I’m going to have to write today’s post in 2 parts. I promised a few of you to post what I spent this month on groceries, where I spent it, and what I bought. I’ve had all the info for a week now, but I’ve been procrastinating the post. It’s feels really personal, but if it will help you, I’m wiling to share it. That will be part two.
Today is the last day of February and if you don’t already have your March menu written, it’s not too late.
Click here to download and print the 2011 Menu Calendars
Here’s what I’ve planned for Dinners:
1. Tuna Casserole, Peas, Home frozen peaches
2. Burritoes, corn and rice
3. Slow Cooked Salisbury steak, steamed broccoli, salad
4. Homemade Pizza
5. Egg burritoes, pears
6. Pot Roast with carrots and potatoes, green beans, fresh rolls and salad
7. Shepherd’s pie (with leftoevers from potroast), cornbread
8. Date Night (Darren and I eat out twice a month on our date night. My cousin fixes dinner for our children those nights. The in between nights I babsit and cooker for her family.)
9. Jack Mackerel Patties, Twice Baked potatoes, peas, salad
10. Slow Cooker Lasagna, green beans, garlic bread, salad
11. Tacos
12. Biscuits and gravy, fruit salad
13. Slow Cooked Creamy chicken and rice, steamed broccoli, fruit salad
14. Italian Meatbal subs (I froze a huge portion of Italian meatballs last month.), Veggie Sticks with dip, baked cinnamon apples
15. Slow Cooker Spaghetii and Meatballs (more of those frozen meatballs), garlic bread, green beans, canned pears and salad
16. Creamy potato sou0p, blueberry scones
17. Fish Sticks, Macaroni and cheese, peas (This is our traditional St. Patrick’s day meal. The only day of the year I buy Fishsticks. My daughter (11) told me it was her favorite holiday because of this meal, bwa hahaha.)
18. Homemade Pizza
19. Slow Cooker Chicken Veggie Alfredo, Salad
20. Roast Chicken with carrots and potaotes, fresh rolls, salad
21. Chicken enchiladas (with leftover chicken from the night before.) Rice, refried beans, peas
22. Date Night
23. Turkey burgers, baked potatoe wedges (like steak fries), steamed Normandy Vegetable blend
24. Chili (with cinnamon rolls if I have the energy)
25. Tacos
26. Creamed Eggs over biscuits, sauteed Lamb’s quarter, beets
27. Slow Cooked Beef Topped Bean enchiladas, brownies (For the basket dinner at church.)
28. Ham and cheese stromboli (Using the same dough as our pizza crust), fruit wedges, salad
29. Frito Pie (or other Mexican type casserole), baked cinnamon apples, salad, Steamed green beans–cookies (When we babysit for all the kids, I make dessert. Those are the only nights we have dessert.)
30. Chicken Noodle soup (I take out 2 cups of the cooked chicken to freeze for a later dish.), blueberry muffins
31. Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta, mixed vegetables, salad, applesauce
Now I’m off to start the kids on school, clean out the freezer, wash my dishes, and mark garage sale items. I’ll post part two when that is done.
Thank you for posting this! I also do a monthly menu, but love some new ideas. Some of our new favorites have been from your slow cooker cookbook!! I’m looking forward to part II.
Something I do for the menu that works great for our family. I put everything we like on a 60 day rotation…all on the computer. So my menu is automatically set. We donmt eat many things more than twice a year. I add new things, take off less nutritional items, and consider the season for the meal. It’s great. Once you have your 60 day rotation, it takes about 5 minutes to “plan” your menu each month. Then itms simple to make your grocery list.
thanks for posting. and the fishstick thing cracks me up. funny what kids think of as a good meal.
I’m going to sit down and make a menu for the week today. A month-long menu is a bit challenging for me at the m om ent 😉 🙂 All of those dinners you listed sound really yummy!!!! This is cool. thanks for the post 😉 🙂 Love and hugs from Oregon, Heather 🙂
Thanks for sharing! I love these realistic menu’s instead of the difficult ones I’ve been trying to copy off of Food Network…haha! 🙂
I am new to this website, not a homeschooling mommy, and new to cloth diapering. Needless to say, I am wondering if I can successfully plan meals and cut my grocery budget with very little talent for cooking!
Regan, Yes you can! Cooking is not a talent, it’s a skill. Anyone can learn to measure correctly, stir and bake properly. You can do this! I learned to cook from the Better Homes and Gardens checkerboard cookbook then branched out from there.
I’m a weekly grocery shopper. And I’ve always heard plan your menu around the sales. If you plan a monthly menu, how does that work? Or do you not plan menus around sales? I’m trying to wrap my brain around a monthly menu and am a bit overwhelmed by it! 😉
Kathy, It’s a slight difference in thinking that will save you a bundle. I don’t plan my menus around the sales. I plan my menus based on what I have in my pantry. I buy my food according to what is on sale and put it in my pantry. I try to have 3-6 months worth of food in my pantry at any given time.
This means that I don’t plan my meal around 1 sale item, but all the items in my meal were purchased on sale. Since the sales don’t always occur at the same time, I purchase the best priced items and keep them in my pantry to use as the basis for my meals the next month. Fresh produce purchased on sale we use right away but canned, shelf stable(whole grains), or frozen foods usually find their place in the menu later.
By planning my meals for the month, I know we can eat even if I can’t go to the store. And our food was purchased on sale, even if the sales stunk that week. (Sometimes the sales aren’t any good for several weeks a time.) I shop less frequently which means I spend less money. I hope that helps.
Thanks for some dinner ideas for the month. It is always good to find more ideas.
I first visited your page through The Homeschool Freebie of the Day page when you offered the Slow and Savory Suppers cookbook. I have enjoyed the information and tips you post daily. I have also enjoyed the slow cooker recipes in the cookbook. I have a question about the Pulled Pork Sandwiches recipe. The directions say to mix vinegar, molasses, mustard, ketchup and spices, pour over the top. However, the ingredient list does not contain ketchup but does list soy sauce! Help – how much ketchup do you use?
Thanks for the help.
Amy, Oh dear. That’s a big oops. I’ll look it up and get back to you.
Amy, the ketchup in the instructions is a mistake. It should read Soy Sauce instead. The ingredient list is correct. I hope that helps.