thanks for all the nice things you all said about my kitchen! <3
i have a stye on my left eyelid. to put it bluntly: it blows. my eye is throbbing and my whole head hurts.
there is no real reason i just told you all that. maybe just for sympathy ;) i kid. but the stye definitely explains my complete worthlessness this weekend.
aside from eating, giving the dogs a bath and going to the grocery store.. i haven’t done a thing. well, except lay on the couch with a hot rag on my eye. i’m worthless!
worthless people still have to eat. last night, marshall & i went to our FAVORITE greek restaurant.
we opted to sit outside because the days of dining al fresco are numbered. even last night there was a nip in the air.
we started off with an appetizer of hummus & pita. now, i have never been to greece, but this hummus is what i imagine authentic hummus to taste like.
the creamy texture and distinct flavor blow all other hummuses (hummi?) out of the water. i wish i knew how aristo’s made their hummus.
the pita bread is equally as incredible. it comes out warm. the texture is crisp around the edges and chewy throughout the middle. hands down, my favorite pita on the planet.
it got too dark by the time our entrees came, so the photo below is pretty horrible. i ordered the greek salad with one chicken souvlaki.
fortunately, for me, it came with MORE chewy, delicious pita. i was generous and gave a piece of it to marshall.
handsome.
the meal ended with coffee and conversation.
someone needs a haircut. pronto. luckily i have one scheduled this week!
because i was feeling so bad today, i didn’t photograph a single meal. i had cereal for breakfast. babybel cheese and sea salt & pepper cashews for a snack. wasa crackers with cheddar and whole wheat toast with almond butter and raspberry jam for lunch. not sure what dinner will be.. but i have a LOT to choose from!
menu planning & budget!
since getting married and moving into the same house as marshall, i haven’t gotten totally used to buying groceries and cooking for two.. but i am getting a pretty good hang of it!
despite my eye, i managed to get to the grocery store and purchase all the groceries for the week. a week’s worth of breakfasts, lunches and dinners. and snacks. and desserts.
i spent $106.89.
some people may think this is a lot of money for a week of food for two people. personally, i think it’s amazing.
let’s break it down.
first, i need to subtract a few of the items that are “staple” items and are things i buy only when we are out, therefore i do not include them in the week’s meal plan budget (they are in the “staple budget” that i will elaborate on):
- shampoo & conditioner: (-$15.50)
- coffee creamer (-$1.75)
- whole grain deli mustard (-$2.75)
which brings the total to $86.89. for seven days of meals. for two people. we eat two meals out during a typical week, so not counting those, that is 40 meals. that is an average of $2.18 per meal.
when you put it that way.. i think i did pretty well with my meal planning and budgeting! plus, the food we eat is a whole lot better than what the dollar menu has to offer.
granted, some items that are used for the meals are already in my pantry, but i definitely had to purchase several groceries for this week’s plan.
it is important to build up a stockpile of staple items. buy them when they are on sale or purchase them from costco. it will make your grocery budget go so much farther each week because you won’t be purchasing items like almond milk, nut butter, bread, cheese, frozen veggies, etc on a weekly basis. costco and the freezer are two of my best friends :)
it should be said that we have a grocery delivery service that delivers milk, eggs, juice & greek yogurt each week for $10. that is $40 a month for these items.
we spend around $150 a month on staple items. sometimes less, sometimes more. then, each week, i make a plan of what i want to make for dinner and also list any additional items needed for breakfasts and lunches.
with the delivery service and the costco items, that is roughly $200 each month for staple items. if you divide it out, that is $50 a week or an average of $1.25 per meal (using that 40 meal equation i mentioned earlier).
add that $1.25 to this week’s average meal price of $2.18 and that is $3.43 per meal. with snacks and desserts FREE. i will talk more about why they are free later.
i decided to share this week’s plan with you guys so you can see how i break it down.
here is what is on the menu!
breakfasts
marshall and i eat different breakfasts. i always drink a protein shake or make a yogurt mess. he always eats a bowl of cereal and a yogurt.
items i purchased for breakfasts this week:
- 9 bananas ($1.36)
- 5 containers yogurt ($3.00)
- 1 large box cereal ($2.69)
everything else needed for this week’s breakfasts we already had (staple items): protein powder, almond milk, cow’s milk, chia seeds, granola, nut butter.
for 14 breakfasts this week, not counting staple items, i spent 51 cents per meal.
lunches
marshall packs his lunch: sandwiches, chips, babybel cheese, etc.
i either make my lunch at work or eat leftovers from the night before. i have a full kitchen at work, it’s so convenient.
items i purchased for lunches this week:
- 4 sweet potatoes ($1.29)
- 3 (16 oz) containers cottage cheese ($3.00)
- 3 heads organic romaine lettuce ($2.25)
- 2 lb mushrooms ($2.00)
- 1 lb low sodium turkey breast ($6.00)
- whole wheat english muffins ($3.69)
- sourdough english muffins (free, they were BOGO free)
- fat free cream cheese ($1.00)
everything else needed for this week’s lunches we already had (staple items): bread, cheese, condiments, tomatoes (free from my sister’s garden!), potato chips, wasa crackers.
for 14 lunches this week, not counting staple items, i spent $1.38 per meal.
dinner:
this is the one meal marshall and i eat that is the same! the prices for these meals is a LOT higher than what i spend on breakfasts and lunches, but you need to remember that i eat leftovers for lunch almost every day. marshall also eats leftovers as a snack almost every day. i make more than one serving of each meal because we love leftovers.
monday: hawaiian haystacks & steamed vegetables
items i purchased for this meal:
- organic chicken breasts ($3.99)
- brown rice ($1.49)
- chow mein noodles ($1.29)
- water chestnuts ($0.69)
- cream of chicken soup ($3.00)
- green onion ($0.59)
- bell peppers ($1.79)
- crushed pineapple ($0.79)
- slivered almonds ($2.44)
items i already had for this meal: chicken broth, celery, shredded cheese, frozen veggies.
price paid for this meal: $16.07. servings we will get out of it=4. price per serving=$4.02.
tuesday: taco tuesday!
items i purchased for this meal:
- ground beef ($4.75)
- diced green chiles ($1.09)
- taco seasoning ($0.89)
- taco shells ($1.50)
- sour cream ($1.00)
- 2 avocados ($1.58)
- black beans ($0.99)
items i already had for this meal (or listed in the purchased ingredients above): lettuce, bell pepper, shredded cheese, tomatoes
price paid for this meal: $11.80. servings we will get out of it=4. price per serving=$2.95.
wednesday: almond crusted chicken with apple cranberry chutney, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli
items i purchased for this meal:
- organic chicken breasts ($3.99)
- almonds ($2.44)
- yukon gold potatoes ($1.87)
- broccoli florets ($1.73)
items i already had for this meal: chutney (from trader joe’s—i got it while on vacation)
price paid for this meal: $10.03. servings we will get out of it=2. price per serving=$5.01.
thursday: basil parmesan pasta with tofu (based off mama pea’s recipe)
items purchased for this meal:
- tofu ($2.29)
- whole wheat spaghetti ($1.25)
- sabra hummus (im lazy this week!) ($3.79)
- parmesan cheese ($2.24)
- lemons ($1.18)
items i already had for this meal: basil (from farmers market), reduced sodium soy sauce, bread/butter/garlic seasoning for garlic bread.
price paid for this meal: $10.75. servings we will get out of it=4. price per serving=$2.69.
friday: leftovers or eat out
saturday: leftovers or eat out
sunday: leftovers!
as you can see, i plan for two meals eating out on the weekend, but we would easily have enough leftovers in the house to NOT go out.. it is just something fun we like to do :)
snacks & desserts:
snacks are free! yep, that’s right. i didn’t purchase any “snack” items. or any treats! snacks and desserts will come solely from leftovers, breakfast items, lunch items, or staple items. the 3 gallon tub of ice cream left over from the wedding is nice, too. when you consider the amount of snacking marshall and i do (quite a bit!) and factor in the fact that we have eaten dessert every night.. it is pretty cool that i spent zero extra dollars on snacks and desserts.
other items i purchased that were NOT on the list.. aka “impulse buys”:
- green teas that were on sale ($3.00)
- new flavor of trident ($1.29)
- marinara sauce ($0.99)<—i decided i may want to snack on english muffin pizzas
- extra tofu ($2.29)
- extra lemons ($1.77)
- asparagus ($2.99)
i try to stick to my list, but sometimes things just end up in the cart!
okay, i know this was long and boring.. but i know as a fact that at least ONE person found this useful and/or interesting. how do i know? because i LOVE stuff like this and i know i am not the only one ;)
i am going to go put a hot rag on my eye. exciting, i know.
Qs~
1. do you meal plan or do you wing it? do you have a budget you stick to? when i was on my own, i used to just buy whatever i wanted, whenever i wanted. since getting married (and buying a house!) i have realized i need to stick to a plan and a budget. i love this sort of thing, so it is fine by me.
2. how many people do you prepare meals for? i guess i can’t count penny and randy here, so my answer is two: marshall & myself.
bonus Q: leave any meal planning / budget tips in the comments below!
xo. janetha g.
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I absolutely meal plan! I have 2 documents on my computer that I use each week (menu & grocery list organized by areas of the grocery store). It really helps in shopping so that I don’t buy things that I don’t need! I only put things on the grocery list that are on our menu.
you are so organized! I do meal plan but I dont get quite into quite as much detail as you do…esp now with school since Im not even home to eat dinner 2 nights of the week!
Omfg, you are so organised that i’m embarrassed.
I totally wing it.
I buy what I like & just use whats in the shop to create something.
girl you are sooo organized!!!!
That is awesome!!!! I love it :) :)
I meal plan and grocery shop for my parents, my brother- a weight lifter and myself. I am very organized like you. I write a list everyweek and we sit down as a family on thursday night and we all say what we need for the next week food wise. I then create the list and my parents give me their debit card so that I can shop on friday. I have to stick to the list and I do my best to keep it under $200 a week. I really think that you have to shop around for the best prices, I have been known to hit up four to five stores just to get everything I need for the smallest amount of money.
Just moved in with my boyfriend and need to get used to the shopping and cooking for 2 also. This is so helpful and organized!
Love. This. Post. I’m all about meal planning buying things on sale and budgeting.
I only cook for myself so I have my system down pat but thanks for this post….I love seeing how other people plan?
I love how organized you are with this. My husband and I eat VERY differently for B, L and D so it’s very hard. I just started prepping most meals on Sundays and making my husbands sandwiches for the week too. Tonight I put some pork and BBQ sauce in the crockpot and am letting it cook all night and so my hubby can have it for a couple nights for dinners.
I would love to make a new meal every night but neither of us like leftovers and I don’t want anything to go to waste:(
I am awful at meal planning!
We meal plan every Sunday before going grocery shopping. Like you mentioned, we we eat a lot of the same foods every week, so I know what needs restocked and then I just add on what we need to make dinners. It’s easier and saves so much time and money to plan.
My husband was totally against planning at first. He’d always been a “I’ll wait until I get hungry and see what I want then” guy, but when I showed him how we could save money and time by planning, and just re-arrange the nights we eat our meals if something doesn’t sound good on a certain night, he was won over!
(Loved this post, by the way, and I’d love to read more like it.)
This post was great. It’s really helpful! thank you. xx
Janetha,
Wowser! Your organizational skills are super impressive. It just goes to show that most bloggers are total Type A’s. :) Awesome.
I did a little project last summer to keep our family of four’s grocery budget under $50. I shopped mostly in bulk sections and the … 99 cent store. They actually have some pretty decent finds!
Have a good Monday,
Emily
Wooooaaah. This was really interesting! I love how you broke it all down like that! I’d be really intrigued to do the same thing. We spend about $100-$130 every two weeks with “top ups” in between and I always feel like it’s tons but maybe if we broke it down per meal it wouldn’t be so bad.
I’m NOT as organized as you though and don’t plan every meal/day by any means. I might buy lunch type things but I just wing it most days.
Love this!
That is the most beautiful photo of you ever!
I cook for 4, and though our groceries are about $150-200/week, I think that’s pretty good considering the amount of organic produce we go through. My tips are to shop around, buy in season and buy in bulk. I know you are a card carrying Costco member, but seriously, they are my go to!
I hope your stye gets better and that you’ve seen a doc?
Everyone seems to be budget posting lately! And I’ve been meaning to post one as well. I look at the ads and plan my meals around that.
Girl you are SO PRETTY!!
I love meal planning! It takes a lot of stress out of my week if I know that my meals are taken care of :)
I love the budgeting holy! I wish I was this organized! xx
This post was great…I am so impressed (and jealous) of the cost of groceries over there. Australia is so terribly expensive it is ridiculous! Due to a lack of competition I think. I love your organising and I like to do the same….however my grocery bill is around $180 Australian dollars a week so that’s about $162USD….for 2 people! That hummus looks delish!
“we opted to sit outside because the days of dining al fresco are numbered. even last night there was a nip in the air.”–ugh. I know. Fall is ok, winter sucks. And anything below 60F is winter for me:)
Meals. Family of 3.
I buy tons of produce, not organic. I also dont buy it at costco or big warehouses b/c it’s a special trip and with a 3 yr old, it’s hard. The extra time getting there, the time in the store, and the fact that I dont want 5 lbs of cucumbers ALL AT ONCE is why i dont go there.
I buy what’s on sale, in the regular groc store, up front. Whatever is on sale, peaches, apples, cukes, peppers, lettuces, whatever is on the preferrred shopper’s buy, that’s what I get. Seasonal and cheap that way. I fill up my entire cart with produce for maybe $25 bucks. That lasts AT LEAST a half of a week for 3 people. The other things are filler items like coffee, cheese, sugar, etc and i always buy on sale and in advance if i can. If mary’s crakers go on sale, i buy 6 boxes. they wont go to waste type of thing.
all things considered, I guess I spend maybe $100 a week to feed 3 people. Back in the day, I used to have a $100 bar tab, myself, in a day. Life has certainly changed :)
I am not married to the idea of organic. Any broccoli is amazing, it doesnt have to be organic in my book :)
Feel better w/ that eye and I heart you and our chats :)
xoxo
My oh my, you are a stunner!
I may only be 16, but I found this post so interesting and organized. I hope in about 10 years I can be just as organized as you are with all of the groceries and budgeting. Good job :)
I am the exact same as you – when I was single, I bought whatever I wanted. Now we do kinda have a budget though it is fairly loose. And I usually do meal plan, but like to have some meals where I make whatever I want.
ugh, I hear ya! I’ve had 2 stye’s before. They really ruin your whole day and you fell like your 80yr. old.
Meal planning, well we make 1 big trip to costco which is usualyy around $50 then another $50 or so at WF, local grocery, etc. So I would say I am right there with you on the budget. But it works! Now when we have kids (not for a while), I think thats going to be a WHOLE new story. EEEK!
Hummus that compares to authentic Greece quality? Please lead me to this restaurant!!! :) Wow, I could have swam in that bowl of hummus and then dried myself off with the warm chewy pita. Haha, okay maybe not, but I’m sure it was incredible.
I do the EXACT same thing you do with grocery shopping. I try really really hard to stay around 100-125 a week in groceries and plan out every single meal and write the list. I also try to plan out meals where I can use the same ingredients a few times. For example, I may plan to make tofu stir fry one day and then use the rest of the tofu in another dish later in the week. It usually works out well for us.
Have a wonderful Monday love!
I enjoyed it! And, those dinner recipes sound so good! I hope you will be posting the recipes. :)
I think 87 bucks for the week is darn good. P and I eat about half of our meals together each week, so setting a budget has been pretty tricky to me. I am going to start keeping a grocery list and sticking to it as best as I can though. I also want to start taking cash to the grocery store instead of using my debit card so I have to stick to le budget.
God, I spend so much on groceries.
How do you get so much yogurt for $3?
I have to spend 3-4 bucks on just ONE container :( (500 -700 g type)
I enjoyed reading this. I probably spend too much on groceries for just my son and me. But we eat different things and I tend to work a lot of nights. I’m trying to do more planning with dinner but I still find it hard. And I admit to being an impulse shopper when it comes to things like greek yogurt!
Ugh, I hate styes. I get them every so often and they are NO fun. Hope it goes away soon for ya!
LOVED this post on menu planning! As you know from my blog, I am working with a VERY tight budget this month [um, $106 is half our monthly budget! :P]. But you are way better than me at budgeting, I’m going to need to get some other tips from you too!
Thanks for this!
And you know I meal plan & stick to a budget then :D
Question though- how do you come up with the price per meal? [The 3.43 average per meal you spend] Do you start out with a goal number per month, or do you start out with a goal price per meal? Thanks!
Just me & my hubby for meals!
xo
Kris
You keep great track! We meal plan, but don’t track it at all. I should though…well, not really. We eat food and I buy it. I guess I don’t really need to know how much I pay for it. It’s not like that would change anything. I’ll spend whatever the hell it costs to feed my face!
I want to try meal planning! I wonder if it would help my budget? It’s harder when you cook for just one person though, as most “meals” create a ridiculous amount of leftovers. So meal planning would probably leave me making one dish, then eating the leftovers every single day for the rest of the week :P
I spend $80/week for JUST ME. Albeit, food is more expensive in Canada, but I seriously don’t understand how people get by on less. Do they not count meals out or something?? I see bloggers snap a photo of their weekly grocery hauls that include a head of lettuce, a few apples and a box of cereal and I seriously wonder how all that food lasts them the whole week. Maybe I just eat more. Like, way more.
we spend anywhere from 75-100 dollars a week on groceries but we never eat out! we eat at a restaurant for dinner 1-2x a month. i think we are doing great! also, my husband and i prepare all of our own meals unless it’s a protein at night (i don’t eat grains because they upset my tummy). we use coupons, buy proteins on sale and freeze individual servings of food so it doesn’t spoil and we have easy access to it in case we don’t feel like cooking during the week
OMG you are so freakin organized! haha these days what I eat is extremely boring so I just buy the same stuff every week. jason lives off PB and J’s, cereal, grilled cheese and eggs so thats really what he eats for dinner (not all at once) but one of those. he is a very easy guy to please. For me, most of my money goes towards fresh veggies and fruit, greek yog, chicken breast, turkey, balsamic vinegar, sweet potatoes, brown rice, PB, almond breeze and eggs! thats about it! I spend about 60 a week on groceries. I def don’t plan what I will have for dinner for the week though on sunday, im bad at planning like that! BUT I get out of work at 1PM-twice a week, so i can plan then what to have for dinner and still have plenty of time to make it!
ahh the way you described that pita is AMAZING! i love when they serve it warm!
I hope your eye gets better soon! Thanks for the interesting meal planning/budget tips.
*LOVE* this.
mine isn’t as organized as this, but i definitely sit down on sunday, find a few recipes/meals i want to make, shop for em’ and plan on eating leftovers. EAT LEFTOVERS. it will save you so much money.
that and blog.
free stuff is cool too.
my biggest tip is just take time to PLAN. your bank account will thank you for it.
p.s. i also caught up on all your posts – your kitchen looks FANTASTIC! those countertops are absolutely stunning. love, love, love ’em!!!
Sorry about your stye! I get those often and they’re terrible. Feel better!
I try to meal plan, but I also like to go with the flow when shopping. I plan out 2-3 meals for the week and wing the rest. This works well since I’m the only person I cook for :)
You are so organized…speechless…
ugh stye’s suck. I’m sorry girl!
That greek restaurant looks so good. I need a place like that in my life. We don’t have any greek restaurants here! :(
I think your budget for 2 people is FANTASTIC! That is something Andy and I have been working on. You should be proud! I’m seriously impressed and now I’m thinking that I’ll need to start with a new plan for the month of September.
Andy brings leftovers to work daily which helps so much. I always make dinners with enough servings for 4 people just for that reason.
My tips: Buy in bulk for certain items. I buy bananas, almond milk, cheese, spinach and whole wheat pasta at Costco and it lasts for a long time and cuts back on our budget. I go once or twice a month.
Eat leftovers, looks like you already do this! It helps so much.
If available, join a local CSA. Andy and I pay $20 a week for a shipment of organic fruits and veggies. It’s sort of random as to what’s inside but I love fruits and veggies and we always eat it all. If I need something specific for a recipe, I go to our farmer’s market.
Whoa I’m SO impressed!! I WISH I could do that…! I sometimes plan a few recipes I want to try…but I go to the grocery store so many times a week it’s insane. I need to get better at planning! You’re inspiring me lady.
I liked this post Miss J! I like how you broke all the meals down to how much they cost per serving. You are so patient! I couldn’t do this ;P
I go through phases… Sometimes I plan out a meal for each night and then buy all the usual suspects for breakfast and lunch and other times I just go to the store with a list of essentials I need and then buy a few proteins and wing it as far as the recipe goes. I guess sometimes I feel like I’m so busy I need an exact plan bc I do NOT have time to go back to the store and other times I don’t want to have to stick to a certain menu plan. Starts feeling restrictive (ie I can’t eat what I feel like then, I must prepare what I planned even if I don’t feel like it any more).
I cook breakfast, lunch and dinner for myself and Brian pretty much everyday, unless he’s traveling. It’s a LOT of cooking. Good thing I love it so much ;) Tonight is home made marinara and meatballs over whole wheat pasta for him and squash for me… YUM!
Hope you feel better soon! -m
You poor thing!! Hope you feel better soon :(
I def meal plan.
On Sundays, usually, I write out what meal will be on each night of the week. Then under each meal, I write out all the ingredients involved no matter if I have them on hand all ready or not. Then, I go back and circle the ingredients that I do not have on hand. This ensures I don’t forget anything.
Then I make my ingredient list – by store. Areas of the store is just too much for me lol
wow this is great. i love your love for numbers! i’m super impressed with your purchasing power and not to mention the fact that you STILL get healthy & delicious meals/snacks/etc of of it :) you are the poster child for how america should spend/budget and cook
I totally organize the same way. I love having my meals planned. And, THANK YOU for saying you spend that much. That’s about my average total too and so many bloggers say they spend $50 a week. I don’t see how!
So organized!! I agree with you that buying for one is simpler and cheaper because you can buy what YOU want that’s on sale, without worrying about someone else’s tastes and how it will all fit together. And I love how you have a special “staple” allotment- I just went to Whole Foods today and bought ALL of my baking supplies (sugars, flours, extracts, etc). I cringed at giving up sixty bucks, but it will definitely pay off in the long run!
Hope you’re having a great start to your week!
you look all kinds of gorgeous in that picture, janetha!
sorry about the sty, i just kicked one away a few weeks ago so i deeefinitely know how annoying and painful they are. feel better soon!
love your new kitchen! and loved your budget tips! quirky (?) but i loved all the details, right down to the pennies!
you’re off to a great married-life start!
I usually just wing it when Im at school cooking for myself (just one person, easy peasy). I usually buy what I’m feeling at the time, and what’s on sale, and just form meals from what I have hand.
LOVE your meal plan!!
it costs my sister and I 100$ for groceries each week…we have “meal theme nights” (chinese, mexican, thai, salad, pizza, out-to-dinner, eat the fridge) so far it’s working well!
I hope your week is off to a great start!
xoxo!
Aww, sorry about your stye. I used to get them all the time when I was little…I remember waking up in so much pain when I got them!
Also, catching up – your kitchen looks unbelievable! Come decorate my house, please!
And lastly, I’m really impressed with your organization on the grocery front. I just plan dinner meals, and buy for those. Plus a little extra produce for breakfasts, and to bulk up leftover lunches.
Look who remains gorgeous as ever regardless of “the eye” and needing a haircut! (In my opinion, no haircut is needed, but hey, we all have our preferences right?)
GOSH, a little over $2 per meal is fantastic for meal plannings’ sake. I have to say that THAT is definitely not easy. I just moved into dorm-like housing (no microwave yet either) and the closest fully stocked grocery store is 20 minutes away..walking! So far, I’ve been surviving off meals in Chinatown. $10 has been buying me a day worth of food. Eeehhh not good enough huh?
Loved the grocery budget breakdown!
I do plan my meals, but it’s usually after I’ve gone shopping; I pick out recipes based on what I bought at the store, as odd as that might sound. I try to limit my groceries to $50-60 per week, but I’ve been spending a lot more recently since I am still building up my pantry.
I prepare meals just for myself, but Seth eats a lot of my snack foods…and all my egg whites.
#1 budget tip=coupons.com!
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