot dogs and buns, bay leaves, and sandwich cheese last week in addition to the planned shopping, but that isn't bad for us!

 

[tinkermom_of_two]

I know this is good for me...I know this is good for me...meal planning is right up there with sorting socks as one of my least favorite chores.

But I have been reading this thread since Jan 01 and I've been inspired.

I know know what day we'll have what but I have a few meals planned. Which is pretty good for someone who literally plans dinner each night during my commute home.

Slow-Cooker pork roast, potatoes, melon and wheat bread
Slow-Cooker stew beef over egg-noodles, croissant rolls
"overnight" apple pie stuffed french-toast (I make this is the morning and let it do it's thing during the day)/bacon
baked beans with kielbasa and apple cinnamon bread

it's not perfect, but it's a framework so I'll take it.

Good for you! We all have to start somewhere, and that is where my house started. At times I get really sick of menu planning, so the last time that happened I took stock of the groceries in the house and sale items, and made a list of what I had the ingredients to make, and had the family pick each day the night before, with the only stipulation being that we should vary the protein up some and not eat the same meat 4-5 days in a row. By having at least a skeleton plan, it does help cut down on the multiple trips to the store with almost always buying things that I forgot I already had at home.

 

[figment3258]

So it's been a while since I've been on the boards dh and I have been going back and fourth weather to expand the family or stay as a family of 5 I think we both still want to vacation and adding another child right now may be hard to still vacation for us so we have put a pin in the disscuion until after our next trip which will be in December.

Meal planning has been a challenge since I not only have three kids but a mil who is picker than all the kids put together. It's also been easier to eat out since finances are not as tight as they have been in the past.
So I am challenging us not to eat out or get take out until my dd's 5 th birthday or feb 10
All I have is tomorrow night which will be pork loin with cauliflower and spinach and artichoke stuffed potatoes

 

[pigletto]

Another week, another menu.

Tonight was- Grilled chicken drumsticks, baked sweet potato fries and garden salad.

Monday-Chili in the crockpot (with plenty of leftovers for lunches)

Tuesday- Grilled Honey garlic sausage, green beans, baked potatoes

Wednesday- Spaghetti Pie with salad

Thursday- Breakfast for dinner - bacon , eggs, toast, fruit smoothies

Friday- Homemade pizzas

Saturday- Chicken Cacciatore over noodles

 

[Art08]

I'm learning to meal plan, cooking actual recipes is a challenge since my fiance and I share a kitchen with my parents. Tonight is going to be Stouffer's chicken rigatoni with garlic bread. I'm also trying to think of food that will last us a couple days, so I'll be going to the store to pick up ingredients for chicken and dumplings.

 

[Deffenm]

I am proud to say thanks to the meal planning we have not gone out to eat once in Jan and I some how found an extra $500 in my bank account because of it! We ate out so much and to me wasted so much money. No more wasting money or food this year!

Saturday: Bear Burgers, sauteed pears, baked beans, mac and cheese
Sunday: In-laws invited us over for dinner!
Monday - Salmon, roasted green beans, wild rice, left over garlic bread from in laws
Tuesday - fake beef stroganoff, salad, rolls
Wednesday - Chicken Fajitas, chips and Guac
Thursday - Turkey Cutlets, corn, cranberry sauce, rolls
Friday - Frozen Pizza