Menu Plan Monday – January 19, 20090

Even with my changing my eating habits, our weekly menu planning really doesn’t change much.  I always try to have a protein, a grain or starch, and 1 or more veggies.  The only thing I really need to change is how much I eat.  I’ve already done this week’s grocery shopping (instead of my usually Tuesday shopping trip).  Here’s what I’ve got planned for this week.

• Spinach pie probably with some pasta on the side which will make Wild Man happy since he doesn’t like spinach pie.
• Potato Soup – I got an idea off another blog (I don’t remember which one, so if it was yours, let me know and I’ll give you credit!) for doing potato soup with frozen hash browned potatoes in the crock pot with cream of chicken soup.  I do it a little differently since I make a soup base (like a thinned down white sauce) with milk and chicken broth then put that with the potatoes in the crock pot.  I’ll add cheese this time since we thought it was a little bland last time.
• Tortellini with parmesan cheese and salad.
• Chicken and broccoli stir-fry
• Spaghetti with salad.

Trying to shop economically is a challenge for me.  I don’t clip coupons because I rarely find coupons for things that I’ll use, and the stores don’t do “double coupon days” to make it worth the trouble for such a few coupons.  I shop at Sam’s Club every few months for bulk items.  This usually pays for the cost of the card with the first trip of the year, and really saves money otherwise.  I use the grocery store here in our small town for emergency needs since it’s a small store without much selection.  In the larger town close by (6 miles), there are a Pick’N’Save, Piggly Wiggly, and Aldi’s.  I don’t like Aldi’s because I’m something of a brand “snob” – I just rarely like off-brand foods.  The Piggly Wiggly isn’t too bad, but they don’t carry some of my favorite things.  I like Pick’N’Save, but it is pricey.  The ideal place for shopping is Woodman’s in Appleton.  I don’t shop there, though, unless we’re already in town, which is usually Tuesday.  This week, Ga’hoole Girl’s piano lesson is at 7pm, so I don’t want to leave her at the Academy while I shop in case I don’t get finished shopping in time.

So, it was Pick’N’Save today.  And, far more expensive than I would like.  Part of the problem is that I bought some 100 calorie snacks from Nabisco and some 100 calorie pudding packs.  I don’t want to rely on this kind of food, and I want to get away from processed foods, but I’m using these 100 calorie foods right now as a way to not obsess over food.  Veggies are expensive in winter up here.  Asparagus is $4 per pound right now – we have about one month when asparagus is dirt cheap.  This is quite a change from my growing up in South Florida with it’s three growing seasons!  I also bought a duck because it was on sale.  I’ve never had duck, but Alton Brown says that we should eat more duck just because it’s yummy.  I’ll try a duck recipe next week, I think.

My goal is to get to more homemade food, including snack food, so I can purchase the ingredients in bulk.  I need to start doing as much cooking as I can on the days when I feel well so that we have the food on hand when I don’t feel well.  I guess we’ll see how it goes.

Check out I’m An Organizing Junkie to see what others are doing for meals this week!