I'm challenging myself this next month... and challenging you to help. I want to get the most out of my groceries for my money. I usually buy groceries a month at a time and it comes out to about $100 a week. Im feeding 2 adults and 3 kids. However, most dinners are just me and the kids due to my husbands work schedule. I want to see how cheap we can eat.

Here's the deal. My first goal is to come up with a month of meals. *See below* I want to use ingredients that I can use more than once. For example.. I can get 2 meals out of 1 pack of egg noodles. 2 dinners out of 1 pack of chicken.. etc.

So first, help me with my menu. Ill make a list of items I already have in my pantry. Once we get the menu.. Im going to STICK TO IT. For an entire month. Just to see how cheap we can eat.. and possibly get some new and creative meal ideas! Healthy, cheap, and creative. So, any advice, tips, ideas, recipes, etc... post them here!

I will be back to update regularly! Ill be back to add more later!

**Added 9/12***
Here are some items that I have on hand.. that I would like to use up!

Green means a meal has been planned using this item

-1 Large box of Bisquick
-Minute White Rice
-Brown Rice
-Lasagna Noodles
-Mexican Corn
-Instant Mashed Potatos
-Chicken Stove Top Stuffing
-Green Enchilada Sauce x2
-Chilli
-Beef Stroganoff Hamburger Helper
-Chicken Broth x2
-Pinto Beans
-Cream of Chicken Soup
-Steamed Veggies in a bag
-Chicken Helper Chicken Fried Rice
-Frozen Gumbo and Rice
-Yeast x2

**Edited to add*** Alright, my menu is FULL. Woohoo!!! Now I just need to STICK to it. I might switch some things around... but I plan on updating and highlighting meals as we eat them. See if I had enough food.. and Ill know what to buy more of maybe next time. Now I just need to find coupons for the items on my grocery list!!! I will post how much I spent at the store and anything extra that I bought.

I need menu ideas! Here is my plan.. could get lengthy.. help me fill it out! ALL 3 MEALS!!!

***Added 9/23- Ok , went shopping yesterday bought 107 items spent $267.07 We'll see how far I can stretch it! I saved $18.55 with coupons. I went over my $200 budget b/c I bought a matress pad and diapers for two kids I will bold the menu as we eat it. lol ***

Day 1 Lunch: Corn Dogs Dinner: Chicken Tacos
Day 2 Lunch: Sandwiches Dinner: Chicken and Dumplings
Day 3 Lunch: Chicken Salad Dinner: Chicken Helper
Day 4 Lunch: Chicken Nuggets Dinner: Chicken with Stove top stuffing, veggies
Day 5 Lunch: Leftovers Dinner: Chicken Enchiladas
Weekend 6 Lunch: Corn Dogs/Leftovers Dinner: Sausage, mac cheese, veggies
Weekend 7: Lunch:Homemade Pizza Dinner: Lasagna
Day 8 Lunch: Nachos Dinner: Hamburger Helper Stroganoff
Day 9 Lunch: Chicken Noodle Soup Dinner: Leftovers
Day 10 Lunch: Sandwhiches Dinner: Sausage and Gumbo with rice
Day 11 Lunch:PB&J Dinner: Cheeseburger dinner
Day 12 Lunch: Chicken Nuggets Dinner: Homemade Pizza
Weekend 13 Lunch: Sloppy Joes Dinner: Meatloaf
Weekend 14 Lunch:Quesadillas Dinner: Pot Roast with veggies
Day 15 Lunch:Grilled Cheese Roast Beef Sandwiches Dinner: Leftovers
Day 16 Lunch:Mac n cheese Dinner: Chicken Tenders
Day 17 Lunch:Corn Dogs Dinner: Spaghetti with ground turkey
Day 18 Lunch: Leftovers Dinner: Smoked Sausage and veggies
Day 19 Lunch: Stuffed Manicotti Dinner: Leftovers
Weekend 20 Lunch: Chilli Dogs Dinner: Grilled Burgers
weekend 21 Lunch: Leftovers Dinner: Tacos
Day 22 Lunch: Taco Salad Dinner: Baked Chicken and Rice
Day 23 Lunch: Leftovers Dinner: Mexican Casserole
Day 24 Lunch: Corn Dogs Dinner: Leg Quarters and veggies
Day 25 Lunch: Nachos Dinner: Sloppy Joes
Day 26 Lunch: Sandwiches Dinner: Meatloaf
Weekend 27 Lunch:Grilled Cheese/soup Dinner: Ribs, pinto beans, veggies
Weekend 28 Lunch:quesadillas Dinner: Pork Chops and potatos
Day 29 Lunch: Leftovers Dinner: Chicken fajitas
Day 30 Lunch:Leftovers Dinner: Hamburger Helper
Day 31 Lunch:Hot dogs Dinner: Chicken Enchiladas

Grocery List:
Whole Chicken x2
Cheese (to shred)
Box of Corn Dogs (18)
Bag of Chicken Nuggets
Sausage
Mac N Cheese
Egg Noodles x2
Tortillas
Large tortillas
Hamburger Meat x 7 (or in bulk)
Ricotta Cheese
Mozerella Cheese
Spaghetti Sauce x2
Pepperoni/Canadian Bacon
Pizza Sauce x2
Roast Beef
Fresh Veggies
Hot Dogs
Chicken Breast/Tenders x3
Tortilla Chips
Fruit cups
Spaghetti noodles
Garlic Bread
Bread Sticks
Brown Gravy mix
corn on the cob
cereal
chicken noodle soup
waffles
Manwhich x2
Milk
Bread
Eggs
Lunch Meat
Soup
Jelly
Peanut Butter
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Fruit
Refried Beans
Salsa
Pancake on a stick
Rolls/Bread

Non Food Items:
Paper Towells
Dust Pan (Ours dissapeared!)


**Update: Im also going to try and do the angel food thing this month.. so here is their menu. Im gonna try and put these items to use:

(1) 4 lb. IQF Leg Quarters
(1) 24 oz. Beef Back Ribs
(1) 1 lb. 80/20 Lean Ground Beef
(1) 2 lb. Breaded Chicken Tenders
(4) 6 oz. Bone in Pork Chops
(1) 1 lb. Ground Turkey
(1) 18 oz. Stuffed Manicotti (Cheese)
(1) 12 oz. Smoked Sausage
(1) Betty Crocker Seasoned Potatoes
(1) 7 oz. Cheeseburger Dinner
(1) 16 oz. Green Beans
(1) 16 oz. Baby Carrots
(1) 2 lb. Onions
(1) 1 lb. Pinto Beans
(1) 1 lb. Rice
(1) 7 oz. Blueberry Muffin Mix
(1) 10 ct. Homestyle Waffles
(1) Dessert Item

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Whenever I need to have cheap grocery weeks, I buy a whole chicken on sale. It will last several meals. After cooking the whole chicken, I pick all the meat off. Save the broth. I shred most of the chicken and one night I made chicken tacos, once night chicken and rice, one night chicken and dumplings, one night chicken with stuffing, and the rest I add mayo and make chicken salad for lunches. So you could use the chicken helper one night, the bisquick to make dumpling (in the broth you saved), cook some rice add a little chicken and the broth with water for chicken and rice soup.
That would be my start....use meat sparingly to make more full meals. I usually only spend $50/month for my husband and myself, but we have a stock pile.
Oh, homemade pancakes for dinner is really cheap and easy and it's amazing what you can throw on a corn or flour tortilla and have dinner in minutes.

The chicken is a GREAT idea!!! Thanks.

Here's some other things about my family that may help with ideas..

We LOVE mexican food, pasta, breads, (basically all the stuff thats really bad for you!) Also, I dont serve nearly enough veggies.. so if I could cooperate those in some how.

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You need to buy your tortillas in bulk!

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http://merrymaass.blogspot.com/

Alright, cool. So.. I think after week 1 Im gonna be sick of chicken... moving onto week 2! Look at the list of items on hand and lets come up with some more.. maybe some hamburger meals!!!

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I do! I usually get the thing of 48 tortillas!

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One meal egg sandwiches with cheese and fruit.

One meal mix all the following and cook in a pan eggs, tortillas broken into small pieces, Mexican Corn, onions, a little cheese on top.

Other meal brown rice, tomatoes cut up, and beans.

Other meal hamburger cooked with onion,& green peppers, a veg and top with mashed potatoes.

Other meal chicken broth and Frozen Gumbo and Rice for something like a soup.

Other meal pinto beans mashed and put on the tortillas with lettuce and tomatoes, and maybe some of the leftover rice.

Other meal chilli with vegs

Other meal chilli with mashed potatoes over it.

Make a roast one evening with poatoes, carrotts, onions. The next day have roast beef sandwichs. The next day have beef pot pie or stew with the leftover. If any left after the above then make beef soup.

Frenchtoast with fruit is a cheap meal.

I like the pot roast idea...

we arent a big fan of onions...

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I am working on my monthly grocery list as well. I don't plan breakfast or lunch, just have general supplies on hand and eat lots of left overs. I just make a list of the suppers we will eat and decide day by day which one will be when. I also just keep a stock of side dishes and don't really plan on what goes when either. Here is what we are having for the month so far:

Bacon sandwiches (2 times)
ziti
spaghetti (4 times, once a week)
chicken casserole
meatloaf
hamburgers and hotdogs
brats and hot dogs (probably 2 times)
Hamburger helper (2 different varieties, so 2 times)
sloppy joes
pancakes
tacos
Mexican Pie
quesadillas
grilled cheese
chili
mac and hamburger (goulash type)
pork chops (have some in the freezer)
whatever meat I can good a good price on!
homemade pizzas
calzones

We also usually eat leftovers once or twice and maybe order a pizza once a month.

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~Happiness is a large family~

still have a few meals to fill... think HEALTHY!!!! and something NEW

I need to use up these 2 cans of chicken broth! No soups.. blah

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