Grocery Spending/Menu Plan | Yay for off-weeks!
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.
First, I just want to express my thanks for all the kind comments you guys left on Joshua's 365 blog. He's so pleased and encouraged, and I'm grateful to have such a lovely group of readers to share with my son. Mwah! to all of you.
Incidentally, yesterday his 365 blog got more hits than my own 365 blog! Joshua was quite in awe.
Now, on to the topic at hand. Last week I did a two-week shop and I'm so glad I did, because Mr. FG's car has been in the shop for some repairs, leaving me car-less. So, it would have been kind of tough to get out to the store for a full shop.
I did run out the other night to a little local store to get milk, dish soap, bananas, and a few other things and I spent $13.91.
I don't have a picture of those groceries, though, so instead, here's my nephew. He's eating lunch, so maybe we can consider these photos to be vaguely on topic (they have something to do with food!).
Breakfast this week will be the usual fare...whole wheat pancakes, oatmeal, scrambled eggs, cereal, muffins, homemade yogurt, and oranges/clementines (not all on the same day!).
Lunches will be sandwiches, homemade yogurt, fruit, and leftovers when necessary.
And dinners are as follows! I veered pretty far from my plan last week, so some of these dinners are bumped from that menu plan (I didn't give in to takeout temptation...I just made different stuff than what I planned to make!).
Saturday
- We're visiting Mr. FG's grandma, and I think we're ordering pizza.
Sunday
- We're eating at the post-church potluck. Can you guess what I'm bringing??
Monday
- Shrimp Burgers on buns
- chips
- green salad
Tuesday
- Chicken Parmesan Risotto (I use the Cook's Illustrated recipe)
- garlic breadsticks
- green beans
Wednesday
- Asian Meatballs
- brown rice
- grapefruit halves
Thursday
- Aussie Chicken
- Whole Wheat Rolls
- green beans
Friday
- Takeout date night for Mr. FG and me, something easy for the kiddos.
Today's 365 post: My niece is so angelic...
Mmmm. I'm guessing you'll take bread to the pot-luck 😉 and may I please request the ecipe for the Asian meatballs?
Yep! I took rolls. 🙂
Kristen,
I almost had to run out for a second time to the store because the first time I only picked up a few things. Since the nearest REAL grocery store is 45 minutes away, I decided to see how long I could go into next week before I had to go out again.
We eat pancakes every Saturday morning. Today we transitioned to real maple syrup (trying to get away from the high fructose corn syrup) and it was interesting. I may need to try another brand. Do you have any suggestions? Eventually, I would also like to try a healthier recipe so we may be using your whole wheat pancakes one. I already have your yogurt recipe on my list to make for this month.
Try local honey or fruit syrups (my favorite is saskatoon!)
What didn't you like about maple syrup? Maple syrup comes in different grades: A is the most mild and most expensive (it come from the first earliest rush of maple sap in the early spring), B is stronger and less expensive, and grades C and lower are hard to stomach. Grade A is what's marketed most but I like Grade B better, it has more of the maple yummiest.
Other things you can try:
butter
- brown sugar
- brown sugar syrup (I see Diane has covered this one)
- jam/jelly/preserves
- fruit syrups (I have an easy blueberry one I can post)
- cooked fruit, cooked to a mush like applesauce, partly cooked like pie filling, or poached in sugar
- flavored yogurt
- savory toppings: sour cream, sauteed mushrooms
I make my own pancake syrup from a recipe from "More With Less" cookbook. I've used it for years. 1 3/4 c. white sugar, 1/4 c. brown sugar, 1 c. water. Combine these ingredients in saucepan, bring to a boil, boil 2 minutes. Cover, let set for a few minutes. Add 1/2 t. vanilla and 1/2 t. maple flavoring. You may also add 1 t. corn starch if you want a thicker syrup. Serve over pancakes. We also use this syrup to make maple walnut sundaes. Just top vanilla ice cream with broken walnuts and syrup.
I use this same recipe, although I usually add more of the flavourings. Now any other pancake syrups just don't taste as good!
It all sounds good. Your nephew is adorable.
Are you bringing the Chocolate Parfait bars??? 😉 Thank you for posting that recipe...they are awesome!
Every week I try to follow my menu exclusively, but I invariably veer from the menu once or twice. I love the quote " Life is what happens, while your making plans". Some weeks that is just how it goes at my house. Usually, I fall back on a freezer entree that I stashed away when I doubled a casserole, soup, or chili recipe. It's my own version of fast food. Thank Heavens for crock pots. They are fabulous for thawing out freezer meals. My family are not big fans of real maple syrup, so I make my own syrup (4 cups sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. maple flavoring, 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil until sugar dissolves. Cool and store left overs in the fridge. It thickens as it cools in the fridge.), which is cheap and easy to whip up while the pancakes are cooking. I store the extra syrup in a ketchup bottle that I washed out and reused.
P.S. Your nephew is much cuter than a bunch of bananas!!!! 😀
That is true...a bunch of bananas pales in comparison. 😉
Kristen and others, wondering if you've heard of the craze Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes? i'm a new fan and have been making it constantly! here is the blog I recently found the info on: http://foodplusheat.com/2010/12/baking-homemade-yeast-bread/ and here is the website of the chefs who figured out how to do this: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=1616 i can't believe how easy it is and how delicious this bread is. i'm trying to use it for all the bread in our house - toast, sandwiches, etc.
Is the chicken parmesan risotto recipe available?
Yup! Making that is on my to-do list for this year.
Your nephew is totally awesome! =) Hee Hee