The holidays are well and truly behind us, and I am back to my usual routine of meal planning. This weeks meal plan is designed to be:
- Simple (I’ve got a busy week with one thing and another)
- Frugal (Not cheap food – quality dishes with only the necessary ingredients in order to keep waste at bay)
- Healthy (this is subjective I know – what I class as healthy others may not – what I believe to be healthy are home-cooked balanced family meals)
- Slow-cooked (well the evening meals anyway! When I am busy my slow cookers go into overdrive to compensate! It really is the simplest way to cook family food in my opinion)
Saturday
- Lunch – Crackers, Cheese, Crusty Bread and Fruit
- Dinner – Slow Cooked Low Fat Sausage Casserole
- Dessert – Jelly and Ice Cream
Sunday
- Lunch – Scrambled Egg on Wholemeal Toast with Grilled Tomatoes
- Dinner – Slow Cooked Lean Steak and Ale Pie with Steamed Vegetables
- Dessert – Sponge Cake and Custard
Monday (Meat-Free)
- Lunch – Home-made Cheese and Tomato Pizza
- Dinner – Slow Cooked Vegetable Curry with Home-made Chapatis
- Dessert – Fruit and Yoghurt
Tuesday
- Lunch – Mackerel on Wholemeal Toast with Grilled Tomatoes
- Dinner – Slow Cooked Turkey Mince Bolognaise with Courgette Strips
- Dessert – Chocolate Roll and Custard
Wednesday
- Lunch – Jacket Potatoes with Tuna and Steamed Vegetables
- Dinner – Slow Cooked Minty Lamb Casserole with Mustard Mash
- Dessert – Ice-cream cones
Thursday
- Lunch – Playday so a light lunch out!
- Dinner – Slow Cooked Lean Beef Cottage Pie with Steamed Vegetables
Friday
My No Waste Tastes Great Challenge or a take-away if the fridge/cupboard is bare!
As I am on a bit of a health kick and looking to tone up in prep for my date with a bikini I am foregoing puds this week. But just because I have a little post-Christmas wobble going on doesn’t mean the Kids and Hubby have to suffer!
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This week I had said that I would be posting my story of our journey toward a ‘family life simply done’. However I have decided to delay until the 2-year anniversary – which I have double checked the date of and it is the 27th February. So I will be posting that day.
My story is just one of the many of the Moms/Mums out there who are looking to lead a simple life…
I would highly recommend you take a look at The Suburban Minimalist where RS is posting daily her own story, it really is a fascinating and well written read, definitely worth grabbing a coffee and taking a seat for!
Other recommended reads this week are
- The Minimalist Mom – check out Rachel’s post on deleting her Facebook account. If you are unsure what to do about FB this is a fab post with lots of comments from others about how they are managing their relationship with Facebook.
- Minimalist at Home – Faith this week released her first e-book The Minimalist Within, I have downloaded it and am booking a date with the e-book in my diary, to sit and focus on it. From what I know of Faith, and have read on her blog, I’m sure I’m in for some quality writing.
Have a lovely weekend everyone – have fun out there!
Thank you for the kind mention, Jo! This curry recipe sounds delicious. A quick question, since I know that you like to keep your grocery bill around 100 pounds: Which takes priority – the menu itself or the money? I’ve been keeping my bill around $100/week, but I’m starting to wonder if we’d have more fun with the food if I gave myself a little more leeway with the budget. Any advice you could provide would be great!
oops reply below – I keep doing this!
Thank you for the kind mention, Jo! This curry recipe sounds delicious. A quick question, since I know that you like to keep your grocery bill around 100 pounds: Which takes priority – the menu itself or the money? I’ve been keeping my bill around $100/week, but I’m starting to wonder if we’d have more fun with the food if I gave myself a little more leeway with the budget. Any advice you could provide would be great!
oops reply below – I keep doing this!
Thank you for the kind mention, Jo! This curry recipe sounds delicious. A quick question, since I know that you like to keep your grocery bill around 100 pounds: Which takes priority – the menu itself or the money? I’ve been keeping my bill around $100/week, but I’m starting to wonder if we’d have more fun with the food if I gave myself a little more leeway with the budget. Any advice you could provide would be great!
oops reply below – I keep doing this!
Without a doubt the food takes priority. What I am finding on my journey toward a ‘family life simply done’ is that as I simplify further I don’t have to budget and count the pennies as I simply am not spending as much. My menu plans always come out around £100 with all other household items apart from holidays and birthdays when I am doing extra catering.I have been menu planning for years so combine low cost and more expensive dishes each week. I believe that I can buy quality ingredients and still keep to a budget – the majority of what I make is cooked from scratch (there are a few short-cuts) and I multi use ingredients. I am very particular what meat I buy, and never buy bargain products. For info also I do not know how food prices compare in the US – but my groceries come from what may be considered higher end for supermarkets – they aren’t known for price cutting etc… but I like their produce. This is where for me ‘you get what you pay for!’ – hope that helps – Jo
oh by the way on-line shopping is a great way to reduce your bill – seriously no impulse purchases and very little if any browsing and time wasting! If you haven’t tried it give it a try, it takes a few weeks to get in the swing but well worth it. Do ask if you need any help….
Without a doubt the food takes priority. What I am finding on my journey toward a ‘family life simply done’ is that as I simplify further I don’t have to budget and count the pennies as I simply am not spending as much. My menu plans always come out around £100 with all other household items apart from holidays and birthdays when I am doing extra catering.I have been menu planning for years so combine low cost and more expensive dishes each week. I believe that I can buy quality ingredients and still keep to a budget – the majority of what I make is cooked from scratch (there are a few short-cuts) and I multi use ingredients. I am very particular what meat I buy, and never buy bargain products. For info also I do not know how food prices compare in the US – but my groceries come from what may be considered higher end for supermarkets – they aren’t known for price cutting etc… but I like their produce. This is where for me ‘you get what you pay for!’ – hope that helps – Jo
oh by the way on-line shopping is a great way to reduce your bill – seriously no impulse purchases and very little if any browsing and time wasting! If you haven’t tried it give it a try, it takes a few weeks to get in the swing but well worth it. Do ask if you need any help….
Without a doubt the food takes priority. What I am finding on my journey toward a ‘family life simply done’ is that as I simplify further I don’t have to budget and count the pennies as I simply am not spending as much. My menu plans always come out around £100 with all other household items apart from holidays and birthdays when I am doing extra catering.I have been menu planning for years so combine low cost and more expensive dishes each week. I believe that I can buy quality ingredients and still keep to a budget – the majority of what I make is cooked from scratch (there are a few short-cuts) and I multi use ingredients. I am very particular what meat I buy, and never buy bargain products. For info also I do not know how food prices compare in the US – but my groceries come from what may be considered higher end for supermarkets – they aren’t known for price cutting etc… but I like their produce. This is where for me ‘you get what you pay for!’ – hope that helps – Jo
oh by the way on-line shopping is a great way to reduce your bill – seriously no impulse purchases and very little if any browsing and time wasting! If you haven’t tried it give it a try, it takes a few weeks to get in the swing but well worth it. Do ask if you need any help….