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Gone Frugal Weekly Menu Worksheet

Frugal Michael — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:00:00 +0000

Constantly frustrated that I could never find document templates that fit my specific needs, I started to create my own. While giving my weekly menu worksheet a fresh look for the new year, it struck me that if Iâ€™m having that problem then some of you might very well be in the same boat.

I have created these templates with a logical design that is not only simple to use but will also help to make you more organized and efficient, saving you time and money in the process.

The first of these templates to be made available on the site is the Gone Frugal Weekly Menu Worksheet. In this design I include a section for writing up a menu plan for the week, a shopping list and a notes section. When you have all of your meals for the week listed in one convenient place it is much easier to write out a shopping list, so why not put them on the same page? The notes section is a perfect place to jot down info on special sales, coupon reminders and more.

Download the Gone Frugal Weekly Menu Worksheet

Dinner Menu for the Week 1/3/10 – 1/9/10

Frugal Michael — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 03:52:29 +0000

As promised, I am starting the new year off right by sharing my weekly menu plans with the Gone Frugal family. I generally try to start with a monthly calendar on which I lay out my meal ideas for the entire month at once. This serves two purposes:

1. It gives me the opportunity to purchase certain items in higher quantities, thus saving money, and

2. It allows me to plan ahead for greater variety from day to day.

Without further ado, here is this weekâ€™s menu:

Sunday 1/3/10: Dirty Rice

Monday 1/4/10: Homemade Pizza

Tuesday 1/5/10: Grilled Chicken

Wednesday 1/6/10: Tacos

Thursday 1/7/10: Beef Stir Fry

Friday 1/8/10: Crockpot Enchilada Casserole

Saturday 1/9/10: Michaelâ€™s Foolproof Crockpot Chicken

Frugal Weekday Dinner Menu for 11/9 – 11/13

Frugal Michael — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:55:17 +0000

This weekâ€™s menu is going to be pretty basic because it is a busy work week and I wonâ€™t have as much time as Iâ€™d like to spend in the kitchen.Â I will be posting recipes soon so check back and feel free to ask questions.

MONDAY: Spaghetti with meat sauce
Inexpensive store bought sauce gets a facelift.

TUESDAY: Michaelâ€™s Foolproof Crockpot Chicken
Five minutes prep time makes the best chicken you could imagine.

WEDNESDAY: Homemade Taco Salad
Made-from-scratch taco meat is the centerpiece for this yum fest.

THURSDAY: Stir Fry
Any excuse to use fresh veggies and steamed rice is good to me.

FRIDAY: Chili
It is time for the cool weather favorite even if it isnâ€™t that cold yet.

As you can see I am including three dinners that use ground beef this week;Â I bought 5 pounds of ground beef on sale last week and preparing the meals this way allows me to brown all the beef at one time for all three recipes.Â I simply brown all of the meat at once with onion and garlic and store it in portions for individual recipes.

HOT TIP: Instead of spending more on lean ground beef, just brown the less expensive stuff as usual, drain and rinse under warm water.Â This removes just as much fat and saves you money.

Another way I save money is by using dried beans instead of canned.Â Not only does this cost a lot less but I can be absolutely sure of every ingredient in them.Â This week I am making my pseudo-refried beans to go with taco salad on Wednesday and also cooking pintos and great northern beans for Fridayâ€™s chili.