The first meal plan of 2016! As with everyone else I speak to, this week is about lighter eating, healthier, fresher foods and reduced portion sizes. Does anyone else get fed up with food by the end of the holidays? I feel like I’m all food-ed out. I’m craving fruit and salad and other healthy things. I think I’ve eaten enough roast potatoes to last me until next Christmas. We still have a lot of food to eat up, but it’s going to be all in moderation from now on.
I do our grocery shopping on Sunday morning whilst Mr FC has some quality daddy-baby time with our little one, so I can take my time in the supermarket. I actually enjoy food shopping and browsing round the store, though I make sure that I stick to the list that I make before I go. Making a list means that I don’t buy things we don’t need, plus ensures that nothing gets thrown away. I couldn’t believe it, but in our local supermarket, there are some Easter things already on the shelves. Seriously?! Christmas is just over and yet the next holiday which is over commercialised is already being pushed on us. I refuse to buy mini eggs in January, no matter how tasty they are!
So, our meal plan for this week is as follows:
Monday – leftover Sunday dinner (roast pork)
Tuesday – spaghetti puttanesca
Wednesday – mushroom omelette
Thursday – SC pork chops with mash and gravy
Friday – pea and bacon risotto
Saturday – grilled sausages with sweet potato mash and gravy
Monday night is supposed to be pizza night as we take DS to his swimming lessons, but as we have leftover Sunday dinner, it will be just as quick to eat that as leftovers than to put a pizza in the oven. Plus, it means no waste! The timings for the swimming lesson are slightly awkward, so this is the best and most straightforward option.
Breakfast and lunches are included in our budget as well; breakfast is normally a banana for Mr FC. I had got into the (slightly) bad habit of having a cereal bar for breakfast, just to have something quick and easy so I’m trying to also have some fruit for breakfast, plus a yogurt so it’s more filling. Lunches can be a variety of things; sandwiches, soup, salads, vegetables and dip, just depends on the week and the mood we’re in. Now that I’m at home during the day, I can take longer over my lunch so try to have something hot and filling; as the weather is getting cooler I am loving having warm things to eat, such as soup or beans on toast, all from the store cupboard.
Related posts:
- Healthy Eating On A Budget
- 3 Healthy Breakfast Recipes On A Budget
- 3 Healthy Lunch Recipes On A Budget
Part of our planning and budget for food means that some items are used from our stockpile every week. This is so the food we already have in the cupboards is used regularly and rotated so nothing goes to waste, but it’s also a good habit to get in to so that if we cannot get to the shops for whatever reason, I can make meals from what we already have in the cupboards. Out of the meal plan for this week the beans and soup (for my lunches) are all from the stock cupboard. We’ve got a couple of eggs left and lots of tins so I’m trying to work my way through them. The pork chops are also from the freezer, as I got them in the reduced section a couple of weeks ago, as are the sausages as they were also reduced.
Related posts:
What are you eating this week? Trying anything new? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
That’s cool that you get some alone time once a week. I don’t like going to the grocery store so my hat’s off to you. This year my plan is to continue to eat more fresh and actually stick to eat..
Sticking to it is the hardest part – good luck with it all 🙂
The food look fresh and good. I am starting to get into cooking because I live alone I have to cook.
You are right about sticking to your list.
Do you batch cook so that you have some meals in the freezer to use too?
Good post. I agree I tend to try and make sure I stick to my list if I don’t I end up spending more that I planned and it is easy to get tempted to buy other things.
Only exception is if there is a good deal or bargain on something I am going to use anyway.
Yes, I buy things if there’s a good deal on something we would use normally, otherwise I stick to my list! 🙂