Month of Meals, post 1 of 2

[okp]

This post has been a month in the making. Instead of just tossing them in the trash, I've been putting my weekly meal plan on the fridge - saving them up so that I could post a month's worth of meals! A couple notes before I post the meals/links:

• I usually write out my meal plan on Saturday morning before going to the grocery store. I generally only go grocery shopping once a week.
  
• I tried to vary the meals so that I can take advantage of sales. I'm paying attention to when things go on sale, so that I can figure out the routine. It seems that Kroger puts chicken breasts on sale about every 4-5 weeks. When that happens, I stock up! Then I just take chicken out of the freezer when needed.
  
• Most of what I make during the week is 30 minutes or less to get on the table (I work full time). Recipes that take longer are reserved for the weekend when I have more time.
  
• I rarely buy fresh vegetables for side items, because I found they weren't staying fresh for when I needed them. I try to watch for when frozen veggies go on sale, and I stock up on those, too. I've read numerous times that frozen veggies can actually be healthier than fresh, because they are frozen right after being picked. I do, however, use fresh veggies for most recipes.
  
• I try to keep miscellaneous side items in the pantry, such as mashed potatoes (yes, I make those out of the box!), rice/noodle mixes, black beans, pasta, rice, etc.) You will never find my refrigerator without shredded cheddar cheese and a huge jug of Pace picante sauce, because I use both of them in so many different things!
  
• I also keep bacon in the fridge - I splurge and buy the precooked kind that comes in individual packages. It stays fresher longer in the individual packages, so I waste less. And I'm more likely to use it if it's easy to make. That makes it worth the extra cost for me.
  
• I also always have stuff on hand to make breakfast for dinner. A couple months ago, I bought a big box of individual breakfast sausage patties from the freezer section at my grocery store. I repackaged the box into heavy duty freezer bags to help protect the sausage from freezer burn. Now when I want to make breakfast for dinner, all it takes is about a minute or two in the microwave to thaw them. It really cuts down on eating out to have a quick and easy meal to throw together at the last minute. I usually keep a can of refrigerated biscuit dough in the fridge, because we like sausage biscuits.
  
• My grocery budget is about $100 a week, but I spend anywhere from $75-100. It just depends on how much stocking up I'm doing. I'm feeding two adults and a two year old; the 5 month old still just gets what she needs from me! :) I generally cook 5-6 dinners a week, then a 7th dinner is something easy (frozen chicken nuggets or similar). Lunch on Saturday is usually a frozen pizza. My lunches during the week are mostly leftovers. We snack on fruit, yogurt, dry cereal, and some junk food (crackers, chips, etc.).
  
• I have a couple three ring binders filled with sheet protectors, and this is where I organize any recipes I print off the internet or tear out of magazines. Note: if I like something in a magazine, I tear out the entire page right then. It helps to make sure clutter doesn't pile up, and I'm much more likely to actually use what I tore out.

The next post will contain a list of the meals I've made in the last month, as well as links to a bunch of the recipes. I hope you find it helpful!

What meal planning tips or strategies can you share? I would love to read them!