Thursday 29 January 2015

My Menu Plan Monday 19th January - Thursday 19th February 2015

Having a menu plan is a great way to save lots of time and money.  It eliminates meal time stress and gives you a chance to plan ahead.  Over the last month I've been a little slack with my menu plan.  For a few weeks I didn't have one as such but I always have a fully stocked pantry,  fridge and freezers.  It was no big deal as such as we didn't spend any extra money.  It just felt a little weird not having a plan.

Here's the long awaited new menu plan -

Mon 19th -   Roast chicken,  mash and veg
Tues 20th -  Slice meat,  pasta salad,  potato salad and green salad - Megan's birthday request.
Wed 21st -  Same as yesterday as I made double.
Thurs 22nd -  Tuna casserole and greens
Fri 23rd -  Bits and pieces from the fridge.
Sat 24th -  BBQ sausages,  rissoles and ribs with salad. - we had visitors
Sun 25th - Leftovers from yesterday.
Mon 26th -  Homemade hamburgers and wedges.
Tues 27th -  Soup made with Christmas ham bone,  potato,  carrots and corn
Wed 28th - Leftover soup and bread rolls
Thurs 29th - Fish portions,  wedges and salad.
Fri 30th -  Freezer meals ( leftovers I've frozen )
Sat 31st -  Homemade KFC chicken drumsticks and salad
Sun 1st Feb - Tacos
Mon 2nd -  BBQ sausages,  ribs and green salad
Tues 3rd - Spag bol
Wed 4th -  Homemade pizzas made with frozen Christmas ham
Thurs 5th - Salmon patties and salad
Fri 6th -  Chicken schnitzels and salad
Sat 7th -  Megan's party so it could be bought pizzas for the girls
Sun 8th - Get your own but feed me
Mon 9th -  BBQ rissoles,  potato slices and salad
Tues 10th -  Meatloaf,  salad, and baked potatoes
Wed 11th -  Homemade meat pie and greens
Thurs 12th - Tuna pasta bake
Fri 13th -   Homemade hamburgers
Sat 14th -  Chicken and salad
Sun 15th - Get your own but feed me
Mon 16th -  BBQ chops and salad
Tues 17th -  Honey mustard chicken and rice
Wed 18th -  Lasagne and greens
Thurs 19th -  Fish potions,  zuc slice and vegies. 

As always, the menu can change at any time depending on the weather.

Everything is made from scratch including sauces.  The only exception is the fish portions.  Fish is so expensive and the portions are a cheap way to have a little fish.

A roast dinner

Pizza subs - one of the many ways we make pizzas.


Honey mustard chicken

16 comments:

  1. Thanks Wendy for posting this as I'm just about to do my menu plan for the month. Since we have been back from holidays, I haven't had a menu plan and it does feel abit disorganized, but still cooked all our meals. Do you put a marinade on the Ribs? Love your menu plan, it's so summer, thanks, Maureen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We bought the ribs from Tasman Meats for under $4 a kilo. Some were plain the others had a chillie sauce already on it..

      You could do saucy ribs with tomato and bbq sauce, mustard powder and seasonings.

      Delete
  2. That looks excellent Wendy. What sorts of things does your family eat on the get your own nights? I rather love that idea. Here, I think that would mean scrambled eggs all round! The fresh salad greens look mouthwatering! Nice work :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It could be crumpets, scrambled eggs, pasta with tomato sauce and cheeses, leftovers, pancakes, boiled potato with vegies and cheese, homemade pizza, soup and toast. As long as it's easy and cheap.

      Delete
  3. Hi Wendy
    The pizza subs look great! What type of base do you use?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think the bread in the picture was turkish bread given to us. Any flat bread, pita bread or homemade pizza bases work well. You could even use rolls.

      Delete
  4. Hi Wendy

    I would like to try your Homemade KFC chicken drumsticks. Could you please post recipe.

    Thanks Samantha

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Wendy, I have just resumed menu planning after the holidays. I started menu planning towards the end of last year when I was on long service leave (just for a fortnight though) and it was great, we certainly saved money and it saved my sanity. My son loved that he could look on the fridge door and know what was for dinner each night lol. However it all fell by the wayside when I went back to work. So I have resumed menu planning and vowing to stick with it, especially as my work situation has changed dramatically, so money is very tight. Thanks for sharing your menu plan with us. I read either on your blog or the cheapskates blog that when you menu plan that you should ask the family what their fave meals are and then try to incorporate them into your menu planning. This is my next goal- get the family more involved. Have a great weekend. Cheers Donna Z :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Donna, when a menu plan works really well, save it for use some time in the future. It comes in handy when you don't have time to plan another one. Just write it out again and change the dates.

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  6. It all looks yummy Wendy...I am going to include your Honey mustard Chicken in my menu plan. I make a plan for a month, but the nights might get swapped here and there. I don't see that as a problem, as it works out in the end. Our 'Easy' night as I call it is usually consists of Baked Beans on toast with maybe and egg thrown in, or soup from the freezer, or leftovers.
    Thanks for positing you Menu Plan.
    Kathryn

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  7. Hi Wendy, Your menu plan looks very yummy and has inspired me to change mind around abit and add some more of your meals! You seem to be a very good cook! Do you cook pasta carbonara by any chance?Also, I am wondering whether you could tell me what kind of stuff you all do for special occasions, valentines day, easter, birthdays. Do you go out somewhere or do something at home? I'm always trying to come up with frugal ideas, but am at a bit of a road block at the moment. I have 2 teenage girls as well, what things do they do for fun with friends that doesn't break the bank? Do they pay for everything themselves or do you and hubby pay for them? Would love some ideas if you could share and lastly if you are able to share you presents list for the year the one featured on your ACA story, but minus the peoples names incase family and friends read your blog too haha!

    Love your work and hope to see you on the TV again soon.
    Your an inspiration to us all

    Katlyn

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Goodness Katlyn, if I reveal all now I'll have nothing left to post and the blog will end.

      My girls pay for some outings and Darren and I pay for the others. They also go to a church youth group. If there are too many outings that they want to go to we say no to some and let them choose others.

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  8. Hi Wendy, love reading your blog. I have put many of your saving tips into practice around my home now including saving the rinse water from the washing machine and warm up water from the shower, making brown sugar and castor sugar. I have made your Chicken and sweet corn soup and your lasagne, your gravy powder and your chocolate chip muffins. I bulk buy when things are on special but my favourite tip from you is to make my own yoghurt. It's the best yoghurt I have ever tasted. You are such an inspiration. Please keep on being an inspiration to people. I look forward to reading your blog posts and learning new tips. Suzanne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you like to yoghurt Suzanne. It really is so much better than store bought. A couple of spoonfuls over a bowl of fruit is such a yummy Summer dessert. Even Darren will eat cantelope if it has yoghurt hiding it.

      Thankyou for your lovely comments. I'll keep blogging for as long as I've got something interesting to say or share.

      Delete
  9. I can't find the place here to contact you but I have tried to subscribe so I get updates by email but I'm not getting them. Can you help please?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't have my contact details available any more as I was ( and still am ) getting heaps of junk emails. I can be contacted through My Abundant Life on facebook.

      Delete

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