New to this series?  Check out Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4

You know – every time I sit down to write one of these installments, I swear that it is going to be the last one.  Then I actually start to write and realize how much there is to say…..looks like there is going to be a Part 6!

There is really only way to be successful at feeding a family on only $50 per week..and that is through menu planning.

I know that you have heard of menu planning before.  I know that it sounds hard.  I know that it sounds boring.  I know that it sounds like something only a person with OCD would do.  You may be right, you may be wrong.  I don’t really care what people think about menu planning.  It works, and that is enough for me!

First let me say that there is no “right” way to menu plan.  If you are still building your stockpile, it will be harder to do, as you will be at the mercy of what you have on hand combined with what you can get at the stores (on sale, of course).  As your stockpile gets larger, you will find meals easier and easier to plan. 

Let me also say that menu plans don’t have to be set in stone.  I typically don’t like to assign days to each meal.  I plan my meals on the weekend, usually shop on Sunday or Monday and I then know that I have all the ingredients that I need for the week.  I also like to give myself some flexibility by scheduling a “who cares if we don’t do it?” night (usually one of our pasta nights).  That way if I am having a bad day and the kids are driving me nuts and I would rather firebomb my kitchen than cook dinner, I can just shelve that one night and tell my husband to pick up pizza on the way home (note:  does not apply with my current Month of No Spending).

So how do you get started?

For most people, breakfasts and lunches are the easiest to plan.  If you are using coupons wisely, you can get a nice stockpile of cereal.  One thing that I like to do is make pancakes, french toast or waffles on the weekends…but then I make a quadruple batch of each and freeze them.  By alternating days (waffles on Saturday, pancakes on Sunday, an entire loaf of French Toast the following Saturday), we always have them in the freezer for an easy breakfast that my children love.  Considering the cost of these (and syrup isn’t that expensive), you can create an entire week of breakfasts for just a few dollars.  Lunches can be just leftovers, sandwiches, soups and salads.  We don’t get fancy for lunch.

It’s dinner that gives people the most problems.

One of the first thing you need to do is to take an inventory of your refrigerator, freezer and pantry.  Do you have any cooked chicken left over from the other night?  Some produce or dairy that needs to be used up?  Make a list of those items.  Did you get a good deal on a roast or chicken that you have in the freezer?  Make a list of potential meals based on what you have on hand.  Check out AllRecipes, Food Network, $5 Dollar Dinners or A Year of Crockpotting for some ideas for new recipes.  Another great source of recipes?  The back of the box or can!  Take a look many of the canned tomatoes, broths and pastas in your cupboards…most of them will have a recipe on them!

Look for recipes that you can double or triple.  Are you planning on making a lasagna or casserole this week?  What about doubling or tripling the recipe and making some extras for another week?  Not only will this save you time that week, but if money is tight one week because of unexpected expenses, you will have one less thing to worry about!  I even like to have Baking Days and (what I call) “Mama Leone Day”, when I make muffins, breads,cookies, lasagnas, pasta sauce and baked ziti and just freeze it all!

Grab your circulars (if you are lucky like me, they will come with your regular mail each week.  If not, many grocery stores now have their circulars online) and check out what is on sale.  Every week most stores have what they call a “loss leader”.  Is chicken on sale at a ridiculously low price?  Pork Roast?  Look for recipes that use these items.  Are strawberries on a BOGO sale?  Then it’s a perfect week to have strawberry smoothies for breakfast!

Now grab a sheet of paper and list your meal ideas. 

On a separate sheet of paper, make a grocery list of the items that you are going to need to complete the recipes.  While you are at it, make a list of anything that you noticed that you are running low on when you were taking your inventory (eggs, ketchup, jelly, etc) and add that to your grocery list!

I know that this seems like an awful lot of work.  I don’t want to lie to you…it is in the beginning.  But please believe me when I say that it gets easier the more you do it.  I am now at the point where I have enough recipe ideas in my head and enough of a stockpile that I can devote no more than 30 minutes per week to menu planning…and it’s usually done while I am sitting on the sofa catching up on my Tivo!

Next in the series?  With your menu plan and your grocery list, we are going shopping the smart way!