Family Meal Planning (2-6-11)

Click here to see previous week's Family Meal Planning! 

I did it, and I am still doing it...cleaning out the freezer. January is over which was "clean out the pantry and clean out the freezer month", but I still have lots of things and I am going to continue making my Family Meal Planning around this list to get it all cleaned out. We had this delicious dinner last week Chili Dogs and Hot Dogs with a fresh salad from my Farmer's Market trip. I used a can of Hormel Chili (I've had for over a year or maybe two, yes it was still good) and Hot Dogs from the freezer (left over from a BBQ some time ago, I don't really like Hot Dogs) and all I had to buy was a bag of fresh Hot Dog Buns $1.79. This is how you stay under a $150 grocery budget per week for a family of 5.

I am continuing my quest to shop frugally. This week's great finds were actually at Walgreens, a store I never ever go into. But I thought, okay I will give it a try ONE time and we'll see how easy it was and if it is worth it! My total bill was $38 dollars and I only paid $12 out of pocket cash. WOW! I was shocked and well I guess I will be looking at their sales and coupons a little closer in the weeks ahead as I plan my weekly grocery trips. I got Excedrin headache medicine 2 bottles for FREE (on sale for 99 cents with a $1.00 coupon). I got some equally exciting deals at Whole Foods (Women's Vitamins $27.00 with a $5.00 Whole Foods coupon and a $5.00 manufacture coupon = $17 bucks) and at Target ($6.00 coupon for Motrin PM for 2 bottles and they were $3.39 cents each. I paid only 39 cents). AWESOME!

I was asked how I fit this all in. Coupon'ing takes time and patience. I will say that these two or three sites that I follow Kings Court IV, The Krazy Coupon Lady and Healthy Life Deals really truly make it SO easy! I do work full-time outside the home and I have 3 kids at home, so I am a busy mom too, just like all of you! I make my list, match my coupons and go in with specific things to purchase. I go right off of these web sites to make my list and I get ONLY those things. I almost NEVER put anything in my basket without a coupon. This is also helping me stock-pile too, so that on those weeks where I do need to stock up on the more important things and the higher priced items (like meat), I know that my cupboards are already full, from stock piling. I take my lists and I am able to do the shopping on my lunch hour from work. One day I go to Target and Walgreens (I can do both in one hour) and another day I go to Whole Foods and then if I need to I may hit Vons to finish up. That really is only 2 or 3 lunches during the week. There really isn't much else to do on my lunch hour and it keeps me from "shopping at the mall".

For sure this week I am working on Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free recipes. I spent the better part of Friday (over 8 hours) searching for recipes that I could make my daughter and the rest of the family (I found over 60 recipes and ordered a cookbook too). I spent the entire weekend in the kitchen working on making some of these delicious GLUTEN-FREE and some DAIRY-FREE foods for my daughter: Banana Doughnuts; The Perfect Bread; Cheeseburger Casserole; Beef Roast; Peanut Butter Chicken; Scalloped Potatoes; Bird's Nest Egg; Maple Pecan Cookies; Deviled Eggs; Potato Salad; Artichoke Heart and Olive Dip; and Roasted Sweet Potatoes. I will be sharing all the good tasting "keeper" recipes and I am adding now Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free tags to the recipes that I make for you to find quickly.

Here is our Family Meal Planning for this week. I'd love to hear if you have any short cuts, tricks or tips.

Check back and we will link the actual recipe!

(not all recipes will become reality so if there is not a link, we haven't made it yet)

Grandma's French Toast (and a GLUTEN-FREE recipe too)
Crock-Pot Pot Roast
Berry Smoothie
G'ma's Simple Spaghetti (w/Gluten Free Noodles for my daughter)
Eggnog Cranberry White Chocolate Muffins (stocked up from the freezer)
Blueberry Muffin Tops

Eggs & Potatoes (GLUTEN-FREE)

This post is linked to: I'm an Organizing Junkie: Meal Plan Monday, GCC Round Up, Works for Me Wednesday,, Simply Link Party, Friday Favorites and Wandering Wednesday

Also don't forget our weekly linky party

this week is VALENTINE'S COOKIES & TREATS

"THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS"