For only $115 -- April's Menu

I've decided to take care of food monthly: one shopping trip a month and one (CHEAP!) monthly menu: meat once a week REALLy helps w/ this. This month's menu includes higher-protein weekday Breakfasts and Dinners to help Michael's daily 12-mile bike ride to the Admin offices (one-way) and costs a total of $115. Lunch is usually leftovers from dinner. Michael's in charge of the weekend meals, which is why the menu is only Monday through Friday.

For a few meals I've begun to calculate cost totals based on prices at SW Washington grocery stores. For example, the Egg Salad Sandwich (including homemade bread) costs $1.45 per serving. I was suprised to learn that my Italian Bread w/ roughly 20 servings costs a total, TOTAL, of 89 cents! This is an artisan-style bread that, at a good bakery, would cost at least $5.

Just about everything is made from scratch, including the tortillas, english muffins, and ginger beer. This helps cut down on costs A LOT. For example, homemade tortillas cost 20 cents for 8 servings while a package of 12 processed tortillas coast $1.99... That's $1.50 of savings and 15 miles in gas, half of beer, a quarter of a movie ticket at the second-run theather in Vancouver.


Week of April 4th
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Granola and yogurt(all week)
M - Crispy Chicken and Potatoes
T - Black Bean Soup and Cornbread
W - Chicken Tacos (using leftover chicken from Monday)
T - Chili and Rice (double batch & freeze)
F - Egg Salad Sandwich on Italian Bread with Lentil Salad


Week of April 11th
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Bran Muffins (all week)
M - Brats w/ Spaetzle and Red Cabbage (if I can find any at the market)
T - Nachos
W - Lentil Soup
T - Hummus, Falafel, and Salad
F - Bean Burrito


Week of April 18th
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Egg Sandwiches on English Muffins (all week)
M - Roast Beef with Mashed Potatoes
T - Curry and Rice (double batch & freeze)
W - Beef Tacos (using leftover beef from Monday)
T - Tuna Salad on Italian Bread w/ Curried Carrot Soup
F - Chili and Rice (leftovers from 4/7)


Week of April 25th
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Oatmeal w/ Honey-Vanilla Fig Topping (all week)
M - Roast Pork w/ Stuffing
T - Frittata
W - Pork BBQ (using leftover pork from Monday)
T - Black Bean Stirfry
F - Curry and Rice (leftovers from 4/21)


Snacks
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Spiced Nuts
Hard & Soft Pretzels
Dried Fruit
Hot Chocolate
Biscotti
Peanut Butter Crackers
Ginger Beer
Popcorn
Tea