Planning A Menu

One of the best things we did for our grocery budget was sit down and plan a weekly menu. I write down the days we need for dinner at home. Then I plan each meal for each day. Next I write down the ingredients I will need for each meal. That is my grocery list. I add any items we may need for additional foods, such as lunch if my daughter will be at home, snacks for after school and lunch items for my husband.

Note - the recipes I use for the example list below are being added to the recipe section of this blog.


Some tips when making your list:

• If you are going to buy a bag of chicken breasts, then you will have at least 2 meals from chicken breasts.
• If you need lunches for yourself, make extra dinner and eat your leftovers the next day for lunch.
• If you are making lunches for your children, buy larger or bulk items, they are cheaper if you buy more.
• If your family drinks kool-aid, get the sugar free packets, then you don't have to buy sugar (it is cheaper and better for your family).
• We grill all year round, it is yummy and cheap.
• Make meals that are good as leftover like chili, spaghetti, chicken pie, soup, stew, etc.

Here is an example of a list I recently used:

Monday - Spaghetti (1lb ground turkey, sauce, wheat noodles)
Tuesday - Chicken Breast, Rice & Veggies (3 chicken breast, brown rice, steamed peas)
Wednesday - Whole Chicken, Red Potatoes & Veggies (whole chicken, red potatoes, steamed mixed veggies)
Thursday - Chicken Pie (use left over whole chicken, low sodium/fat cream of chicken, can of Veg All, bag of dry stuffing, I usually get the chicken flavored)
Friday - Grilled Chicken Breast & Salad (use the rest of the chicken breasts, salad items from farmer's market - I buy what is cheap like lettuce, green pepper, onion and if I have a little room in the budget I will add tomato and cucumber)
Saturday - Chili (2lbs ground turkey, 1 large can of V8, 2 cans chili beans, 2 cans kidney beans, 2 cans stewed tomato)
Sunday - Chili & Cornbread (just need the cornbread)

So my grocery list is (these are prices from my local Aldi store):

3lbs ground turkey ($1.49 per pound)
1 can spaghetti sauce ($0.99)
1 box of wheat noodles ($1.19)
Bag of chicken breasts ($5.98)
2 bags steamed veggies ($1.00 per bag)
Brown rice ($1.29 per box/bag)
Whole chicken ($3.98)
Red Potato (I will get a bag from the farmer's market for $3.99 - since I didn't use them all this week, I will be able to use these again the following week)
Cream of chicken ($0.57)
Bag of dry stuffing ($1.98)
Veg All ($1.69 - large can)
Salad (1 head lettuce $1.20, 1 large red onion$1.89, 1 green pepper $1.00 = $4.09)
V-8 or tomato juice ($1.19)
Chili beans ($0.49 per can)
Kidney beans ($0.49 per can)
Stewed tomato ($0.49 per can)
Cornbread ($0.50)

TOTAL - $32.87

Extra items for breakfast, snack and lunches will include:
Yogurt ($3.90 for 10)
Eggs ($1.20)
Milk ($3.19)
Cereal ($1.68)
Apples ($3.00)
Oranges ($3.00 - farmer's market has them 2 for $1)
Banana ($1.30)
Gummies ($1.50)
Mac & Cheese ($3.00 for 3 boxes)

TOTAL - $21.77

Grocery Total for a full week - $54.64