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Menu Plan – Week of January 18th and Pantry Update

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weekly meal plan

 

Pantry Challenge Update

When I decided to participate in the Pantry Challenge, my goals were to only go to the grocery store 3 times in January, allowing myself $50.00 per trip, and only allowing myself to buy dairy, fresh fruits, and fresh vegetables when I went. The first week went well; I was a little under budget at $43.64, even though I bought mostly organic items and bought a few more items than were on my list like bread and jam. Last week, however, was a complete bust. We went to the store 5 of 7 days. Haven’t added up all of the receipts, but 9.50 here and 11.23 there add up pretty fast. What went wrong? I didn’t make a menu, which means I was disorganized, but also that my family did not know which items were off limits. Hopefully, this week’s menu will help me finish out the month of the challenge successfully. If I still find that I am having difficulty, I may plan breakfast, lunch, and snacks. I know that if I plan wisely, we have enough food to make it to the end of the month with only one more shopping trip.

Menu Plan

Monday – Broccoli and Quinoa Salad

Tuesday – Teriyaki Chicken, Basmati Rice, and Glazed Carrots

Wednesday – Use leftover chicken, rice, and carrots to make Teriyaki Stir Fry

Thursday – Spaghetti, Salad, and Rustic French Bread

Friday – YOYO Dinner

Saturday – Gluten Free Pizza and Garden Salad

Sunday – Use last of Teriyaki chicken in Asian Chicken Salad

I will post the recipe for Teriyaki Chicken tomorrow, as well as recipes for how I use the leftovers to make “encore” meals.

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About Alea Milham

Alea Milham is the owner of Premeditated Leftovers and the author of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scatch. She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home. Her favorite hobby, gardening, is a frugal source of organic produce for her recipes. She believes it is possible to live fully and eat well while spending less.

Comments

  1. Alea says

    YOYO stands for "You are On Your Own", which sounds like a FFYS. Occasionally we have a Leftover Buffet, where I actually reheat dinner and serve it or a Miracle Leftover night where I make "something from nothing".

    Reply

  3. Melissa says

    Sounds like a good plan. I agree that having a menu plan saves money as well as headaches and last-minute trips to the store!

    Reply

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Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.