I live, write, and garden in the PNW with my husband of 27 years, disabled daughter, college-aged son, and my 84-year-old mother. We have paid off $250,000.00 worth of debt (if you include the interest) in the last fifteen years and as of 6/12/2020 are 100% DEBT FREE!!!!I tend to track my leftovers pretty well. That habit is getting well-established. But trying to keep menu plans going, well, it works for a week or two and then I let it go. But during the weeks it works, it works really well. I want it to work all the time. Not working leads to meals out and way too much money spent.
I think what I need is six weeks of weekly menues that I can put into rotation. I also need to make enough at meals to provide for leftovers for other meals. Like tacos one night and taco salads for lunch the next day, spaghetti and meatballs followed by meatball sandwiches. Macaroni followed by macaroni pie, that sort of thing.
I want to have in place a working system by the time February starts. In the beginning menues should draw on what I have on hand in the pantry and the freezer. I have a lot of sauces that I picked up for cheap at Sunshine Liquidators, our local overstock and scratch and dent place. And they are all free of allergens or additives that we are allergic to or can't eat. So I need to figure out how to use them. A lot of them have recipes on the back of the bottle so I can play around with those and make sure they are financially feasible recipes.
I'd also like to do some OAMC, well maybe some shorter sessions that can bank some freezer meals for the nights were I am exhausted or sick. Just to make life easier and us not so prone to go out. That going out to eat is really what kills the budget. That and school hot lunches. Have to get those things under control.
Financial Improvements--Food Management
December 31st, 2006 at 07:39 am
December 31st, 2006 at 09:00 am 1167555659
Pinto Beans w/o the ham - separate out some strictly for Ham & Beans - Then it's Chili night w/those beans that had no ham in it - then Chili Dogs.
Then Spaghetti and then w/any leftover Chili it becomes Three-Way.
Cold Tuna Salad for Soup & Sandwich Night. Any leftover gets added to some plain cooked pasta and refrigerated for a cold salad.
Homemade Pizza Night (use recipe in Tightwad Gazette books). Leftover pepperoni meat added to cooked pasta, w/butter or olive oil, onions, fresh garlic toss.
December 31st, 2006 at 12:41 pm 1167568861
December 31st, 2006 at 02:23 pm 1167574980
I also am a big user of the three slow cookers and the pressure cooker we have. The pressure cooker is really the best for preventing eating out. I can cook a beef roast, with vegetables, in less than 30 minutes.
We do a lot of planned overs, too, and I like that a lot.
I don't do well with meal planning and I'm not sure why. I've done it and like the results but I don't stick with it. Again, part of that might be that I really have no *need* for it so it just isn't a priority for me. I do have a list I've made over the years of 60 main dishes we really like and those are pretty much what we eat with salads and vegetables added and occasionally home made bread. I don't plan what we'll have on what night but we eat simple foods that are easy to prepare so picking what to have for dinner isn't a major chore.
December 31st, 2006 at 05:03 pm 1167584608
December 31st, 2006 at 05:08 pm 1167584937
December 31st, 2006 at 06:38 pm 1167590304
December 31st, 2006 at 10:31 pm 1167604274
December 31st, 2006 at 11:03 pm 1167606190