Pantry Challenge WEEK! Nearly FREE Meal Plan! 11-24-30,2014

Getting caught up on some bills this week along with the MRI for my son, 2 Thanksgiving Dinners, plus a family wedding out of state BUSY!! Not sure how I will squeeze in the grocery store for perishables and ingredients I will need to make the side dishes & desserts to both dinners.

Luckily I scored at the grocery store a while ago and stocked up on a variety of baked goods (TRY FREE!), seasoning mixes (try .10 each!! Yep! nearly FREE!) as well as Cod and boneless skinless chicken breast. So We will be eating out of our food storage mostly this week, that is the dry goods & freezer. I am nearly depleted of meat, so what I save this week I am going to have to save for next week. 

Taco Cups from our Lunch Time Offerings!

HOPEFULLY we will have some turkey left overs to sustain us next week! Hoping for the carcass so I can make turkey and barley soup, turkey pot pie, and possibly turkey hash with all the rest of the goodies!!

Cheap, Quick, & Easy Family Friendly Meal Plan: 11-16-14

Let the Craziness BEGIN!! So the holidays are a coming, in case the "Christmas Creep" displays in mid October didn't scream that to you even before the leaves had a chance to turn color let alone FALL for crying outloud! 

What are you planning on making for Thanksgiving? Do you stay tried and true or do you like to live vicariously through TV Chefs and make gourmet FOODIE type fare?

 NOT To prove my total dorkiness, but I have a notebook from way back circa Thanksgiving 1997 that not only has a meal plan, but a recipe list, grocery list, time table, and notes!! I still refer back to that time table and chore list so I can keep on time. I have scaled back as that was before children and I could crank out 5 side dishes, 6 pies, and made every single item from scratch. 

 

This week is my calm before the storm, I plan on making some holiday cookies, but mainly eating as healthy as possible so when I have my 3 Thanksgivings in a row I won't gain too much!!

Cheap, Easy, Frugal and Simple Appetizers and Dessert Plan

Need a simple yet "Foodie" type appetizer& Dessert menu AND on a tight budget? Yea...me too! 

This menu was created on the fly this past weekend during a ladies retreat. We had a team builder where as a team we had to plan, shop, and create an appetizer and dessert for $40 or under.

   
While our team didn't stay on budget($2.50 over) nor did we win the competition...we did make an amazing trio of tempting tapenades that fed 15 people and we still had left overs!

Cheap, Quick, & Easy Budget Friendly Family Meals for 4 under $150/week!!!! Edition: 11-9-14

$150/week for a family of 4 PWEEEEHHH!!! That is a tall order these days!! 

I have compiled a List of my BEST tips we use all the time to help us stay on budget and save $$ during this tough economy... Click here to read my TOP 10 LIST!

 Stay Tuned for MORE delicious Recipes on a DIME!! I will post the recipes my girlfriends and I made for a weekend retreat battle of the apps and dessert...we made a topenade trio consisting of Gluten-free Chicken Tacos, Gyro Sliders, Chicken Bruchetta on toasted Baguettes, and Peanut Butter Reece's Cup Ice Cream Pie...ALL FOR $42.50!! 

Now on to the Menu!!