My Menu Plan & Shopping List

Okay, so I finally got a little organized and cleaned out my pantry and fridge. I wrote down some items I had on hand that I could use for menus for the next two weeks. I'm trying something different now where I plan for two weeks out and do one big shopping trip. I will still shop and use coupons to get any crazy cheap deals that come out. Usually those items will be for non-perishable items that I add to my stock-pile.

Anyway, then I sat down with a Taste Of Home magazine, my menu planner, and picked out a bunch of recipes. I'll try and post the good ones after I make them.

Here are two different menu plan sheets you can print off for free.
- One Week Menu Planning with Shopping List
- Two Week Meal Planner with Meal Ideas and Other Ideas

My meal ideas (I'm sure I'll adjust them here and there as the weeks go):
- Sausage & Fruit Stuffing
- Sweet n Sour meatballs
- Fish $ wild rice w/carrots
- Shrimp Pasta Bake
- Ham & Cheese Pizza
- Orange Salmon w/rice
- Honey Garlic Ribs
- Creamy Pesto Chicken & Bowties
- Almond Chicken w/apricot sauce
- Pork Sandwiches w/root beer bbq sauce

Other ideas:
- Hot buttered pretzels
- Rice Crispie treats
- Oatmeal raisin cookies
- Pumpkin yogurt bread
- Waffles
- Baked apple oatmeal
- Braided lemon bread
- Fruit Smoothies w/spinach
- Tuna melts

Shopping List:I'll be price-matching at Wal-Mart and going to Wrays

Meat:
- Ground Beef $1.99 Albertons
- Baby Back Ribs $1.18/lb Wrays
- Boneless Sirloin Roast $2.48/lb Wrays
- Maybe Ham $0.98/lb Wrays
**Check for clearance lunchmeat

Produce:
- Apples $0.58/lb Wrays
- Oranges $0.48/lb Wrays
- Broccoli $0.88/lb Wrays
- Frozen Peas $1 Albertsons
- Cilantro

Other:
- Buns
- Pita Bread ??
- Corn Bread Stuffing Mix
- Brick Cheese $3.99 2lb Top Foods
- Sour Cream
- Vinegar
- Pesto Sauce
- Root Beer
- Mozzarella Cheese
Use $0.50/1 Kraft Bag Cheese
- Cream Cheese
**Check for Guys Game Day Playbook by Snyders Preztels
$1/2 Philadelphia Cream Cheese
- Orange Juice
Use $1/4 Old Orchard Juice Concentrates
- All laundry Detergent 96oz $8 Big Lots
Use $1.50/1 All Laundry Detergent 1/16 SS
- Olay Bar Soap $2.48 Walmart
Use $2/1 Olay Bar Soap P&G 12/26

Two week budget: I try and only spend $200/2 week period for food and diapers. I make sure I take out cash so I don't use my debit card and lose track of my expenses. If there is a good stock-up price on certain items I'll go over, usually around $50.

- $70 Costco
- $10 fast food
- $30 diapers
- $50 Target **this one will put me over budget but I got my daughters b-days presents done, 3 birthday party presents, and a couple pieces of clothing for myself, all for around 75% off.
- Update: $50 for the shopping list above

***Since I've planned my menu now I'll go shopping for the items I listed above and then for the next two weeks I'll only go shopping to use my coupons at Rite-Aid, Walgreens, and any grocery stores where I can get those "crazy" shopping trips I post where I get a bunch of cheap, and mostly free, items.