Challenge, Day Four Through Seven

I must say this challenge has been fun.  I am going to the store later today for the food I need for the rest of the week.  Since I bought all my meat and most of my milk Tuesday, I just need a few vegetables and things.  Here is the menu for the rest of the week.

Thursday          Turkey sausage roasted with potatoes, bell pepper, onion and a touch of Tony's
Friday                leftovers; I'm a firm believer in not wasting leftovers!
Saturday             Salmon loaf with celery sauce and vegetables to be determined
Sunday               Roasted chicken with vegetables to be determined

I will see what vegetables are the best price today to complete Saturday and Sunday's meals.  Sunday is always our big family dinner and my sister brings a dish, maybe homemade bread, a vegetable or dessert. I always have flour on hand so we will have pancakes for breakfast Saturday and maybe homemade biscuits Sunday (my daughter's specialty).  I may get a bit of deli ham or turkey for sandwiches as the chicken salad will be gone by tomorrow but it was enough for 6 lunches!  I will also pick up some salad greens as I eat several salads a week for lunch.  I always watch for a sale and I can usually get three lunches from one bag because I add fruit, nuts, egg, cheese, carrots and other fiber filled, nutritious goodies.

Using leftovers is a great way to stretch your budget and not waste your food dollars.  We often have leftover night and everyone gets to pick a dish.  Sometimes we eat leftovers for lunch.  We have tuna casserole, bean soup and chicken stir fry so far.  I can always add a fruit salad or vegetable to round out these meals.  It also means no one has to cook, a hugh bonus!

When I shopped Tuesday, I kept a running total of the food I was buying so I could decide what I could afford.  I have $36.46 left to spend.  I think I can come very close to that magical number.  I'll admit I was lucky that I had plenty of things on hand that we use often like coffee, rice, flour, eggs, pasta and beans.  It does pay to buy staples on sale so you can keep your pantry well stocked.  That way, you don't spend extra money when you need or want to make something.  One thing I've learned from my couponing efforts is to try generic or store brands.  You don't always have to buy the national brands to get the quality you want.  For this challenge for instance, I bought Kroger's orange juice which was cheaper.  I haven't tried it yet so we'll see if it matches our beloved Simply Orange.

I will post my final shopping results later today or tomorrow so check back!  This Saturday at 9 a.m. at Joe Mac Campbell park we will have Walk With A Doc.  Come out and kick off your summer exercise program and ask a cardiologist any questions you want.  We'll meet at the playground and walk a mile.