Monday, January 9, 2012

January Food Spending Week 1, Meal Plan January Week 2


*I am taking part in Precious' MONEY SAVING CHALLENGE again for 2012.  You can find her blog FRUGAL MAKES CENTS and a list of other participants and their blogs  HERE.
Check it out.  You might find some new ideas for incorporating frugality into your life there!*


I love searching around for old photos and advertisements featuring kitchens from years gone by.  These are mostly the kitchens from my youth in the 1960's or earlier.  
Today's kitchen......
The house design is one of those California style, open concept homes of the 1950's-the early1970's.  The cabinets are enameled metal with those funky colors, which put them squarely in the 1950's to early 1960's timewise.  I like that there is only 1 set of overhead cabinets  and 1 strip of the kitchen is open above the floor units.  The two tone pink and turquoise is a tad much for my eyes tho.lol 
And the unit on the far left looks like it's a washer or dryer?  Laundry facilities in the kitchen were oh, so modern back then and never really continued here in the States, once that era was over.

Enough of that, onward to the Meals and Food Spending. 8-)


Last week's meal plan is in the books.  Here is what actually happened....

SUNDAY--Leftovers-Pizzas, BBQ
MONDAY--Taco Bell
TUESDAY--Ham, Harvard Beets, Mashed Potatoes
WEDNESDAY--Leftovers
THURSDAY--Rigatoni and Meat Sauce, Salad, Garlic Bread
FRIDAY--Chinese Take-Out
SATURDAY--Chicken Parmesan, Brussel Sprouts

The leftover ham and barbecue pork, along with some fresh mushrooms I didn't use after Christmas got frozen.  Everyone was tired of eating those two proteins now, so it's either freezer it for later or toss it, and we just don't toss food in this house anymore!


The food spending was high last week.
In all, I spent $109.87 last week at the grocery/drug stores.
I made 8 trips to various stores....3 to Rite-Aid, 2 to Big Lots, 2 to the local Shursave market and 1 trip to Save-a-Lot.   Reg. retail of $276.73(including the Rite-Aid items)so I saved 60.30% last week(mostly due to the Rite-Aid savings)....without R-A items it would have been 34.80% savings.
And besides Rite-Aid, I didn't use a single coupon. ;-)

1 Week in and I've spent 1/3 of my January food budget.

Going into Week 2, we have leftover penne pasta, meat sauce and some odds and ends.

This week's menu.....

SUNDAY--bucket of KFC *weekend special for $11*
MONDAY--Mac and Cheese, Broccoli
TUESDAY--homemade Chili, Cornbread
WEDNESDAY-- Fish, Wild Rice, Peach Salad
THURSDAY--Leftovers-fried chicken/mac and cheese/chili or ?
FRIDAY--homemade Pizza, carrot & celery sticks w/dressing
SATURDAY--Kielbasa on rolls, Onions, Ginger Carrots
I plan on using the leftover pasta to make mac and cheese(as there is a lot left), the leftover meat sauce will go into the crockpot chili(a small container of corn that's hanging out in the fridge will go into the cornbread that evening).
Other than the chicken we had Sunday night, there is no other take-out being served here this week.....crossing fingers.


Items needed for this menu.....I have everything needed to make/serve this menu. 
There is, however, a Catalina Deal on Nesquick at Weis this week which I may run, as the stockpile needs refilling.  If I run the deal 4 times I'll net 16 canisters + 4 other items and it will cost me $56.80 for all(with a $5 Cat Q leftover).  My cost will be 40% off reg. retail(not counting the leftover Cat Q).  If I can find some coupons to use, the deal will be better.  At any rate, those 16 canisters should get us through to next year.

So what is everyone else eating this week?  

Sluggy

6 comments:

  1. Every time you post one of these photos of these kitchens from the 50s/60s, I think of the Beverly Hillbillies. That show makes me laugh so hard. Yes, I'm quite WASP-y.
    m.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think the style of that "kitschen" is Early Deli Counter or Contemporary Subway. ;

    Our main dishes this week are Venison Tacos, Roast Venison with Gravy, Roast Venison Tortilla Wraps (cold sandwich-style), Casey's Pizza Night with In-Laws, Sloppy-Joe Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Garlic Roasted Chicken and a night of leftovers. At least, that's the plan.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I cooked 8 chicken breasts. I have eaten two and gave two to exbf. So, chicken sandwiches, chicken over a green salad, chicken salad, chicken with vegetables, maybe some dressing. Salmon croquettes and a pot of beans and turnip greens sound possible. Sluggy, I am so fluid with meals. But, I do have the hard part, the chicken cooked and a refrigerator and pantry with the rest, all easily assembled except for cooking beans. Also, I don't have people depending on my thinking and planning. No one is looking to me for variety. It is fine with me if I eat chicken twice each day for a week!

    ReplyDelete
  4. crow...

    Oh! I got a 8 lb pork loin for $18 and I'm going to slice and chop it up into meal-like portions for various meals. Then continue living off the leftovers from the holidays. Chili tonight!

    ReplyDelete
  5. That's a whole lotta choco milk! My kids would bow at my feet if I bought that for my house.

    I'm not sure about the rest of the week but tonight I'm making corn flake crusted oven fried chicken with steamed broccoli and mashed potatoes. You're welcome to join us, you can bring the broccoli :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I need to get back on the ball. I'm not saving enough money on food and all. I haven't run a deal in weeks. I blame the kids!

    ReplyDelete

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