Thrifty Thursday

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It's Thrifty Thursday and I wanted to talk about some frugal meals.  This has been a humdinger of a week in the financial department and I don't mean that in a good way!  However, it's been fun (somewhat) to see how I can do in pulling together meals from my freezer and pantry. 

I did hit the market on Saturday to pick up some fruits and vegetables, but the meat and other things I pulled from what I had.  One thing about being frugal is that it does require creativity and resourcefulness which can be exciting. 

The other thing about being frugal is that your attitude has to be good.  If my attitude stinks (and believe me, it does sometimes) I notice Dan sinking down into the black hole with me!  So, I try to be upbeat and positive and make meals well-rounded with dessert at the end since he loves dessert. 

Anyway, I need to get through Tuesday on what we have in the house.  Fortunately, when I see meat on sale and I have the money, I'll stock up so I do have some meat in my freezer which helped.  But I do also have quite a few meatless meals this week.
  
Sunday
B - Cereal, juice (still have a few boxes left from my last shopping trip to Aldi about 2 weeks ago)
L - Potluck at the church - I brought Pakistani Kima (curried dish with ground beef, potatoes, peas, etc.)
D - Leftovers

Monday
B - Cereal, juice
L - Leftovers (I make Stephen & Dan's lunch and Emily buys but only pays .25)
D - Cappelini pomodoro (fancy name for pasta with fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil), tossed salad, Italian bread that someone gave us, strawberry pie

Tuesday
B - Chocolate chip pancakes
L - Leftovers
D - Split pea soup with a ham bone I pulled out of the freezer, homemade oatmeal bread, brownies

Wednesday
B - Cereal, juice
L - Leftovers
D - Corned Beef (bought it on sale in March and pulled it out of the freezer), cabbage, potatoes, carrots, homemade biscuits, pickles I canned last summer, cherry cheese pie

Thursday
B - Leftover pancakes (I put the leftovers in a zip lock bag in the fridge)
L - Leftovers
D - Puerto Rican rice & beans, fried plantains, cornbread, tossed salad, chocolate cake

Friday
B - Homemade bagels with cream cheese
L - Leftovers
D - Eggplant parmesian, homemade linguini (trying my hand at it), homemade focaccia with garlic infused olive oil for dipping, tossed salad, leftover cake

Saturday
B - Cereal
L - Leftovers
D - Homemade pizza - choice of veggie or sausage & mushroom (sausage roll in freezer), rhubarb cake

Sunday
B - Homemade bagels with cream cheese
L - Leftovers
D - Roast chicken (pulled from freezer), mashed sweet potatoes, baked potato for Nathan (he hates sweet potatoes), homemade biscuits, corn, leftover cake

Monday
B - Scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, juice
L - Chicken soup (from chicken carcass & leftover chicken), homemade whole wheat bread
D - Grilled pork chops (found them buried in the bottom of my freezer this morning - yay), home fries, tossed salad, homemade biscuits, oatmeal-raisin cookies

Tuesday
B - Bagels & cream cheese
L - Leftovers
D - Vegetarian chili, rice, cornbread, salad, whatever leftover dessert we have

Overall, I think we have/will be eating good.  The biggest problem is going to be the fact that the kids are off school today through Tuesday and snacks are always an issue with them.  The boys are constantly looking for something to eat so I'll have to get creative there.  I'm thinking popcorn, homemade crackers, bagels w/cream cheese (I'll be making the bagels today), etc.

This was kind of fun after all! :-)

Comments

  1. MMay 24, 2012 at 9:19 AM

    I always love your frugal meal planning post! They are such an inspiration to me. I am just now trying to learn how to feed teens on a budget. It is the snacking that does my budget it and I struggle to find cheap but healthy ways to keep them satisfied all day. Your meals sound delicious!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TerriMay 24, 2012 at 9:50 AM

      Thanks M. Teens really can kill a budget, can't they? LOL!!! Maybe I'll do a post next week on snacking on a budget. :-)

      Delete
  2. AnonymousMay 24, 2012 at 9:44 AM

    Your menus sound really good. I have never heard of vegetarian chili; what do you use in place of the ground beef? We raise chickens and I am always looking for meals that incorporate eggs.

    Sandy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TerriMay 24, 2012 at 9:49 AM

      Sandy, I don't replace the ground beef with anything. I just use the beans and all the same seasonings of regular chili. Just no meat. I suppose you could replace it with a meat extender or tofu if you wanted to.

      Delete
  3. AngelaMay 24, 2012 at 10:12 AM

    I have been reading this week's menus- and recognised all of it except 'Puerto Rican Rice & Beans' so I googled that.
    My question is - do you BUY the sofrito sauce, or make your own? please can you share a recipe for the sauce and/or the whole dish. Thanks so much Terri - blessings x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TerriMay 24, 2012 at 11:24 AM

      Angela, give me a day or two and I'll get the recipe up here. I don't make my own sauce but it's basically a mixture of peppers, onions, garlic and cilantro which are all the base for my beans. I also use something called Sazon which is a powder. I'm in the middle of a busy day but I promise I'll get the recipe up for you.

      Delete
  4. AnonymousMay 24, 2012 at 11:06 AM

    It all sounds good to me.

    I am certainly with Nathan on the sweet potato thing. (YUK) I went to Catholic School back in the day when nuns were extremely strict. You HAD to clean your plate at lunch time. Every Tuesday we had sweet potatoes. (YUK) One Tuesday I got caught for giving my sweet potatoes (YUK) to the girl next to me. I got in trouble when the nun caught me. After that, I pretended I was sick on Tuesdays so I wouldn't have to go to school and eat those sweet potatoes. (YUK) My mama finally caught on to me and she went to school and told them I didn't have to eat my sweet potatoes. (YUK)

    I know it's a long story but it has marked me for life. HE! HE! HE!

    Love,
    Debbi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TerriMay 24, 2012 at 11:24 AM

      Don't hold back on what you think about sweet potatoes, Debbi! ;-) LOL

      Delete
  5. NadineMay 24, 2012 at 2:37 PM

    Our budget has been very tight this past week, as my hubby replaced the engine in the tow truck...ouch!
    We have had some very creative meals around here, thankfully my hubby does not mind and like yours, if there is dessert he is happy! :)

    I hope to get to our local fruit stand and pick up some fresh veggies and fruit to fill the fridge, that always makes for good meals and snacks!

    Blessings!
    ~Nadine

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TerriMay 24, 2012 at 7:14 PM

      Awww, I'm sorry Nadine. That's tough. It does help to have a husband who will eat anything! Praying things get better for you both.

      Delete

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