Question about menu planning, prices, etc.

[rumrunnergirl]

I don't know if this topic has been posted as I am having computer problems and get kicked offline constantly.

I have a printout from a yahoo group I used to belong to about about feeding a family for $9 per week per person, and it has menu suggestions but no recipes. Has anyone tried anything like this? What is the lowest you have spent on groceries per person? I used to spend $80/week at Publix for me, DH, and two little kids - then I discovered Save-A-Lot. Now I don't clip coupons and spend around $60/wk. However, if I could get it lower I'd be happy. We do have bean/vegetarian night once a week, and last night I did a potato bar where we picked our own toppings for baked potatoes. We've been baking bread and making cookies so I've cut down on buying those.

Does anyone know where I can find recipies for attractive, tasty, frugal meals? I have lots of ramen noodles gathering dust in my pantry, LOL.

DH's work has been really sporadic for a couple years, and I want to save in spite of this. He was just out of work for 6 weeks, is working May and June, then out of work again, so I want to be prepared. He is also complaining about me cooking the same thing a lot. HELP! LOL

Melanie

[sunshine]

http://www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/e...chEngPrint.pdf

$30 Weekly Grocery List and Menu Ideas

by Sharon Gordon

Here's an idea for your week. I tried to pick things that most 10 and 2 year olds will like. This is a fall menu. Target prices are included for you.

I assumed that you have a few flavorings and condiments in the pantry:
Baking powder, Baking soda, Mayonnaise, Spices/herbs/salt, Vanilla flavoring

Shopping List
5 lbs all purpose flour .89
5 lbs sugar 1.89
2 cartons eggs 1.78
l lb cheddar cheese 3.00
2 gallons milk 3.98
2 lbs regular margarine 1.68
2 lbs hamburger 1.98
1 lb lunch meat 1.29
3 28oz cans tomato sauce 2.67 (may want some Italian ones)
10 lbs potatoes 1.79
5 lbs carrots 1.29
5 lbs apples, medium size 3.00
1 cabbage .60
2 lbs dry navy beans .60
2 lbs elbow macaroni 1.00
1 lb spaghetti .50
1 yeast 3 pack 1.29
----
Total 29.23

Note: For anyone not on quite as stringent a budget, or who can get better deals, or who has a garden; Add some more vegetables, especially green ones. I'd add fruit or juice to the other breakfasts without the apples. I'd probably also buy popcorn for snacks.

The food above could produce the menu below. If you make sourdough breads, this saves a lot of money on the yeast. Great recipes are at the soar site. You don't need to let the starter ferment for a long time to get it going, just to develop the flavor. You can use it at after one day and it will work. Just let sourdough rise longer than your usual bread recipes.

Breakfast
Pancakes with sautéed apples 3 times
Cheese biscuits 2 times
Muffins (plain, apple or spice) 3 times

Lunch
I am assuming that you will take packed lunches and that you will eat at home on weekdays.

Lunch meat sandwiches, Carrot sticks, Sugar cookies 2 times
Lunch meat sandwiches, Apple, Sugar cookies 3 times
Baked potato with cheese, Apple, Sugar cookies 3 times
Scrambled egg/cheese sandwich, carrot sticks, potato salad, sugar cookies 2 times

Weekend Lunches
Cheese Quiche, carrots (raw or cooked), Vanilla pudding

Shepherd's pie(1/4 lb Browned hamburger, cooked potatoes and carrots, white sauce made with Homemade Cream Soup Mix, a little cheese)

Supper
Mac and Cheese, Cooked apples, Cabbage Slaw
Spaghetti, garlic bread, Vanilla cake

Tomato Soup, Cheese toasts, Carrot cake plain or with vanilla frosting

Hamburger bean soup (Beans, 1/2 can tomato sauce, 1/4 lb hamburger, diced carrots, herbs/spices/salt), biscuits, Vanilla cake

Hamburger Macaroni Casserole (hamburger, elbows, white sauce, salt, spices), Carrot/cabbage slaw, Apple pie

Cheeseburger Pizzas(2) (1/2 can tomato sauce, browned hamburger, sprinkling of cheddar--add toppings last 5 minutes)

Chili Potatoes-Baked potatoes topped with homemade chili and grated cheddar, Carrot cake.

Other things which could be made with these ingredients:

Breakfast
French toast
Scones
Bagels
Herb biscuits
Waffles

Main Dishes
Bean hamburger cheese nachos
Bean tacos
Beef noodle soup
Cabbage Rolls
Cheese Pizza
Cheese potato soup
Cheese spread
Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese
Deviled eggs
Egg drop soup
Hamburger cabbage casserole
Hamburger Calzones
Macaroni Lasagna
Marinated Italian Bean Salad
Meat turnover pies
Meatball sandwiches
Meatloaf
Minestrone Soup
Omelets
Pizza potatoes
Potato cheese fritter
Potato, cabbage, bean soup
Spicy beans in flour tortilla

Vegetable Dishes
Apple slaw
Asian Cabbage Salad
Cheesy fries
Egg rolls
Fried or Stir fried cabbage
Hash browns
Marinated carrots
Mashed potatoes, plain or flavored
Oven fries
Perogies
Potato cakes
Potato skins
Salsa potatoes

Will keep looking for other posts/websites that I've saved. I'm running short on time this morning-- sorry.

[sunshine]

Thrifty Sloppy Joes

1 cheap tough roast
1 can Coke
1 small bottle cheap catsup
Minced garlic and diced onion are optional depending on your family's
tastes.

Trim big chunks of fat off of roast. Place in slow cooker, pour coke over
roast, then bottle of catsup. Cook on low all day. Serve over rice, buns,
potatoes or noodles.

[sunshine]

Thrifty Chicken, Bacon and Pasta

1 boned and skinned chicken breast, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 pound bacon, cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 pound pasta - your choice of shape
1/2 Cup Romano cheese
2 Cups half and half

Fry bacon until crisp; remove and drain on paper towels. Using about 2
tablespoons of the bacon drippings, sauté the onion until transparent. Add
the chicken and cook until the chicken is done. While the chicken cooks,
prepare the pasta according to package directions. When the pasta is al
dente, drain, rinse and return to pan. Add the onions and chicken and mix
well. Stir in the cheese and half and half. Put over low heat until
mixture is heated through. Add the drained bacon and mix well. Sprinkle
with freshly ground black pepper and serve hot. Serves 4.

[sunshine]

Thrifty Meal In A Casserole

2 medium onions, chopped
4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 cups whole kernel corn, frozen, or canned (drained)
1 pound lean ground beef or bulk sausage or lean ground pork
1 Cup tomato juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole and put ingredients into it in the order
given. Make patties or your choice of meat and precook them to get the fat
out before putting on top of the other ingredients. Pour the tomato juice
over all, cover the casserole and bake at 375° for 45 minutes. Remove the
cover and bake another 30 minutes until done and nicely browned and potatoes
are tender. Makes 4 servings.

[sunshine]

Thrifty Ground Meat Vegetable Meal

1 pound lean ground pork or beef
1/2 Cup onion, finely chopped
1 Cup elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 14 - 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
4 ounces processed cheese, cubed
1 15 oz. can hominy or whole kernel corn, undrained
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Brown meat and drain. Add onion and cook until transparent. Stir in
remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 - 35
minutes or until macaroni is tender. Makes 6 servings.

[sunshine]

Broccoli Cheese Casserole

1 hour
This recipe serves 4 as a main dish (perfect with a salad), or 8 as a side
dish.

1 box macaroni and cheese
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. margarine
2 c. broccoli florets
3/4 c. diced onion
1 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
1 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tbsp. dry bread crumbs

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
~ Make the macaroni and cheese according to box directions.
~ While macaroni is cooking, sauté onion in olive oil until softened.
~ Add broccoli, onion and 1/2 c. cheddar to macaroni and cheese, mixing
thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
~ Put mixture in a casserole dish, smoothing the top.
~ In a bowl, beat milk and eggs until combined well.
~ Pour milk mixture over macaroni.
~ Sprinkle top of casserole with remaining 1/4 c. cheddar and bread crumbs.
~ Bake 40-45 minutes, or until surface turns golden.

[sunshine]

Thrifty Taco Soup
- cheaper than chili, a super make-ahead and freeze.

To make this even cheaper, use dry beans you cook ahead on an earlier night.
One night when you make a dish with ground beef, cook extra for this recipe.
Then mix this soup up and let it simmer while you finish dinner and eat -
then put in containers and freeze, you'll have instant dinner one night.
Serve with grilled cheese-on-tortillas sandwiches or just tortilla chips and
a salad. For young children, omit the hot peppers and cayenne and chili
powder, package theirs, then add the peppers and spice to yours and cook at
least 15 minutes. Be sure to mark the packaged appropriately.

1 lb. ground beef (you can get by on less, particularly if you use more
beans)
1 chopped onion
4 garlic cloves
2 15-oz. cans corn or equivalent frozen
2 15-oz. cans kidney and/or pinto beans
1 can chopped green chiles (can be omitted, but they do add lots of flavor)
Jalapeno slices (from jars or cans) to taste
1 46-oz. can V-8 juice (or any generic brand)
Favorite home-made taco seasoning (cheaper than packaged seasoning)
(I use salt, chili powder, cumin, cilantro, and cayenne, all to taste)

Brown ground beef in a soup pot. Drain. Saute onion and garlic till
softened. Add rest of ingredients (minus hot stuff for kids) and bring to a
simmer. With lid on, simmer from 15 minutes to 1 hour. (Separate kids
portions and add hot stuff for the adults.) Serve. This is excellent for
freezing. Cook ahead and freeze. To use, just heat up. Garnish with
shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese. Although cheese adds cost, as a
garnish you only need about a tablespoon per serving and it adds lots of
flavor.

[sunshine]

Thrifty Fried Rice for 4
- (30 Minutes from start to table.)

A complete meal. Quantities of meat, eggs and veggies can be changed
according to what you like, and you may omit what you don't like. Although
ham is the main meat, it can be greatly reduced. Just be sure to cook your
rice in stock or broth - beef or chicken. I use ham leftovers - those
little pieces that can't be used for sandwiches, and may not be enough for a
full meal. Any meat may be used. My mother made this almost weekly for 50
years and I still make it very often.

2 T. oil
4 eggs, scrambled and chopped
12 oz. cooked ham, cut in bite-size pieces
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or powdered to taste)
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup frozen green peas
2 T. soy sauce
2 cups cooked rice (leftover rice is great - pre-cook another night)

Chop all vegetables and ham. Scramble eggs, chop and set aside. Heat 1 T.
oil in skillet or wok at medium-high heat. Add ham and stir-fry until
golden. Add celery, bell pepper, onion, garlic and ginger, stir-fry 5
minutes. Remove from skillet or wok and set aside. Heat remaining 1 T. oil
in same skillet or wok. Add rice and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add green
peas, soy sauce and stir-fry 1 for 2 minutes just until rice and peas are
heated through. Add reserved vegetable mixture and reserved eggs. Heat
thoroughly and serve. Season with additional soy sauce to taste, if
necessary.

[sunshine]

Thrifty Broccoli and Garlic Pasta

1 pound spaghetti
1/2 Cup margarine
3 tablespoons minced garlic (can use the purchased minced garlic)
1 pound smoked sausage
1 10 oz. package frozen broccoli, thawed

Cook spaghetti to al dente and drain. Saute sausage, garlic and broccoli in
margarine in a large skillet over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add
spaghetti and mix well. Heat thoroughly and serve. Makes 6 servings.

[sunshine]

Thrifty Broccoli Pork Casserole

1 small onion, chopped
1/4 Cup butter or margarine

1 10 3/4 oz. can cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 Cup cooked rice
1 Cup shredded American cheese
1 10 oz. box chopped broccoli, thawed
1 pound ground pork, browned and drained
1 Cup croutons

Brown and drain pork. Cook onions in butter until transparent. Add soup,
cheese and broccoli and bring to a boil. Add rice and pork. Mix well and
pour into a 1 1/2 quart casserole. Top with croutons. Bake at 350? about 30
minutes or until bubbles around the edge. Makes 4 servings.

[sunshine]

Instant Cream Soup Mix

3 cups Dry Milk Powder
1/3 cup Corn Starch
1/3 cup Chicken Bouillon (or Vegetable Bouillon)
1 Tbsp. Onion Flakes, dried
1 tsp. Basil, dried
1 tsp. Thyme, dried
1 tsp. White Pepper

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Place mixture
into a one quart jar, label and store up to six months.

To make soup:
Using a small mixing bowl, mix 1/3 cup Instant Cream Soup Mix with 1 1/4
cups Water or Broth. Simmer over low heat until thickened. This makes just
enough to use in place of a 10 1/2 ounce can of cream soup, when making
casseroles, etc. (Add mushrooms pieces, diced chicken, etc. to further
flavor to your soup).

[sunshine]

"Lipton's Onion Soup" Recipe

3/4 c. dry minced onion
1/3 c. beef bouillon powder
4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. crushed celery seed
1/4 tsp. sugar

Combine all ingredients Store in tight fitting container. Use sprinkled
over chicken or beef or to make dip. About 5 Tbls.. of mix are equal to 1
1.25 oz pkg. To make onion dip, mix 5 Tbls. with one pint of sour cream

[sunshine]

Veggie Soup

1 can of corn
1 can of green beans
1 can of peas and carrots
1 can of crushed or diced tomatoes
beef broth (We often use a bouillon cube, but the can of beef broth seems to
have more flavor - and salt.)
1 pkg. of wide noodles
cornstarch, if needed

* In a large 4-5 qt pot, fill half way with water (or 3/4 of the way if you
have a large family).
* Cook noodles for about 10-15 minutes, al dente; until just tender. (Beef
broth can be added before or after.)
* Add drained corn, green beans, peas and carrots. Add entire can of
tomatoes (do not drain), until everything is heated through. If you like
your soup thin you're done, if you like it thick add a bit of cornstarch to
a few TBS. of water and mix it into the soup to thicken. Serve with crackers
if desired, whatever is on sale! Add potatoes for more variety.

[sunshine]

Baked Penne Casserole

Ingredients:
8 ounces of Penne pasta, cooked and drained
1/2 pound ground beef, cooked and drained (add some spices while cooking if
desired)
1 26-ounce jar of your favorite pasta sauce (or about 3 cups of your
homemade sauce)
2 c. Mozzarella cheese, shredded (you can also add a little parmesan cheese
if you have it on hand)
Parsley, dried or fresh and chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray large baking or casserole dish with
cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix together cooked pasta, beef, sauce and
1 c. of the shredded cheese. Place pasta mixture into baking dish and cover
with lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Take dish out of the
oven and remove cover, top with remaining 1 c. of shredded cheese and
sprinkle with parsley. Bake for another 8-10 minutes. Makes 4-6 servings.
This recipe can be double easily and cooked in a 10x13 baking pan.