Plan this week

Vons is having some good produce sales and Sprouts has their berries on sale this week...we've been loving having strawberries and blueberries as a snack or a side dish. You should take a look at the ads when you are thinking about what you will have this week for dinners. This way you can use some of what you already have, and then fill in with what is on sale this week.

This weekend is a long weekend and then we have ABSOLUTELY NO ACTIVITIES next week! We will be eating out on Monday because we will be attending the Riverside County Date Festival. However, for the rest of the week I don't need to find alot of convenience foods since I will be able to prepare normal meals with my extra time. My list of meals includes:

Spaghetti, broccoli
Poppyseed chicken casserole, rice, green vegetable
Chicken Tortilla soup in the crockpot
Pork Chops, Sweet potatoes, green vegetable
Chili and Cornbread
Burritos/nachos
Mac and Cheese with kielbasa sausage and broccoli

My shopping list will actually be pretty sparse because I have many of the items I need to make these recipes. I just need to get some of the fresh veggies and pick up items that are on sale this week (i.e. Prego spaghetti sauce is on sale at Vons, so I will restock my pantry).

The trick is to gather enough items in your pantry that on those days when you just don't know what to make, there are several easy options available. I used to have the problem that I would have an idea of what I wanted to make, but I would be missing one or two items that I needed to complete the recipe. If you keep your pantry stocked with the regular items needed to make your family's favorite meals, then you won't ever have this problem. 

Sit down this week and make a list of the meals you like to make and that your family enjoys. Then make a list of the items you need for these meals. Now you know what you need in your pantry and refrigerator! If you don't have a plan, you will always spend more than you should.

Good luck making your plan this week.
--Katie