Menu Plan Monday Aug. 4 - Aug. 9

(check out Organizing Junkie for more great menu ideas!)

I have been saying for weeks now that "this week I'm trying to spend less on groceries." Every week except one I have failed miserably. Partly this is because I'm weak and when I see a sale I am driven to stock up - we have canned black, white and chili beans coming out our ears, we have spaghetti sauce to feed an army, and I found a killer deal on cereal and had to stock up. The other reason I have spent so much is that prices are going up! Last week I really did just buy what we needed and I spent $81.00! Ouch!

This week, I really am going to go cheap. I have planned menus that can be made almost exclusively out of my Crazyville Food Shoppe. I will need milk and some fresh fruit, period. The only glitch in my plan is that it is supposed to be really, really hot here. I hate baking when it is hot and I had planned baked stuffed for snacks/breakfasts. I'm not sure if I'll switch my plan or not. I figure for breakfast it won't be hot yet (but the oven will heat up my house, sigh). I'll just see how it goes, but for now, this is my menu.


Breakfasts

• baked oatmeal
• waffles
• homemade bread toast with jam (or peanut butter and honey)
• oatmeal with berries

Lunches

• wagon wheel chili (boil wagon wheel pasta, drain, add one can of your favorite chili and one can of tomato sauce, mix well and top with shredded cheese)
• Easy Bean and Cheese Rounds (double the recipe)
• Peanut butter and jelly
• Mac and cheese
• leftovers

Dinners

• Frito Salad (regular tossed salad with a can of "Ranch Style Beans" added, some shredded cheese and some Fritos, Toss with Catalina dressing)
• Chicken Crockpot Thing (we never know what to call this but it is boneless skinless chicken breasts, can of cheddar broccoli soup, a soup can of milk - cook in crockpot until chicken is cooked and starts to fall apart. Shred the chicken, return to crockpot, add some cooked broccoli if desired and serve over rice.)
• Spanish Tortilla (this link is for a recipe which is similar to the one I make except we leave out the sausage)
• Spaghetti Carbonara (the link is for a recipe which is similar to the one I make except we of course make much, much more! We also use bacon instead of pancetta - I'm sure the pancetta is much more authentic but it is also much more expensive! And I have bacon in my freezer!)
• Quesadillas/Burritos - set out tortillas, refried beans (homemade probably, cause it's cheaper), shredded cheese, salsa, rice, sour cream and let everyone make their own.
  

Like I said, hopefully, I'll just have to buy milk and fruit. Wish me luck. I'll need it!

Jill