Eat at home

[tinkerbelletreasure]

I buy groceries for 2 weeks at a time..usually around $175 Here are some of our typical 2 week menus. We generally eat out once a week:
Day 1:tacos
Day 2:Roasted chicken
Day 4: Stoffuers lasagna
Day 5:Hot dogs or polish sausage
Day 6ork Chops
Day 7:scrounge or dollar menu
Day 8: Meat loaf
Day 9: Steaks
Day 10: Hamburgers
Day 11:corned beef roast
Day 12: Spagetti
Day 13:grilled Talapia
Day 14:eat out

 

[barbmouse]

Thanks so much for starting this thread. My family really needs to EAT AT HOME more. Eating out is such a budget buster for us. It can be difficult to plan around sooo many activities. I hope this thread will get me and keep me motivated as school and kids' activities begin again.

 

[mdsouth]

I had to pop in on this thread because Eat at Home is the name of my blog! And that's what my whole blog is about - simple recipes to help people eat at home. I now have 52 weekly menus + complete grocery list on my blog. Here's a link to the latest.

Here's a link to the list of them all (well, nearly all of them. I need to add some to the list.)

Tiffany,

Thanks. I love your blog. I bought a roast yesterday and wasn't sure what I was going to do with it. It is now in my slow cooker on its way to becoming Italian Beef! I will be making your Sweet and Sour Chicken Kabobs tomorrow!

Love the blog and this thread!

 

[curlybop]

I had to pop in on this thread because Eat at Home is the name of my blog!

I thought the same thing...I've followed you in my Google reader for some time now.

Between the Eat at Home blog and Once a Month Mom, we always have meals ready to go. We hardly ever eat out anymore. Knowing I have to only plan ahead a few days for a month of meals works perfectly.

 

[RN01]

I need to be so much better at fixing meals at home too. For the month of August my sister and I are keeping track of how much our families spend eating out and I"m already at $153. This is absolutely HORRIBLE!!! My husband and I like to go out just us every Wed night for supper and we go out as a family on Sunday's after church. It's usually just fast food but for a family of 5 it adds up. Then comes the meals here and there because I'm too lazy to figure out something for lunch. I do meal plan every week but I've got to get better about sticking to it. Starting Sept 1... we are cutting it down!!!!!!

 

[vegasnative]

I had to pop in on this thread because Eat at Home is the name of my blog! And that's what my whole blog is about - simple recipes to help people eat at home. I now have 52 weekly menus + complete grocery list on my blog. Here's a link to the latest.

Here's a link to the list of them all (well, nearly all of them. I need to add some to the list.)

I don't have time to really look right now, but when I get home I am going to go through your blog. Thanks for doing that, it looks great!

Maybe I should start a new thread for all the recipes I am sure we are going to want to share. I know that as I have read through your menus, lots of dishes sound great. :thumbsup

I think that would be great. Please let us know if you open up a new thread.

I thought the same thing...I've followed you in my Google reader for some time now.

Between the Eat at Home blog and Once a Month Mom, we always have meals ready to go. We hardly ever eat out anymore. Knowing I have to only plan ahead a few days for a month of meals works perfectly.

What is the Once a Month Mom about?

 

[aprilvaca04]

I had to pop in on this thread because Eat at Home is the name of my blog! And that's what my whole blog is about - simple recipes to help people eat at home. I now have 52 weekly menus + complete grocery list on my blog. Here's a link to the latest.

Here's a link to the list of them all (well, nearly all of them. I need to add some to the list.)

Love your blog! Am really looking forward to using it to help us stay on track. Thanks

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

the trouble comes once the weekend hits its so hard not to go out.

We have been trying to eat at home more and here's something we do that seems to help with the weekends. We grill A LOT on Friday night or Sat lunch and then eat left overs all weekend. You can change the sides or since it's been so hot, use salads and fresh fruits for sides. We grill some chicken and some porkchops etc and then you can have a different kind of meat with eat meal. It doesn't feel like leftovers!

 

[Minnesota!]

We ALWAYS have a meal plan.

We recently upped our monthly food budget to $275....so we have a little more room. But still...having a plan and sticking to it makes it possible to meet our budget.

This week:

Last night was tilapia, steamed brussel sprouts, sauteed mushrooms, and some rice

Tonight will be the same thing as last night for me, and then we have chx breasts I cooked on Sunday night in the fridge. I will shred them, add salsa and black beans to them, warm it all up, and serve in tortilla shells with cheese and lettuce.

Other meals on the list:

hamburger, rice, stewed tomatoes with steamed brocoli, buttered bread

lemon shrimp pasta, green salad, garlic toast

grilled tilapia, wilted spinach, brown rice

shredded chicken BBQ sandwiches, brocoli, potato chips

mac-n-cheese and stewed tomato bake, spinach, garlic bread

spaghetti

fajitas

 

[figment3258]

We have been trying to eat at home more and here's something we do that seems to help with the weekends. We grill A LOT on Friday night or Sat lunch and then eat left overs all weekend. You can change the sides or since it's been so hot, use salads and fresh fruits for sides. We grill some chicken and some porkchops etc and then you can have a different kind of meat with eat meal. It doesn't feel like leftovers!

Thanks We have been using the grill a lot more but its always a last thought i will be thinking about grilling more food first.

 

[curlybop]

What is the Once a Month Mom about?

It is also a cooking blog. She creates a Google Document with monthly plans, shopping list, labels, etc. for a month of meals. I usually find two or three things to try each month. It's free also. I make a few things, store in the freezer, then try a couple more. That in addition to freezing leftovers has made a big difference in our food budget!

 

[TomAndLori]

This is a great thread, I will need to go back and read it all!!!

My wife doesn't really like to cook and now that she went back into the workforce, I have started doing the cooking again. I like cooking, that is why I am better at it apparently. But it can be tough during the week, so I like to make something big on Sunday that will help as leftovers through Wednesday. Then hot dog or spaghetti, something quick and easy like that on Thursday/Friday. Then something a little harder on Saturday, and back to the big Sunday meal.

Pepper Steak, Chicken and Dumplings, and Meatloaf have been successful as leftovers. While I love Beef Stroganoff and Swedish Meatballs, those have not been successful with my wife. So I am looking for more idea's.

This Paula Dean Chicken and Dumplings recipe turned out the big winner this past weekend...so this how I will do them from now on.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/chicken-and-dumplings-recipe/index.html


Also I am trying to find a good Beans and Rice meal.

 

[TomAndLori]

I had to pop in on this thread because Eat at Home is the name of my blog! And that's what my whole blog is about - simple recipes to help people eat at home. I now have 52 weekly menus + complete grocery list on my blog. Here's a link to the latest.

Here's a link to the list of them all (well, nearly all of them. I need to add some to the list.)

Awesome.

 

[TomAndLori]

We always plan a special meal to cook together on the weekends. crack open a bottle of wine, and put on some music, and cook away. It is a lovely tradition.

I am trying to get my wife more involved on the weekend, you are right, it is fun.

 

[CherylA]

I've been really struggling with this lately too. I don't like to use the oven in the summer so it has somewhat limited my choices. I am so burnt out from cooking lately. Writing it down totally heps though, I need to go through my cookbooks tonight and pull out some of the favorites I haven't made in a while. I am just SO TIRED of cooking! Anywhoo tonight I'm making chicken quesadillas, fresh guacamole and a simple lettuce/tomato/cucumber salad. I used to like to cook!

 

[Tiana]

Was wondering if you follow a recipe for your Quinoa and black beans recipe?

DH and I go out every Tuesday, so tonight is homemade Pizza for the crew.

wednesday-Porkloin with garlic, tomatoes and corn

thursday-quiche with whatever veggies i buy at wed. farmer's marke

friday- stroganoff

saturday-Indonesian chicken

sunday-shrimp with whatever sat. farmer's market turns up.

Yes I do! It's from the Sept. 2008 edition of Bon Appetit Magazine

Quinoa with Black Beans and Cilantro

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cups chopped white onions (I use sweet onions)
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1.5 cups water (I use Trader Joes chicken broth, SO much more flavor!)
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained (I use Cuban Style Black beans from Trader Joes without draining it, just plop the whole can in)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
(optional) Crumbled Cojita or Feta cheese


Heat oil in a heavy medium saucepan over high heat. Add onions and red pepper; saute until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in next 4 ingredients. Add water (broth); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until quinoa is almost tender, about 14 minutes.

Add beans and 1/4 cup cilantro; cook uncovered until heated through and liquid is fully absorbed, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; sprinkle with remaining cilantro and cheese, if desired.

This is SO yummy, especially with my "tweeks"

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

Boy do I need motivation! I am a fairly decent cook - just don't love doing it. But does anyone else struggle with the kids thinly disguised disappointment with menu choices? Yeah, I know - eat it or go hungry, and I am not a pushover -maybe I just secretly want to go out too!!

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

I am trying to get my wife more involved on the weekend, you are right, it is fun.

Good luck, and have fun!

 

[MsDisney23]

We eat most of our meals at home, during the summer we enjoy steaks, burger's, dogs, chicken etc. on the grill. We also eat out of garden. We harldy eat out in the summer months.

We do eat out about once a month in the winter months. I do have to travel once a month to see my transplant team and always stop at Olive Garden for their lunch special. I get soup, salad, bread sticks, two meatballs and a soda. I also pick up a bottle of their dressing to bring home. Entire bill with tip cost me a total of $20.00. I really look forward to my special lunch.

We also shop the sales and stock up. We actually have our own small grocery store in the basement.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

Yes I do! It's from the Sept. 2008 edition of Bon Appetit Magazine

Quinoa with Black Beans and Cilantro

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cups chopped white onions (I use sweet onions)
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1.5 cups water (I use Trader Joes chicken broth, SO much more flavor!)
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained (I use Cuban Style Black beans from Trader Joes without draining it, just plop the whole can in)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
(optional) Crumbled Cojita or Feta cheese


Heat oil in a heavy medium saucepan over high heat. Add onions and red pepper; saute until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in next 4 ingredients. Add water (broth); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until quinoa is almost tender, about 14 minutes.

Add beans and 1/4 cup cilantro; cook uncovered until heated through and liquid is fully absorbed, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; sprinkle with remaining cilantro and cheese, if desired.

This is SO yummy, especially with my "tweeks"

Thank you so much! I love a good recipe. The closest TJ's is a couple of hours away, so I will plan the next time to pick up your suggestions. LOL, my TJ list grows and grows!