Weekly menu plan

So, I occasionally calculate how much my cheap meals cost me. I've been doing this for years, since I really started cooking and getting into cooking cheaply and healthfully. And I can eat the cheaper meals more often. I've started posting the cost per serving on here, honestly, so I don't have to do the math each time. I'm lazy. I'd rather look it up. I can't tell you how many times I've calculated the cost of a bean burrito. Sure, prices of tortillas are going up, but it's a small adjustment to make.

Also, I've been on and off weight watchers, and it's good to keep a record of what I'm eating. I don't post points values here, but I can easily look back and see if I'm getting my fruits and veggies, and if I'm hitting the chocolate too hard.

I was inspired to start posting meals and cost from reading other blogs like cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com and Path to Freedom Journal. I finally hit upon a way to include my CSA cost. Rather than try to estimate each week how much $ to assign to each food, I just set out a certain amount per week. We pay $20/week, so that's $10 per person (don't count the 2-year old) or $1.43 per day. Anything I get from the CSA is "free" and I just tack on that amount.

What's not included here generally is what my husband and toddler are eating. That's too much work!

Monday: ($ values are for one person)
B: bagel (0.33), cream cheese (0.12), milk (0.20)
L: leftover ravioli (me), leftover roast beef (Mike), roasted veggies (beets, turnips, fennel, onion, garlic - all from CSA except onion (0.20) & garlic (0.10).
D: lentil barley stew (0.13), salad (0.30), rosemary focaccia (0.33), milk (0.20)
snacks: clementines (CSA), banana (0.20), dates & cheese (0.40), kale balls (0.10)
tortilla chips (0.20), salsa (0.25), tea (free), 1/2 cinnamon roll (free)
chocolate (0.40), soda (0.25)
3.71 + $1.43/day (CSA cost) = $5.14

Tuesday:
B: bagel (0.33), cream cheese (0.12), milk (0.20)
L: faux crab sandwich (me)(0.66), leftover roast beef (Mike), spaghetti squash (CSA) with pesto (CSA) and olives (0.15), avocado (free!), tortilla chips (free)
D: lentil barley stew (0.13), salad (0.30), rosemary focaccia (0.33), milk (0.20)
snacks: clementines (CSA), banana (0.20), kale balls (0.10), 1/2 c homemade yogurt (0.13), 1/2 c canned pineapple (0.20), chocolate (0.40) , couple of mini-cookies (6) from TJ's (0.30)
$3.75+ $1.43/day (CSA cost) = $5.18
beer: $1.50

Wednesday:
B: bagel (0.33), cream cheese (0.12), tea (free)
L: faux crab sandwich (me)(0.66), PB&J (Mike)(0.39), kale balls (0.10), 1/2 avocado (free!!)
D: grilled cheese (0.20), ketchup (0.06), salad (0.30)
snacks: clementines (CSA), banana (0.20), 1/2 c homemade yogurt (0.13), 1/2 c canned pineapple (0.20), granola bar (0.08)
$2.43 + $1.43/day (CSA cost) = $3.86
glass of two buck chuck: $0.43

Thursday:
B: homemade wheat bread (0.10), 1 T light margarine (0.03), 1/2 oz swiss (0.19), 4 dried dates (0.15), tea (free), soda ($1.25)
L: 1/2 PB&J (0.20), lentil barley stew (0.10), kale balls (0.10), 1/2 avocado (free!)
D: 1 c. tortellini (0.38), diced tomatoes (0.22), ginger sauteed carrots (0.41), milk (0.20), 6 mini cookies (0.34)
snacks: clementines (CSA), pear (0.40), 1/2 c homemade yogurt (0.13), 1/2 c canned pineapple (0.20), granola bar (0.08)
$2.91 + $1.43/day (CSA cost) = $4.34
soda: 1.25
glass of two buck chuck: $0.43

Friday:
B: homemade wheat bread (0.10), 1 T light margarine (0.03), strawberries (CSA), 1c milk (0.20)
L: out with my sweetie, $9.48
D: 1 c. tortellini (0.38), diced tomatoes (0.22), ginger sauteed carrots (0.20), kale balls (0.10), milk (0.20), roasted cauliflower (CSA), 6 mini cookies (0.34)
snack: peanuts (0.13), clementines (CSA)
$1.90+ $1.43/day (CSA cost) = $3.33
dining out: $9.48
beer: $1.50

Saturday:
B: homemade bread (0.10), 1 T margarine (0.03)
S: smoothie (0.33) see recipe below
L: birthday party, free
D: 3 autumn latkes (0.17), 1 c tortellini pasta (0.38)

Total: $1.01 + 1.43 (CSA) = $2.44
1/2 beer: 0.75
2 sodas: 0.60

Smoothie:
1/2 c. canned pineapple with some of the juice (0.20)
1/2 c. frozen blueberries (0.50)
handful of strawberries (CSA)
1/2 banana (0.10)
2 T peanut butter (0.06)
1/2 c. nonfat homemade yogurt (0.13)

3 servings at 0.99, or 0.33 each


Sunday:
B: oatmeal (0.15)
brunch after the walk: $15
S: 1/2 pear (0.20), crackers (0.30), apple strudel (1.33)
D: beans & rice (0.30), leftover burrito (0), 2 latkes (0.11), chips (0.20), guacamole (0.44) - 1/7 of pkg

total: 3.13 + 1.43 (CSA) = $4.46
meal out: $14
wine: 0.43

never did eat this snack:
D: 2 crackers (0.20), 1T hummus (0.19), 1 T caponata (0.23)