9/06/2011

Meal Planning...

A dear friend asked me to share my weekly menu with her for this week.  I usually AM on top of this, however, I've gotten bored with the food we are eating AND I'm trying to whittle down my grocery budget.  At this point I spend about $?00 in groceries and well, it doesn't cover the entire month.  This is ALL my fault, no doubt.  Poor planning and eating lots of foods that just aren't healthy for us, as well as going to the grocery store hungry.  NEVER GO TO THE GROCERY STORE HUNGRY!!!!!!

At any rate, I'm on a mission right now of learning how to prepare some Middle Eastern foods right now.  From the recipes I've looked at, they eat well, it looks good, AND it seems to be inexpensive as well.  The things I've seen, I've already formulated in my head how to make them a bit healthier, although this woman cooks some pretty healthy food.

In the past, I've prepared my menus like this.  Gather our favorite recipes as well as some we would like to try.  Get a blank calendar (I actually use a dry erase board calendar).  Look through the menus and begin assigning food to each day.  Then we got on this themed week kick.  So one week EVERYTHING we ate was Mexican foods; the next, Asian foods; and the next, soul food; and on and on it went.  We had the days divided like so:  Meatless Mondays, Casserole Tuesday, Leftover Wednesday, Salad Thursday, Fat Friday, Sandwich Saturday, and Crockpot Sunday.  Get the idea????  We loved this way as well.

Well, now that I'm in a rut financially and the boredom with our food choices, the changing of the seasons, and the need for healthier foods, I am on a mission.  I said that already didn't I?  LOL

I do believe I will keep our days Except I'll change them a bit.  I love Meatless Monday, Casserole Tuesday, but I will have us eat leftovers for lunch and anything left after that will go in the freezer for days when someone isn't feeling well and no one feels like cooking.  I'm going to have Crockpot meals on Wednesday AND Sunday.  Salad Thursday is a bit difficult because I'm just not that creative with salads and we tend to have the same 4 salads and rotate.  HA HA  Fat Friday I need to not splurge on that day and maybe try not to make it sooooooo Fat (we've been known to eat cookies and ice cream for dinner on Fat Friday).  Sandwich Saturday is another favorite too, cause mama doesn't have to get in the kitchen and cook.  However, I get tired of cold cuts and they aren't the healthiest to eat either...loaded with sodium.  I don't think I will continue with the themed weeks.  I think this is partly what has eaten my food budget.  oh and the fact that many times I shop when I'm hungry.  Did I mention Not to shop while hungry?????

Ok, I got an idea,  How about you give me some ideas for Saturdays and Thursdays?????  Stick with my theme, but tell me what you have in mind.

As for tonight (last night if you are reading this on Wednesday), here is the link for our meal tonight.  EASY, CHEAP, AND YUMMY.
Ground turkey $4
Rice                $3 (that was for the whole bag)....LOL
Onion              $.95
Phyllo Dough    $3
Frozen Corn    $1
Greek Yogurt  $3
Butter...already had on hand

Ouzi's with a side of corn and Greek yogurt.  $15



2 comments:

Love Abounds At Home said...

Tasha I love this! I need to venture out and try some Middle Eastern food. I did have couscous (sp) once. It was okay, but I open to new ideas for my menu planning.
The Meatless Monday may be something I try. Especially, after eating a big Sunday dinner.
I have an idea for Saturday. Since the Fall & Winter are coming up, you can do "Soothing Saturdays" where you have soup in a crockpot or pan. Saturdays are our relaxing days. That's how I can up with soothing.

Nicole Calhoun said...

Natasha, I am SO jealous! Girl, I WISH I was half as organized as you are about planning your meals. We eat out MOST of the month. I think we MAY cook 2 or 3 times...the rest of the month we eat out!

I am REALLY sick of doing this, too. Because it makes eating out not as "fun". It's like, "I don't want chicken. SURELY don't want a burger. Don't want fish. Absolutely NO tacos...then, to keep from eating something in the REAL fast food category, we go get a steak or something and spend nearly $50 for 3 people on ONE meal! That's nuts!

I LOVE the idea about Theme Week or just naming the days with a specific type of food to cook. That would make things a lot easier!

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE share what a menu looks like for your family, so I can pilfer SHAMELESSLY from it!

Every month, I say, "We're going to the grocery store." Nope...ain't been yet. The only time we go IN a grocery store is to get something to drink!

Check that bank statement, and EVERY purchase on there with the exception of gas is FOOD! It's sad.

This is right on time, Natasha. Thanks for sharing. I've always admired your cooking ability, creativity in the kitchen and getting to sample the treats you share with me!

Now...if I could just figga out how to clone you and add a little bit of YOU in ME...I MIGHT be doing a little better! LOL!

Thanks, Doll! This is GOOD stuff! Will let you know when I try this recipe! Sounds delish!

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