I just started a new series on the blog entitled, "How to be gluten-free on a TIGHT budget" on my first post, I shared a recent shopping trip. We spent $42.77.
Here's what we got:
The grocery items were what I needed to make the recipes on our meal plan for this week. I've gotten into the habit of cooking on Sunday nights or Monday nights (whichever is easiest) and I cook for the entire week: breakfasts, lunches, dinners, (and what I hope to incorporate this month) afternoon snacks.
One of the keys to cooking everything one night a week is using my slow cookers. Newer slow cookers cook hotter and faster than older ones (especially on high heat), so I can cook as many meals as I have slow cookers and in 3-4 hours they are all cooked and ready for the week ahead.
Most of the meals I made this week are from my upcoming slow cooker cookbook!
This Week's Menu:
Dinner & Leftovers for lunch each day:
- Saturday (We had a family cookout!) -- grassfed burgers, french fries, broccoli salad, cooked apples, AWESOME GF brownies (from The Essential Gluten-Free Baking Guide, Pt. 2) and ice-cream
- Sunday -- Leftovers
- Monday -- Slow cooker swedish meatballs with gravy (pg. 71 from "The Everything Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Cookbook) & gluten-free toast served with a caesar salad
- Tuesday -- Skillet meal of sauteed yellow squash, onions, carrots, and sausage
- Wednesday -- Slow cooker barbecue chicken & white beans (pg. 245 from "The Everything Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Cookbook) served with green beans and sweet potatoes
- Thursday -- Slow cooker meal of sausage & spinach quinoa (pg. 253 from "The Everything Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Cookbook) served with a green salad
- Friday, Saturday, Sunday -- weekend cooking with friends! Happy Labor Day!
Breakfasts:
- For Carrie -- soaked oatmeal (I'll post about this soon!) with dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds + 1 fried egg and 1 slice bacon (made enough for each morning at work this week.)
- For Michael -- a homemade "McMuffin" each morning -- made from one english muffin with a fried egg, 1 slice of turkey bacon, and 1 slice of cheese. He's hooked on these, but says he has a much better day when eating these than Poptarts... go figure.. lol
Check out hundreds of more menus at Org Junkie.
For specifically gluten-free menus, check out the roundup at Angela's Kitchen today!
Such a fab idea! But how much longer til that cookbook is available? I'm in desperate need of more gf slow cooker recipes!
ReplyDeleteHi Samantha! The cookbook will be released on October 18th!! I'm very excited and I hope you'll love it! You can get it for a super reduced price if you pre-order on Amazon right now!! It's half the retail price!
ReplyDeleteHi, Carrie! I was just thinking last week, that I needed to find some new slow-cooker recipes. Excited for your new cookbook! Have a great week...and holiday weekend.
ReplyDeleteI am so thrilled for you that the cookbook is coming out soon!! I can't wait! Just got you menu all linked up to the swap. It sounds delicious. I will be following your budget series. Brilliant! So timely and needed. :) Have a wonderful week, Carrie!
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