I am working on batch cooking this week. Tonight I made about 100 meatballs for the freezer and about 12 jars of strawberry jam. I hope to make a big batch of waffles, muffins, cabbage soup, and yogurt throughout the rest of the week. I am already tired just thinking about it . . . .
Here is my menu plan for the week:
Sunday: Swedish meatballs with broccoli and noodles
Monday: Stuffed shells, salad
Tuesday: Crunchy Ranch Chicken, brown rice, and broccoli
Wednesday: Roast Beef, oven fries, parmesan green beans
Thursday: Hoagies (from school fundraiser), vegetable tray with dip
Friday: Crock Pasta E Fagioli soup and Pizza (from school fundraiser)
Saturday: Halloween Menu:
Mini Mummy Dogs
Baked Sweet Potato Witches
Brussel Sprout Brains
Halloween Cupcakes
As always, I am trying to cut down my weekly grocery bill. Even though we are a family of six, we try to eat as organically and locally as possible. I realize that this does increase my weekly bill but it is definitely worth the investment in my family's health. Nevertheless, I am sure there are ways to cut back.
I cook from scratch where I can, I plan my menus and strictly shop from my list, I shop at Costco for those things that I truly use in bulk, I cook from "frugal" cookbooks, I batch cook and freeze when items are on sale, I try to incorporate at least two meatless meals a week, etc. I use coupons when I can, but it is very hard to find coupons for most things I buy. And unfortunately, farmer's markets and CSAs are done for the year in my neck of the woods :(
Does anybody have any suggestions on how to further cut my grocery bill? My wallet is begging you for help!
Join the Organizing Junkie at www.orgjunkie.com every Monday for Menu Plan Monday and lots of great ideas for your weekly menu plan!
Great menu this week.Thank you for the inspiration. If you get any pointers on cutting the grocery bill, please share.I could use the help myself! Have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteYou have a really nice blog! Your meal plan for the week sounds splendid. I think what has helped us the most is buying all of our pantry items at Walmart, opposed to the higher prices at Jewel (local grocer here).
ReplyDeleteIt seems that you are doing just about anything that I could suggest. We often have meatless meals, perhaps not now as much as we did when we were feeding more. My family was okay with that. We always have a soup or bean dish once a week. That stretches lots for us because we will eat the leftovers for lunch and quick suppers. I do think menu planning is an integral part of meal economics and good nutrition. I would love for you to join me for Crock Pot Wednesdays at Dining With Debbie. Come post a favorite slow cooker recipe and grab a new idea as well. Thanks again,
ReplyDeleteJust a couple ideas you may or may not have already tried: have you checked out different stores in your area? It can pay to research. Costco may not be the cheapest option. Check around at the little independent markets too, sometimes they have high-quality produce for crazy cheap :)
ReplyDeleteDo you stock up on items when they're at their absolute lowest price? (keep a list of items and their prices for a while to determine what is really the best price).
Do you plan your meals based on what is on sale that week, or do you plan the meals and then buy whatever ingredients you need regardless of price?
Just curious what you're spending per week on average? It may be you're already doing better than the rest of us :) Good luck!
Thank you for all of your ideas! I spend on average $125-$150 a week to feed my family of 6. Even though my girls are small, boy, can they eat!
ReplyDeleteHere are some of the things I do (or do not do to save money):
I have considered going to multiple stores for sales but decided it was too much stress on our family.
I may try to schedule a trip to Wal Mart once every two weeks for my pantry items.
I stock up when things are on sale and freeze where I can.
I have started to skip a trip to the grocery store about once a month. That week, I cook using what I have on hand or use a meal that I previously prepared from the freezer. I may need to run to the store during that week for things like milk or bread.
I think I am going to spend the next few weeks keeping a journal of what I spend, what we eat, what we waste, etc. to see if I can further cut our grocery bill. Maybe I can come up with a post of my results after the holidays!