Meal Planning 101: Week 37

The number one tip for meal planning on a budget, other than actually DOING IT (do it, really!), is checking sale ads and sale sections! My local grocery store has manager's special labels, most places do this! Sometimes I make a stop by the grocery store before I plan my meals to see if I can catch any of these labels. Other times I will sit there with my little list and change my meal plan based on the labels I find.

I had an awesome collage made with all the things I got this week on managers special, and then I deleted it! Ugh. So I'll just tell you, even though the visual is always better! I got two packages of button mushrooms for 80 cents each and a fresh loaf of unsliced sourdough for $1.89 (hence the mushroom swiss grilled cheese sandwiches being on the meal plan below). I also got my FAVORITE yogurt for 69 cents! I got Jet Puffed Mallow bits for 15 cents a container from Big Lots (hence smores cookies also mentioned below). I also got Saltine cracker rounds, whole wheat and regular for 75 cents a box!

Sign up for store emails! Know what's on sale. Know what's cheaper at which stores (Big Lots has cheaper bread, pasta, and other random things, Kroger has cheaper produce when it's on sale and cheaper pickles, whipped topping, and cocoa powder because they have their own brand and Wal-Mart doesn't. Wal-Mart has cheaper meats.). PLAN out you meals. And your meal plan will be on a budget or under budget too!

Monday:

Mushroom Onion Swiss Grilled Cheese and Fajita Pasta Salad

Tuesday:

Buffalo Chicken Sammies and Baked Onion Rings and Celery and Carrots

Wednesday:

Church Meal

Thursday:

Bacon Cheddar Green Onion Waffles (rearranged things so didn't get to this last week), Breakfast Ham and Sunny Side Up Eggs

Friday:

Chicken and Waffle Sandwiches (using the leftover waffles) and Fruit Salad

Saturday:

Leftovers

Sunday:

Quick snack-y leftovers before leaving for the RD retreat!

Extras: 

• Made another gallon and a half of cold brew iced coffee. 
• Eating yogurt for breakfast with fruit and granola. Some of my favorite yogurts were on sale! 
• Making Smores Cookies for my coworkers. 

Lunch Ideas:

top right: spaghetti bread + salad + strawberries

bottom left: rice with green onions and yogurt butter + cucumber tomato onion salad + strawberries

bottom right: leftovers (poppyseed chicken casserole) + cucumbers + strawberries

What are you eating this week? Post your weekly meal plan in the comment section below! You can also link your meal plan up over at Organizing Junkie and see even more people who are meal planning.