Frugal Menu for February 2018

This month, we're still focusing on eating up what's in the pantry and freezer, as well as adding more veggies to every meal.  We'll also do our best to decrease our energy usage by using our Crock Pot at least once a week, if not more.  I'll slowly be adding more foods back to my diet on a trial basis, so you'll see some foods (bread, tomatoes, eggs, corn, dairy, legumes) that I've cut out for a bit and need to add back on a trial basis.  Baked goods will be sweetened primarily with stevia, though I can do a small amount of sugar in tiny quantities (think pizza dough).  So, here's the plan, along with the list of groceries we'll need to purchase or glean from the food pantry:

Breakfasts:

• Sauteed veggies, eggs, and maybe meat (chicken sausage or turkey bacon)
• Smoothies with frozen berries, bananas, winter squash, and greens with almond milk (I add turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and chia seeds often)
• Almond flour muffins with blueberries, cranberries and orange zest, or cocoa powder and chopped pecans
• Big boy breakfast of biscuits, pancakes, or waffles with bacon and fruit

Lunches:

• Leftovers with side salad
• Quesadillas with salad
• Ham or tuna salad sandwiches on gluten free bread
• Hard boiled eggs, fruit, veggie sticks, and nuts

Dinners:

• Lentil sloppy joes over rice with roasted or steamed veggies
• Breakfast for dinner with grain free waffles or pancakes, sauteed greens, eggs and turkey bacon
• Ham, cheese, and broccoli quiche with kale salad and fruit
• Homemade pizza x 4 with homemade pesto, cheese, pepperoni, and sauteed veggies (likely peppers and onions)
• Veggie stir fry over rice or quinoa with egg rolls and Asian slaw
• Split pea soup with ham (my grandmother's recipe), salad, and bread
• Beef and cheddar pie with salad or roasted veggies (make pie with more veggies and less beef)
• Black beans and brown rice with salad and fermented veggies
• Tacos or taco bowls with black beans, winter squash, greens, and fixin's
• Pecan crusted chicken (minus bread crumbs subbing roasted almond flour or more pecans) or salmon and roasted veggies with quinoa
• Crock pot chicken fajitas on corn tortillas or over brown rice with fixin's and green salad
• Crock pot beef stew and salad
• Crock pot baked potatoes/sweet potatoes with fixin's (black beans, sauteed peppers and onions, Greek yogurt, cheese, salsa) and green salad
• Meatball subs (or over rice) with mushrooms, onions, and peppers with salad
• Lentil and sweet potato stew  with salad or sauteed greens
• Flounder tacos on corn tortillas with cilantro lime slaw, pineapple salsa, and queso fresco with a side of cilantro lime rice (if necessary)
• Crock pot chicken and acorn squash

Snacks/Desserts:

• Crock pot coconut lime rice pudding
• Air popped popcorn with seasonings (garlic salt, cheddar powder, or cinnamon sugar)
• Fruit
• Soft pretzels with homemade honey mustard
• Almond flour chocolate chip cookies
• Coconut milk hot cocoa with stevia

Grocery List:

Here's the things we'll need to purchase to make this menu work.  This does not include things currently in our pantry or freezer.

• canned coconut milk x4
• almond milk
• salad greens
• kale
• cabbage x2
• plain Greek yogurt
• corn tortillas
• cilantro
• green onions
• cheese
• veggies for salad and roasting (carrots, asparagus, mushrooms, onions)
• tapioca flour (for a bread recipe)

When possible, we'll glean veggies and yogurt from the food pantry.  This gleaning occurs at the close of the week for them so that things don't get tossed into the dumpster that could be potentially used.

How do you plan your meals for your budget and to save a little of Earth?  I'd love to hear from you!