Ok, so yesterday I told you I was making my menu plan to use up what I have on hand, instead of just buying a lot of groceries to go with my menu (like usual). So here it is.
Breakfasts will be pancakes, biscuits and gravy, toast, breakfast sandwiches, eggs, oatmeal or french toast sticks.
Lunch will be sandwiches (tuna, ham, roast beef), baked macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese, hot dogs, bean burritos, spaghetti or left overs.
Dinners (I list enough for two weeks, minus two days because we eat at the church on Wednesday nights)
1. stir fry with rice
2. mexican hamburger rice bake
3. beef stew
4. bean burritos (homemade tortillas and refried beans)
5. white chili
6. steak with vegetable and salad
7. taco pie
8. spicy chili mac
9. refried bean soup
10. italian pinto beans
11. sirloin steak in beef gravy over noodles
12. fried trout my son caught with a vegatable or two
*I don't have fruit listed anywhere on here, but we do keep a fruit bowl on the table for snacks and serve it with meals as well.
As I said, this plan is to use up what we have on hand. There are several new recipes on here that I've been wanting to try and it is a great time for us to do so. I really want us to start eating more beans and rice, for one it is cheaper than meat all the time and they have health benefits as well. So, I tried to incorporate several recipes using those this time. I've also mentioned before that I use alot of Crystal Miller's recipes and have linked them where appropriate.
According to this plan, I have all the ingredients needed to make these main dishes. When I go to the store tomorrow, I will only need to stock up on flour and a few other pantry items like that, butter, and our fresh fruits, vegetables and salad stuff. I buy our milk each week from a local farmer and get our eggs from a family at our church. I make our own bread and snacks, also any desserts we might make are from scratch as well. So, I just make sure we have our basic baking ingredients stocked up for those things too. I can't wait to see what my grocery bill actually is tomorrow. I'll be sure to post and let you know that savings.
On a side note, part of me is wondering if it's a smart idea to plan my menu this way and use up what I have stored because then my food storage for emergencies will be less. However, the things that I am using have been in our freezer or pantry for awhile and really need to be used up before they go bad. Also, I'm not depleting my food storage, just using some of it. If I were to do this consistently for a couple months, then I would run out of everything, but this one time isn't going to hurt us. Besides, I'll still be replenishing my baking goods and such, it's mainly the meat/main dishes that I won't be buying this time. It is also just a good exercise for me to help me get out of the rut of fixing the same meals over and over. It is causing me to expand my ideas and incorporate new and more frugal meals into our diet, which I need to do more anyway.
Ok, I'm starting to ramble now. Have a blessed day!
Sharing my race of life in faith, fitness, food and family ~ 1 Cor 9:24-27
Your menu looks wonderful! We also have a fruit bowl sitting out on our table for snacks, and I'm so excited to have found Crystal's McMom breakfast sandwich recipe.
ReplyDeleteAs far as using up your food stock, I think you just have to find a happy medium there, because it is important to use your supply but also keep a good supply stocked up. It's really great if you can build your pantry around sales. That's what I'm working on doing. Since I know what meats we usually eat, I can keep an eye out for sales for different things as well as basic pantry items.
Have a wonderful day my friend!
Blessings,
sara
From what I've read on food storage, it's actually a good idea to use it a long with your regular pantry. Like use some of it once a week or a few times a month. That way you 1. know that if you have to start using it, you like it, and it won't be strange for you and your family to start eating it. and 2. you keep it fresh! Some foods have a long storage life, but things that only have a 2-3 year shelf life (like a lot of canned foods) are good to replenish and keep fresher.
ReplyDeleteBlessings♥
Sara, I also like to build up my pantry based on sales too. It really helps to save money!
ReplyDeleteTwylia, thanks for your tips too! I have definitely been guilty of buying "strange" foods for my family and then they just sit in the cabinet forever :(
It seems I go in cycles of how I shop. Sometimes just going by the sale flyers and making my menu from that; other times I just make my menu of what I want and then by the groceries to go with it; then there are the times I do like now, clean out my cabinet and make my menu by that. Guess I'm not one for getting stuck in a rut :)