Aprils menu planning/Shopping tips I have done this a few times. Usually in Sept.

and January as I have some time off preceeding those months, and I now once school starts I have very little time to coo on the nights I wor . I get !ored coo ing the same things over and over. "he ids are pic y eaters #as far as main dishes go$, !ut they will always eat a fruit and vegeta!le #I now, luc y me$ so fruits and veggies are always the side dishes to these main meals. Sometimes the ids eat a sandwich, or a hotdog. %ot ideal, I now, !ut I figure they eat so much fruits and veggies that their processed hot dog protein wont hurt them. I usually run these things !y &arl, he will eat most anything. '(cept tomatoes. )e says there are no tomatoes in spaghetti sauce so thats how come we can still eat spaghetti. Shopping* If I am well prepared #meaning, I have no ids with me and have had time to clip coupons and ma e a list$, I can shop !asically for the whole month in one + hr or so trip. "his doesnt include stuff that is perisha!le, li e mil , !read, fruits, etc. And if we run out of something its not li e we are hard core once a month shoppers, we can go to the store if we need something. I thin some of this monthly shopping stuff comes from growing up out in the country, where you had to have a well stoc ed pantry and lots of stuff on hand !ecause you didnt ,ust go into town for one ingredient. "rue story* -hen I was a id, we had a really long lane and sometimes got snowed in. .y dad

would have to pull our groceries up on a sled. / , !ac to the menu/shopping etc. 1. Plan menu. I do a lot of croc pot free0er meals. I really ,ust googled this on the internet and found 1 sites I really li e. http*//www.si(sistersstuff.com/1234/21/325slow5coo er5 free0er5meals5in5less.html I !elieve some of the si( sisters stuff has weight watchers points listed. /therwise if there is a recipe I want, I ,ust google it. /r, I am pretty inventive so I ,ust mi( things together and try myselfyeah I am inda cra0y that way6 Also, I dont plan a meal for every single day. .ostly, ,ust for the days I wor . "hat doesnt mean I dont coo the other days, !ut those are days I might try new things or order pi00a or something. -e li e variety. I must say that I do almost all the coo ing !ut &arl does almost all the dishes so I am totally cool with that. 2. Make a List 5"his really does re7uire some thought and planning. I loo at my menu, chec what I have in the panty cup!oard and free0er. I also clip coupons if there are things that I see. I love "arget coupons and "arget 8artwheel. )owever, I !uy most of my food type groceries at Aldi. .ore on shopping in a minute. If Im really organi0ed, I will ma e a list that says what I am getting at each store #Aldi, -almart or "arget, )y9ee or :areway, etc$. 3. Shopping5 :or a monthly shopping hoarde, I really need to !e id free. I spend way more money when I have one or

two ;helpers< with me. I generally shop at Aldis for most items #e(cept meat. I am sure their meat is fine, !ut I am really a meat sno! and generally get my meat at :areway or )y9ee$. Aldis has mil for =1.>2 , sometimes you can get it for under =1. "hat alone is worth the trip, when at )y9ee it is over =4 a gallon. I also love "argets 8artwheel and coupons. "arget lets you stac a maunfacturer #sp?$ coupon, "arget 8oupon, and their "arget 8artwheel. "his is where I get most non food items li e toilet paper, etc. 4. Cooking and Freezing-I ,ust did this on Sunday. It too me a!out 1 hours to ma e a!out 32 meals. I categori0e !y meat, for e(ample, do all my chic en dishes, dou!le !ag them in free0er !ags, put them in the free0er, clean up, then start again with !eef or por . .ost things that are chic en, !eef or por you dont need to pre coo !efore free0ing so you ,ust put whatever stuff you want to put in with the meat in the free0er !ag. 9ery easy66 I used to coo meals and then free0e, !ut I lac free0er space so the !ags ta e up much less space. :or dishes that contain ham!urger, I li e to coo mine first. So that is another session. "his wee I did that yesterday. 5. Ser ing !our "ro"k pot #reezer meals"haw out in the fridge the day !efore. A lot of the meals I do end up !eing in the croc pot for 32 hours !ecause thats how long I am at wor . "hey usually turn out fine. If its going to !e more than @ hours you can add more li7uid or use a croc put that has a timer that will shut off and eep warm. I have one of those !ut I am inda old school so I ,ust put it on low.

5. $ll o# these meals "an also %e %aked so if you are not gone all day, you can still use them. -ell, may!e I shouldnt say all !ecause I havent actually tried all of them. )owever, I have done terya i #sp$ chic en, lime chic en, apricot por chops and a few others with out free0ing ahead, if I went to the store that day I ,ust put them in a pan and !a ed them. &. 'he a"tual menu( S M ' )
Aanca es #not a free0er meal$ 8hic en and Dumplings .c Donalds 8roc pot meatloaf

'h
8ran!erry BBC 8hic en .adrites #not a croc pot meal$ 8hic en tacos

F
Slow coo er pi00a

Aanca es #not a free0er meal$ :rench toast #not a free0er meal$ :ro0en pi00a

"ator tot casserole

.cDonalds

Shephard pie

Eoast with potatoes and carrots Sweet terya i chic en

.cDonalds

8ilantro lime chic en 8hili in the croc pot

Spaghetti #not in croc pot$ Apricot por chops

.cDonalds

Bo( mac and cheese

*ther stu##( -e get .cDonalds every "uesday. Alivia has dance so we get it on the way home. &arl and I eat .cDs too or we eat leftovers. 'hings + al,a!s ha e on hand( chili powder, noodles, oatmeal, !is7uic or panca e type mi(, salsa, cream of mushroom soup, cilantro and other spices, salt, pepper, mil , !utter, oil, etchup, mustard, sugar, etc$

Shopping list -+ ma! omit some o# the things a%o e. %e"ause + al,a!s ha e them in m! "up%oard/ -ee 3 Bacon #to serve with panca es$ Bis7uic or the Aldi !a ing mi( #if I didnt have it on hand$ 1 cans cran!erry sauce #the ,ellied or whole$ 3 ,ar of !!7 sauce Eotini or penne pasta .y usual wee ly stuff5 fruits,veggies, mil , stuff for lunches, etc -ee 1 3 l! of chic en #or more depending on si0e of your family$ 1 cans cream of mushroom soup 3 3F o0 p g fro0en mi(ed veggies 3 can of refrigerator !iscuits 3 or 1 l!s ham!urger #or more depending on family si0e$ for meatloaf 3 l! or more ham!urger for madrites )am!urger !uns Bacon or sausage #to serve with panca es$ -ee 4 "ator "ots 8an of corn #or 1$ 8an of cream of mushroom soup #or 1$ Instant mashed potatoes )am!urger #for shepherd pie and tator tot casserole$ .elta!le 8heese slices li e &raft or 9elveeta #I dont li e genericone of the few things I am pic y a!out$ "aco shells, hard or soft

Aepper /nion #I use onion fla es. -ere not !ig onion fans here$ 8an of green !eans 8an of tomato sauce -ee + Aot roast #or arm roast$ Aotatoes, 8arrots 1 l! chic en #more or less depending on your family si0e$ "ortilla chips Shredded cheese #co ,ac , cheddar, .e(ican, etc$ Bag of fro0en corn Blac !eans #we dont use this in our cilantro lime chic en. &arl is not a !ig fan$ Gime or lime ,uice #can !uy wee 3 if you ma e meals ahead and free0e$ )am!urger or tur ey for spaghetti Spaghetti sauce Harlic !read #!uy on wee + so its fresh$ :ro0en pi00a -ee > "eray i Sauce or Soy Sauce Gg can of crushed tomatoes "omato sauce Beans for chili #if you li e them, we omit them$ )am!urger for chili Aor chops Apricot preserves /nion soup mi( #I have this on hand$ 8atalina, :rench, or Eussian salad dressing .ac and cheese

I ind of follow the si( sisters recipe site. I also have !een coo ing for awhile so I ind of now what to put in things. So, I may have omitted some things off this list that you will find if you chec out the si( sisters site. Also5 :or &arl and I and our pic y ids, most meals we use 3 l! of meat and we often have leftovers. If you have non pic y ids, or larger families, add more according. I hope this is helpful. I love this stuff66 I dont always have time to do it !ut when I do, it does save a little time in the long run and we eat out less !ecause we now we have a meal waiting for us when we get home. Get me now what you thin