Meal Planning

3xsthefun wrote: I need help coming up with a menu for the next 8 days. I need some really cheap meals. I'm trying to really watch how much I spend at the grocery store this time.
We are going be on a vacation the last week of July. So need to make sure not to spend to much this week on groceries. I really need to plan my meals all the time.
But sometimes it is hard when I need to buy groceries plus toiletries and food for the animals.

I was just wondering if maybe someone could give me a idea what their menus are like each week.

I have tried doing this several times. But I always have a hard time coming up with meals each day. Sometimes I just hate cooking but I really need to do it.

coasterqueen replied: Being that we are never home with the girls always in activities I really have to plan out meals so we aren't eating at McD's all the time. They might not always be healthy, but better than McD's.

I make a chicken parmesan with chicken nuggets, noodles, garlic bread
Cheesy hamburger macaroni, green beans
Lasagna, garlic bread, veggie
Spaghetti, garlic bread, veggie
Baby back ribs (in crock pot), baked potato, salad
Chicken casserole (chicken, rice, veggies)
Chinese for Ryan and Kylie, Fish and a veggie for Megan and I
Tacos, veggie
Kabobs, salad
Grilled cheese & soup
Baked pork chops, mashed potatoes & gravy, veggie
Hot dogs, baked beans, mac n cheese, veggie
Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, veggie
Beef stroganoff, salad
Pizza
Crock pot roast
Meatloaf, rice, veggie
Corn beef hash and eggs, veggie
Breakfast for dinner
Steak, rice or potato, salad

These are what we do. Some are crockpot meals so they are fast. Some are oven meals, but very quick and easy to make.

coasterqueen replied: BTW, I agree it's hard when you have so much to buy. I try to plan everything out, too for so many reasons. One I have to put my meat order in with my farmer one time a month. So I have to know exactly what I need for a whole month. Next I'm trying to get other things with the grocery budget money that's not always just groceries, lol. The girls eat so many fruits and veggies that it eats up a HUGE portion of my grocery budget and with all the activities the girls are in my grocery budget it tighter, so I really have to plan ahead.

BTW, I forgot to add horseshoes to the list of foods we eat. That one we don't do all the time since it is so fattening and expensive.

3xsthefun replied: Thanks Karen for the ideas. I think I will add some of those to my list.

I wish we had someone we could buy meat from but I have get it at the grocery store.

We did buy some beef from a guy we know the year before last. I'd love to buy more beef from him. But I'm not sure if he will any for us to get this year or not.

Rob is thinking about going hunting this fall when it is deer season and try to get one. I know not everyone likes deer but I like it pretty good.

I do get over whelmed with grocery shopping. I try to do really good. But sometimes I end up still spending more then I planned on. I get so tired of buying and making the same things over and over again.

luvbug00 replied:
what?!



i never planned meals until this week when we had $30 to feed Mya, Jon, the dog and myself.
we did the following.

noodle cassorole _ cooked ziti layered with ham and cheese, covered in a sour cream and egg mix with bread crubs on top.

pork and beens- really can u go wrong with that?

hamburger helper

araps - bascially like bread you fill with the toppings of your chooseing. easy to make nd the cornmeal costs litterly $1. it's enough for about 20 arapas.

and
kilbasa and cabbage - brown kilbasa, add chopped cabage and 2 tbs. sugar,..simmer till cabage is cooked. soo good!

Swood75 replied:
Karen,what are horseshoes? I have never heard of any that you eat..Only the ones on horses..LOL

grapfruit replied:
That's what I was thinking!!

coasterqueen replied: I think they are a central IL thing.

It's basically toasted bread or "texas toast", then a layer of whatever meat you want (turkey, hamburger, ham, chicken, etc), then french fries and then a melted cheese mix. Some put the cheese then the fries. So if you use hamburgers, then it would be a hamburger horseshoe (cook meat like you would before putting it on toast), use turkey, it would be a turkey horseshoe, etc.

Looks like this (fattening but YUM!!!!!):

Hillbilly Housewife replied: um, and ya'll yankees think poutine is nasty looking....

coasterqueen replied:
Don't know what that is, but I agree the pic I posted looks nasty. I took that pic off of a website, mine don't look like that really, but they taste great.

luvbug00 replied: poutine is AMAZING!!!! ur making my mouth water!

moped replied:

Hillbilly Housewife replied: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poutine

kit_kats_mom replied: We actually have a new neighbor from Quebec and she's promised to make us something close to putine. Apparently, we don't have the proper cheese here but she said she can make do with mozzerella.

as for our meal plans, my kids are pretty picky. Here are some of our standby meals for busy/cheap eats. we usually have a salad or a veg with every meal

crock pot roast with potato
chicken and dumplings
burritos
black beans and rice (with or without sausage)
polenta & sausage or chicken
soup and grilled cheese
frozen pizza
egg drop soup, rice & egg rolls (kids current fave)

Sam & Abby's Mom replied:
sorry. poutine is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY more gross looking than that horse shoe thing! LOL

eta: now you know someone was stoned when they invented BOTH of those meals ;-)

CantWait replied:


My thoughts exact lol