As I posted last week, I’m taking a different strategy to reducing my grocery bill this month. I made out a menu plan for the entire month, and I will be doing the bulk of my shopping this morning. I will be buying almost all of the imperishable stuff, as well as produce and milk for this first week. Then I will be making weekly shopping trips to replenish our supply of milk, produce, and bread. I’ll also buy a few snacks on a weekly basis, so my family doesn’t go on a snack eating binge this week, leaving us with nothing to snack on for the next few weeks.

Speaking of snacks, if you have cheap, healthy snack ideas, feel free to leave a comment. Fruits and vegetables are already on the list, though I have to be careful of the crunchy veggies, as my daughter has braces.

I’m also going to attempt to start a price book today, so I can always be sure that I’m getting the best price possible on the food I buy.

So, here’s my menu for the month. I’ve only included dinner, because I tend to do a rotation of breakfasts that include pancakes, eggs, muffins, french toast, baked oatmeal, and cereal. For lunch we have either sandwiches or leftovers.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

  • M – Burritos
  • T – Teriyaki Chicken
  • W – Chicken Tortilla Soup
  • T – Thanksgiving (Not included in the grocery budget. My mom insisted on buying Thanksgiving dinner)
  • F – Thanksgiving leftovers
  • S – Panera Broccoli & Cheese Soup
  • S – leftovers/breakfast for dinner

Week 4

For sides, we’ll have combinations of bread, rice, potatoes, frozen vegetables, and fruit. I realize this isn’t the healthiest menu in the world, but it’s healthier than McDonald’s. I figure once I have this cooking thing down, I can start trying to make substitutes to make things healthier. One step at a time. :)

So, I’m off to go shopping. I’ll be back this afternoon with an update as to how I did with the budget.