Menu Plan Monday - Bonnie - 26 October 2009

Menu Plan Monday is hosted by Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

So, last week, we spent way over our grocery budget. Various factors contributed to it ... including my constant frustration that our weekly budget is too low. But ...the way we have structured our finances doesn't leave room to make it bigger, and that is totally our choice (meaning we could change it but we've chosen not to) so I'm DETERMINED to find a way to make this budget work. $220 a week. Feeding a family of four, three meals EVERY DAY. We eat out very infrequently. Working it out per meal, you're looking at $10 a meal EXCEPT that we buy toiletries, laundry/dishwashing/cleaning supplies and cat food out of that $220 as well. I don't know exactly what the breakdown is to be able to determine how much that makes it per meal that we are working with ... But, that one of my new goals.

In my menu planning, I am going to use the online shopping site to determine how much each meal will cost to make. I'm going to do it as if I had to buy every item and then list that price with my recipes. So ... for future menu's I'll be able to choose according to price as well ... and if I already have some of the ingredients then the price will come down and that is a BONUS ! I think that with proper planning, I can still cook the way we are accustomed to me cooking, but within the confines of our budget that we want to stick to.

I need to shop more in season too. I'm not real good at knowing what is 'in season' since we can get most things year round here. But ... obviously, there are seasons when they are 'in season' and they are cheaper. I'm going to buy meat at the butcher. I'm going to try and get back to doing one bulk meal a week (or maybe a fortnight) to freeze for later weeks. I am going to try and bake something each week to go in the lunches. And I'm going to experiment with making grain bread in my bread maker. Did I mention I am determined ?!?!

We've also got grand plans to expand our little garden beds so we can grow as much as we are able. Australia has great weather for growing veggies year round and we are trying to get our garden established so we can take advantage of that.

Our plan for this week, through Thursday ... I will shop on Friday ... is to get through without going to the grocery store. I had to buy milk and a bag of oats this morning. Cost me $3. But ... we were totally out of cereal and Rory needs milk for his coffee so those had to be bought. As for the meals, we're getting creative ... using up what we have in the pantry and fridge/freezer, which isn't much.

Here's what I've thought we can have ...

Sunday

Spaghetti Aliolio
we were supposed to have this last week but plans changed so we still have the ingredients !

Black Olive Salad

Monday

Egg Curry
Doesn't look like I've posted this recipe yet.
I will take photos this time and get it posted for you.
It's a great, cheap, fall back meal !
And ... I have chutney in the fridge already !!
I can see I need to post that recipe too.

Tuesday

Pumpkin Soup (frozen from last time we had it)
Homemade Foccacia Bread
Frozen peas and corn

Wednesday

Cold Soba Noodles
but without the spring onions because we don't have any ...



Thursday

Well, this will be a bit more of a challenge.
We have cans of black beans, lentils, chickpeas.
One jar of pasta sauce.
We have israeli cous cous.
Rice.
Quinoa.
Fresh Carrots.
Frozen Peas and Corn.
The eggs will most likely be gone.

I think I will probably make some sort of rice or pasta salad using lots of
herbs from our veggie garden and the carrots,peas and corn.
Maybe some beans if it is a rice salad ?
Any suggestions ??

AND THAT SHOULD GET US THROUGH TO FRIDAY
and get our budget back on track !!
I am hoping anyway !!

Budget Success, Health and Bento Boxes !!

I am so excited about my grocery budget ...
read why at my Simple Beauty blog ... go on, I'll wait 'til you get back.

Isn't that cool ??

Another one of our goals for this year is to eat healthy.
We do pretty well already but we want to do better.

I read this book a couple of years ago and found it to be full of lots of really good info. I also subscribe to Dr. Furhman's blog ... it is packed full of lots of good stuff. Recipes too. His website is good too although I think you have to become a member to see some things ... I haven't done that. This section gives you a good synopsis of the book, if you are interested.

So ... the food pyramid below is from his book ... or site ... I don't remember now where I found it. But ... it's how we are trying to eat this year. Lots of fruits, veggies, legumes ... well, look at the pyramid, you'll see.

It makes sense ... eating the food that gives you the most nutrition per calorie ... You don't fill up as fast so you eat more which gives you more nutrition. As opposed to eating the high calorie, low nutritional value foods that fill you up quick and don't give you the nutrients you need ...

As you would have read in my other post that you went to and read before ... right ? You went there, didn't you ? Alright ... go there now. I'll wait. AGAIN.

You back ?

So, you read about how we want to reduce waste. Reduce it to none at all.

One of our strategies is to eat dinner leftovers for lunches. All of us. Kids too. For ages, I've been wanting to get some bento lunch boxes. To make lunches like these or these or these ... But, the boxes are not cheap, so I've not bought them.

Well ...

LOOK . WHAT . I . FOUND !!

At the grocery store !! 50% off ! For $3.25 each. The perfect little bento boxes !! I bought one for each of us and we've used them almost every day since !!

I just love them. Watch for them as I continue my "What's For Lunch ?" series ...