Food Budget Plan Under Sixty-six Dollars

After the first ever post I did for a weekly meal plan that included a shopping list with approximate costs, I failed to add the recipe links. Anything you see underlined will link you to my recipes right here on this blog. It is my hope that it simplifies your life.

Print the recipes out and save in a booklet. You may want to print out this actual menu plan post along with the first three I did and save this as well. Then when I have posted enough of them, you will be able to revert back to them time and time again.

Basically I look at 6 days worth of dinners and shopping all over on the 7th day. This particular menu plan is based on feeding 2 adults and 2 children.
This meal plan is different from the first one in that it provides 7 complete dinner ideas to take you from Sunday to Saturday with full meals.

The pricing is based on my local grocery store. You may spend less or more depending on where you shop and I urge you to use your coupons where applicable and take advantage of the store's discounts for the week. Feel free to adapt this basic plan to suit your family. This post is really to give you a solid base for menu planning. I have made all of the dinners listed here and have provided my cost for each dinner. ***EXCEPTION***
***This week I have a guest blog recipe. "Corn Chowder" by Annemarie Flynn Rossi of Real Food. Real Deals.***

• SUNDAY DINNER: Baked Ham (Butt or shank portion) with glaze, cauliflower gratin, baked potatoes $20.86
• MONDAY DINNER: Toasted Cheese Raviolis with Italian Sausage $10.62 with salad $13.61
• TUESDAY DINNER: Inside Outside Omelets with left over Ham (in place of the bacon) $5.65
• WEDNESDAY DINNER: BLT salad - romaine lettuce, tomatoes, bacon and ranch dressing $6.49 or add croutons for $8.85 (Recipe = 8 slices cooked bacon - cut up, 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce, 1 cup diced tomato, home made croutons a bit of ranch dressing - toss together in a large bowl
• THURSDAY DINNER:  Egg Salad Sandwiches (use up the Easter eggs),with pineapple slices $5.47
• FRIDAY DINNER: Corn Chowder $5.54 by guest blogger Annemarie
• SATURDAY DINNER: Home made pizzas with sauce, sausage and cheese $5.49 or Hawaiian Pizza with ham and pineapple $2.99

The highlights to this budget meal plan:

1. Make a large enough batch of red sauce to be used in two dinners.
2. Our store offered 2 for $5.00 on the pineapples. Use the pineapple with the ham, along side the egg salad sandwiches and on the Hawaiian Pizza.
3. Buy the least expensive shank or butt ham on sale for Easter dinner, then use it in the Inside Outside Omelets or in a quiche or fritatta.
4. The egg salad cost was based on using 8 eggs which you already have from your colored Easter eggs.
5. The romaine lettuce hearts on sale for $2.99 for a package of three - used for the BLT salad and a side salad with the ravioli dinner if you like, or use on the egg salad sandwiches.
6. At the end of a busy week you can get store bought pizza dough for about $1.49 for a bag and make sausage and cheese pizzas, or if there still is left over ham and fresh pineapple, make a Hawaiian Pizza.
7. If you have left over bread from Easter - use that to make the croutons for the BLT salad if you want to add them to that dish.
8. Buy one Mexican blend shredded cheese used in the cauliflower gratin and the Inside Outside Omelets.
9. Any extra ham can be used for sandwiches, the ham bone can be used to make ham stock for a future soup - Lentil Soup with Ham, Ham and Cannelini Bean Soup, etcetera.

Now onto the major components needed in the dishes:

• 10 - 10 1/2 lb. shank or butt portion ham
• 1 1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
• 1 lb. bacon
• 1 head cauliflower (I used orange - whatever color you wish)
• 4 green bell peppers
• 1 bag baking potatoes - or single russet potatoes
• 2 lbs. red potatoes (for the chowder)
• 1 package of Hearts of Romaine Lettuce (3 to a package)
• 2-3 carrots (for the chowder)
• 1-2 large onions
• 3 ears of corn, if available - or buy frozen or canned corn (for the chowder)
• 1 bag frozen raviolis
• pizza dough
• spaghetti sauce
• mayonnaise
• ranch dressing mix
• panko bread crumbs
• oil
• butter
• milk
• 1 - 8 oz. bag Mexican cheese blend
• 48 oz. box chicken stock
• orange juice
• pineapple juice
• light brown sugar

You may have some of these ingredients on hand already. If I have left any major component out of this, please excuse me if I made an error. This budget is a good one. When I figured the total cost I took the higher cost when I offered a choice. Costing each dinner out this weeks plan worked out to: $65.47. I find that the plan is a good one in that it still leaves room for $34.53 for other grocery needs to keep it at or around $100.00 per week.