Bare bones menu- for fun

[steelergal]

For fun and curiousity purposes- I thought it would be neat to see what people would buy and their menu for a week (breakfast, lunch and dinner!). I would say a $25 limit with the basic seasonings, condiments already on hand (let's say you don't have that wonderful stockpile!), with the current sales prices with coupons.

What would you buy and what would your daily menu look like? I'll post mine after I scour the ads (which I need to do anyways!) and post my menu.

[Momto2Boyz]

Alright...Let's see what I can do. And I'm just going off the top of my head on prices! I shop at Aldi's for basics, and other local markets for sales on meats & produce, just for reference.

Weekday Breakfast:
1.79 - Cereal (1 box would last a week)
3.80 - 2 Gallons of milk for the week(on sale at Aldi's right now for 1.49)

Weekend Breakfast & Weeknight dinner:
.99 - eggs (would get 2 meals out of a dozen)
1.99 - Corn King bacon (again...2 meals)

Brown bag lunch (sandwiches (I'll include bread & turkey), & chips)
1.98 - bread (2 loaves for the week @ .99 each)
.99 - sale turkey at the local market in the markdowns
.99 - chips at Aldi's

Dinners:
2.13 - Homemade spaghetti (1/2 lb burger at 1.49/lb, herbs from my garden, 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1/2 pkg of noodles)
1.49 - Chicken Lo Mein (1/2 pkg of spaghetti noodles, 3 chicken thighs (3.99 for a pkg of 10, pkg of frozen stir fry veggies)
1.00 - Cream chipped beef on toast (bread already accounted for, milk already accounted for, 2 pkgs of generic Buddig beef at .50 each)
1.94 - Southwestern skillet (mac n cheese, 1/2 pound hamburger, 1/2 jar of salsa with green beans from the garen for a side)
2.09 - Salsa chicken with salad (1/2 jar of salsa, 4 chicken thighs and lettuce and spinach from the garden)
1.19 - Grilled Chicken Salad (3 chicken thighs and lettuce and spinach from the garden)
Bacon & egg dinner, already accounted for above

Snacks:
1.33 - bananas
.79 - canned tuna for tuna triangles (tuna on toast, put under the broiler...my kids love this)

Grand total = 24.49 to feed a family of 4 for the week

I actually used to only have $25 to feed us when DH was laid off a few years ago. I don't go this bare bones now, becuase it doesn't include the healthiest meals, and doesn't include things like coffee creamer, etc. But those are the things we gave up when we had too! Plus, tax would tip me over...but I think I did pretty well!

[ladykemma2]

sack of potatoes and a large block of wic cheese
meal 1 and 2: steamed potatoes with melted WIC cheese and hot sauce, green veg or salad.

meal 3:chana masala , canned chick peas with butter, milk, chana masala
seasoning, rice, steamed frozen peas.

meal 4: fried hash browns and eggs, bacon

meal 5: leftover bacon grease in canned refried beans with taco seasoning, rice, melted cheese, green salad

meal 6: spaghetti with marinara or bolognese, green veg

meal 7: mac and cheese with crumbled ground beef. cold pea salad.

[Contrary Housewife]

Funny, I just did this as an exercise last night... $25 per person (2 people) for 1 week:

Note, fruit and vegs every day, and meat for dinner every night. It's short on dairy, but dang cheese is expensive!

breakfasts: eggs, toast, cereal, banana, juice

L: cold cut sandwiches, carrots
D: rice dinner kit w/sausg, salad

L tuna sandwiches, grapes
D: hot dogs, potato salad

L leftover rice, apple
D: country ribs, side dish, peas

L: baked potato, peach
D: grilled chicken, green beans, corn

L: rib sandwich, carrots
D: pizza, salad, brownies

L: burrito
D: brats, potato salad

L: hot dogs, peas/corn
D pork chops, potatoes, carrots

Shopping:

butter 1.58
dirty rice dinner kit 1.66
bread 1.28
lettuce .97
pork chops $1 ea
country ribs 1.99lb (1lb)
cheese singles .99 (16 slices)
thin crust pizza 2.00
grapes 1.18 lb (1 lb)
potatoes 1.88 (about 10)
carrots 1.39 (2lb)
green beans .99 lb (1/2 lb)
tomato .99lb (1lb)
chick thighs .98 lb (1 lb)
tuna .59 (2)
frozen veg .88 (1 ea corn and peas)
brownie mix 1.00
rice.noodle side 1.00
bratwurst .70 ea (3)
OJ 1.38
eggs (18) 1.59
cold cuts 2/88 (2)
burritos 2/100 (2)
mayo 2.99
hot dogs 1.29
buns 1.88
cereal 2.66
peaches 1.18 lb (1 lb)
apples 1.18 lb (1lb)
bananas (1lb) free with purchase (store coupon)

$42.97 with a couple bucks left for milk, bbq sauce, whatever...
(every item on this list is on sale, these are not normal prices)

I'm sure it can come down a couple dollars, as the other store near me has cheaper prices on a few of these things. And I haven't done any pasta or bean dinners.

[Contrary Housewife]

Well, look, it did post after all.

[ladykemma2]

sack of potatoes and a large block of wic cheese
meal 1 and 2: steamed potatoes with melted WIC cheese and hot sauce, green veg or salad.

meal 3:chana masala , canned chick peas with butter, milk, chana masala
seasoning, rice, steamed frozen peas.

meal 4: fried hash browns and eggs, bacon

meal 5: leftover bacon grease in canned refried beans with taco seasoning, rice, melted cheese, green salad

meal 6: spaghetti with marinara or bolognese, green veg

meal 7: mac and cheese with crumbled ground beef. cold pea salad.

i forgot to include breakfast. toasted wic melty cheese and tomato on whole wheat bagels. oatmeal with milk and sugar. peaches are really cheap right now. peanut butter on whole wheat toast.

[joyofsix]

I don't have current prices from our aldi's here but if I had only $25 for all 9 of us I'd get:
10 lb flour-biscuits/pancakes
5 lb cornmeal-cornbread
pasta
tomato sauce
parm cheese
margarine
potatoes
ramen
beans
rice
3 jar peanut butter
if I could afford
soup bone
bread
canned veg & fruit
Not much variety but
Breakfast:
biscuits
pancakes
cornbread

Lunches:
pb biscuits or sandwiches
ramen noodles

Dinner:
pasta&parmesean
pasta&tomato sauce
rice&beans
baked potatoes, parm & beans
soup w/pasta or rice and a few scrounged veggies
beans over cornbread
potato soup

[Shelli_wnj]

Excellent ideas. I only have around $30 a week to feed the four of us, but I do have foods on hand from week to week, this is a hard exercise! I'm not sure I could start as if I had nothing on hand. I am enjoying reading all of your ideas!

[lisaflex]

some creative good ideas here! thnx

[chevy_chick95]

awesome idea. i'll go start putting this together.. i'll return.

[Grainlady]

You guys are inspirational and great frugal menu planners to be admired! The whole thing was a fun test. I followed my normal menu plan and stuck to the old "Basic-4" to cover nutritional needs, which we also follow. As well as using whole foods, not canned or processed foods.

It makes you realize how important our stockpiles are. I went over the $25 limit, but I also have foods for use for the next week or only used a portion of foods purchased. So if you count the actual amount used, it's under $25.

I could think of all kinds of inexpensive things to make, but I didn't have all those dry goods in the pantry, hundreds of pounds of grains/seeds/beans in storage, and hidden treasures in the freezer to use for the test.

After several sheets of paper used for figuring things and one trip to the store, I could see how after even 3 weeks of a $25 limit, I could soon have a stockpile once again and a greater variety of foods to choose from. Those small cans of mushrooms and mandarine oranges, even a box of J-ello... (LOL) I missed having pasta, rice and beans because I picked 5# flour so I could make my own breads and oatmeal (for the whole grain). A bigger variety of fruit. It was amazing to think about ME making bread with white flour - I just picked up 100# of wheat from the mill outside of town.

The exercise got 3 weeks worth of menus (I already do menu planning so that wasn't a huge stretch). As long as I can mill my own flour and cornmeal, use less-expnsive Morning Moo's Whey-based Milk Powder, and use fresh produce and herbs from the garden, $25/week is very doable and STILL have a stockpile.

Breakfast:
M-Cooked oatmeal (cooked enough for fried oatmeal and cooked oatmeal scones)
T-Fried oatmeal
W-Cooked Oatmeal Scones
Th-French Toast
F-Peanut butter toast
S-Muffins
Su-Pancakes and cooked applesauce

Each day also includes 4 oz. orange juice or grape juice made from frozen concentrate and small portion of a breakfast meat (1/2 serving of meat).

Lunch:
M-Leftover Homemade Pizza from Sunday night
T-Grilled Cheese Sandwich
W-Peanut Butter Sandwich
Th-Leftover stir-fry
F-Egg Salad Sandwich
S-Chicken Sancho (chicken from what's left of the whole chicken, cooked for soup)
Su-Leftover Meatloaf Sandwich

Raw vegetables with each meal.

Dinner:
M-Tuscan Rosemary Chicken (1/2 chicken breast from whole chicken) + carrots, celery and frozen green beans
T-Meatloaf (1/2-lb. ground beef = 4 servings), coleslaw, cornbread
W-Stir-Fry - using 1/2 chicken breast from whole chicken cut-up on M)
Th-Sloppy Joes (half-recipe = 6 servings) carrots and celery sticks
F - Veg. Omlett
S-Chicken/Veg. Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Su-Homemade Pizza

Fruit for dessert.

Homemade: 1 loaf bread, 6-burger buns, 12 small tortillas, cornbread

Groceries:

5# flour - $1.46 (enough for bread, burger buns, tortillas, cornbread, homemade pancake mix, and homemade Baking Mix and some leftover)

Bob's Red Mill Cornmeal - 24 oz. - clearance shelf $1.89 (used for corn bread, homemade pancake mix and homemade baking mix)

Oatmeal 42 oz. = 30 servings - $1.79 (enough for oatmeal used M, T, and W, added to meatloaf T, added to homemade pancake mix and homemade baking mix, with enough left for bread next week - There's enough homemade pancake mix and Baking Mix for several weeks.)

Whole chicken - 4.80#/.79 per lb. - $3.69

Ground Beef - 1 # - $1.79

Peanut Butter - 18 oz. - $1.39 (enough for 1-month)

Cheddar Cheese - 8 oz. - $1.29

Dozen Eggs - .99

Milk - 1 gal. - $2.30

100% Orange Juice Concentrate - frozen - $1.25 = 12 4-oz. servings

100% Grape Juice Concentrate - frozen - $.90 = 12 4-oz. servings

Celery - $1.49 (enough for 2-weeks)

Carrots - 2# - $.99 (enough for 2-weeks)

Cabbage - one lg. head - $1.29 (enough for 2-weeks)

Apples - 3# - $1.99 (enough for 2-3 weeks)

Cantaloupe - $.99

Bacon - 1# - $1.75

Brown & Serve Sausage - 10/links - $.99

Frozen Green Beans - 16 oz. - $1.39
-------------------------------------------

$29.62

[Tater]

Grainlady - how do you make fried oatmeal and oatmeal scones? Inquiring minds want to know!!

[chevy_chick95]

hot dogs 1.00
hot dog buns 1.00
4lbs chicken thighs 4.76
salsa 1.00
eggs .99
5lbs flour 2.00
yeast 1.00
elbow macaroni 1lb 1.00
4 tomato sauce 1.00
1/2lb onion .50
5lb potatoes 3.00
2lbs hamburger 3.98
1lb rice 1.00
1/2lb sugar .30
milk 1.88
total 24.41
plus tax 25.87

breakfast
egg
toast

lunch
hot dogs
leftovers

dinner
salsa chicken and potato
cowboy potato
goulash and breadsticks
cp chicken

desert
rice pudding

[Laurie in Bradenton]

When we're super poor (like right now) I make up jello! Its light, its fun and it tastes good. I add fruit from freezer. Or whip topping! I cut it in shapes or pour it in fancy glasses. My dented can store sells it for .10 a box. When someone says "I'm hungry what to eat?" I say look in the refrig. There shining on the shelf is JELLO! My daughter (15) ponited out the other day that our refrig never look emtpy because there is always a jello dessert in it.

Thank goodness for JELLO!

Laurie in Bradenton

[Grainlady]

Grainlady - how do you make fried oatmeal and oatmeal scones? Inquiring minds want to know!!

Here ya go...........

Fried oatmeal is leftover cooked oatmeal placed in small loaf pan. Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to use, slip it out of the loaf pan and cut into thin slices. Dust slices with flour and fry on an oiled/buttered griddle. Serve dusted with powdered sugar or cinnamon-powdered sugar, or butter and syrup.

Cooked Oatmeal Scones

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/print?id=46876

(I wrap the extras in foil pop-up sheets - I get them at Sam's Club, box of 500 - and keep them in the freezer. Reheat in the foil in a toaster oven.)