Meal plans

Meal plans are a tool that makes for a smoother experience in the dinner time.   You know what ingredients you will need, you know what might have to come out of the freezer in the morning, and left is just easier.

We meal plan on a matrix based on protein.   It gives a variety of meals and nutritional choices.

• Pork stew with potatoes, carrots, peas, and herbs, 
• Pizza 
• Pork loin, baked potatoes. Broccoli 
• Chicken enchiladas , salad 
• Spaghetti on the insta pot. 😀, salad , French bread 
• Tuna  melts. Salad 
• Breakfast for dinner 

 Notes : 

This week’s grocery shopping had a lot of basic needs on bulk.   Chicken noodle soup was on sale and there were coupons to make it about 1/2 price.   It is a good go to especially if someone is sick.

Cheese was on sale at safeways and we had coupons.  Two dollars and fifty cents is my buy price and it was 2.00 a pound.

Pork cubes are from the butt end of a pork loin.  Cutting the tapered down ends of the meat 

and making stew meat or stir fry is a good way to assure even pork chops.  The rest of the loin is cut  into roasts and center cut pork chops.   Butchering your own saves a lot of money...as much as 2.50 a pound. Protein is the most expensive part of your food budget, so saving a lot on it makes good sense. 

Pizza from scratch costs out at a dollar if you are buying your ingredients at RBP.   That’s is probably  why there are so many pizza places out there,  considering that those places get wholesale prices on their ingredients, they are making a lot of money.  It is easy , anyone can do it .  Our granddaughter at four yo could do it.  You can pat or roll the crust and the DT has most of the ingredients cheap, name brands.  Save bits from other meals and freeze.  Dedicate a door she,f in your freezer and pizza is a piece of cake—or maybe pie.  LOL

Pork loin Roast is from the end of the pork loin, after the stew or stir fry meat.  Roast it on the oven and add potatoes and a vegetable —Classic Sunday dinner,   There have been recipes out there lately with cranberry glaze or some with an Asian flare, 

Chicken enchiladas are easy and sauce can be made simply using a roux ( white sauce technique. 

Basically, make the flour and oil paste, add chicken stock and sour cream.   We add some of a can of mild chillis (Winco).  Fill tortillas with chopped cooked chicken and a little sauce, cheese and chillies. Pour sauce on bottom of a baking pan, place rolled tortillas on top of sauce and top with sauce and grated cheese.  Bake off at 350 degrees until the edges are bubbly.  Everything going in is edible and cooked if needed, so you are just warming it up to a desired temperature,   

Spaghetti is a favorite of many families.  We make it on the insta pot (8 minutes).  French bread is less than a dollar at Winco or it costs about 30 cents to make. Add a salad . 

Tuna melts are made with English muffins.  Sometimes  they can be found at the DT.  Orowheat, or the cheapest price is at Fred Meyer .  They are usually in a basket by the eggs.   

Breakfast for dinner is a hit here.  It is a relaxing way to eat breakfast. Most mornings are grab some breakfast and get out the door.  Buttermilk pancakes are good.  Making your own mix is easy.  It is better price wise to omit the milk powder and use milk instead of water when you make the mix.  My prices on line for dry milk are prohibitive,  I got my dry milk last time at Winco in  the bulk isle.  

Eggs  continue  to be close to a dollar on some places.  Yogurt is on sale and there are coupons for it .

Cinnamon rolls have been on dollar sales lately. 

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