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My goal? Spend $140 a week on food for my family of 10. As I said, I do have some food in the pantry/fridge that will come into play this week.
Spent so far: $79.56 105.73
































Menu Plan: (I usually try to do my shopping on Fridays, plus payday is Jan. 9, so my menu is a little longer than a week.)

Breakfast - oatmeal or Malt-o-Meal
Lunches - simple stuff from the pantry or leftovers. No PB&J this week because we ran out of peanut butter.

Jan. 1: Beef curry stirfry. $8.15
2.5# beef, cut in strips $4.50
3 - 16 oz. bags frozen stir fry mix veggies $3.00
3 c. brown rice $.65
spices - I'm not doing the math. Garlic powder, curry powder, cornstarch, and soy sauce

Jan. 2: Lentil Sloppy Joes, cole slaw, canned green beans $4.50
2 c. Lentils .25
1 c. bulghur no idea, it's been sitting in my pantry forever. Est. $1
Buns (made w/ my roll recipe) $.50
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes $1.00
1 med. onion @ .39/lb $.40
1 head cabbage @ .19/lb. $ .50
1/3 c. Miracle Whip maybe .20?
2 cans green beans, .66
vinegar, spices, who knows?

Jan. 3: Saturdays... are not well planned around here. I'll let you know.
Update: We met with some friends for a picnic at the park. Spent $26.17 on sandwich
fixings, ice, drinks, and 8# of oranges. Because we don't eat enough fruit as it is.

Jan. 4: Pork Chops, latkes, spinach $7.90
Pork Chops, $5.00
2.5 # potatoes, .50
1 med. onion @.39/lb .40
2 -16 oz. bags spinach, $2

Jan 5: Penne Primavera w. marinara $5.90
2 boxes Whole Wheat pasta $2.50
2 bags frozen veggies $2
1 jar spaghetti sauce $1
1/2 bag. navy beans, soaked and cooked .40
(leftover sloppy joe sauce *might* find it's way into here if there's any left)

Jan 6: Potato Soup, rolls $4.10
2.5# potatoes, .50
1 qt. milk, .75
3 carrots, .20
1 med. onion .40
1/2 stick butter .25
8 0z. shredded cheese, $1.50
Rolls, .50
Maybe I'll make a King Cake for the Epiphany. Cost? Probably under $1 if I do it myself.

Jan 7: Crockpot Swiss steak, peas, rice $10.10
3.5# boneless steak $5.60
2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes $1
1 -16 oz. bag frozen peppers and onions $1
3 c. brown rice .50
2 -16oz. bags frozen peas (never canned. Blech) $2


Jan 8: Kolaches, sauerkraut, braised cabbage, frozen veggies $8.29
Kolache sausages, 3 lbs $4.49
Kolache dough .50
Sauerkraut, .50
2 lb. cabbage, .40
1 med. onion, .40
2 bags frozen veggies, $2


Jan 9: Today I have my ultrasound, and we'll probably take the kids out to eat after and tell them boy or girl (if we know!). I have a killer coupon for Souper Salad that allows my entire family to eat out for $16.50. All you can eat greens, whoo-hoo!
(I don't think it makes the manager happy, but the coupon is kids eat free, up to 2 per paying adult. And children 4 and under are free. Which makes ALL of the kids free with two paying adults. I don't print the coupons, I just take advantage of it!)

You might notice we eat meat approximately every other night. Eating an abundant amount of meat for 1 meal is more satisfying for my family than trying to stretch the meat and having it at every meal. We'd rather eat a big pot roast once a week than a pound of beef stretched too thin 3 nights a week.

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Labels: cooking, Food Stamp Challenge, Frugal, Frugal Foodie, menu