Savings Savings Savings!!!
This week I managed to find protein on sale for every single meal! I KNOW! I don’t think I have ever done that before. So, that being said, without our dinner guests on Wednesday, our weeks worth of meals would have only been $45!! Amazing.
Also aside from one day, we had vegetables every night so the roomies are happy too!
This is my week:
(Please note :my average prices do not include spices, butter, oil, etc)
Monday
Mojo Baked Pork Chops (@$8.50)
- Boneless Pork Chops $3.73 (8 chops, Manager’s Special, Kroger)
- Mojo Marinade $1.59 (½ bottle, from prior recipe)
- Rice $0.94
- Cuban Style Black Beans $0.69 (can)
- Guacamole Dip $1.50 (¼ , 5.99 Fresh Market, afternoon snacks)
Since the toddler loved the mojo marinade the last time I used in the crockpot, I decided to use it again for pork chops. An hour or so before I planned on cooking, I placed the pork in a glass casserole dish (I prefer glass to metal) and covered with the marinade. I poked the meat a few times with a fork, I think it helps get the marinade in the meat but not sure. My grandma does it, so it must work 🙂
Once ready, I preheated the oven to 350 and cooked the pork chops for 30 minutes or (160 degrees). Steamed rice with a little salt and butter. Topped with canned cuban style black beans from Trader Joe’s. I felt the dish was missing something so I topped with a scoop of guacamole I had on hand for snacks. Once again, the toddler had 3 helpings! WIN!!!!
Tuesday
Steak Bites (@$7.50)
- Sirloin Steak Tips $5.03 (Manager’s Special, Kroger)
- Mac & Cheese $1.59 (Annie’s, Sharp Cheddar)
- Green Beans $0.69 (can)
Very simple ingredient meal that takes almost no time at all. I think the longest part of this meal is waiting on the water to boil. I tend to double check my cook times so I can give you accurate times instead of my usual guesses. So I used this “idea” for the steak preparation even though I have been cooking it for years without a recipe. Add mac & cheese and vegetables for a comfort food dinner ready in no time.
Wednesday
Italian Sausage Sandwiches (@$21.50)
- Italian Sausage $7.00 (12, Managers Special, Kroger)
- Pasta Sauce $4.38 (2 large jars)
- Bell Pepper $1.96 (2 green)
- Onion $0.60 (1 Vidalia)
- Pasta $1.99 (large box)
- Cheese $1.67 (sliced Provolone)
- Buns $3.98 (2 packages)
We had dinner guests this evening, as we tend to most Wednesdays, but his time was different because I didn’t cook, my husband did.
He seared the sausages before adding them to a pot of 2 large jars of tomato sauce and added extra spice to taste. He also added sliced onions and peppers to the sauce. He brought that to a high simmer for about 1 hour and low simmer for 2 hours. (I told him to use the crockpot, but apparently that isn’t manly enough for him) We slathered it onto hoagie buns, topped with a little provolone cheese, and had a small pasta side. Yum.
Plenty for everyone and leftovers. If doing for smaller family, just cut everything in half. Cost would be $10.75.
Friday
Beef Stroganoff (@$9)
- Ground Beef $3.80 (2.99 lb, Fresh Market)
- Pasta $1.00 (Rotini)
- Sour Cream $0.89 (½ )
- Mushrooms $0.76 (⅓ )
- Beef Broth $2.29
I had a request for a healthier version of this dish. I found this one pot recipe. I followed the recipe this time, but will play around and tweak it the next time around. If you wanted to make it healthier yourself, I would recommend using your own bone broth, veggie pasta, and greek yogurt instead of the sour cream. But I think with the basic ingredients, this is actually better for you than other versions.
Saturday
Honey Curry Chicken(@$8)
- Chicken $4.60 (2.99 lb, Fresh Market)
- Honey $1.75 (½ )
- Rice $0.94
- Green Beans $0.69 (can)
I love curry, but I don’t really enjoy the flavor of coconut milk that is added to most curry recipes. This recipe only calls for 1 tsp of curry powder but I used a lot more (3-4 tsp, depending on the actual amount of chicken). I usually mix the green beans in with rice but these were slightly larger beans this time. I never seem to have any leftovers with this meal.
5 meals for around $55. Lots of leftovers for lunches and a night of dinner guests
My bonus this week, Whipped Cream Cheese.
The difference in price between flavored whipped cream cheese and plain block cream cheese is atrocious. Usually you pay anywhere between $2-$4 per tub depending on flavor and brand. Last week, Kroger had their block cream cheese on sale for $1 and then a coupon for $0.50 off. Major savings. I bought a bunch since I can always find uses for cream cheese, like dips, breakfast, cheesecake, etc. Anyway. This time, I diced up some chipotle peppers I had frozen and added them to the cream cheese (1 block) and 1 Tbsp milk into my stand mixer. Whip until your desired consistency.
