Do you plan out your meals, or you not know what you are going to make for supper until the night of? I have found that meal planning is the best way to go, especially if you are trying to be frugal. My husband and I have come up with a tight budget in our efforts to get out of debt by the end of the year. It seems just when we come up with a budget that will work, something happens and we have to pay for some unexpected expense. However, this year is different. The budget we have includes putting money aside into an emergency fund for such expenses. So far, we are keeping with the budget, which is a big deal for us. We don’t have all that much money to begin with, but with our income tax return we were able to pay off some debt and put some money away into our emergency fund.
Planning meals is the best way to be conservative with your money. You will know exactly what you need to buy when you go grocery shopping and it will cut down on the number of times you need to go to the store. This saves money all around! I plan our meals for 2 weeks at a time. It works out because Malachi gets paid twice a month. I try very hard to stick with $150 spending for 2 weeks. Sometimes I go over a little and sometimes I stay under budget, depending on what I have stocked up on throughout the month. We shop between Walmart (which is not a store that I like very much), Target and Winn Dixie. I like to buy our meat from Winn Dixie when it goes on sale, our produce at Target and everything else at Walmart. The stores are fairly close in our area, so not too much traveling involved.
When planning meals I always try to have at least one night for leftovers, which cuts back on spending. Another good tip is to make meals that you can cook a certain type of meat all at once and then save what you need for the next night. For example, I will make spaghetti using 1/2lb of ground beef one night and then make taco rice the following night using ½ pound of ground beef. So, the best thing to do is brown one pound of meat; use one half that night and then put the other half in the ice box for the next day. If you are feeling really frisky, all the ground beef that you buy for the week or two week menu you plan, brown it all and freeze them in individual freezer bags. You can do the same thing with vegetables. When you get home from the store chop up onions, celery, etc and freeze them in freezer bags. Then when you need them they are already chopped and ready to be cooked.
Here is my Menu Plan for the next 2 weeks beginning Feb 1nd to Feb 15th:
Sunday: Beef Roast with canned sliced potatoes, chopped up fresh carrots, ¼ oinion, and about ¼ cup of chopped green bell pepper. Served hot over brown rice.
Monday: BBQ Beef made with left over Beef Roast, left over veggies from roast, instant mashed potatoes, and a can of vegetarian baked beans.
Tuesday: Taco Rice using ½ lb ground beef served over left over rice from Beef Roast. With serve with chopped up lettuce and ¼ chopped up tomato and about ¼ cup of shredded cheese for 2 servings.
Wednesday: Spaghetti with gnocchi and a side salad. Using the other ½ pound of ground beef.
Thursday: Chicken Noodle Soup, using a whole chicken. Fresh biscuits
Friday: Leftovers served with fresh biscuits
Saturday: Homemade Pizza using pepperoni and breakfast sausage. (Using the other half pound from breakfast)
Sunday: Chicken Spaghetti using chicken from the chicken noodle soup.
Monday: Ham and potatoes with veggies. (I use ¼ Ham precut)
Tuesday: Baked Chicken served with brown rice and a veggie.
Wednesday: Spaghetti with gnocchi and side salad
Thursday: Chicken Noodle Soup and fresh biscuits
Friday: Shepherd’s Pie using the other ½ lb of ground beef from Wednesday. (For lunch we will have leftover soup)
Saturday: Homemade Pizza in the shape of a heart for Valentine’s Day
Sunday: Chicken Tacos using chicken from the chicken soup.
Making a 2 week Menu Plan really does help when I go grocery shopping. I only buy what I need. Breakfasts usually consist of cereal with milk, oatmeal with fruit and yogurt, or bagel and cream cheese. On the weekends I make sausage and eggs or bacon and eggs. Saturdays however I get up very early and make Homemade Cinnabons. This has become a family tradition and they are OH SO YUMMY! Our lunches consist of leftovers for Malachi to take to work, and then sandwiches for Sofia and I. I also have at least one Boca Burger (soy burger) for extra protein. Snacks are usually fruit, yogurt, crackers and sometimes chips if we have them. Once or twice a week I will make some sort of dessert from scratch. This can be a peach cobbler, some sort of pie or crisp. I make all of these from scratch and it is much cheaper than buying something premade.
Here are some links that you can check out to help you with planning your meals and being frugal when grocery shopping:
Biblical Womanhood Blog – Mrs. Crystal Pain has some helpful posts on being frugal.
Money Saving Mom – Very Helpful
Hillbilly Housewife – I have loved this site for over a year
Tammy’s Recipes – She has a section for “Frugality”
Please feel free to share your tips on being frugal and menu planning. I know I could always use tips and advice in this area. Malachi and I have a heart to honor God with every part of our lives and this includes how we spend our money.
Serving God and Family,
Crystal <>< (SAHM)
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