Meal Planning Monday (Wednesday Shhh)

I really meant to do my meal planning on Monday.  Get the week started right and organized, but Monday turned into Monday night.  Which let to Tuesday, and eventually Wednesday night. Where I sit now figuring out my meal plan for the week.  The best part about meal planning on Wednesday is that I already have 2 days figured out!

 

Here is my Meal Plan for the Week- Hooking up with Org Junkie's Menu Planning Monday Link up
July 20- July 27

Monday- Meat Pie for kiddos Amy's Broccoli Pie (the best!) for me!

Tuesday- Refried Bean Corn Tacos with Vegetables

Wednesday- Butter nut Squash & Parsnip Soup from My Darling Vegan & Beef Hot dogs

Thursday- Porcupines Skillet from 30 Handmade Days

Friday-  Possibly out for Dinner

What are your plans for the week?  Do you enjoy planning out the week or do you like to go with the flow?  It's been a while since I created a successful meal plan, sometimes I feel like its been forever since I have cooked!

I cannot wait until the weekend when I am going to make some of this!

Pantry Challenge Part 4

We have now completed our 2 week PANTRY CHALLENGE!  Cue- the music!

I want to say that it was a roaring success and we saved a ton of money, but I can't.  Our challenge was a success.  We used a bunch of food from the pantry/ freezer that would have normally sat until it probably went into the trash.  Also I think that we are much more aware of the amount of money we spend on food.  

It takes time to plan out meals, and use what you already have.  I agree that its much quicker to go to the store and pick up everything that you need for a meal without a second thought.  That is until you take a look at your bank account and wonder where all the money went again!

From the start of our Pantry Challenge we spent a total of $407  on food.  We usually spend $500 on food for a two week period.  There is still alot of room for improvement!  I wish we had spent less and eaten more form what we had at home.  

When it comes to challenges everybody wants to hear that you fed 20 people on $25 for a month!  But for our family, in the area that we live in that's just not possible. 

 I would be really happy with $300 for a 2 week period.

  We are ahead and I am pleased with the results!

How did your pantry challenge go?  Do you learn anything?  Will you do it again?  

Have a great night!

Pantry Challenge Part 3

This week I found that the pantry challenge became a bit harder then the previous week.  It almost seems that you can actually "forget" the challenge.  Its like if a challenge that you are taking on is not on your mind all the time then it is easy to forget.  We have gone to the grocery store to buy some food to augment the challenge and bought things the we should be skipping on during this challenge.  Although for the most part the pantry and freezer are being cleaned out.  When you go to the store and some of your regular food is on sale, it does not make sense to pass it up!

Check out below the meals that we have eating this week.  Note that Harvey's was because we were out of town.

#1)- Calgary (Harvey's)

#2- NACHOS/ TACO SALAD- LETTUCE, BEEF, VEG, SALSA, CHIPS, (all from pantry)

#3- Hamburgers & strawberry / rhubarb crisp-pantry, fruit from our garden.

#4- PORK, POTATOES, VEG (all freezer and pantry)

#5- Spaghetti and meat sauce, pantry, bought a jar of tomato sauce as we only had a bit left

#6- Griddle cakes and sausage (freezer and baking pantry)

Planning is succeeding!  Also I am  trying out the 21 day fix so I will be eating a ton more of vegetables!  I cannot wait until my garden produces more!

Other then the challenge we have had a great week!  Another 4.2 lbs of strawberries were picked from the garden today!  I will be making jam with some of them tomorrow (all the ingredients are in the pantry)

Q is away so the boys and I went hiking, and then later to the river to throw rocks.  They are both asleep already and I am feeling like I probably will not be far behind.

When my husband is away I always feel like I will do this:

But I usually end up doing this by 10 pm

Mountain Free/ Low Cost Activities this week:

Alberta Free Family Fishing Weekend July 11/ 12- No Licence?  No problem!  www.mywildalberta.ca

Pantry Challenge Part 2

Focusing on our food budget this month has been a eye opener.  That is where most of our money seems to flow out of the bank account.  Even though we are only about a week into the pantry challenge it looks like it will not be enough of a change to ensure that our budget does not hit the red.

This month so far we have had a ton of unexpected items come up that must be paid for:

Daycare - $1700, a far cry from our normal 190, but when school is out the kiddos need someone to watch them when hubby and I are both at work.

Car break pads, callipers, ect- $170, our breaks seized last week, so hubby is working on them (bonus of a mechanically inclined hubby)

Baby Shower- Love my sis and the gecko she is incubating J

Pictures- All I will say

Camper Van- Still a possibility.. not quite finalized yet.

Company golf tournament, our contribution.

So far this month we are looking at about 2000 more then planned.  With an additional 4000 if the van purchase comes through.

We have decided to carry on with the pantry challenge, but focus on using August to grow back the account, this month is a bust and sometimes you have to just enjoy the ride and not stress.

How is your pantry challenge going?

We picked 6 lbs of strawberries from the garden yesterday so that counts as pantry I believe.  Time for some yummy jam and cakes I think.

Good luck with the coming week.