Economy Busting Tip: Meal Planning Part Two

Shopping the Ads

This is a continuation of my Economy Busting Tip- Meal Planning Part 1, so if you missed that article, then the money saving potential will be hindered.

After you have made your Master Meal Plan, go get the sales ads and check out the deals.

Sample of Saving with Ads

For me the great deals this week were on chicken leg quarters for .58 cents a pound, country style pork ribs for .99 a pound and pork tenderloin for $1.68 a pound.

You then go to your “Master Meal Plan” and look at all the recipes that have chicken and pork in them.  After that, write out all the meals that can be made with those 2 meats.  You can then go through the ads looking for side dish items that are on sale.

My menu will have Teriyaki chicken; Chicken Adobo; Homemade El Pollo Loco Chicken; BBQ; Fried Chicken; Grilled Garlic roast pork; Sesame Pork; Green chili pork, Pork Carnitas; etc.

Adding New Recipes

Sometimes I get tired of the meals on my list, so I go to allrecipes.com to look up meals. 

At allrecipes I make sure that the recipe has at least 4 ½ stars and read several reviews to get tips and advice- wow, I have had some fabulous meals doing that!

Make a List of Meals

Anyways, when you have done all the planning, you can either write down the menu on your calendar, or just make a running list of meals.  With the list you can be flexible and pick and choose what you would like to serve on any given day.

After you have your shopping list written out you can then go shopping.

Preparing Meals

When you get back home, if time permits, chop up the meat into the portion size you need then freeze.  Make the marinades or sauces and put in ziplock bags with the meat.  But if you’re like me…just do a couple extra meals a day for about 3 days until the meat is all chopped and prepared, then freeze.

More detailed information on prepping and bulk cooking can be found in my “Economy Busting Bulk Cooking Tip” article.

Now you will have a plan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus snacks and dessert for about 2 weeks, or more, if you are really ambitious. 

More Money Saving Tips

Another Money Saving Tip- Remember, when shopping to stick to your list.  Keep a running tally for the amount of each item you place in the basket to keep an idea of your total.  If you don’t have a food budget, try to formulate one, then work on trying to lower it even more.

Don’t forget to defrost your meat about 2 days before the meal, so it will be ready to cook.  If you forget, like I do, you can defrost it in the microwave.

You have now learned to save time, money, and worries.  If you have other tips, please share we would love to learn more.