(8/4/12) This Weeks $120 Meal Plan of 15 minute Dinners and Packed Lunches. Cheap and Quick!

Each Week, I sit down with my schedule book and plan out this weeks meals. Breakfasts are serve yourself from pre-made options, and snack bags for lunches are separated into snack baggies on shopping day (Sunday). I just grab 3 snack baggies for each of our lunches to toss in. We both pack our lunch every day, but I avoid luncheon meat since I’m pregnant. I often take leftovers from the night before since I now have a desk job with access to a microwave. I shop on Sundays, and then do food prep that day for the week. I share our menu for the week for those that are new to menu planning. If you have no idea what to do for the week and would like to steal some or all of our plan… I promise not to prosecute:-)

As always, I feel it’s important to note that this is not the healthiest plan to follow. It’s a great plan for us, because it’s breaking our addiction to fast food and other unhealthy habits, and it’s cut our food budget by about 50%. Slowly, we’re making substitutions that will lead us to a healthy cheap meal plan. Rome wasn’t built in a day and all that jazz.

This week, I went through the pantry, fridge, and freezer and listed food that I would like to use up. We’re making a lot of progress in clearing that stuff out. I should note that I don’t want excess food in the kitchen because it’s hard to find the things that I need and things get lost. In case of emergency, we’re very well prepared with extensive food stocks in the basement. We’re ready for anything (except zombies).
“Recipes” for all menu items can be found here and here.

MENU:

Breakfast Options for the Week:

Heart Healthy Pancakes:  Instant Mix by Krusteaz. Mix with water as directed and make all on your shopping day. Freeze in groups of three in wax paper and then aluminum foil. When ready to reheat, remove aluminum foil, and heat for 80 seconds.

Bagels and Cream Cheese: Self explanatory.

Milk and Cereal: Self Explanatory.

Fruit Smoothie: I had a craving for fruit on Friday, so I bought a 2 LB Club Pack of strawberries from Wegmans (cheaper than the 1 pound pack! I love Wegmans!). I also got bananas and Wegmans Vanilla Super Yogurt. I froze the leftovers of all of the above and can blend it with a little milk for fruit smoothies this week.

Reminders:

This is an uncomplicated week. Nothing planned, just lots and lots of rest.
Plan to pack a cold lunch on Tuesday for Doctors Appointment. (So I don’t have to eat lunch at 10 am or 2pm, I can eat in the car right before or after my appointment).
Use pantry inventory to plan meals this week.

Sunday:

Breakfast: Cheese Omelet, O’Brien Potatoes, Diced Pear

Lunch: Chicken Patty Sandwiches, Cauliflower and Cheese, Baked Beans.

Dinner: BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwich, Salad.

Monday:

Lunch: Rowy- Italian Chicken Pasta Salad
Jon- Pasta Salad or Turkey and Muenster Sandwich.

Dinner: Fried Rice, Chinese Chicken Stir fry, Sliced Apples and Peanut Butter.

Tuesday:

Lunch: Rowy- Italian Chicken Pasta Salad
Jon- Pasta Salad or Turkey and Muenster Sandwich

Dinner: Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Baby Carrots and Ranch Dip.

Wednesday:

Lunch: Rowy- Chinese Chicken Stir fry from Monday Night.
Jon- Turkey and Muenster Sandwiches.

Dinner: Tortellini with Peas and Cheese

Thursday:

Lunch: Rowy- Leftover Tortellini
Jon- Leftover Tortellini or Turkey and Muenster Sandwiches

Dinner: Swedish Meatballs on Egg Noodles, Lemon Pepper Broccoli.

Friday:

Lunch: Rowy- Leftover Swedish Meatballs
Jon- Swedish Meatballs or Turkey and Muenster

Dinner: Steaks on Grill, Baked Beans, Carrot Coins

Saturday:

Breakfast: Sausage Gravy with Home Made Biscuits

Lunch: Baked Potato Bar

Dinner: Pork Loin Recipe using Crock Pot, Butter Parsley Potatoes (from canned whole potatoes), French Green Beans.

Shopping List: (All prices are current from Wegmans)

2 – Wegmans Food You Feel Good About Plain Bagel: $5.18
Wegmans Homestyle Bread: $.79
Oscar Meyer Family Pack Deli Turkey: $5.49
Wegmans Cream Cheese: $1.49
Wegmans Sour Cream: $1.49
Wegmans Butter: $2.49
Wegmans Frozen Cheese Tortellini: $2.69
Wegmans Frozen Sweet Peas: $.99
Wegmans Frozen Carrot Coins: $.99
Wegmans Frozen Pre Cooked Italian Meatballs: $5.99
Reduced Fat White Cheddar Cheese It’s: $2.99
Wegmans Instant Rice: $2.99
Krusteaz Heart Healthy Buttermilk Instant Pancake Mix: $2.49
Wegmans Extra Wide Egg Noodles: $1.59
Krusteaz Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix: $1.99 (I made these on Sunday, and packed them in lunches)
Wegmans Traditional Italian Dressing: $1.69
Campbells Beef Gravy: $1.09
Hellman’s Mayonnaise Family Size: $6.29
3- Poland Spring Gallon Water: $2.97
Wegmans Pre Cooked Bacon: $3.39
2- Fresh Vienna Rolls (for BBQ Chicken Sandwiches): $1.50
Wegmans Food You Feel Good About Salad: $1.29
Wegmans Cooked Plain Rotisserie Chicken: $5.49

Since this post is late, I’ll be really accurate and include the tax which was $1.72 (Fun fact- Virginia reduced the food tax to 2.5%, the only thing this doesn’t apply to is prepared hot foods, tobacco, and alcohol).

Grocery Total for the Week: $65.07
**Bonus Points because I didn’t cave and buy the four dollar magazine to learn about Kristen Stewart cheating on Robert Pattinson.

Items at Home:

Eggs
Cheddar Cheese
Potatoes O’Brien
Canned Pears
Chicken Patty’s
Frozen Cauliflower
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Can of Baked Beans
BBQ Sauce
Salad Topping
Ranch Dressing
1/2 a loaf of Bread
Mustard
Sandwich Pickles
American Cheese
Tons of Leftover Frozen Grilled Chicken Breast
Rotini
Frozen Green Pepper and Onion Strips
1/2 of a container of Low Fat Cream Cheese
Frozen Far East Stir Fry Vegetables
Wegmans Spicy General Tso’s Sauce
Soy Sauce
1 Apple
Peanut Butter
Baby Carrots
Parmesan Cheese
Butter
Milk
Frozen Steaks
Frozen Broccoli
Frozen Sausage Roll
Cornstarch
Worcestershire Sauce
Baked Potatoes
An Enormous Pork Loin that I bought 3 months ago and have yet to use
Cereal
Fruit
Yogurt
Pancake Syrup