Meal Plan Monday (3/21/16-3/28/16)

 

Happy Monday, savvy savers! This week is starting off to a sunny, cool, and somewhat stressful start here in Dixie.

Early Saturday morning, my husband and I discovered a pool of water under our side-by-side fridge. This was soon followed by loud clicking sounds and fridge’s compressor stopping . After having a repairman out the same afternoon and $168.00 later we were informed that our old, faithful fridge had seen it’s last.  This was truly saddening to my zero-waste heart! 

With our fridge inoperable, hubby and I scrambled to move food items around as quickly as possible, including 80 lbs. of frozen, marinated poultry! We also decided to not purchase a new fridge immediately. Mind you this was not an economic decision, but a matter of practicality. Thankfully, with clever planning, sorting, and cramming we were able to make everything from the freezer fit into our deep freeze, and the contents of our fridge was transferred to our under counter kitchen fridge and electric wine cooler. What could not fit, a handful of larger, bulk items from Sam’s Club, were gifted to our neighbors. 

 The upswing? Not having a fridge will save our family of three over $30.00 annually in power charges, lower our household carbon emissions, and help us maintain a more minimalist home. While I’ll have my feelers out for a fridge in our local online classifieds should a cash-only fridge purchase should come available down the road, I’m in no hurry to run out and purchase a new fridge. Total non-consumer score! 

But this does mean that this week’s menu and subsequent menus for the foreseeable future will reflect our need to eat down our food stockpile. We will have to consume everything we have on-hand first, so our week-to-week purchases aside from dairy and produce will consist of rebate app deals, freebie coupons, Zaycon meats (as available), and Amazon Subscribe and Save deals only. 

The cost of this weekly menu is only $8.59, and it feeds a family of three, with leftovers rolled into lunches.

 

 

Here’s what we purchased this week:

Dollar Tree: 

• Chicken Leg 6-pack bag, $1.00 (submitted for $0.25 rebate from Shrink App)
• 64-ounce Bleach Jug, $1.00 ( submitted for $0.25 Mobisave App credit)
• String Cheese 3-pack, $0.50 (submitted for $0.25 Mobisave App credit)
• Spent: $2.50, plus applicable sales tax
• Submitted for $0.75 app rebates
• Final Cost: $1.75

Walmart:

• Tony’s Pizza, $1.98 (submitted for $0.25 Mobisave App Credit)
• 2 Mr. Pibb 2-liters, $2.00 (submitted for $0.25 Mobisave App Credit on the purchase of 2 drinks)
• Italian Deli Loaf, $0.50 (submitted for $0.25 Mobisave App Credit)
• 1 Gallon 2% Milk, $2.98 (submitted for $0.25 Shrink App Credit)
• 1 Head Cabbage, $0.69 (submitted for 20% back on the SavingStar App)
• 1 Head Iceburg lettuce, $0.98 (submitted for $0.25 back on Mobisave App)
• 1 Roma tomato, $0.33 (submitted for $0.25 Checkout51 App Credit)
• 1 Avocado, $0.88 (not pictured) (submitted for $0.25 iBotta App Credit)
• 1 Dozen Large eggs, $1.98 (submitted for $0.25 iBotta App Credit)
• Ivory 3-bar pack, $0.88 (submitted for $0.30 Mobisave App Credit)
• Ajax dish soap, $0.88 (submitted for $0.25 Mobisave App Credit)
• Aspirin 60-count bottle, $0.88 (submitted for $0.50 Mobisave App Credit)
• Hand soap, $0.88 (submitted for $0.25 Mobisave App Credit)
• Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soap, $2.98 (submitted for $1.00 iBotta App Credit)
• Used $4.14 Coin Star Voucher
• Used $1.60 Walmart Savings Catcher Rebate e-gift card
• Used $4.10 balance on Sam’s Club/Walmart gift card
• Spent: $10.96, plus applicable tax
• Submitted for $3.80 in savings app rebates
• Submitted for Receipt Hog /credit ($0.10 value, used with code drog2894)
• Submitted for Walmart Savings Catcher (received $0.22)
• Final total: $6.84

This weeks shopping total was: $8.59 for $24.32 worth of groceries. 

 

 

Monday
Breakfast: Avocado, Banana, and Almond Milk Smoothies.
Lunch: Salad with strawberries, almonds, string, and Italian dressing. 
Snack: Strawberries and String Cheese.
Dinner: BBQ Cola Crockpot sliders with corn on the cob and green beans, with Crystal Light. 
Dessert: Gluten-free brownies.

Tuesday
Breakfast: Cereal, with Almond milk.
Lunch: BBQ Cola Crockpot sliders with corn on the cob and green beans, with Crystal Light leftovers.
Snack: Strawberries and String Cheese.
Dinner: Crockpot Creamy Greek Chicken with steamed green beans and corn bread.
Dessert: Gluten-Free Brownie ice-cream sandwiches.

Wednesday
Breakfast: Avocado, Banana, and Almond Milk Smoothies.
Lunch: Crockpot Creamy Greek Chicken with steamed green beans and corn bread.
Snack: Strawberries and String Cheese.
Dinner: Crockpot Chicken Curry; steamed peas, steamed rice, and crystal light.
Dessert:  Gluten-Free brownie ice cream sandwiches.

Thursday
Breakfast: Cereal, with Almond milk.
Lunch: Crockpot Chicken Curry; steamed peas, steamed rice, and crystal light leftovers.
Snack: Strawberries and String Cheese.
Dinner: Grilled tarragon turkey burgers served with sweet Potato Fries and Crystal Light.
Dessert: Brownie flurries with leftover brownies.

Friday
Breakfast: Avocado, Banana, and Almond Milk Smoothies.
Lunch: Grilled tarragon turkey burgers served with sweet Potato Fries and Crystal Light
Snack: Strawberries and String Cheese.
Dinner: Crockpot Orange Chicken with Almonds, Steamed Peas, and crystal light.
Dessert: Brownie flurries with leftover brownies.

Saturday
Breakfast: Cereal, with Almond milk.
Lunch: Crockpot Orange Chicken with Almonds, Steamed Peas, and crystal light.
Snacks: Strawberries and String Cheese.
Dinner: Chicken mole; served with steamed rice, corn, and Crystal Light.
Dessert: Brownie flurries with leftover brownies.

Sunday
Breakfast: Cereal, with Almond milk.
Lunch: Chicken mole; served with steamed rice, corn, and Crystal Light.
Snack: Strawberries and String Cheese.
Dinner: Spiral Honey Crockpot Ham, macaroni and cheese, green beans, and rolls.
Dessert: Apple Cinnamon muffins.

 

 

This past Sunday’s 1-hour freezer cooking prep:

1. This morning I tried to pair and purpose part of the 40 lbs. of chicken purchased from Zaycon foods, so I made several new crock pot-ready freezer meals, made from stockpiled veggies and chicken breasts already on hand.
2.  I prepped three meals of Creamy Greek Chicken. 
3. Also, I’ll be making DIY Greek yogurt for additional snacks as needed. 

So this weeks last step was of course to put the menu on both our chalk menu board and my Living Well Spending Less Planner menu section for the remainder of March. 

 

 

So, that’s what we will be having this week. I’d love to hear what’s on your menu as well!

Here’s to Monday meals,