Meal planning is hard enough over Christmas but add to that illness and a complete lack of energy to even write a meal plan, let along stick to it and you end up with a complete meal planning failure! So, now that we’re on the mend (mostly) and the kids are back at school, it’s time to get back on track and try and spend even less than usual to make up for the last few weeks.
As well as trying to be super-frugal and only use things that are in, I’m going to try and cook a new meal at least once a fortnight (once a week seems like too much hard work at the minute) so I *may* attempt pulled pork for the first time at the weekend.
Monday – I have some bolognaise bubbling away in the slow cooker as we speak and it smells delicious. I made a big batch using some mince that I got reduced at Asda a few weeks ago and I’ll use the leftovers for another meal this week. I’m just going to cook some pasta (we don’t have spaghetti in) and make pasta bolognaise. It’s really easy to do – just mix the pasta and the bolognaise together in an oven proof dish and top with a little bit of grated cheese. I pop it in the oven until the cheese is golden, cook some garlic bread to go with it and there you go, a quick and easy meal that I don’t need to buy anything in for. Even the cheese is from the freezer as I got some reduced before Christmas so I grated it and divided it into sandwich bags in the freezer.
Tuesday – We’re having chicken and egg fried rice for tea tonight as we’ve just discovered that Master Fussiest Eater in the World Frugal loves this. I make it by cooking the rice (I use boil in the bag ones as they as SO much easier) and then mixing it with two beaten eggs and a tablespoon (ish) of dark soy sauce. I add this to the already cooked chicken in a frying pan with some oil and cook it all together. It doesn’t take long so you need to make sure your chicken is already cooked and thoroughly heated through before you add the rice mixture to the pan.
Wednesday – Homemade lasagne with Monday’s leftover bolognaise.
Thursday – I have some reduced fish fillets in the freezer so I’m going to make some homemade fishcakes and chunky chips. Remind me not to forget the mushy peas and some bread and butter.
Friday – I’m out tonight so it will just be freezer tea for the kids. Probably chicken nuggets or fish fingers with beans and fries.
Saturday – Depending on how good a night Friday is, I may attempt to make barbecued pulled pork with homemade coleslaw and wedges. Or if I’m not quite up to that, my plan B is to use the sausages in the freezer to make toad in the hole.
Sunday – Either toad in the hole if I didn’t do that on Saturday or if I did, I may attempt the pulled pork today.
For more meal plan inspiration, pop over to At Home with Mrs M….
