April 2014 Week #4 Meal Plan

This weeks menu! 

I can't believe it is already the end of the month! 

2014 is going very fast. 

[R.e.c.i.p.e.s]

- Pasta with beef + vegetables

[C.o.m.i.n.g U.p]

- Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole

- Potato Salad

- Mushroom Pork Chops

- Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken

April Week #3 Meal Plan

We're getting back into the swing of things this week after being away, and the Easter long weekend. 

Recipes Already on the Blog; 

~ One Pan Chicken Dinner

~ Homemade Pizza Crust 

~ Pulled Pork Sandwiches 

~ Homemade Buns (For Pulled Pork)

~ Taco Seasoning

~ Ham Glaze

~ Scallop Potatoes 

Lookout for; 

~ BBQ chicken pizza

~ Beef Nachos

April 2014 Meal Plan Week #2

This is going to be another busy week for us! 

We leave on Sunday the 13th of April for a two night trip to Toronto. 

Sounds fun doesn't it? 

Well it won't be. 

2 days of greyhounds, medical testings, and sending more time at the hospital than in the actual hotel. 

I have a million things to finalize before leaving, so I needed fast, healthy meals to make up for the three days of room service and restaurants that is coming up. 

Recipes; 

~ Baked Ham Glaze 

~ Homemade Scallop Potatoes 

~ Crockpot Soup / Crockpot Soup / Crockpot Soup 

~ Easy to make Pizza Dough 

Have a lovely week! 

April 2014 Week #1 Menu

This week I am trying to keep things simple. 

We have a lot going on this month. 

Medical appointments in and out of town, vet visits, and trying to find 3 rambunctious little puppies their forever homes.

I've got a lot of planning to do for our finances for our regular bills, and i have to add on a two night trip to Toronto with food, hotel, and travel. 

So, this month I am basing my meal plans more on what I have already in my fridge, freezer, and pantry and what is on sale in the ad flyers. 

Recipes already on the blog;

~ homemade pizza dough recipe

March 2014 Meal Plan Week 3

Recipes for the Week; 

~ Chinese Food (Fried Rice & Sweet and Sour chicken) *look out for homemade wonton soup recipe*

~ Pizza Dough Recipe

Look Out for; 

- Wonton Soup Recipe

- Pad Thai 

- Taco Salad 

March Meal Plan Week #2

New Week ; New Menu! 

Recipes; 

Hamburger Buns 

Soup, Soup, Soup

Mac & Cheese 

Look Out For; 

Chicken Salad Recipe

March Menu Week #1

March is here! 

Menu for this week is up! 

Recipes; 

Vegetable Soup 

Taco Mix

Crockpot Manicotti

Homemade Meatballs

Recipes to look out for; 

~ Citrus Chicken 

~ Pulled Pork 

February 2014 Week #4

Links;

Pasta Bake Recipe

Chicken Parm Recipe

 

 Lookout for; 

Recipe for homemade hamburger buns

Febraury Meal Plan ~ Week 2

Here's the menu plan for week 2!

There's some overlap from last week with the homemade pizza, but its one of our all time favorite meals and there are endless possibilities on how to make it! 

Monday - Tomato Macaroni Soup & Grilled Cheese - Recipe to be posted

Tuesday - No recipe 

Wednesday - Nachos with Spicy Chicken

http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2013/02/spicy-chicken-nachos.html

using homemade taco seasoning; 

http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2012/12/make-your-own-taco-seasoning.html

Thursday - Pulled Pork Sandwiches & Fries & Salad - Recipe to be Posted 

Friday - Ham, Scallops, & Vegetable 

http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2013/02/baked-ham-glaze.html

Saturday - Homemade Pizza & Garlic Bread

http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2012/11/pizza-garlic-sticks-at-home.html

Sunday - Leftovers

 

February Meal Plan Week 1

Here's our simple meal plan for our first week back from Toronto! 

We didn't try any new recipes this week just to keep everything simple while we get the millions of bags unpack and get our house back in order. 

New recipes will start next week, and boy am I super excited for it! 

:) 

Links to recipes for this week; 

Chicken Alfredo;  http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2012/11/easy-mushroom-fettuccine-alfredo.html

Homemade Pizza; http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2012/11/pizza-garlic-sticks-at-home.html

Beef Tacos; http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2012/12/make-your-own-taco-seasoning.html

Crockpot Minestrone Soup; http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2013/04/crock-pot-soup.html

Chicken Parm; http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2013/02/chicken-parm-recipe.html

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili; http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2012/11/sweet-potato-black-bean-chili.html

Homemade Meat Loaf; http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2012/11/homemade-meat-loaf.html

Welcome February

February is here already! 

2014 is flying by! 

This month I am going to focus on;

~ weekly meal plans

~ new recipes 

~ simple, inexpensive hacks to make your home look amazing!

~ a new birthday cake recipe for my birthday

~ Valentines day crafts with kids

STAY TUNED! 

February is my all time favorite month and I am beyond excited to spend it with all of you!

 

September Week #1 Meal Plan

Our Meal Plan For The Week ; 

Saturday;
Hamburgers, Fries & Salad

Sunday;
Tortilla Pizzas & Salad  

Monday; 
Breakfast for Dinner

Tuesday; 

Chicken Fajitas with Spicy Rice, Peppers and Onions

Wednesday;

Homemade Mac & Cheese, Chicken & Vegetables

Thursday; 

Pork Chops, Potatoes, Vegetables 

Friday; 

Spaghetti & Meat Sauce with Salad

Saturday; 

Turkey Vegetable Crock Pot Soup

Sunday; 

Crispy Chicken Wraps, Fries & Gravy

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
Email Me!
I love to hear from all of you!
frugalandthrifty@hotmail.com

May 2013 Meal Plan

This month we decided we are going to do our shopping a little different. 

The past few months we have been stocking up on pantry and freezer essentials, and now as a result we are out of space! 

Our cupboards and freezer are full. 

So we decided we are going to do our shopping week by week instead of once a month to save on space. 

I have designed our meal plan to require purchasing items to be limited to fresh products, and very few pantry items. 

By doing our meal plan this way we are going to eat the food we have already purchased, and make space in both our freezer and pantry. 

I will be posting photos every week of our shopping trip and breaking down the cost. 

We are budgeting around $30 per week for food and plan to stick to it as best we possibly can. 

01 - Soup & Sandwiches 

02 - Crock Pot Ravioli 

03 - Homemade Pizza & Salad 

04 - Beef Soft Tacos 

05 - Quarter Chicken Dinner 

06 - Pork Chops, Potatoes, Veges 

07 - Breakfast For Dinner

 

08 - Chicken 'Pot Pie' Casserole 

09 - Vegetable Quesadillas 

10 - TAKE OUT! 

 11 - Hamburger Helper 

12 - Mothers Day ~ At My Parents 

13 - Homemade Won ton Soup 

14 - Vegetable Stir Fry With Ground Chicken 

  15 - Honey chicken With Snow Pea Rice

16 - Ham, Scallops, Corn 

17 - Mushroom Fettuccine Alfredo 

18 - Spaghetti and Salad 

19 - Pad Thai with Chicken 

20 - Leftovers 

21 - Subs 

 22 - Homemade Chinese Food 

23 - Pork chops, Potatoes, Vegetables 

24 - Buffalo Chicken Wraps 

25 - Pizza Bread 

26 - Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Vegetables 

27 - Pancakes or Waffles 

28 - BBQ Hot Dogs and Sausage On Buns with Pasta Salad

29 - Chicken Parm with Pasta 

30 - Grilled Cheese & Soup 

31 - Nothing Planned 

 

March Meal Plan ~ Sneak Peek

Here's A Sneak Peek At Our Meal Plan For The Upcoming Month! 

Reminder ; Meals with the '*' Beside Them are Ones I Plan On Sharing With You! 

1. Grilled Cheese & Soup 
2. Shopping Trip Day ~ Pick Something Up For Dinner 
3. Garlic & Oil Pasta ~ Rachel Ray Cookbook *
4. Our Anniversary ~ Unsure of Plans 
5. Quarter Chicken Dinner
6. Breakfast for Dinner 
7. Pasta Bake 
8. Homemade Pizza and Garlic Sticks 
9. Chicken Parm 
10. Crock Pot Week -  Beef Soft Tacos *
11. Crock Pot Week - Manicotti *
12. Crock Pot Week -   'Pulled' Pork Sandwiches *
13. Crock Pot Week - Teriyaki Chicken Over Rice *
14. Crock Pot Week - Minestrone Soup *
15. Crock Pot Week - Ravioli *
16. Crock Pot Week - Triple Berry Cobbler *
17. Pork Chops, Potatoes, Vegetables 
18. Fajita Burgers *
19. Honey chicken with Snow Pea Rice 
20. Mushroom Fettuccine Alfredo 
21. Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole 
22. Left Overs 
23. Enchiladas 
24. Wraps, Fries, Gravy 
25. Ham, Scallops, Corn 
26. Smothered Chicken 
27. Pork Chops, Potatoes, Vegetables 
28. Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Vegetables 
29. Vegetable Quesadillas * 
30. Soup & Sandwiches 
31. EASTER
32. 
    

February 2013 Meal Plan ~ Sneak Peek

Here is a peek into our menu plan for February 2013!

Reminder ; the '*' means I plan on sharing the recipe with you! 

1. Grilled Cheese & Soup 
2. Shopping Day ~ Pick up something while out 
3. Chicken Parmesan with Pasta * 
4. Classic Chili * 
5. Pork Chops, Potatoes, + Vegetables 
6. Breakfast for Dinner
7. Honey Sesame Chicken ~ crock pot * 
8. Spaghetti & Bread 
9. My Birthday ~ Out for Dinner with the Family 
10. Buffalo Chicken Wraps * 
11. Panzerottis * 
12. Creamy Garlic Pasta *
13. Beef Soft Tacos 
14. Valentines Day ~ Not Sure of Our Plans Yet 
15. Sweet Baby Rays Crock Pot Chicken *
16. Pork Chops, Potatoes, & Vegetables 
17. Beef & Broccoli *
18. Quiche *
19. Quesadillas
20. Pasta Bake
21. 1 Pan Chicken Dinner 
22. Homemade Soup & Buns 
23. Hamburger Helper with Vegetable & Salad 
24. Balsamic Chicken * 
25. Sloppy Joes 
26. Pork Chops, Potatoes, & Vegetables 
27. Tortilla Pizzas *
28. Sandwiches & Soup 

Shopping For The Seasons

I find that knowing what is in season in the produce department when you are out shopping helps you to find good deals on certain things. It also helps with meal planning, because if produce is in season the price will be lower than if it is off season. 

Here is a general guideline I like to follow ; 

December; 

- Sweet Potatoes 

- Mushrooms 

- Broccoli 

- Cauliflower 

- Pears 

- Oranges 

- Grapefruit 

- Tangerines 

- Papayas 

- Pomegranates

January;

- Cabbage 

- Leeks 

- Broccoli 

- Cauliflower 

- Oranges

- Grapfruits

- Tangerines

- Lemons

- Papaya

February;

- Broccoli

- Cauliflower

- Oranges

-Grapefruits 

- Lemons

- Papayas

March;

- Broccoli 

- Lettuce 

- Pineapples

- Mangoes 

April; 

- Zucchini

- Rhubarb 

- Artichokes 

- Asparagus 

- Spring Peas 

- Lettuce 

- Pineapples 

- Mangoes 

May; 

- Okra 

- Zucchini

- Rhubarb 

- Artichokes

- Asparagus 

- Spring Peas

- Broccoli 

- Lettuce 

- Cherries 

- Pineapples

- Apricots 

 

 June; 

- Corn 

- Lettuce 

- Watermelon 

- Strawberries

- Cantaloupe 

- Cherries

- Blueberries 

- Peaches 

- Apricots 

July;

-  Cucumbers 

- Tomatoes 

- Summer Squash 

- Corn 

- Green Beans 

- Lettuce

- Watermelon

- Strawberries

- Cantaloupe

- Blueberries 

- Peaches 

- Apricots 

- Kiwi 

- Raspberries

- Plums 

 

August; 

- Cucumbers 

- Corn

 - Eggplant

- Tomatoes 

- Summer Squash 

- Green Beans 

- Lettuce 

- Watermelon

- Strawberries 

- Cantaloupe

- Blueberries 

- Peaches 

- Apricots 

- Kiwi 

- Raspberries

- Plums 

September;

- Eggplant

- Pumpkins

- Tomatoes

- Spinach 

- Lettuce 

- Grapes 

- Pomegranate 

October; 

- Sweet Potatoes

 - Pumpkins

- Winter Squash

- Broccoli 

- Spinach 

- Cranberries

- Apples

- Pomegranates 

- Grapes 

November; 

- Pumpkins

- Winter Squash 

- Sweet Potatoes 

- Broccoli 

- Mushrooms

- Spinach 

- Cranberries

- Oranges

- Tangerines 

- Pears 

- Pomegranates

January Menu Plan

Just wanted to give everyone a sneak peek into what our menu plan looks like for January 2013!

A new year with lots of new recipes to try! :)

Note ; the meals with a ' * ' are ones I plan on sharing with you!

1. Pork Chops, Potatoes, Vegetables 
2. Chicken Parm Wraps *
3. Spaghetti & Salad 
4. Soup & Buns 
5. Breakfast for Dinner
6. Homemade Pizza & Garlic Sticks 
7. Fajitas 
8. Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Vegetables 
9. Gulosh * (not sure if this is the real name for it, but its what my mother always made me!)
10. Pork Chops, Potatoes, Vegetables 
11. Chicken 'Pot Pie' 
12. Beef Stew & Buns * 
13. Ham, Scallop Potatoes, & Corn 
14. Pasta Bake * 
15. Stir fry with Ground Pork 
16. Shake & Bake Chicken, Homemade Mac & Cheese *, Vegetables
17. Grilled Cheese & Soup 
18. Chicken Cordon Bleu * 
19. Pork, Potatoes, Vegetables 
20. Mushroom Fettuccine Alfredo 
21. Homemade Chinese Food 
22. Burgers & Potato Wedges 
23. Quesadillas * 
24. Baked Ravioli 
25. Bruschetta Chicken 
26. Hamburger Helper with Vegetables and Buns 
27. Pork, Potatoes, Vegetables 
28. Wraps, Fries & Gravy 
29. Lasagna * 
30. Pancakes or Waffles :) 
31. Sandwiches and Soup 

Shopping List For December 2012 Meal Plan

{ What We Need To Buy to Go Along With Our Meal Plan }

So, after creating your meal plan and writing out all the ingredients needed for each meal, I make a huge shopping list of only things needed for the meal plans. I don't include the things we have run out of and need or the things we will be buying anyways (like milk, eggs, bread, butter, etc). I put those on a completely separate list.So, here it is. My master list for December. Now I want you to keep in mind that just because these things are written on the list it doesn't necessarily mean I will buy them. Usually two days before I go on my big shopping trip I go through the fridge, freezer, kitchen cupboards, and pantry to see what I have. For example if my list says I need 2 cans of mushrooms but I have one left over in the pantry, I will only buy one. This is a great way to ensure you aren't buying things you all ready have. Sometimes I am able to scratch a great amount of stuff off the list and am able to save a lot of money that way. So, here we go .. 

Buns (10) 

Lunch meat (400g per week x 4 weeks) 

4 loaves of bread

Cheese Slices (2 packs) 

Blocks of Cheese (2) 

Cream of Mushroom Soup (2) 

Rotisserie Chicken (2) 

Pilsbury Biscuits (1) 

Frozen Vegetables (2 bags) 

Potatoes, Carrots, Cooking Onions (big bags) 

Chicken Broth (2) 

Celery

Can of Tomatoes 

Macaroni Pasta 

Frozen Fries (2) 

Green Onions 

Tomato

La Grille Vegetable Seasoning

White Rice x 2 bags 

Bread Crumbs 

Broccoli (2) 

Baby Carrots 

Pork Roast 

Red Delicious Apples 

Honey 

Garlic Butter 

Salsa

Sour Cream 

Package of Frozen Ravioli 

Cashews 

Ginger 

Fresh Mushrooms 

Scallop Potatoes (2) 

Box of Mashed Potatoes (2) 

Can of Corn 

English Muffins 

Pitas

Gravy Mix (1) 

Little Red Potatoes 

Bacon 

Wraps 

Pizza Sauce 

Flour 

Alfredo Sauce 

Fettuchini Noodles 

Bell Peppers x 2 

Pasta Sauce (6) 

Can of Mushrooms (4) 

Ground Beef x 6 dinners 

Pork loin chops x 3 dinners 

Ham x 2 steaks 

Then for my regular shopping list I will have things like: 

Milk

Eggs

Juice 

Cereal 

Granola Bars 

Pam Spray 

Yogurt 

Cottage Cheese

Apples

Bananas

Oranges 

Pudding 

Apple Sauce 

Mayo 

Cocoa 

Icing Sugar 

Bagels 

Poptarts 

And whatever else we need. Before I started meal planning I felt my shopping trips were so disorganized. I felt like I would come home with all this food and still be able to say 'we have no food'. Now I know what meals can be prepared out of our fridge, freezer, and cupboards. It is a great feeling to know that you have the resources available to you right away, and that you arent having to worry about running to the store because you forgot to pick up something for dinner. Since we have started meal planning we do not eat out nearly as often and we find we are enjoying each others company more. Its nice to sit down together at around the same time every day and talk while we eat. Or talk about how we like the meal if I have tried a new recipe. Meal planning makes sense. If I can make it work for a 2 person family, than I am sure it can work for anyone.

Our December Meal Plan!

 

{ What We Are Going to Eat ; } 

Hello All! I have been working our December meal plan lately. Yes, I am aware it is still November, but this is a very busy time of year for me and my family, so I find if I am well prepared then there is much less stress.  

So here it is. What we are going to eat on that day, and what is required for the meal. Note: the meals with a '*' next to them are the ones I plan on posting a recipe and photos for. :) 

December 01/12: Our Big Shopping Trip Day ~ Baked Sandwiches * & Soup

     - Buns (6), lunchmeat, cheese slices, condiments, Can of Soup

December 02/12: Chicken "Pot Pie" *

     - Cream of mushroom soup, bisquits, 10 ounces of frozen mixed vegetables, rotisserie chicken(pulled apart)

December 03/12: Spaghetti and Meat Sauce 

     - Pasta sauce, Spaghetti noodles, can of mushrooms, ground beef 

December 04/12: Pork Loin Chops, Potatoes, Vegetable 

     - Pork chops (4), potatoes, vegetables (frozen or fresh)

December 05/12: Homemade Vegetable Tomato Soup *

     - Chicken broth, celery, carrots, white onion, can of tomatoes, potatoes, pasta(whatever type) 

December 06/12: Burgers and Fries

     - Ground Beef, onions, bread crumbs, buns(4), bag of frozen fries 

December 07/12: Bruschetta Chicken *

     - Chicken Breast (2 large), tomato, olive oil, green onions, dried parsley, la grille vegetable seasoning, potatoes, vegetables (fresh or frozen)

December 08/12: We are celebrating hubby's birthday out with my family tonight 

December 09/12: Meat Balls & Broccoli Rice Cups*

     - Ground beef, broccoli, white rice, cheese, bread crumbs

December 10/12: Apple Honey Pork Roast *, Potatoes & Carrots

     - Pork Roast, red delicious apple, white potatoes, baby carrots 

December 11/12: Baked Ravioli * & Garlic Bread

     - Pasta Sauce, Cheese, package of frozen ravioli, garlic bread 

December 12/12: Cashew Chicken*

     - Chicken breasts, Cashews, soy sauce, celery, peas, ginger, chicken broth, mushrooms, white rice 

December 13/12: Ham, Scallops, Corn 

     - Ham steaks x 2, Scallop potatoes, can of corn

December 14/12: Breakfast For Dinner: 

     - Eggs, english muffins, ham slices, cheese slices, potatoes for hash browns 

December 15/12: Beef Soft Tacos

     - Taco Kit, ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, salsa, sour cream 

December 16/12: Pitas, Fries & Gravy 

     - pitas, lettuce, lunchmeat, cucumbers, tomatoes, frozen fries, gravy mix 

December 17/12: Chicken Cordon Bleu Rollups* 

     - Chicken breasts, ham slices, swiss cheese slices, bread crumbs, potatoes, vegetables (fresh or frozen) 

December 18/12: Pork Chops, Twice Baked Potato Casserole*, Vegetables

     - Pork loin chops (4), Red potatoes, sour cream, green onions, bacon, cheese, vegetables (fresh or frozen) 

December 19/12: Enchiladas *

     - Wraps, ground beef, pasta sauce, cheese, onions, black beans

December 20.12: Homemade Pizza and Garlic Sticks
     - Pizza Sauce, Cheese, Can of Mushrooms, Pepperonis, Garlic Butter, (Make sure we have flour for dough)

December 21.12: Mushroom Fettuchini Alfredo 

     - Alfredo Sauce, Fresh Mushrooms, Fettuchini noodles

December 22.12 to December 27.12: Christmas at my parents

December 28.12: Grilled Cheese and Soup 

     - Bread, cheese slices, can of soup 

December 29.12: Pork Chops, Potatoes, Vegetables 

     - Pork Loin Chops (4), Potatoes, Vegetables (fresh or frozen) 

December 30.12: Pasta Bake *

     - Ground Beef, Peppers, Onions, Pasta Sauce, Pasta (any shape), Cheese, Can of Mushrooms

December 31.12: Chicken Parm *

     - Chicken breasts, pasta sauce, spaghetti noodles, bread crumbs, cheese

Creating a Meal Plan

One of the keys to successful budgeting is meal planning. Before meal planning I would spend what would seem like forever staring inside the pantry, fridge, and freezer playing the "well what do you want for dinner tonight?" game. When I think of a ll the times we would say 'there's nothing to eat' and ending up getting take out makes me annoyed with myself! There is always something that can be thrown together with the contents of your food supply, but what I find the most convenient to do is create a meal plan for the whole month. With having a meal plan Josh and I are both on the same page about what will be for dinner that night and what needs to be taken out to thaw or prepped ahead of time. I generally begin planning my meal plan for the next month half way through the previous month. So because it is half way through November, I am going to show you how I am planning for my upcoming meals in December.

When creating a meal plan I generally start with printing off a simple calender of the upcoming month and crossing off any events where I wouldn't be able to cook dinner that night. For example, birthday dinners, Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner, or special nights like anniversaries. After doing that if there aren't too many nights crossed off that require us to pay for our own dinner, I will pick one or two nights a month for a take out night of pizza or Chinese food. After all that is finished, I begin to plan my meals.

For meat during one week I try to have one night with ground beef, one night with pork, and one night with chicken, and one vegetarian meal at least. I find if I balance our meals this way we aren't finding that there is three chicken meals in a row or anything like that.

After planning my meals for the month I make a huge list of everything I need for each meal. Writing down things like ground beef x 5 dinners, 3 x canned mushrooms and things like that. This make it much easier to plan for my big shopping trip at the beginning of the month.

At the start of each month I shop for everything I possibly can that will not go bad before the end of the month. I purchase all my pantry items, produce that will last all month (potatoes, apples, carrots, cooking onions), produce that can be cleaned, chopped, and frozen (peppers, celery, green onions, etc.), and all my meats. It is a long, stressful day but it pays of in the end. When I come home with everything I need for 30 days worth of meals, (minus fresh produce like lettuce, bananas, berries, etc) I feel as though it will be such a time saver later.

When all my planning is completed for December 2012, I will post detailed lists of everything I plan of purchasing and how I do it exactly.

example of how I plan for my meals for the month