Meal Plan For The Week Saves Money
Making a weekly meal plan can save you so much money. Meal planning does not need to be difficult, so let me show you how I easily complete this task to help fuel out week!
Monthly Grocery Budget
We budgeted $650 for groceries for the month of October. When we meal plan for the week, we are able to stick to this budget. Each month we reevaluate our expenses to decide the best amount for groceries. In the past I have been more ridged and said we have to stick to a certain amount every month, but I am giving myself some wiggle room to really establish what amount of grocery money would be best. Our financial goals also play a role in our grocery budget decision.
Monthly Bulk Buying Trip Total Cost
- Costco: $117.29
- Walmart: $121.64
- Winco: $36.00 – not pictured 25 pound organic oats and 1 1/2 pounds raw cashew pieces
Want more information on how I monthly bulk buy certain items? Check out this post here below. I have found that if I go do a “bulk buying food” shopping trip at the beginning of each month, then my weekly grocery shopping trips are much more tolerable!
Bulk Buying Food – click here
Weekly Grocery Shopping Trip Cost
- Sprouts: $79.63 (My goal was to stay under $80!)
This week I chose to shop at Sprouts because they have some specialty items I needed. I am getting ready to post a fun snack idea using the puffed corn cereal. Plus, we also needed more Pacific vegetable broth, which is my favorite (when I don’t make my own), and we are having Pad Thai for dinner this week and I wanted to find some brown rice noodles for me.
Eating With My Parents This Week
Since my grandfather’s passing 4 weeks ago, we have been eating most dinners at my parent’s house. My mom is caring for my grandmother now full time, in their home, and she has been busy cleaning out my grandparent’s home. So we decided to split the cost of weekly groceries and eat dinners together. It has been SO MUCH FUN!!!! I cook most of the dinners at my house, and we take it over to their house and eat.
This has become a fun family tradition for us during this season of life. Now that October is here, we decided to start cooking our own meals. However, my mom called and said, “Just send me your meal plan and I’ll make whatever you’re making.” Well, you know I couldn’t let that happen, so I said, “How about we just continue eating dinners together and splitting the cost of groceries?” And that’s exactly what we are doing again this week!
We enjoy each other’s company, and my parents are seriously LOVING all my plant based dinners. My dad has almost licked his plate clean every night! I am not sure how long this little tradition of ours will last, but we will savor the time together for its duration.
Meal Plan For The Week:
Breakfasts: Raw oatmeal bowls, pancakes, muffins, breakfast bars and fruit. I normally have bananas and berries on hand. We eat them daily.
Lunches: Leftovers from dinner, nibble plates (whatever delicious foods you have on hand), sandwiches with pretzels or popcorn and fruit.
Dinners:
- Plant-based burger patties with mashed potatoes and gravy and roasted carrots with pure maple syrup
- Fajitas with homemade sourdough tortillas (recipe coming soon) and homemade black refried beans
- Smorgasbord (kids FAVORITE dinner) – cashew cheeses (RECIPES I use), sourdough bread, rice crackers, salami, olives, cantaloupe, grapes, apple slices
- Pad Thai – using THIS RECIPE as a guide
- Tostadas – corn tortillas with refried beans, lettuce, cheese sauce, salsa, and olives (think Taco Bell)
- Sourdough sandwiches and leftover fruit
- Oatmeal – every Sunday night we eat cooked steel cut oats with frozen cherries and a sprinkling of chocolate chips
Other posts you might like:
- 10 Favorite Buys at Target For $5
- Clean Kitchen Countertops
- Cinnabon Muffins with Oat Flour
- Debt Free Journey and Abundant Living
- Rice and Beans Recipe Collection
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