Menu Planning: Meal Ideas and Tip
We (my DH and I) sat down and had a budget meeting of sorts. Since we moved, a lot of our expenses have changed (most of them increased), and it was important to me (and him too) to sit down and evaluate our spending and budget as we embark on the new year.
I am not a numbers girl, never have been, and don't ever claim to be. My DH manages the check book so it's important for us to be on the same spending page. We have never been the hard nosed type about a budget in our house; but, as he says "the most important thing about establishing a budget is that you actually take the time to look at your spending, to see where all the money goes." Half the problem with overspending is that people don't know where all the money goes.
I thought that I would change up my planning post (to see if you're paying attention) and include a planning tip. So after we looked at our spending over the last three months I then got into my planning mode. I scoured the ads, clipped my coupons and prepared my shopping list for tomorrow's grocery trip. I have to say, I get really excited when chicken is on sale for $1.69/lb. at Safeway... yeah for me... time to stock up!
TIP FOR THE WEEK for MEAL PLANNING
The ONE+ONE+TWO meal plan. I plan out my meals for two weeks, and in each week, I incorporate each week ONE crock-pot meal, ONE meatless meal and TWO white meat meals (chicken, turkey or pork). That saves me the headache of trying to figure out what to make, and it encourages healthy eating.
MEAL IDEAS JANUARY 26th - FEBRUARY 8th
WEEK ONE
Beef Stroganoff
Cheese Pizza with Roasted Garlic
Autumn Chicken (crock-pot)
Spinach and Cheese Ravioli and Garlic Bread (meatless)
**Date Night with my DH, kids to the par**
Grilled Chicken and Wild Rice (white meat meal)
Turkey Joe's and French Fried Fingerling Potatoes (white meat meal)
WEEK TWO
Homemade Shrimp Fried Rice and Egg Rolls
Pasta Primavera (meatless)
Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada's (white meat meal)
BBQ Pork Ribs (crock-pot)
Grilled Sicilian Steak with Scalloped Potatoes
Sweet and Sour Chicken with White Rice (white meat meal)
Kielbasa and Mushroom Risotto
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