On Saturdays, I share my menu plan for the upcoming week along with a photo of my groceries and a tally of my spending. My goal is to spend $100/week for our food, toiletries, and cleaning products. I’m currently in the midst of trying to buy more local, sustainably-produced food while sticking to my budget. Can it be done? I don’t know, but I’m going to try, and I’ll share what I learn as I go along.
This is my off-week for grocery shopping, and I have to say, it is quite delightful to have a week without the usual shopping trip. I’m pretty sure this every other week plan is saving me a significant amount of time, so yay!
I think I might go a little longer than two weeks between shopping trips this time though, because I’m due to go shopping again on Christmas Eve day. I know the grocery stores and just stores in general are going to be craaaazy that day, so I’m going to try to put off shopping until after Christmas.
Did I tell you that it snowed here? It’s somewhat unusual for us to get snow before Christmas, but it happened this year and last year (though last year we got a much bigger storm in December).
We didn’t get a lot of snow…just enough to make things look kind of Christmas-y. And since it’s been so stinking cold here this month, I wouldn’t be surprised if this snow is still around on Christmas Day.
Anyway, here’s what we’re eating this holiday week.
Saturday
- Pizza! Not sure what kind yet, though.
Sunday
- Buttermilk Waffles
- local sausage
- OJ
Monday
- We’ll be at my parents’ house celebrating Christmas with my side of the family. This will come as a great shock, I know, but I am bringing rolls. I’m thinking of going with Honey-Glazed Pan Rolls.
Tuesday
- Tortellini Chicken Salad
- Pull-Apart Garlic Bread
Wednesday
- Fajitas with peppers and onions
- fruit salad
Thursday
- Broiled Tilapia Fillets
- Potato Fans (a new Cook’s recipe I’m trying)
- whatever veggies need to be used by then
Friday
- We’ll be celebrating Christmas with my in-laws. I know I’m bringing French Bread, and maybe some other things too. We just haven’t ironed out the details.
Since this coming week is so holiday-filled, we’ll take a break from Food Waste Friday and the usual Saturday grocery post (I likely won’t have shopped by then anyways!). Most of you will be busy celebrating with family anyways, not reading my blog, so it’ll probably be sort of quiet around here next weekend except for some picture posts.
But hopefully I’ll manage to get the usual stuff up during the week for those of you who are not too busy with Christmas prep to read my blog!
Today’s 365 post: Bundled Up
Cassandra
Wednesday 22nd of December 2010
I am a stickler for meal planning as well! I find that I spend less when I am able to plan around ingredients that I already have in the house and my family likes to be able to select a meal from the list for dinner that night. It just seems to make everything so much easier!
Karen
Monday 20th of December 2010
been reading your blog for a while now. had a question about your meal plans ... is that just dinner for the week you're posting? do you eat the same things for lunch and dinner?
i'd like also to know what most of your breakfasts and lunches are like, and why most people who post menu plans only post (seemingly) dinner ....
thanks in advance! love your blog. karen :-)
Jo@simplybeingmum
Monday 20th of December 2010
Just wanted to pop by and wish you a lovely Christmas. I did my last shop last Saturday and it will take us through until 28th December. I won't be doing Food Waste Friday this week, as am busy prepping for Christmas day. We have loads of snow in the UK and I love it! Have fun - Jo
RS@The Suburban Minimalist
Sunday 19th of December 2010
Fantastic post! I found you through Jo at simplybeingmum.wordpress.com, who participates in No Waste Friday. She and you have inspired me to clean out my fridge, waste not, and as a result (within one week, mind you), my family is: -eating and behaving better at the table (We have a four-year-old and 19-month-old.) -eating healthier because meals are planned (easier to make them complete, nutritionally speaking) -enjoying creative meals (and I am not terribly original in the kitchen) Kristen, I appreciate that you don't shy away from the Christianity bit. I write about minimalism, and I think that I've lost some readers by mentioning God and church in the context of our family life. But it's how we live (quite imperfectly, of course), and I strive to be truthful. So the long and short of it is: Thank you for the inspiration.
Kristen
Sunday 19th of December 2010
Oh, that's lovely to hear. I'm very impressed that you've managed to do all that in a single week!
And yes, don't ever feel like you have to keep your faith under wraps when you blog. Don't be ashamed of the gospel, sister! :) I think that you'll find that as long as you share your faith with gentleness, respect, and humility, most people will respond positively.
Fudgie
Saturday 18th of December 2010
Good work. It is best to not go to the store too much right now if you can avoid it. It was a mad house. They messed up everything for me. I got so mad but, I kept my cool.