Tentative menu for week of 7/20

I think I have some ideas for a menu for this week. It's a little up in the air, but it's a particularly low-budget menu, so I'll use up the extra cash to go out with some moms from a local homeschooling group tonight, and to stock up on chicken which is 50% off at Acme this week!

Breakfasts: cereal, oatmeal, maybe some homemade bagels if I'm feeling ambitious

Lunches: Sandwiches, soup from the stash and freezer, and cut veggies

Dinners:
Monday: Hot dogs, pasta salad, and fresh cukes from the garden for DH and kids (I'm going to Cheesburger in Paradise!)
Tuesday: Salads with grilled pork and homemade ranch dressing (I'm so craving this right now! And I'll substitute whatever meat fits in the budget if need be)
Wednesday: Homemade pizzas with sausage and spinach (for the grown-ups) and plain cheese (for the kids). Dessert night: Chocolate cake
Thursday: Leftover night (most likely salads - and cake, of course!)
Friday: Baked ziti with tomatoes (this is ridiculously easy, which is good because I'm babysitting until 8pm)
Saturday: Finish up whatever salad stuff is left and have some more pasta
Sunday: Grilled or baked chicken, potatoes and veggies with homemade salsa (have to use up some garden hot peppers!)


One of my goals this week was to start using the sweet italian sausage I have in the freezer. I love to eat it on sandwiches with peppers and onions, but no one else in my house does! So this week I'll try it on pizza. How would you use up that kind of sausage?

I found it!

Ah, that Acme receipt finally turned up, so I can post my spending summary for the week thus far.

In my second check-out at Acme on 5/31, I picked up

• 2 5-packs of Kraft Mac N Cheese
• 2 10-packs of Capri Sun Sunrise
• jar of mayonnaise
• 2-liter of A&W root beer
• half-gallon of Edy's Ice Cream
• 2 boxes of Eggo waffles

Grand total: $8.69

So this month so far (I'm counting 5/31 for June): $79.83

Acme shopping and deals for 5/31

I got up early this morning (before my son commenced vomiting, fortunately) and picked up some deals at Acme. Some were major luck... the person checking out in front of me didn't wait for her coupons from the printer, so the cashier gave them to me. I scored a coupon for $2 off the next purchase and a free Edy's Ice Cream! I made a second trip into the store to pick up the ice cream and more Kraft deals, but I've lost that second receipt, so until I find it, here are the highlights from my first check-out:

Bisquick - $3.69 less .60 coupon doubled = $2.49
Kraft MacNCheese - 5 packs were BOGO + each pack had a tear off coupon for a free box of Capri Sun orange juice packs, so I got 10 boxes of Mac N Cheese + 20 Capri Sun packets for $5.29! This also triggered a register coupon for $2 off my next order!
5lb Green Giant Russet potatoes - $1.49
Kellogg's Corn Flakes - $1.99 with a tear off coupon for $1 off fresh fruit, which I was buying anyway, so I used that toward bananas.

Typically I do my grocery shopping at a Wal-Mart Supercenter or Giant, but being early AM and my family in need of groceries this week, I didn't have a ton of time to plan ahead and shop around. Some items seemed extremely expensive to me.
For example, ground turkey was $4.79 for 1.3lb. I bought 1lb at Wal-Mart later today for $1.76.
Hard salami is a staple in our deli drawer as my husband packs a sandwich every day for work, and when it's not on sale at Giant, I pay $5.99 per pound. Today, I paid $4 for half a pound.

Lesson learned: Shop Acme for the deals, and stick to the other stores for other items!

Today's total: $71.14