Maybe it's my age and every generation feels this way as they "mature," but I feel that we, as a country, have lost the pride that comes with working. It doesn't matter if you are a surgeon saving lives, a janitor keeping schools clean, or a stay-at-home mom raising the next generation to be kind and productive citizens, every job is important. I find that my parents' generation works harder than mine, and I work harder than my children. This is just a personal generalization.
Nonetheless, Happy Labor Day!
As you know, I have been on a couponing binge. My linen closet is full of soaps, detergents and shampoos. BREAK TIME! Time to get back to reality and focus on saving those pennies I have been using for Tide pods (that I will be giving to mom since I don't like to use a pre-measured amount of anything!) and putting everything toward debt.
The good news is that I have a wonderfully full pantry and freezer(s) and do not HAVE to buy anything other than some fresh fruits and veggies to complete meals. Even then, not many. And yes, there will be many "farm frugal" meals that tend to be less healthy as one would like.
My goal is $20 a week on groceries for the month of September. If there are excellent sales on meats or veggies then I will partake, of course.
Let's see what I can make with what I have:
Today (Monday)-Leftover buttermilk biscuits with bacon gravy. Leftovers from the past week for lunch. There are hot dogs, chips, and who knows what else! (I will be cleaning out the fridge today because of my having been on an Ultrafit diet that has caused lots of leftover and more than likely waste.) Before breakfast I threw together a chicken cheese bacon casserole with some cream soup and mushrooms before our deboned chicken goes bad. That will probably be supper. I will also be making some chicken salad for our lunches tomorrow and the next day probably. I will have to make some bread if I don't have any. Sounds like a kitchen day, doesn't it?
Tuesday-Oatmeal with blueberries, boiled egg (I have about 6 in the fridge). Sloppy joe using the no-salt tomato sauce that I hoarded from Aldi's clearance aisle (Ultrafit find), and use some of our garden tomatoes and peppers, and spice it up. I do have hamburger buns left from grilling out Saturday for Jake's birthday. This will be Bruce's lunch for tomorrow as well. While I have the canned tomato products out, I will fix spaghetti with marinara and mushrooms, broccoli and some homemade bread with Italian seasoning.
Wednesday-Egg and sausage English muffin for Bruce to take and finish up the other five for the freezer. Lunch and supper will be salad with grilled chicken and the fixins (cheese, croutons that mom gave me, tomatoes, peppers, celery, red onion, corn. The chicken is Perdue ShortCuts that I got for under a buck with coupons and rebates. Never mind the
Thursday-Eggo waffles (yep, coupon and sale stock up). Lunch will probably be something that is still leftover like spaghetti or salad or maybe even the chicken casserole from today. I am sure there is something to be finished up. I will put the crockpot on for supper with some frozen chicken breasts from Zaycon about two years ago (before they got cheap meat and went belly up) that really need to be used. I will throw in some cream of soup starter (homemade), either canned or dehydrated mushrooms rehydrated, whatever mood I'm in by then, some spices and water. I will cook the rice that evening in chicken broth. I will add the frozen bean medley that I have in the freezer from Aldi or Trader Joe's on the side and there we go.
Friday-Bruce will be working, so he can take a SEC English muffin from the freezer, as well as PB&J sandwiches that are frozen. I have a ton of Dole and DelMonte fruit bowls (peaches and mandarin oranges) to pack with that. I may need to either make trail mix or cookies or banana bread or something Wednesday or Thursday to bulk up his lunch. I am sure Sarah and I will have leftover chicken and rice. I cannot stand frozen PB&J sandwiches so that is never on my list. I think for supper we will have meatloaf, mashed potatoes, peas and buttermilk biscuits. I still have about 40 pounds of hamburger from my Zaycon order a few months ago-one of the reasons I wasn't going to order again (meat quality went way down!) I will stretch the loaf with some carrots, oats, onions and peppers and top with a no-salt ketchup BBQ-y glaze. You know I don't use very many recipes and cook with my olfactory receptors.
This will get us to the weekend. I will do a separate weekend menu so my little brain doesn't get too overwhelmed.
Hope you have a blessed and productive day!
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