Meal Planning on a Budget - Take 3

Here it is Sunday again. Remember when we were little and weeks seem to just drag by, weekend breaks from school seemed like a massive amount of time to play, have fun, and be with family? Whatever happened to that? Now you blink and whole weeks seem to just vanish. This has become especially true since having my boys. I have no idea how they have gone from these tiny helpless creatures to independent, stubborn little trouble makers who snatch my ingredients off the counter when my back is turned. My toddler ended up eating almost an entire diced, raw onion I had setting out waiting on the pan to get hot to begin our Creamy Cauliflower Soup.

To simplify your meal planning, here is a look back at my week of yummy eats, complete with shopping list and prices from my local store. My menu does include some items that should be left over from last week, which are noted in a separate list. Using what was in my pantry, some couponing apps (Do you use Ibotta? I got back over $300 last year!), paper coupons, and local sales my total for the week of food was just over $135 (for 2 adult meals and 2 kid meals, that comes out to $1.61 per meal!)



Breakfast
1. Waffles with blueberry compote
2. Bacon, fried eggs, toast, orange slices
3. French toast (from French/Italian Bread), 1/2 grapefruit
4. Cream of wheat with blueberries and maple syrup
5. Yogurt, English Muffin with peanut butter, Cuties
6. Dutch baby with raspberries and lemon sugar
7. Sausage, egg and cheese muffin sandwiches, Cuties

Lunch
1. Ham and Swiss sandwich, pickles, handful of potato chips
2. Creamy Cauliflower soup, sliced French/Italian bread
3. BLT's, left over cauliflower soup, Cuties
4. Yogurt, crackers & cheese, celery and sliced apple with peanut butter
5. Nachos (Tostitos, melted cheese, salsa, olives, lettuce, sour cream)
6. Creamy Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese
7. Pizza Cracker bites, Cuties

Dinner
1. Pasta with roasted cauliflower, garlic, walnuts
2. One Pot Chicken with Broccoli and Rice
3. Ground Beef Stroganoff
4. Left Over Clean Up
5. Weeknight Chicken, spice roasted squash
6. Easy Ricotta Gnocchi with browned butter and sage
7. Left Over Clean Up

Dessert
bread pudding with raisins
hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows


And now for the list and costs....

8 oz white mushrooms	1.28
2 heads cauliflower	4.92
3 lemons	1.50
4 oranges	3.00
2 grapefruit	2.00
lettuce	1.74
1 tomato	1.00
celery	1.00
4 apples	2.50
5 lb Cuties	6.47
3 onion	3.00
5 bulb garlic	3.45
3 lb butternut squash	4.00
broccoli	2.48
shallot	1.00
fresh parsley	0.98
fresh thyme	1.98
fresh sage	1.98
1 lb whole-milk ricotta	3.44
English Muffins-12 count	2.28
1 loaf French/Italian bread	1.00
3 loaves bread	5.97
honey	2.98
1/2 lb ham lunch meat	4.00
3 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces	9.00
bacon	3.44
4 chicken breasts	6.97
1 lb 85% lean ground beef	7.96
salsa	1.72
olives	1.00
campanelle pasta	1.10
egg noodles	1.16
white rice	0.97
2 cans whole peeled tomatoes	2.46
cream of wheat	3.34
bay leaves	2.98
ground nutmeg	2.98
cayenne pepper	1.98
ground cumin	1.98
corn syrup	1.88
gelatin	1.64
corn starch	0.94
powdered sugar	1.06
walnuts	3.22
light brown sugar	1.06
Ritz Crackers	2.38
Triscuit (my prefered, least processed choice)	2.36
Tostitos	2.98
potato chips	2.48
3 dozen eggs	6.00
8 yogurt	2.74
16oz cheddar cheese	3.42
Parmesan cheese	3.98
8oz swiss cheese	2.00
sour cream	1.12
2 lb butter	4.72
8oz mozzarella cheese	1.74
frozen red raspberries	2.22
	160.93
Items that Should Be Left from Last Week
crushed red pepper	0.97
pepper	2.68
olive oil	4.12
salt	0.40
better than bouillion - chicken	3.48
frozen blueberries	9.64
maple syrup	6.98
flour	1.08
peanut butter	1.98
cinnamon	1.98
sugar	1.58
pickles	1.98
pepperoni	2.48
dry white wine	3.46
	42.81

So for $161, you get a total of 42 adult sized meals and 42 child sized meals, or $1.92 per serving! Even if you had to buy every ingredient, it is still only $2.42 per serving.