next week’s menu plan #14, 6 meals for $50.17!

At my husband’s request, we decorated for the fall today.

It was 92 degrees outside.

Yup.

I have a problem with this.  It an ongoing problem, really.  Every September I (wrongly) imagine I’ll don a scarf, brew up some pumpkin spice coffee, turn on some football, and get to work pulling out the pumpkins and gourds and candles and leaves that are housed in the rafters of our garage.  And every year I find myself cranking the air and gulping an iced tea in flip flops while I do my best to find safe homes for those really pretty and really fragile decor items that my small children are always drawn to.  Can you relate??

So this week I’ve included several salads (for those of you who, like us, might be experiencing an indian summer!), a bacon and egg pizza that might just blow your mind, lentil tostadas that my 2 year old inhales like it’s his last meal, and more!

Enjoy.

Dinner #1:

Grilled Chicken and Peach Salad + Crusty Baguette (use half baguette for dinner #1, then half for dinner #4 below)

Prep and Cooking Time:  25 minutes

Total:  $5.22 for the salad + estimated $2.00 for the bread

Dinner #2:

Lentil and Goat Cheese Tostadas + Side Salad or Veggie

Prep and Cooking Time:  60 minutes

Total:  $6.00 for the tostadas + estimated $2.00 for the salad or veggie

Dinner #3:

Bacon and Egg Pizza + Seasonal Fruit

Prep and Cooking Time:  25 minutes

Total:  $6.60 for the pizza + estimated $2.00 for the fruit

Dinner #4:

Sliced Sirloin on Arugula + Toasted Baguettes with Goat Cheese (using half from dinner #1)

Prep and Cooking Time:  15 minutes

Total:  $8.18 for the sirloin salad, baguette already included in dinner #1

Dinner #5: 

Summer Shrimp Saute (this meal is quite light…your family might demand some kind of carb on the side)

Prep and Cooking Time:  20 minutes

Total:  $8.42

Dinner #6:

Chicken and Wild Rice Salad

Prep and Cooking Time:  30 minutes (after chicken and rice have been cooked)

Total:  $9.75

Total for 6 nights of dinners:  $50.17!  That’s about $2.09 per serving!

Shopping List:

Meat and Seafood

• 3.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 pound sirloin
• 1 pound shrimp
• 1/2 cup chopped bacon

Produce/Herbs

• 1 pound peaches
• 14 cups arugula
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 onion
• 1 avocado
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 2 shallots
• 1/2 red onion
• 2 medium or 3 small zucchini
• 2 cups corn (fresh or frozen)
• 1 1/2 red bell peppers
• 1/2 cup chopped roma or halved cherry tomatoes
• basil or italian parsley (for shrimp saute)
• 1 avocado (if desired for tostadas)
• 1 tomato, chopped (if desired for tostadas)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 2 tablespoons chopped italian parsley
• 1 head lettuce
• seasonal fruit

Pantry

• 1 large baguette
• 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 4 cups cooked wild or brown rice
• 1 cup dried brown lentils
• 2 1/2 cups chicken or veggie broth
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce (in a can in the ethnic foods section)
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1 pizza dough
• 1 cup toasted pecans or almonds

Dairy/Eggs

• 1 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded asiago or parmesan cheese
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 8 eggs

Need more meal plans?  I’ve got plenty more to share if you need inspiration in the kitchen!

Browse more plans (with shopping lists!) here.