Grocery Challenge - End of Week 2

Halfway through already!

We were once again under budget by $3.03, having spent $46.97 all in one day, so we decided to pick up some leeks at Walmart to make some more veggie bouillon this week.

We Spent: $2.31 Remaining Budget: $0.72

Not as good as last week, but pretty damn good considering we went through Winco without our calculator and hoped that what we were picking up (a lot of coupon-deals that we normally don't buy) was going to fit into what we had left after Rancho. So I'm pretty happy with our progress.

We, for some reason, didn't write much of a menu for the week. It was the hardest week to get dinner on the table. I really need a menu to structure and plan around, while we were able to use up most of the produce we bought relatively easily, dinner was way too stressful and usually quite late.

All the same, I can't deal with menus that plot out a particular meal to happen on a particular day. I tried, I failed. Invariably, I never want what's supposed to be made that day, I'd rather have something else, or I don't feel up to cooking it. My menus are just lists of mains, sides and things to use up; we pick out dinner from them each afternoon.

Here's what we wound up having for the past few days. Lunches remain very difficult to figure out, I'd have to say that's our most challenging meal of the day.

Wednesday Breakfast: Orange crepes using Ruhlman's Ratio (damn things stick like crazy if you sub juice for water, do not recommend), turkey bacon, a pear, coffee Lunch: Ramen chicken soup (Husband was sick, wanted soup, so I made some) Dinner: Mujadarrah

Thursday Breakfast: Crepes with fresh peach preserves, turkey bacon, a pear, orange juice Lunch: Sardicado (otherwise known as Sprats/Sardines and Avocado) sandwich for Artis, peanut butter and fresh raspberry preserves for me, (homemade) kefir and iced tea Dinner: Sausage, bacon and leek pizza (with new and improved crust technology!) plus a spinach salad

Friday Breakfast: Basic White Bread from Beard on Bread, fried egg, Breakfast Sausage Patty, pear, coffee Lunch: Vegetarian tacos Dinner: Stirfry of random fridge contents over rice with teriyaki

Saturday Breakfast: Hot fruited oatmeal with blueberries, hard-boiled egg, three little smokies, coffee Lunch: Ramen salad with TVP Dinner: Coconut shrimp, curry-peanut noodles (recipe to come), chilled tomatillo-cucumber soup, brownie bites (cake balls but with brownies and no frosting)