Summer has finally arrived, and here in Colorado it has come in full swing! The sun is hot, and our vegetable garden is thriving! Now, if it wasn’t for Bella trying to eat the veggies that are growing, I wouldn’t even need to go grocery shopping. Okay, that’s a lie, but our vegetable garden really is taking off! Alright… enough about my garden and back to July’s menu!
July is full of fun, starting with the 4th of July. We like to grill the entire weekend, so with the exception of a quick meal on Friday, we plan to grill out on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Since we don’t have A/C, keeping the house cool really depends on dinner time. July’s menu is meant to beat the heat, and just use the oven with really necessary, keeping the mess to a minimum, and keeping the house cool while enjoying delicious kid-friendly dinners.
Like in other months, the new recipes; Twice Baked Potatoes, BBQ Ribs, Grilled Pizza and the Italian Grilled Chicken will all be shared throughout the month, just to keep content fresh, and keep you on your toes!
Planning a menu on a budget can be really hard because of the rise in food prices, but shopping around, knowing the sales in your area and shopping in bulk really helps cut costs. For example, this months menu has ground beef as an ingredient in five meals. If you’re buying ground beef a pound at a time at the grocery store, it can cost you up to $4-5 a pound, if not more. But, if you buy your ground beef in a family size pack, or get it somewhere like Costco, you’ll save a ton because ground beef usually costs only around $2.50-$3 per pound. Last week, I got 4.5 lbs of ground beef for $16 at Costco – I froze it in 5 different sandwich size ziplock bags so that I had 5 meals worth of ground beef. The smaller bag if the 5 is perfect for the end of the month when we have Cheeseburger Macaroni. Buying chicken in bulk is a huge money saver too, our local Sprouts offers chicken for $1.77/pound at least once a month. And with all of the chicken we make, it just makes sense to buy it in bulk.
To figure out the prices by shopping around and figuring out where I could get the best deals. To do this, I look at my sales flyers, and the personalized coupons on the grocery store apps on my phone. These personalized coupons are where I save the most money. THREE times last week, I went to the store and saved more than I spent. It was a very rewarding feeling. I round the prices up to the nearest even dollar amount, unless it’s produce, then I leave the amount as is for the weight.
By shopping the sales, and using my coupons, July’s menu rings in at only $208.88! This is how it broke down:
Sprouts: $35.56
Costco: $64.77
King Soopers/Safeway: $43.42
Walmart: $65.13
You can save so much more money by shopping at Walmart. Their canned and dry goods are always such a great price. You get the same items as at your traditional grocery store but half the price. This is where I buy some of my dairy too, because it saves me so much money. For example, while on sale, taco shells are around $1.25 at the grocery store, and are only $1 at Walmart. The little savings like this really add up to save you on groceries.
So what’s for dinner? If you’re looking for the printable version of the recipes, menu and grocery lists, scroll down to the bottom for the PDF version.
Week One
Friday, July 1
Chicken Caesar Wraps
Saturday, July 2
BBQ Chicken Wings
Sweet Potatoes
Corn
Sunday, July 3
Cheeseburgers
Twice Baked Potatoes – NEW!
Mixed Veggies
Monday, July 4
BBQ Ribs – NEW
Grilled Corn On The Cob
Tuesday, July 5
Ground Beef Tacos
Corn
Wednesday, July 6
Leftovers
Thursday, July 7
Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs
Broccoli
Friday, July 8
Grilled Pizza – NEW!
Saturday, July 9
Spaghetti and Meatballs
CrockPot Spaghetti Sauce
Surprise Meatballs
– freeze extra spaghetti sauce in two containers for meals later in the month
Week Two
Sunday, July 10
Italian Grilled Chicken – NEW!
Salad
Monday, July 11
Macaroni and Cheese
Peas
Tuesday, July 12
Leftovers
Wednesday, July 13
Chorizo Tacos
Corn
Thursday, July 14
Breakfast for Dinner
– eggs and bacon included in grocery list
Friday, July 15
Baked Ziti
Salad
– use leftover frozen spaghetti sauce from earlier in the month
Saturday, July 16
BBQ Meatloaf
– extra veggies not included in grocery list
Oven Baked French Fries
Peas
Week Three
Sunday, July 17
Beer Can Chicken
Sweet Potatoes
Grilled Zucchini
– roast your chicken in the oven if you prefer
Monday, July 18
Sesame Noodles
Broccoli
Tuesday, July 19
Chicken Pot Pie Pasta
– use leftover chicken from Sunday to make this recipe
Wednesday, July 20
Leftovers
Thursday, July 21
Pierogies with Bacon and Caramelized Onions
Friday, July 22
CrockPot Beef and Broccoli
Rice
– make extra rice with dinner and save for Egg Fried Rice on Monday
Saturday, July 23
BBQ Chicken Skewers
Grilled Corn on The Cob
– use chopsticks for skewers
Week Four
Sunday, July 24
Pasta
– just cook up some pasta and toss with leftover spaghetti sauce
Salad
– use leftover frozen Spaghetti Sauce
Monday, July 25
Egg Fried Rice
– use leftover Rice from July 22
Tuesday, July 26
Sweet Chili Lime Grilled Chicken
Baked Potatoes
Wednesday, July 27
Leftovers
Thursday, July 28
Chicken Cutlets
Sweet Potatoes
Broccoli
Friday, July 29
Fish and Chips
Saturday, July 30
Cheeseburger Macaroni
Mixed Veggies
Sunday, July 31
Pasta with Bacon and Peas
I'm Lindsie, a Mom with a big heart and a small wallet.
If you know me, it's no surprise that I LOVE food! But, getting healthy, nutritious meals on the table that kids will actually eat can be really freakin' expensive, but I have found a way to create mouthwatering meals that everyone - even the pickiest of eaters will devour while saving money!
Join me as I share a modern-twist on classic comfort food, kid-friendly recipes and no-repeat menu plans that are designed to keep both your stomach and your wallet full!
