Menu Plan Monday

Menu planning is an important part of sticking to a grocery budget. August marks the beginning of a stricter grocery budget for our family, and I'm determined to figure out some ways to cut our grocery bill back.  I came across the blog Blissful and Domestic, which has lots of great frugal tips and menus. It sounds like once a month grocery shopping can help cut save quite a bit; I did try this in the past, but I didn't find that it worked very well for us. I am thinking about giving it another try, though. To make the once a month thing work, you freeze some of the produce and dairy and use up perishables in a strategic order. Right now I'm working on a month long menu plan for August to help me plan for my big grocery trip.

Here's the plan for this week:

Sunday: Lunch: Leftover Sweet & Sour Chicken & Rice
             Supper: Spaghetti with Mushrooms & Tomatoes in a Pesto Cream Sauce,  Homemade Artisan Bread

Monday: Chili & Cornbread
*Brown 3 pounds of hamburger: Use 2 lbs for chili & 1 lb to brown and  freeze for Shepherd's Pie later in the week*

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Spinach Lasagna & 5 Minute Artisan Bread

Thursday: Crockpot BBQ Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Veggies from the garden
*make extra chicken for pizza next week* *make extra potatoes for shepherd's pie*

Friday: Salmon Broccoli Loaf, Leftover Potatoes, Tossed Salad

Saturday: Shepherd's Pie, Tossed Salad, Artisan Bread

Many of these recipes are new. I'll try to add the ones that are keepers to my recipe index once I've tried them :-). Today is a big day for us since it's hubby's first day at his new job. First days are always nerve-wracking because you don't really know what to expect. Hopefully it goes well for him!  


*Linking up to Menu Plan Monday hosted by orgjunkie.com*