I have had a crazy week and I have not had the time to search for new recipes so I am going to share some generic recipes that should work with some of the items on sale and that are always well received by my crew.
Menu planning and saving money really can go hand-in-hand. It is important to realize that you can still enjoy some of your family’s favorite meals by menu planning with a sales flyer, you just need to be flexible.
I am including ideas and recipes for four meals for the week. As I’ve mentioned before, I have found that I really only cook on average four meals a week and that we end up having at least one left-over night, one meal out, and something easy like homemade pizza or breakfast for dinner.
Spaghetti & Meatballs:
I always have pasta in my pantry and spaghetti sauce in my pantry that I can pull out and make a quick dinner. If you don’t have pasta grab a box of the San Giorgio that is on sale for $1 this week. The Mama Lucia Meatballs are on sale buy 1 get 1 free this week so get both bags and you have a back up for the next busy night or when you need to take a meal to a friend. The Dole Salad Kits are $2.50 a bag and if you want a loaf of fresh Italian bread it is on sale or $1.99 in the bakery.
Turkey Tacos:
I have mentioned before that if your family is still hesitant about trying ground turkey “hiding it” in taco seasoning can really disguise what they are eating. The Ortega kits are $2 each this week and only $1.50 if you buy 2 and use the $0.50/2 coupon from the 4/17 SmartSource insert. If you just want the seasoning mix it is only $0.17 each with the same coupon. The ground turkey is on sale for just $3 for a 20.8oz package. It also freezes well if you want to pick up an extra one for a future meal. If you didn’t get the shredded cheese last week the GIANT brand is on sale for $1.67 a bag this week.
Pot Roast in the Slow Cooker:
I shared this recipe about 2 months ago. The really great thing about using your slow cooker now that it is starting to get warmer outside is that it doesn’t heat up your house like an oven does. The Chuck Roast is $2.99/lb. and GIANT brand red potatoes are $3.49 for a 5lb. bag and the baby carrots are on sale for $1.67 for a 1-lb. bag. The beauty of this dish is that you already have your vegetables and potatoes cooked with the meat for a complete meal. I like to add some color to our plates and would pull a bag of frozen veggies out of the freezer or grab the GIANT brand SteamReady Vegetables.
BLT Night:
I love BLT’s – they are great and you can try creative ways of making it your own. THe Kunzler bacon is on sale this week for $3.99 pair that with the tomatoes that are $1.99/lb and you have the start to a BLT. I personally don’t like tomatoes so I add different items like sliced cheese, or crumbled blue cheese. I think the key is soft fresh bread (select Arnold brand varieties are 50% off this week), crisp bacon, a little bit of mayo (or Miracle Whip if you prefer) and the crunch of crisp lettuce. I am wiping the drool off my keyboard right now. :)
Happy Menu Planning!
~Ann
