On the menu

My friend Jackie over at The Unworking Mom (such an awesome blog title!) shares her weekly menus along with some of the recipes.  I think it's a great idea and I've been meaning to "borrow" it but haven't gotten around to it.  I have a few minutes today to post, so I'll share with you the remainder of our weekly menu.  I don't have time to put all the recipes in, sorry, but if you would like one, leave me a comment and I'll post the ones you want.

Now, normally I do all my shopping 2 weeks out.  I don't go to the store without a list.  I have found me and shopping minus a list means spending a whole lot of money not in the food budget.  We budget 600 a month for food although I usually hit around 500 a month and then that extra hundred we use for eating out here and there or throw it back into the budget in other categories we might fall short on.  That 600 includes food, softener salt, hair stuff, beauty stuff, laundry stuff, animal stuff - a whole lotta stuff.  In other words, I don't spend 500 - 600 a month on just food.  I wish :)  We could eat like kings if that were the case!  I attempt to shop via sales although some months I just don't have the energy.  I don't coupon only because I've found it's a huge hassle for me.  I do plan, plan, and plan some more.  I spend probably 3-5 hours every other week planning out our food/gathering recipes/checking sales/shopping, etc.

So - that's the basics.  This was the food menu for the past two 1/2 weeks and it ran me 252.00.  I'll set this one up a bit different than in weeks to come just because most of the 2 weeks is already gone.  Anywhere - you'll figure it out :)  Here goes:

Snacks:
Pumpkin dip w/ apples, vanilla wafers & graham crackers
Apple Crisp - three times
Apple Bread & Apple Butter
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Popsicles
Waffles w/ ice cream

Banana Bread

Pizza Pinwheels

Smoothies - three times
JP Big Daddy's biscuits smothered in strawberries
Apple Strudel Muffins
Coconut Poke Cake

Snacks are for after school and before bed.  My "policy" is the snack is eaten up before I make the next thing on the list.

Lunches:  - I only make lunches on the weekends.  During the week, I eat leftovers for lunch the night before, Jon eats at school and when Marty remembers, he takes leftovers to work :)
Deli Sandwiches/Chips
Mac/Cheese & smoked sausages on the grill
Mulligatawny Soup
Grilled Cheese

Dinners:
Spaghetti & Salad
Steak on the grill & Mashed Potatoes
Mexican Casserole (amazing stuff!)
SC (Slow Cooker) Barbecued Beef
Pork chops/applesauce/rice
Sausage Pasta
SC Beef Stroganoff
(SC) Cuban Ropa Vieja
Salsa Chicken Rice Casserole
Taco Salad
Shepherds Pie
BLT's & Chips

Now - you'll note that doesn't cover a full  17 days or whatever.  That's because I take into account eating leftovers a couple of times and the fact that my birthday was in there so we ate out, we had a tournament for Special Olympics so we ate out, etc.

And yes - I was able to do ALL that on 252.00.  Like I said - shop the sales, stick to the list and you can do it.