Menu Plan: Winter (March 10-16)

Strategies used this week:

Sometimes the perks or rewards at grocery stores are really not all that valuable. Most rewards programs are targeted towards the packaged products, since that's where the money is made in the food industry. Since we focus on the basics for our dry goods (flours, sugars, dried fruits,  grains, beans etc), dairy, un-processed meats, and lots of produce we've come to learn that the points don't add up to much. These programs work by enticing you to purchase products in exchange for a "reward" in the end. The deal may even sound good and be something like 10/$10 or Buy One Get One. The catch in these offers may be that you are required to purchase the full amount in order to get the savings. Also, the sale offer may be for an item that is unnecessary and you might have other wise passed over it. Truth is, you can save quite a bit by simply not buying than by buying on sale. Take a note from the sales ads each week. How many pages are devoted to basics like meats and produce? How many pages display packaged products on sale? About twice as many packaged as basic. This is where grocery money is often unnecessarily spent.  Some families may be large enough for the basics to add up to enough points to receive the reward. However, it is wise to keep track of your grocery purchases and determine at what cost participating in grocery store rewards/perk programs comes for your family. It may be the case that you could save by shopping wholesale, in bulk or at a discount grocery store instead of relying on "rewards."

Breakfasts

- Egg Sandwich (scrambled eggs &  cheddar cheese on toast), orange

- Winter Oatmeal (oats, diced apple, flaxseed meal, cinnamon, chopped walnuts, drizzle honey)

- Egg & Veggie Omelet (eggs, swiss cheese, diced tomato, sliced mushrooms, diced bell pepper, S &P to taste), toast, orange

- Toast with peanut butter and diced apples 

- Favorite green smoothie

Lunches

-Wild rice & mushroom soup (yum!)

-Spaghetti with (ground turkey) meatballs and sauce, side green salad

-Roast beef, mashed potatoes, asparagus

-Veggie quinoa burgers, baked potato fries with homemade seasoned salt

-Beef & cheddar sandwiches

-Barley casserole

Dinners

-repeat soup

-Curry Scallops, cilantro rice, roasted carrots with coriander 

-repeat barley casserole

-beef, sweet pea and noodle stir fry

-Loaded baked potatoes with chicken, mozzarella, and tomatoes

-Spring Pizza with whole wheat crust

Snacks

-celery with peanut butter

-fruit: oranges, pear, apples

-cheese slices

-homemade crackers

- Healthy chocolate chip cookies

Weekly Menu Planning Sheet

*Note: Reviving Homemaking is not affiliated with any of the sites or companies included in the links, and was not asked to include or recommend them or their recipes in this post. (I simply like what they have to offer!)

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