Menu Plan: Spring (June 8-14)

**There is now a photo album on the RH Facebook page just for food photos. If you like to see a photo of a dish to judge whether you want to try it or not, then follow the link to view the album. (I tend to like recipes & cookbooks that include lots of photos). Let's be honest, some dishes are just too pretty to not take a picture! ;) **

  Strategies

• We had several meals from last week that we didn't quite get to, so they became a good start for this week. It's helpful to plan meals that use more shelf ingredients towards the end of the week just in case they are needed to roll over to the next week. 
• Lunch on Sundays tend to be rather rushed and late once we return from church. We've decided to reserve this meal occasion for slow cooker meals. (If you have any favorites, then please share! I've not made too many slow cooker meals!)
• I'm enjoying more leftovers for lunches nowadays. Some days I have a bit of extra time to cook a full meal for lunch. Other times, though, I'm more pressed for time and we end up doing breakfast for lunch at the last minute. (Plus, leftover lunches is also a great way to reduce expenses because I don't have to purchase as many meal ingredients).

OUR MENU PLAN FOR THIS WEEK

*Note: I include links to the recipes if they are available online. Some recipes are from cookbooks we have at home, and while I can't share the recipe I can direct you to the source. Other dishes or meals are created by myself or my husband, and we can do our best to explain how to recreate it. If you'd like additional information on any of the meals or our menu planning, then please feel free to contact me. :) 

Breakfasts

- Cereal with banana

- Eggs and toast

- Green smoothie of some sort

Lunches

- Turkey, corn and sun-dried tomato wrap

- Bean and rice burritos

- Chicken pot pie leftovers

- pizza leftovers

-  Fish tacos with guacamole

- leftover sweet potato fritters and pinto beans

Dinners

- Caramelized onion and white bean pizza (leaving off the pepitas)

- Pork chops, asparagus, au gratin potatoes

- Sweet potato fritters and pinto beans

- Grilled vegetable sandwiches on homemade focaccia bread

- Spaghetti alla Carbonara, cucumber-onion salad

- Country Fried Steak w/ Mushroom Gravy, corn, collard greens

Snacks

- toast with peanut butter and dried mixed berries 

- fruit

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!)

What's on your family's menu plan this week?

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(Your name (first name + last initial) and comment may be used in the upcoming Reviving Homemaking ebook. If you wish for your name to not be included, then please simply use "anonymous" or "guest." Thank you for your input!)

Menu Plan: Spring (June 1-7)

**There is now a photo album on the RH Facebook page just for food photos. If you like to see a photo of a dish to judge whether you want to try it or not, then follow the link to view the album. (I tend to like recipes & cookbooks that include lots of photos). Let's be honest, some dishes are just too pretty to not take a picture! ;) **

  Strategies

• A whole chicken is often a more economical purchase than the pre-cut and packaged ones. We purchased one chicken to use for three meals. 
• We're also using some packages of beef from our freezer. (Mama needs more space to store milk. haha)

OUR MENU PLAN FOR THIS WEEK

*Note: I include links to the recipes if they are available online. Some recipes are from cookbooks we have at home, and while I can't share the recipe I can direct you to the source. Other dishes or meals are created by myself or my husband, and we can do our best to explain how to recreate it. If you'd like additional information on any of the meals or our menu planning, then please feel free to contact me. :) 

Breakfasts

- Cereal with banana

- Eggs and toast

Lunches

- Tomato and provolone sandwiches

- Bean and rice burritos

- Taco salad

- pizza leftovers

- roast leftovers

Dinners

- Caramelized onion and white bean pizza (leaving off the pepitas)

- Pot roast with potatoes, carrots and onions

- Beans and rice

- BBQ chicken, corn, asparagus

- Chicken pot pie

- Chicken piccata with pasta and mushrooms

Snacks

- toast with peanut butter and dried mixed berries 

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!)

What's on your family's menu plan this week?

Linked up at: 

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Join Reviving Homemaking on Facebook!

Visit the Reviving Homemaking Etsy Shop!

Follow Reviving Homemaking on Pinterest!

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-Question for YOU!-*-*-*-*-*-*-

What is something you wish you had learned to do before getting married or having children? Why?

(Your name (first name + last initial) and comment may be used in the upcoming Reviving Homemaking ebook. If you wish for your name to not be included, then please simply use "anonymous" or "guest." Thank you for your input!)

Menu Plan: Spring (June 9-15)

**There is now a photo album on the RH Facebook page just for food photos. If you like to see a photo of a dish to judge whether you want to try it or not, then follow the link to view the album. (I tend to like recipes & cookbooks that include lots of photos). Let's be honest, some dishes are just too pretty to not take a picture! ;) **

     I'm fairly passionate about growing in knowledge and skill in working with real foods. In my experience, once you put down the packages and pick up food in its whole form the disconnect people have from their food is hard to miss. I've found that frequently individuals simply don't know what real food is much less how to work with it. The cashiers at the grocery probably dread seeing us enter their lines each week because they're in for a produce pop quiz. For instance, this week's trip-

Cashier: Is this a zucchini squash?
Us: No, that's a yellow squash
...
Cashier: Are these regular green beans?
Us: No, those are sugar snap peas.

Lastly,
Cashier: Do you care how heavy the bags are?
Me: Yes. For one, I have to lift them. Second, heavy items will bruise softer ones.

Oh my, sometimes it's just too much. ;) 

Strategies

• This week's shopping list is quite short! Our schedule got jumbled a bit last week, and so we didn't stick closely to the menu plan. That's okay because we are starting out this week with three meals that were shopped for last week.

• We didn't have to buy any new meats this week because we already had what we needed stored in the freezer. Buying in larger quantities and then storing frozen is a great way to save money on meat! 

• Some items require some planning ahead. It's easiest to cook time-consuming items prior to the moment of need. For instance, tortillas require about an hour for the dough to form and rest. Dried beans require about an hour soak, and then additional time to cook. These are time requirements that I do not want to face when it is time to cook for a meal occasion. I got up early one morning and got to work making each of these so that they'd be ready to go throughout the week. That's one less item to make at meal times!

• Tip: write your grocery list and the date in a little notebook each week/month. This way you can easily see how much and how frequently you purchase items. You can then use that information to determine the value of purchasing in bulk for your family's needs. If you don't use the entirety of a bulk purchase before it goes bad, then it would have been wiser to buy the smaller quantity even though it would have been at a higher unit price. Below is a copy of our list for this week:

Click image to view larger

OUR MENU PLAN FOR THIS WEEK

*Note: I include links to the recipes if they are available online. Some recipes are from cookbooks we have at home, and while I can't share the recipe I can direct you to the source. Other dishes or meals are created by myself or my husband, and we can do our best to explain how to recreate it. If you'd like additional information on any of the meals or our menu planning, then please feel free to contact me. :) 

Breakfasts

- oatmeal with diced apple, walnuts, and flaxseed meal

- granola cereal, banana

- oatmeal with dried cherries, almonds, and flaxseed meal

- whole wheat toast with peanut butter and drizzle of honey 

- cottage cheese with diced strawberries

(repeat all to keep it simple!)

Lunches

- Garden salad (romaine lettuce, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, carrot, cucumber etc)

- Beef and cheddar sandwiches, zucchini chips

- Bacon, egg & asparagus pizza

- Okra & chickpea tagine 

- Vegetable casserole (I'm normally not a casserole fan, but we're going to give this one a try)

- Maple-carrot couscous salad

Dinners

- Roast beef, seasoned potatoes, broccoli

- Chicken pot pie

- Gingered tilapia with starfruit/mango garnish

- Grilled veggie sandwiches

- repeat chicken pot pie

- repeat vegetable casserole

Snacks

- homemade crackers 

- cottage cheese and diced pineapple

- apple and cheese slices

- almonds

- yogurt with dried apricots

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!)

What's on your family's menu plan this week?

Linked up at: 

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Join Reviving Homemaking on Facebook!

Visit the Reviving Homemaking Etsy Shop!

Follow Reviving Homemaking on Pinterest!

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-Question for YOU!-*-*-*-*-*-*-

What is something you wish you had learned to do before getting married or having children? Why?

(Your name (first name + last initial) and comment may be used in the upcoming Reviving Homemaking ebook. If you wish for your name to not be included, then please simply use "anonymous" or "guest." Thank you for your input!)

Menu Plan: Spring (June 2-8)

**There is now a photo album on the RH Facebook page just for food photos. If you like to see a photo of a dish to judge whether you want to try it or not, then follow the link to view the album. (I tend to like recipes & cookbooks that include lots of photos). Let's be honest, some dishes are just too pretty to not take a picture! ;) **

Strategies

• Some items require some planning ahead. It's easiest to cook time-consuming items prior to the moment of need. For instance, tortillas require about an hour for the dough to form and rest. Dried beans require about an hour soak, and then additional time to cook. These are time requirements that I do not want to face when it is time to cook for a meal occasion. I got up early one morning and got to work making each of these so that they'd be ready to go throughout the week. That's one less item to make at meal times!

• Tip: write your grocery list and the date in a little notebook each week/month. This way you can easily see how much and how frequently you purchase items. You can then use that information to determine the value of purchasing in bulk for your family's needs. If you don't use the entirety of a bulk purchase before it goes bad, then it would have been wiser to buy the smaller quantity even though it would have been at a higher unit price. Below is a copy of our list for this week:

Click image to view larger

OUR MENU PLAN FOR THIS WEEK:

*Note: I include links to the recipes if they are available online. Some recipes are from cookbooks we have at home, and while I can't share the recipe I can direct you to the source. Other dishes or meals are created by myself or my husband, and we can do our best to explain how to recreate it. If you'd like additional information on any of the meals or our menu planning, then please feel free to contact me. :) 

Breakfasts

- oatmeal with diced apple, walnuts, and flaxseed meal

- granola cereal, banana

- oatmeal with dried cherries, almonds, and flaxseed meal

- whole wheat toast with peanut butter and drizzle of honey 

(repeat all to keep it simple!)

Lunches

- Caesar salad with homemade croutons and dressing

- Broccoli & feta pasta (using homemade feta cheese) 

- repeat broccoli & feta pasta

- Creamy avocado & white bean wraps (using homemade tortillas)

- Bacon, egg & asparagus pizza

- Sauteed shrimp with ginger cream, broccoli

- Okra & chickpea tagine 

Dinners

- Mustard greens & bulgur (added homemade feta)

- Grilled chicken, asparagus and macaroni & cheese

- Mediterranean chicken stew

- [gathering with friends] Hamburgers & hotdogs on the grill provided & everyone else bringing a side 

- BBQ portobello quesadillas, black beans or mango salsa 

- Grilled pork steaks, corn & spiced apples

- leftovers

Snacks

- homemade crackers with peanut butter

- cottage cheese and diced pineapple

- apple and cheese slices

- almonds

- yogurt with dried apricots

- homemade granola or other bar

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!)

Linked up at: 

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Join Reviving Homemaking on Facebook!

Visit the Reviving Homemaking Etsy Shop!

Follow Reviving Homemaking on Pinterest!

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-Question for YOU!-*-*-*-*-*-*-

What is something you wish you had learned to do before getting married or having children? Why?

(Your name (first name + last initial) and comment may be used in the upcoming Reviving Homemaking ebook. If you wish for your name to not be included, then please simply use "anonymous" or "guest." Thank you for your input!)

Menu Plan: Spring (May 26 - June 1)

Strategies

• We found a great little farm that offers milk, cheeses, beef, and some pork. We were pleasantly surprised to find the prices of grass-fed meats & dairy products to be less than (or for some, comparable) offered conventionally in the grocery. We took a little drive this past weekend and stocked several meats in our freezer. We're certainly enjoying the availability of local meats & produce within only a short distance of our current hometown!
• This week, we decided to use the extra time afforded by the holiday to cook the extra turkey we purchased on sale back during the fall. Turkey is a great economical meat option. We can probably get up to six meals from the one bird, depending on the meals. In addition, turkey is just too tasty to only have it one time a year! 
• Since we've worked from within our freezer and pantry stock these past few weeks, we figured this week would be good to get some extras and try out some new ingredients and dishes. I also picked up some mini cucumbers to make into homemade pickles. I love pickles, but I don't love the added colorings and other unnecessary junk contained in purchased pickles. So, I'm going to make my own! 

• Tip: write your grocery list and the date in a little notebook each week/month. This way you can easily see how much and how frequently you purchase items. You can then use that information to determine the value of purchasing in bulk for your family's needs. If you don't use the entirety of a bulk purchase before it goes bad, then it would have been wiser to buy the smaller quantity even though it would have been at a higher unit price. Below is a copy of our list for this week:
  

OUR MENU PLAN FOR THIS WEEK:

*Note: I include links to the recipes if they are available online. Some recipes are from cookbooks we have at home, and while I can't share the recipe I can direct you to the source. Other dishes or meals are created by myself or my husband, and we can do our best to explain how to recreate it. If you'd like additional information on any of the meals or our menu planning, then please feel free to contact me. :) 

Breakfasts

- oatmeal with diced apple, walnuts, and flaxseed meal

- granola cereal, banana

- oatmeal with dried cherries, almonds, and flaxseed meal

- whole wheat biscuit/toast with peanut butter and drizzle of honey 

(repeat all to keep it simple!)

Lunches

- Strawberry & spinach salad (spinach, strawberries, homemade feta cheese (blue cheese if feta isn't ready yet), raisins, pecans and/or almonds with a homemade vinaigrette dressing)

- Tortellini with Tomato-Basil Sauce

- Turkey salad wrap (using homemade tortillas) or panini-style sandwich (if I make bread in time)

- Veggie spring rolls (using this recipe as inspiration)

- Grilled Veggies & Polenta

Dinners

- Turkey, sweet potatoes, green beans

- Fish tacos with mango salsa (Hubby's recipe that I cannot seem to master. haha)

- Leftover turkey, homemade mac n' cheese, swiss chard (we've never had swiss chard, and so decided to give it a go!)

- Bean & rice burritos (great economical meal option!)

- Breakfast for dinner: hubby's favorite --> eggs, sausage, biscuits, fresh apple juice (we'll make sausage biscuits from any leftovers and wrap them up to store in the freezer. Then, we'll have a quick breakfast to grab and go whenever we need!)

Snacks

- homemade crackers with peanut butter

- cottage cheese and diced cantaloupe (fruit stored in the freezer)

- apple and cheese slices

- almonds

- yogurt with dried apricots

- homemade granola or other bar

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!)

Linked up at: 

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Join Reviving Homemaking on Facebook!

Visit the Reviving Homemaking Etsy Shop!

Follow Reviving Homemaking on Pinterest!

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-Question for YOU!-*-*-*-*-*-*-

What is something you wish you had learned to do before getting married or having children? Why?

(Your name (first name + last initial) and comment may be used in the upcoming Reviving Homemaking ebook. If you wish for your name to not be included, then please simply use "anonymous" or "guest." Thank you for your input!)