Menu Plan Monday: The pantry/freezer challenge continues

Last week went really well for us. I had to make a stop at the store about Tuesday for milk and bread, and that was it. I had taken out $100 in cash for groceries and spent less than $7 of it.

My week usually runs Thursday to Thursday, for budgeting purposes. So when I got to Wednesday night and still had most of the $100 I'd budgeted, I decided to push this a bit further - let's see if I can go until this Thursday and stay within that $100. Considering I normally spend alot more than this on groceries, it could prove to be quite the challenge for me.

Thursday night I spent a little under $10 buying some fruit, as we had run out of everything but frozen blueberries and jarred apple sauce. Those items will get eaten, one way or another, but needed help.

Besides, frozen blueberries tend to leak in lunch boxes, no matter that container I put them into.

Sunday my little guy and I hit the bakery for some bread and then the grocery store for produce for the week. We came back with a fair amount of fruit for lunches, apples, oranges, bananas and grapes (very good sale price, the only time I buy grapes, some veggies, and $13 or so left in my original $100.

If I can go until Thursday without having to do more than pick up milk (I'll have to do that by Tuesday, I suspect,) I will be pretty happy.

So here is my menu plan for the week, which I am submitting to Menu Plan Monday:

Sunday: Turkey dinner with the fixins': mashed potatoes, stuffing, carrots and gravy. With a "fancy" dessert of angel food cake, lemon curd and whipped cream, all made from items I had on hand.

Monday: Beef, pepper and broccoli stir fry with rice. Beef from the freezer, pepper and broccoli from the fridge, not bought this weekend, rice from the pantry.

Tuesday: Club sandwiches with turkey soup. Left over turkey put to good use.

Wednesday: Steak and baked potatoes. Maybe salad too.

Thursday: Chicken Korma with rice. Chicken from freezer, Korma sauce from pantry, rice from pantry.

Friday: If we've made it this far, that's great! We aren't going to go out to celebrate or anything, but I think I will leave tonight unplanned and just make whatever when I get home.