Step Six, Planning your TIME
All of the previous steps are nothing compared to planning your time and sticking to your menu. Here are some tips to help make it easier. Hopefully this will help you start seeing a difference in your budget. Take it one step at a time and remember even a little bit helps. There's a lot to be said about a little bit of planning and I promise you it will help not only your wallet but your health too!
Menu Tips for Week 1:
Shopping day- try to buy everything on your list that you will need for the month with the exception of your more perishable items. Less trips to the store = less money spent.
Properly store your groceries to maximize freshness- tips for each item can be found on Master Grocery List.
When roasting chicken, roast 2 at once. De-bone, shred & freeze 2nd chicken for use later in the month. Divide equally into 2-4 freezer bags.
Save broth & leftover chicken for soup later this week.
Leftover corned beef & vegetables makes excellent hash for breakfast.
When making spaghetti sauce, make double (or even more- it freezes well!) so you have enough to make your lasagna later this week.
If there is enough leftover chicken from Sunday’s meal, use it to make chicken salad sandwiches. Otherwise you can use canned tuna.
When making bread keep in mind the coming week’s menu. This can all be made from one batch of bread dough: 2 loaves French bread (spaghetti & lasagna), 1 dozen rolls (chicken noodle soup), 1 loaf bread (for chicken salad sandwiches)
Bread can be frozen to preserve freshness. Even if using later the same week, store it in the freezer so it still tastes fresh baked when you use it.
Be sure to freeze any leftover dinner portions that haven’t been eaten. These make great lunches in the future.
Menu Tips for Week 2:
Be sure your roast is big enough to use leftover beef for stroganoff (a 3-4 lb roast is enough for Sunday’s meal with plenty leftover for lunches & enough for another meal)
Make double the potatoes that your family will eat on Sunday- You will use the leftovers for tomorrow’s meal.
If you have extra cabbage and ground beef, go ahead & cook it all. It freezes well & can be used in later meals.
Double your soup recipe; then divide before adding the noodles. You’ll use the portion with no noodles as the filling for your pot pie later this week.
Use frozen pre-cooked chicken in your soup if you have it.
This week’s bread batch: Runza bread pockets, Rolls (for soup), your choice for remaining two “loaves.” I like to have a couple loaves sliced for sandwiches for easy lunches.
Menu Tips for Week 3:
Wash & cut extra broccoli for Tuesday’s meal
Make enough sauce for both chicken parmesan & noodles in one pot. If you have enough frozen sauce, use that to save time. For a richer sauce add 16 oz cream cheese or even a can of cream of chicken soup.
Start chili in slow-cooker first thing in the morning. The longer it cooks (on low), the better the flavor.
This week’s bread batch: Stuffed bread loaf, Sandwich Bread, Rolls, and your choice.
Use leftover pulled pork for Navajo taco filling. You can also use ground beef or chopped chicken or leave the meat out altogether. Also leftover chili can be delicious on a Navajo Taco.
Use leftover chili for pastafazool. Add 8-16 oz tomato sauce & 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning.
If you have leftover roast in your freezer, use that for vegetable soup. Otherwise use ground beef. You can also omit the meat & make vegetable soup instead.
Menu Tips for Week 4:
Again, be sure your roast is big enough to use leftover beef for stroganoff (a 3-4 lb roast is enough for Sunday’s meal with plenty leftover for lunches & enough for another meal).
Make double the potatoes that your family will eat on Sunday- You will use the leftovers for Tuesday’s meal.
When clearing the table on Sunday, “put away” food into a casserole dish- assembling Tuesday’s Shepherd Pie. Cut beef into bite size pieces- add leftover corn or other vegetables (if you don’t have enough, open a can of corn and green beans and add those). Cover everything with leftover gravy then top with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Cover dish and refrigerate. Tuesday’s dinner is DONE!
If you have extra ground beef mix in freezer from Runzas, use 1-2 lbs of that for an easy Company Casserole. Otherwise follow recipe. It’s still a quick meal!
Use pre-cooked chicken for enchiladas, Chicken & Stuffing, and Tortilla Soup. If you don’t have enough chicken, you can make beef enchiladas (leftover roast is great if you have it! Otherwise ground beef) If you have leftover pork from last week in your freezer- you can use that or even just cheese enchiladas. For the tortilla soup, you can use beef as well or omit meat altogether.
This week’s bread batch: 2 dozen rolls, 1 loaf bread for sandwiches, 1 extra (your choice). I like to have a few extra pizza crusts in the freezer for quick meals
Week 5 Menu Tips:
Save leftover chicken on Sunday for stir-fry. You can also use leftover broth to cook rice for more flavor.
Cook 3-4 extra potatoes for quick potato wedges on Wednesday.
Save extra pintos to make refried beans
Make enough extra sauce for your spaghetti to use on Pizza the next day
This week’s bread batch: Hamburger buns (for sloppy Joes), French bread, Pizza crusts
All of the previous steps are nothing compared to planning your time and sticking to your menu. Here are some tips to help make it easier. Hopefully this will help you start seeing a difference in your budget. Take it one step at a time and remember even a little bit helps. There's a lot to be said about a little bit of planning and I promise you it will help not only your wallet but your health too!
Menu Tips for Week 1:
Shopping day- try to buy everything on your list that you will need for the month with the exception of your more perishable items. Less trips to the store = less money spent.
Properly store your groceries to maximize freshness- tips for each item can be found on Master Grocery List.
When roasting chicken, roast 2 at once. De-bone, shred & freeze 2nd chicken for use later in the month. Divide equally into 2-4 freezer bags.
Save broth & leftover chicken for soup later this week.
Leftover corned beef & vegetables makes excellent hash for breakfast.
When making spaghetti sauce, make double (or even more- it freezes well!) so you have enough to make your lasagna later this week.
If there is enough leftover chicken from Sunday’s meal, use it to make chicken salad sandwiches. Otherwise you can use canned tuna.
When making bread keep in mind the coming week’s menu. This can all be made from one batch of bread dough: 2 loaves French bread (spaghetti & lasagna), 1 dozen rolls (chicken noodle soup), 1 loaf bread (for chicken salad sandwiches)
Bread can be frozen to preserve freshness. Even if using later the same week, store it in the freezer so it still tastes fresh baked when you use it.
Be sure to freeze any leftover dinner portions that haven’t been eaten. These make great lunches in the future.
Menu Tips for Week 2:
Be sure your roast is big enough to use leftover beef for stroganoff (a 3-4 lb roast is enough for Sunday’s meal with plenty leftover for lunches & enough for another meal)
Make double the potatoes that your family will eat on Sunday- You will use the leftovers for tomorrow’s meal.
If you have extra cabbage and ground beef, go ahead & cook it all. It freezes well & can be used in later meals.
Double your soup recipe; then divide before adding the noodles. You’ll use the portion with no noodles as the filling for your pot pie later this week.
Use frozen pre-cooked chicken in your soup if you have it.
This week’s bread batch: Runza bread pockets, Rolls (for soup), your choice for remaining two “loaves.” I like to have a couple loaves sliced for sandwiches for easy lunches.
Menu Tips for Week 3:
Wash & cut extra broccoli for Tuesday’s meal
Make enough sauce for both chicken parmesan & noodles in one pot. If you have enough frozen sauce, use that to save time. For a richer sauce add 16 oz cream cheese or even a can of cream of chicken soup.
Start chili in slow-cooker first thing in the morning. The longer it cooks (on low), the better the flavor.
This week’s bread batch: Stuffed bread loaf, Sandwich Bread, Rolls, and your choice.
Use leftover pulled pork for Navajo taco filling. You can also use ground beef or chopped chicken or leave the meat out altogether. Also leftover chili can be delicious on a Navajo Taco.
Use leftover chili for pastafazool. Add 8-16 oz tomato sauce & 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning.
If you have leftover roast in your freezer, use that for vegetable soup. Otherwise use ground beef. You can also omit the meat & make vegetable soup instead.
Menu Tips for Week 4:
Again, be sure your roast is big enough to use leftover beef for stroganoff (a 3-4 lb roast is enough for Sunday’s meal with plenty leftover for lunches & enough for another meal).
Make double the potatoes that your family will eat on Sunday- You will use the leftovers for Tuesday’s meal.
When clearing the table on Sunday, “put away” food into a casserole dish- assembling Tuesday’s Shepherd Pie. Cut beef into bite size pieces- add leftover corn or other vegetables (if you don’t have enough, open a can of corn and green beans and add those). Cover everything with leftover gravy then top with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Cover dish and refrigerate. Tuesday’s dinner is DONE!
If you have extra ground beef mix in freezer from Runzas, use 1-2 lbs of that for an easy Company Casserole. Otherwise follow recipe. It’s still a quick meal!
Use pre-cooked chicken for enchiladas, Chicken & Stuffing, and Tortilla Soup. If you don’t have enough chicken, you can make beef enchiladas (leftover roast is great if you have it! Otherwise ground beef) If you have leftover pork from last week in your freezer- you can use that or even just cheese enchiladas. For the tortilla soup, you can use beef as well or omit meat altogether.
This week’s bread batch: 2 dozen rolls, 1 loaf bread for sandwiches, 1 extra (your choice). I like to have a few extra pizza crusts in the freezer for quick meals
Week 5 Menu Tips:
Save leftover chicken on Sunday for stir-fry. You can also use leftover broth to cook rice for more flavor.
Cook 3-4 extra potatoes for quick potato wedges on Wednesday.
Save extra pintos to make refried beans
Make enough extra sauce for your spaghetti to use on Pizza the next day
This week’s bread batch: Hamburger buns (for sloppy Joes), French bread, Pizza crusts
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