Healthy Snack Ideas!

I feel like I am always searching for new snack ideas. Check out this list of *100* suggestions to try here! Variety is the spice of life, right? :)

Meal Planning 3.25-4.5.2012

Today was my day to meal plan, make a list, and shop for the next 2(ish) weeks.

My (self inflicted) challenges:

~ Healthy, "whole" foods (not processed foods) where possible. I also eat low carb, high protein when possible.

~ Menu to accommodate our new routine (my husband is now working nights) as well as to match the nice weather.

On our list is (in no particular order):
Fajitas over brown rice for me, in a tortilla for everyone else

Grilled burgers and potato salad

Grilled brats and baked beans

Grilled chicken with salad

Tuna pasta salad with grapes

Taco salad

Homemade pizza with salad

Tortelini alfredo with a veggie or salad on the side

Boiled polluck (Poor Mans Lobster) with potatoes and green beans

Corn and black bean quesadillas

Pulled pork sandwiches with cole slaw

Chicken stir fry over brown rice

Homemade pizza rolls with salad

Todays shopping also stocked the fridge and fruit bowl with grapes, apples, oranges, bananas, strawberries, salad, cole slaw mix, cucumber, tomatoes, green peppers, mushrooms, and carrots for snacks and sides. I feel really good about our plan, and think we have plenty of options for quick, healthy meals and snacks.

Best part? We came in under budget, and treated ourselves to The Muppet Movie. :)

 

What are your planning/shopping/saving challenges lately?

Meal Planning

Just to give you a few ideas if you are starting out, here is what I have on my rotation for the next 15 days (and one extra):

Hamburger gravy with green beans
Southwestern chicken bake
Mexican Lazagna with salad
Taco Baked Potatoes
Sloppy joes with carrots
Baked fish, baked potato, steamed veggie or salad
Cheesy chicken enchilada soup with corn bread
Tacos
Taco chili with tortilla chips
Enchiladas
Stuffed shells with salads
Chicken, mashed potatoes, and veggies
Chicken stir fry over brown rice
Beef roast with potatoes
Ham with cheesy potatoes and green bean potatoes
Pot roast with veggies and potatoes
Pulled pork sandwiches with cole slaw

Meal Planning 5/21/11

We've been doing well with meal planning lately, how about you?

This is what we have based on our stock pile and this weeks ads:
Friday: Cold tuna pasta salad
Saturday: (ordered pizza)
Sunday: Chili or spaghetti
Monday: Grilled chicken breasts with baked or mashed potatoes
Tuesday: Venison stroganoff over egg noodles
Wednesday: Leftovers - we leave Thursday for 5 days! :)

Leftovers: do they work for you?

I was discussing leftovers with my Mom recently - the gyst of the conversation is that Mom doesn't always want to take the leftovers to work from last nights meal, and Dad rarely eats leftovers.

So - while it works for my family to have leftovers for lunches, maybe your family needs to freeze leftovers for a few days or weeks before that meal sounds good again. Or, maybe your family needs to halve recipes so you don't have leftovers as you just don't ever use/eat them.

Bottom line - obviously, leftovers are only a good deal (time wise and financially) if you EAT them before they go bad!!

Another alternative - make a pork roast, for example, and then the next day make pork fried rice. This is my Dad's specialty with leftovers - transform them in to something new!

*Along the same lines - do you notice that you are routinely throwing out produce? Maybe its that bag of salad you intended to have for lunch at work, maybe it's a few apples each week. If you don't eat it, QUIT buying it! Literally - cash in the trash is killing your budget. With some self restraint, you can make a mid-week stop at the grocery store if you go through all your oranges, apples and bananas. BUT - I wouldn't take in my check card. Take a list of what you need and just a bit more cash than you think you'll need. Chances are you won't want to run out to your car to get your other cash or your wallet, and you'll be much more careful about what you are buying. Otherwise, these mid-week trips can ruin your budget just as much as throwing out food you didn't eat!

Meal Planning 10/10-10/20/10

Poorman's Lobster
Stir fry w/ brown rice
Santa Fe Rice and Beans
Sloppy joes (we just use a can of Manwich,  which are on sale this week for $.90/can, and ground beef or ground turkey over hamburger buns.)
Lazagna
Baked ziti
Chicken and wild rice soup
Loaded baked potato soup
Crock Pot Chicken and stuffing
Beer battered fish
Stuffed shells
Steak soup - so simple, and if you keep those random veggie leftovers and freeze them, this is a great soup to use them up in if you don't make your own soup stocks!
Taco Chili
Po-mo
Macaroni, cheese and tomato bake
Grandma's cheesy chicken casserole
Beef stew
Mock chow mein (on the blog, but the link isn't working? Hmm...)
Broccoli cheese soup
French onion soup

Staples for lazy days, lunches, snacks:
A few frozen lunches in case I need to grab something on my way out the door
Some canned soups for lunches at home or work
Makings for sandwiches
Macaroni and cheese
Hot dogs
String cheese
Yogurt

Side dishes: I keep rice, potatoes, etc. on hand for sides as well as frozen and canned veggies.