i have been that person in the grocery store who carelessly throws whatever into the cart, hoping something might make a meal for the week. at the register, i am disappointed by the cost. at home, i am even more disappointed that i forgot at least five different ingredients. back to the grocery store i would go.
i am a big believer in meal planning. i believe we can all better manage our money when we plan our meals for the week. to learn how i meal plan, all of my thoughts/ideas/tips are on this post, meal planning 101.
today i thought i would share with you last week's meal plan. i spent under $50 for two adults. of course, your cost will adjust depending on the size of your family & the price of food at your grocery store. your total cost of food for the week will also depend on your choice to purchase organic or not (we do not buy strictly organic, but we do make a priority with dairy & fresh foods) & if you have a garden or not.
our meal plan
- monday: pepperoni, tomato & basil frittata with salad & a side of cauliflower
(made with homegrown basil, tomato, eggs, salad greens & cauliflower)
*tip- frittatas are excellent for using what you already have to make something delicious from very little. add whatever veggies are left at the beginning of the week before using your fresh food.
- tuesday: taco salad with canned refried beans & local beef
(made with local beef free from the farm & homegrown lettuce)
- wednesday: curry lentil stew with salad & bread
(made with homegrown salad greens)
*tip- this lentil stew is delicious! also, lentils are very inexpensive & a great purchase when finances are tight.
- thursday: surprise date night out to pizza!
*tip- this expense is included in our "date night" budget so we don't spend all of our weekly food money on quality time out together. we allow $40/month for eating out & dates
- friday: dinner party with friends! we brought the side salad & beer
(made with homegrown salad greens)
*tip- dinners with other families help save money. switch who hosts & provides the main course.
- saturday: homemade veggie pizza night with this homemade crust recipe
(made with homegrown basil)
(made with homegrown lettuce & kale)
*tip- sundays are great for leftovers or using what's left in the fridge for a big salad or stir fry!
happy meal planning!
love,
natalie
3 comments:
Love this post. I'm definitely on autopilot in the grocery store a LOT. We almost always end up spending way more than I anticipated. Thanks for the great tips!
I love this post, too. Even though I'm pretty good about budgeting, I could probably save more money on groceries and gardening supplies. I used to make weekly meal plans, but I haven't done them in a while. Thank you for inspiring me to get back to it! And, I have to agree with Mechelle, too, your photos are stunning!
Thank you for the inspiration/motivation to start meal planning! I'm slowly learning how to not be that person who just throws whatever looks good in the cart at the grocers. Meal planning is the way to go!
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