We have a busy week ahead of us. Having a menu plan (and actually creating a shopping list around that plan) helps keep me on track. For those of you who create weekly (or monthly!) menu plans, you know how simple and brilliant it is. I’ve been doing it for several years now, and I stick with it for several reasons: It cuts down, if not completely eliminates, that 5 o’clock my-family-is-starving-and-I-don’t-have-a-clue-what-to-make-for-dinner panic. It also helps with prep work. Don’t you hate forgetting to pull out the crock pot or defrost meat until it’s too late for dinner? It streamlines grocery shopping. With store ads and coupons on one Keep Reading

I can't even tell you how excited I am that Spring is moving into town. I feel like I am coming out of a long winter hibernation, and it feels so good to hear the birds singing and watch the trees changing. If you are needing a little more inspiration in the menu planning department, check out this past post, Local Produce: What is in season and how to prepare it. It was written for June, but many of the vegetables still apply to this time of year. Here's what's for dinner at my house this week: Monday -- Breakfast for Dinner: Waffles, scrambled eggs, oranges Tuesday -- Black Bean Quesadillas, chips with guacamole & salsa Wednesday -- Keep Reading

My husband and I just returned from an amazing kid-free weekend away. Coming back to reality is rough. Who are all these little people calling me "mama" and why isn't anyone doing the laundry? I find that having a solid menu plan is the best way to get my brain back in gear. I might not know what happened to the car keys, but at least I know what's for dinner. Here's what's for dinner at my house this week: Monday -- Burritos (using Refried Beans from the freezer), chips & salsa Tuesday -- Vegetable Fried Rice, fresh fruit Wednesday -- Leftovers Thursday -- Italian Stuffed Cabbages (I am going to use quinoa in place of the sausage), fresh Keep Reading

This is the last week of our pantry/freezer eating challenge! My goal for February was to spend $200 on groceries. It looks like I'll end up coming in around $250 by Thursday. I'm still happy with this, as I was able to create the bulk of our meals around what we already had on hand. Last week I ran out of butter, eggs, and produce in one week. So I went over my goal but still ended up under my normal budget. And I found the strawberries buried at the bottom of our chest freezer! So overall, an exciting month around our house. Here's what's for dinner at my house this week: Monday -- Refried Bean Tostadas, canned fruit Tuesday -- Pasta and White Keep Reading

Menu Plan by Melody of This Beautiful Frugal Life We are a family of four, including two toddler boys who eat their body weight in food every day.  We eat a Paleo-ish diet, with the majority of our meals and snacks made with whole foods.  We don't eat pasta, beans or grains of any kind and very little dairy.  We are super busy during the week, with trips to the gym most afternoons, so are constantly on the lookout for meals that can be prepared ahead of time or thrown in the crock pot. Meal planning is very important for our family, as the last minute options we used to rely on (grilled cheese, PB&J, frozen pizza) aren't in the cards Keep Reading