Hello!! Well, dinner at our house tonight is all about using up some of the odds and ends in the fridge. Since my "extras" include spaghetti sauce, cottage cheese, and salad fixin's, tonight's dinner will be: spaghetti pie, garlic bread and salad.
(Recipe for spaghetti pie at: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Spaghetti-Pie-4; I used jarred spaghetti sauce instead of making as they suggested, I also used regular cottage cheese and mozzerella cheese instead of the low-fat versions as that is what I had on hand)
Meal cost:
Speghetti pie:
spaghetti: $1.00
ground beef: $1.00
spaghetti sauce: $1.00
cottage cheese: $0.50
sour cream: $0.00 (free due to coupon; used this as I didn't have enough cottage cheese)
shredded cheese: $1.00
eggs: $0.25
garlic bread:
hot dog buns: $0.50 (manager special; makes great and cheap garlic bread under the broiler)
cheese: $0.50
margerine and garlic powder: $0.20
Salad:
romaine and iceburg lettuce: $1.25
cheese: $0.50
croutons: $0.30
dressing: $0.50
TOTAL COST: $8.49
We usually don't eat this much salad, but I thought I was getting a deal on the romaine lettuce at Target only to realize after the fact that I forgot to use my coupon - oops!!! Now that I have it I refuse to let it go to waste!!!
UPDATE: Dinner was AWESOME!!! Cool thing was that there is enough leftover for lunch on Wednesday! So, while the cost of dinner tonight was high, it will also serve as a whole other meal!!! WOOHOO!!!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Meal costs - week of 3/9-3/15
Here is my first post on meal costs for the week of 3/9-3/15. I am only showing dinner for thsi week. I may do lunch costs in the future but just didn't keep a record for last week. I will not be posting breakfast costs as we usually eat breakfast pretty inexpensively; either cereal (bought on sale with cuopons), toast, rice, or oatmeal.
Here are our meals:
Monday, 3/9: burgers and dogs on grill
Tuesday, 3/10: Macaroni and cheese, smoked sausage, mixed veggies
Wednesday, 3/11: ham, popcorn shrimp, baked potatoes, broccoli w/cheese sauce
Thursday, 3/12: pasta and spaghetti sauce
Friday, 3/13: pizza from Pizza Hut
Saturday, 3/14: cube steaks w/gravy, mashed potatoes, corn, homemade yeast rolls
Sunday, 3/15: taco salad (for the grown-ups) and ravioli with speghetti sauce
Cost breakdown:
Burgers and hot dogs on grill:
burger patties: 6 patties - 1 1/2 lbs. = $3.00
buns: $1
cheese slices: 6 ($2/24 slices = $.08 ea.) = $0.48
hotdogs: 4 ($7/28 = $.25 ea.) = $1.00
tatertots (1/2 bag at $2/bag) = $1
carrot stix (1/2 bag at $1.50/bag) = $0.75
pears (1 can) = $1
TOTAL COST: $8.25
Macaroni and cheese, smoked sausage, mixed veggies:
Kraft mac-n-cheese deluxe $1.50 (estimate as I can't remember exact cost)
Kraft mac-n-cheese (powdered cheese w/margerine & milk): $0.60
smoked sausage (from Schwan's): $5.00
mixed veggies: $0.00 (thanks to coupon)
TOTAL COST: $7.10
ham, popcorn shrimp, baked potatoes, broccoli w/cheese sauce
ham $3 (approx.; small piece left from Christmas)
popcorn shrimp $4
potatoes (approx. 1 1/4 lbs.): $0.40
shredded cheese: $1.00
sour cream: $0.00 (thanks to coupon)
broccoli w/cheese sauce: $0.00 (thanks to coupon)
rice (for picky eater): $0.65
TOTAL COST: $9.05
pasta and spaghetti sauce:
box of pasta: $0.75
sauce: $0.75
parm cheese: $0.25
TOTAL COST: $1.75
pizza from Pizza Hut: $38 (enough for dinner and lunch the next day)
cube steaks w/gravy, mashed potatoes, corn, homemade yeast rolls
cube steaks: $4.00
mashed potatoes (Steam-n-mash) $1.00
gravy (2 jars): $1.30 (estimate)
corn: $0.00 (thanks to coupon)
rice: $0.65 (leftovers for breakfast next day)
flour: $0.25
shortening: $0.12
yeast: $0.00 (free plus overage thanks to coupon)
TOTAL COST: $7.30
taco salad (for the grown-ups) and ravioli with speghetti sauce (for kids)
Romaine lettuce: $1.00 (forgot to use coupon at Target - rats)
iceburg lettuce: $0.25
ground beef: $2.00
taco seasoning: $.35
sour cream: $0.00 (gotta love coupons)
picante sauce: $.50
fritos: $0.00 (again, gotta love coupons)
ravioli: $2.50
spaghetti sauce: $0.75
TOTAL COST: $7.35
Total eating at home:
Monday: $8.25
Tuesday: $7.10
Wednesday: $9.05
Thursday: $1.75
Friday: $0.00
Saturday: $7.30
Sunday: $7.35
TOTAl: $40.80
Total eating out:
Monday: $0.00
Tuesday: $0.00
Wednesday: $0.00
Thursday: $0.00
Friday: $0.00
Saturday: $38.00
Sunday: $0.00
TOTAL: $38.00
Well, $40.80 for 6 meals isn't too bad, but it was a bit high compared to our usual meal costs. Twice this week we had items from Schwan's (popcorn shrimp because we like it best and smoked sausage because I wanted to try it) and that really drives up the cost of a meal. It is pretty sad though that we ate 6 meals for approx. the same cost as Pizza Hut. Oh my!!!
I still need to figure out our meals for this week, but that will have to wait for later... The kiddos have been patient with me typing for this long but I can tell that their patience is wearing quite thin!!!
Blessings!
Here are our meals:
Monday, 3/9: burgers and dogs on grill
Tuesday, 3/10: Macaroni and cheese, smoked sausage, mixed veggies
Wednesday, 3/11: ham, popcorn shrimp, baked potatoes, broccoli w/cheese sauce
Thursday, 3/12: pasta and spaghetti sauce
Friday, 3/13: pizza from Pizza Hut
Saturday, 3/14: cube steaks w/gravy, mashed potatoes, corn, homemade yeast rolls
Sunday, 3/15: taco salad (for the grown-ups) and ravioli with speghetti sauce
Cost breakdown:
Burgers and hot dogs on grill:
burger patties: 6 patties - 1 1/2 lbs. = $3.00
buns: $1
cheese slices: 6 ($2/24 slices = $.08 ea.) = $0.48
hotdogs: 4 ($7/28 = $.25 ea.) = $1.00
tatertots (1/2 bag at $2/bag) = $1
carrot stix (1/2 bag at $1.50/bag) = $0.75
pears (1 can) = $1
TOTAL COST: $8.25
Macaroni and cheese, smoked sausage, mixed veggies:
Kraft mac-n-cheese deluxe $1.50 (estimate as I can't remember exact cost)
Kraft mac-n-cheese (powdered cheese w/margerine & milk): $0.60
smoked sausage (from Schwan's): $5.00
mixed veggies: $0.00 (thanks to coupon)
TOTAL COST: $7.10
ham, popcorn shrimp, baked potatoes, broccoli w/cheese sauce
ham $3 (approx.; small piece left from Christmas)
popcorn shrimp $4
potatoes (approx. 1 1/4 lbs.): $0.40
shredded cheese: $1.00
sour cream: $0.00 (thanks to coupon)
broccoli w/cheese sauce: $0.00 (thanks to coupon)
rice (for picky eater): $0.65
TOTAL COST: $9.05
pasta and spaghetti sauce:
box of pasta: $0.75
sauce: $0.75
parm cheese: $0.25
TOTAL COST: $1.75
pizza from Pizza Hut: $38 (enough for dinner and lunch the next day)
cube steaks w/gravy, mashed potatoes, corn, homemade yeast rolls
cube steaks: $4.00
mashed potatoes (Steam-n-mash) $1.00
gravy (2 jars): $1.30 (estimate)
corn: $0.00 (thanks to coupon)
rice: $0.65 (leftovers for breakfast next day)
flour: $0.25
shortening: $0.12
yeast: $0.00 (free plus overage thanks to coupon)
TOTAL COST: $7.30
taco salad (for the grown-ups) and ravioli with speghetti sauce (for kids)
Romaine lettuce: $1.00 (forgot to use coupon at Target - rats)
iceburg lettuce: $0.25
ground beef: $2.00
taco seasoning: $.35
sour cream: $0.00 (gotta love coupons)
picante sauce: $.50
fritos: $0.00 (again, gotta love coupons)
ravioli: $2.50
spaghetti sauce: $0.75
TOTAL COST: $7.35
Total eating at home:
Monday: $8.25
Tuesday: $7.10
Wednesday: $9.05
Thursday: $1.75
Friday: $0.00
Saturday: $7.30
Sunday: $7.35
TOTAl: $40.80
Total eating out:
Monday: $0.00
Tuesday: $0.00
Wednesday: $0.00
Thursday: $0.00
Friday: $0.00
Saturday: $38.00
Sunday: $0.00
TOTAL: $38.00
Well, $40.80 for 6 meals isn't too bad, but it was a bit high compared to our usual meal costs. Twice this week we had items from Schwan's (popcorn shrimp because we like it best and smoked sausage because I wanted to try it) and that really drives up the cost of a meal. It is pretty sad though that we ate 6 meals for approx. the same cost as Pizza Hut. Oh my!!!
I still need to figure out our meals for this week, but that will have to wait for later... The kiddos have been patient with me typing for this long but I can tell that their patience is wearing quite thin!!!
Blessings!
Cost of meals challenge
Hello friends! As some of you know I have been seriously couponing for just over a year and have built quite a stockpile (freezer and pantry). My struggle comes with planning meals. I have thought on this and prayed about it and the only thing I can come up with is that I get sick of the "same old meals" (and I have a family that prefers those "same old meals", so just making something new isn't always an option). It is this attitude (tossed in with some laziness at times) that has led us to eatting out more than we really should. I have even prayed that God would take away my desire for such junk but I still struggle. I have come to the conclusion that God has not taken away that desire because He wants me to have the self control to stay away from it. SIGH.... it would be so much easier if He would take care of it supernaturally! LOL!
Well, one thing I do on a regular basis is to roughly figure out the cost of our meals. (You can read a blog post where I detail a couple recent meal costs at: http://manystraits.blogspot.com/2009/02/frugal-dinners.html.) As I have been looking at the cost of our meals (usually between $5-$8 to feed my family of 7 - 2 adults and 5 kids ages 7 and under), I feel the Spirit telling me that my low meal costs (due to coupon shopping) should be my motivation to eat at home and be a better steward of our finances. Calculating that we all eat a good, wel-balanced meal with little giong to waste for $7 compared to grabbing junk from a local drive-through for $27 where too much gets thrown away really helps to keep things in perspective.
So, in light of that, I have decided that I am going to try to post my meals and meal costs daily (or at least several times a week). If you would like to follow me in this quest, I would love your encouragement and accountability. You can even join me in this quest by posting comments to share your meal costs or struggles with meal planning, etc.
Many Blessings and Happy Savings,
Amy
Well, one thing I do on a regular basis is to roughly figure out the cost of our meals. (You can read a blog post where I detail a couple recent meal costs at: http://manystraits.blogspot.com/2009/02/frugal-dinners.html.) As I have been looking at the cost of our meals (usually between $5-$8 to feed my family of 7 - 2 adults and 5 kids ages 7 and under), I feel the Spirit telling me that my low meal costs (due to coupon shopping) should be my motivation to eat at home and be a better steward of our finances. Calculating that we all eat a good, wel-balanced meal with little giong to waste for $7 compared to grabbing junk from a local drive-through for $27 where too much gets thrown away really helps to keep things in perspective.
So, in light of that, I have decided that I am going to try to post my meals and meal costs daily (or at least several times a week). If you would like to follow me in this quest, I would love your encouragement and accountability. You can even join me in this quest by posting comments to share your meal costs or struggles with meal planning, etc.
Many Blessings and Happy Savings,
Amy
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
$5 Dinners Bargain Meal of the Week
You may have heard of the blog $5 Dinners (http://www.5dollardinners.com/) where they feature meals that cost less than $5 to make. Well, they have added another element to their blog by enlisting bloggers from around the country to come up with meals (with recipes) for $5 or less using the items that are on sale at grocery stores that week. Visit this site (http://www.5dollardinners.com/2007/07/bargain-meal-of-week.html) and scan down to the blog listing for your store(s) of choice.
This is a really awesome idea and may give some new ideas on how to make economical/frugal meals with what is currently on sale!!
Many Blessings and Happy Savings,Amy
This is a really awesome idea and may give some new ideas on how to make economical/frugal meals with what is currently on sale!!
Many Blessings and Happy Savings,Amy
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Frugal dinners!!!
I just had to share with you a few of our frugal meals lately!! I am working very hard to prepare meals from what is in our pantry rather than spend more money at the grocery store when we already have more than plenty! So, here is what we have been eating:
Last Wednesday:
pork chops - 1.5 lbs. $3.50
New potatoes and green beans
in a rosemary butter sauce
(Green Giant Steamers) $0.00
Rice and gravy (for picky kiddo) $0.50
TOTAL $4.00
(I had a coupon for the pork chops as well as for the Steamers which made them FREE!!!)
(ALSO, I made dinner by browning the pork chops and then adding the contents of the Steamers bag to the top of the pork chops. As the butter chunks melted they cooked with the pork chops; it was super yummy!! I will definitely do that again!!)
Last Thursday:
chicken thighs in the crockpot w/seasoning - 2.5 lbs. $2.50
Cheesy broccoli rice (Green Giant Steamers) - 2 bags $0.00
corn (Green Giant Steamers) $0.00
Rice and gravy (for picky kiddo) $0.50
Stuffing mix $0.70
TOTAL $3.70
(I had coupons for the Steamers which made them FREE, and I bought the stuffing mixes when they were on sale at Thanksgiving and used a coupon. I may have also had a coupon for the chicken which would have made this meal even more frugal but I cannot say for sure, so I will go with what I know the price was on the package.)
Tonight:
Baked chicken alfredo
chicken - approx. 1 lb. $2.00
penne - 1/2 lb. $0.50
alfredo sauce $0.00
mozzerella cheese $0.50
Broccoli w/cheese (Green Giant Steamers) $0.00
Garlic cheese bread
hot dog buns $0.50
4-cheese blend $0.50
TOTAL $4.00
(I purchased the chicken through Angel Food Ministries a while back and needed to use it up before it got freezer burned. I had a catalina coupon for the alfredo sauce which made it FREE, and I used coupons on the pasta, cheese, buns and broccoli.)
Monday night we had a beef roast with mashed potatoes and gravy, buttermilk biscuits, corn, and rice. I am not sure what I paid for the roast or the potatoes so I cannot price this meal out, but it does split into 2 meals as I will use my leftovers for a shepherd's pie to put in the freezer for dinner another night.
I have been teased by many for hoarding Steamers coupons, but through them I was able to purchase LOTS of FREE veggies!!!
Blessings!
Last Wednesday:
pork chops - 1.5 lbs. $3.50
New potatoes and green beans
in a rosemary butter sauce
(Green Giant Steamers) $0.00
Rice and gravy (for picky kiddo) $0.50
TOTAL $4.00
(I had a coupon for the pork chops as well as for the Steamers which made them FREE!!!)
(ALSO, I made dinner by browning the pork chops and then adding the contents of the Steamers bag to the top of the pork chops. As the butter chunks melted they cooked with the pork chops; it was super yummy!! I will definitely do that again!!)
Last Thursday:
chicken thighs in the crockpot w/seasoning - 2.5 lbs. $2.50
Cheesy broccoli rice (Green Giant Steamers) - 2 bags $0.00
corn (Green Giant Steamers) $0.00
Rice and gravy (for picky kiddo) $0.50
Stuffing mix $0.70
TOTAL $3.70
(I had coupons for the Steamers which made them FREE, and I bought the stuffing mixes when they were on sale at Thanksgiving and used a coupon. I may have also had a coupon for the chicken which would have made this meal even more frugal but I cannot say for sure, so I will go with what I know the price was on the package.)
Tonight:
Baked chicken alfredo
chicken - approx. 1 lb. $2.00
penne - 1/2 lb. $0.50
alfredo sauce $0.00
mozzerella cheese $0.50
Broccoli w/cheese (Green Giant Steamers) $0.00
Garlic cheese bread
hot dog buns $0.50
4-cheese blend $0.50
TOTAL $4.00
(I purchased the chicken through Angel Food Ministries a while back and needed to use it up before it got freezer burned. I had a catalina coupon for the alfredo sauce which made it FREE, and I used coupons on the pasta, cheese, buns and broccoli.)
Monday night we had a beef roast with mashed potatoes and gravy, buttermilk biscuits, corn, and rice. I am not sure what I paid for the roast or the potatoes so I cannot price this meal out, but it does split into 2 meals as I will use my leftovers for a shepherd's pie to put in the freezer for dinner another night.
I have been teased by many for hoarding Steamers coupons, but through them I was able to purchase LOTS of FREE veggies!!!
Blessings!
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