Weekly Dinner Menu Plan $47.00

This week I've planned four meals for under $50.00 but I did have a few things on hand from previous trips. I am aiming for a grocery budget of $350 a month and I think that's reasonable for all food spending. Mostly my husband eats left overs so this is really for a mom on a low-carb and semi low-fat diet and a nearly 3 year old with food allergies and sensitivities. I purchased more things than what's on the list but just shopping for meals this is what I got.

This week I shopped at Wal-Mart since I had some coupons through Ibotta.

1. Sailsbury Steak with Gravy from Skinny Taste (1/2 recipe)
      with mashed potatoes and peas

• 1.5lb of extra lean ground sirloin from The Fresh Market for $6.49per lb, $9.99

•  dried breadcrumbs (I have Panko and a gluten-free breadcrumb on hand)

• 2 cups beef broth (one container of Swanson's contains 4 cups so this can be used for   multiple meals if you work it right.) $1.98
• tomato paste (on hand, whenever I find Muir Glen Organic's on sale 3/$4 I stock up and swap out something else on my list)
• mustard powder ( there was no small so I had to buy the big one) $3.38
• canned peas ($.98)
• bag of potatoes (on hand)
• onions (on hand)
  
  $16.33

    
2. Cooking Light Chicken Tetrazzini (1/2 recipe) with broccoli

• 5oz linguini (you can only buy the larger sizes so I got the box of Smart Taste) $1.28
• 1 1/4 cup chicken stock $2.68 (will use remaining in a following recipe)
• 12 oz low-fat evaporated milk $1.28
• 1 1/4 cup grated parm-reggiano $3.72 (Fresh Market)
• .5oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese $2.38
• dry white wine (bought cooking wine, had on hand) 
• .75lb chicken breast $1.57 (bought a pound that I will split with a following recipe, on special for $2.99 at Fresh Market)
• breadcrumbs (on hand)
• frozen broccoli (on hand)

        $12.91

3. One pan chicken bowl (Pinterest)

• 1lb chicken breast $3.47
• diced tomatoes (on hand)
• rice ($2.50 for Uncle Ben's Pouches)
• 15 oz black beans (on sale at Fresh Market $1.99)
• chili powder $2.37
• 2.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth $1.98
• 2 cups colby jack cheese (on hand)
  
  $12.31

4. Chicken Fried Rice by Skinny Mom (Pinterest)

• 2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock (from Tetrazzini recipe)
• 3/4lb chicken ($1.57 from the other part of the Tetrazzini chicken I bought)
• Sesame Oil (on hand)
• rice ( from one pan chicken bowl)
• reduced sodium soy sauce (on hand)
• canned peas $.98
• carrots (I forgot!)

        $2.55


So all this cost me about $47.00 with taxes. 

This Week's Meal Plan: $41.69

This week's meal plan is the following:

[Note: I usually end up with a little left over for those emergency milk trips to the store, but this time there isn't so much wiggle room unless I up the budget]

Monday: Leftovers - Slap Yo Mama Vegetable Beef Soup

Tuesday: Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili 
[This recipe says it serves 10! Imagine how much you'll have with leftovers]

{I prefer to buy the cans with BPA-free lining, so these were on special, usually about $2.00 each}

• Kidney Beans $1.38 (on sale)
• Black Beans $1.38 (on sale)
• 1 onion (on hand)
• 1 8-oz can tomato sauce $1.33 (on sale, 15oz can)
• 2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes $1.33 (on sale, each)
• 1 packet taco seasoning ( I prefer to make my own)
• 1 TBSP cumin (I was out so had to buy more, but usually on hand $4.38 (on sale)
• 1 TBSP chili powder (on hand)
• 3-4 chicken breasts, $ 2.99lb (weekly deal at our local Fresh Market) $5.98

_____
$15.87 which if you do 10 servings, equals $1.57 per serving.


Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Skinny Salisbury Steak

[This will be made allergy friendly by making the boy hamburgers with the beef]

{The recipe calls for more meat than I need so I usually half the recipe as it makes 8 patties}

• 1 1/2  tsp oil (I have olive oil on hand)
• 3/4 cup onions, minced (on hand)
• 1 lbs 93% lean ground beef 
• 1 lb lbs 93% lean ground turkey 
• (I will buy 1.5lbs lean ground beef at The Fresh Market, $5.99lb, making it $8.98)
• 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs (I prefer the Ian's brand but bought another brand of panko) $2.48
• 1 large egg (I have eggs on hand as I eat one every morning but I bought extra, $2.78
• 1 large egg white
• 2 cups beef broth $1.05
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper, to taste $2.98 (sale)
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms(i don't like mushrooms)
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (on hand)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (from previous recipe)
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar (on hand)
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, to taste (on hand)
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder (amazingly on hand)
• 1/4 cup water
• chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

 _____
$18.27 for 4 servings with 1.5lbs of ground beef

$4.56 per person

Saturday: Crock Pot Chicken (recipe calls for hot sauce but I've yet to find one dealing with the boy's allergies)
 {Serves 6}

• 24 oz boneless skinless chicken breast $5.98
• 1 celery stalk (naturally you can't just buy one, $1.57
• 1/2 onion, diced (on hand and will use up my last onion)
• 1 clove garlic (on hand, I cheat with the already minced stuff)
• 16 oz fat free low sodium chicken broth (on hand, I buy it often)
• 1/2 cup hot cayenne pepper sauce (I used Frank's) No sauce

_____

$7.55 for 6 at $1.25 per serving


Grand Total: $41.69 (w/o tax)

My budget is $75.00 but this week I've gone over a bit. This trip ended up being a total of $70.28 and I've yet to purchase my meat at The Fresh Market, will be about $22.00 with taxes. So I've spent $92.28 this week. Fail but at the same time stocked up on a few things that were on sale too.  Also, every day for lunch I eat a sandwich with Boar's Head deli meat. They are safe for the boy and are costly, usually $9.99lb; on low carb bread. We have fresh broccoli left over from last week, and beans I bought on sale this week at 4/$5. Look at your store's circular, plan from there.

A little budget update.

A little update on my $75.00 grocery budget.

sacrifice: an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy.

I've learned that if I want to slowly build up my stockpile (again) I will need to sacrifice some of my wants for my grocery week. This week's shopping trip I found my favorite marinara sauce at buy one get one free, a deal I couldn't pass up since one jar is $5.08. Seriously, what a great deal! Also, butter was on sale for I believe $3.48 at buy one get one as well. (We shop at Ingles and I've come to find that most of these deals are not listed in their weekly store ad so I've decided that it would be most beneficial to go to the store with the weekly ad and see what's on sale before I actually go shopping. This is usually a short trip as the boy gets mighty cranky when the shopping cart isn't moving.) I also write down the prices of things in a price book and therefore know what I am going to spend. I am trying to rid us of BPA in cans, tomatoes are notorious for containing BPA therefore I buy those organic and in a BPA free can by Muir Glen Organics and those are about $2.00 a can, but I am willing to make that sacrifice to be healthy over all.

Our plan for a $75.00 grocery budget will be raised to $90.00 for three in October, this with watching ingredients due to the food allergies.  Those extra $15.00 are going to be amazing I think and shopping weekly has definitely saved us some major money and it doesn't stress me out that I have to plan for two weeks or one month at a time. I use to be so overwhelmed at that and could never come up with a plan. This way if we happen to have left overs I can use those to stretch into the following week and thus will have built up more of a stock pile. It's really all about sacrafice.

For other household items we still had some before our trip but honestly I use vinegar for cleaning everything. As much as those pretty colored bottles and new items entice me, I step away and remember I can make these for pennies and not only that they are far safer for me and my family to breathe. Since the boy has multiple food allergies I am often extra cautious but I think that's probably common. I don't often try new products in detergent, although I am very tempted, and his shampoo is kept the same or to a secondary one I know that works and is cheaper. We are pretty much running on a no-spending budget. Just food purchases and anything else comes out of a $100.00 back up I have.  That money is for whatever I deem necessary - diapers, wipes, little treats out, dog nail trim (that happened today), post office, etc.

Like I said, sacrifices. It's hard. I've broken down a few times over it and thankfully my husband is always there to pick me up. I have a list of household things I want to buy and sometimes those nag at me and then I say a quick prayer not to be tempted by the "things," and to keep my focus on other things, like donating more to our sponsored children or giving more for the boy's college fund,  Christmas, etc. These things will come, it just takes time. We are not entitled to them by any means and I have to often remind myself of that. It seems easier for men or maybe it's just my husband. He's so self-less and self-sacrificing. 

We have some things coming up that are going to cost us and I think it's best to remember that these small sacrifices are paying off for something larger.  Once those things are paid for then we can loosen the reins a little bit, but not too much. It's so easy to end up where you were.  I'm sure others share my struggles too, don't you?

Updates

As much as I am looking forward to moving into our new house there are things that have me concerned. Am I going to really like my master bathroom? Will I want to change the layout? Will I be disappointed with the tile and paint I've chosen? There are so many decisions to make when building a house and then you have to factor in budget which honestly controls most of your decision making ability. The things I wanted, I can't quite afford, if I'd like the rest of the house. However there are many years ahead of me to make it what I want. We forget it's a process. We want things now. I know I'm guilty of it. If I want to change it I have to make the commitment to save up and then live through any remodeling.


What do you do when your son needs an allergy friendly birthday cake for his upcoming second birthday? You scour Pinterest, allergy friendly sites and then maybe make up something yourself. I have such a hard time giving him certain foods. I try to buy things that are whole, meaning nothing processed. The trouble is to make things allergy-friendly they're mostly processed unless you make your own and at this point I don't have the space to attempt such a feat - almond milk + is our saving grace to keep this boy stocked with extra protein since dairy is no longer an option. He is wheat, egg, and dairy free. These are his main allergies. Others are chicken, soy, peanuts, and not life-threatening, but uncomfortable on his digestive system.  Perhaps my husband will walk into a disaster filled kitchen this week.