Monday, November 30, 2020

November Meal Planning - Week 4 Review

November Week 4 included Thanksgiving Day.  I made a Thanksgiving meal using what I had on hand.  I had debated ordering a pumpkin pie and whipped cream for dessert, but, chose not to.  I'd have to order a minimum of $35 worth of groceries to qualify for free pick up and I really didn't need anything - I tried putting together a list of groceries, but, it only came to $20!  I didn't feel like paying the $7 pick up fee for just the pie ($5) and whipped cream ($3)!  As it turned out, I was blessed with another Thanksgiving meal by friend S and more Thanksgiving food by neighbor S, and both included pieces of pumpkin cheesecake!  I end the month of November and Week 4 with plenty of Thanksgiving leftovers and a stuffed freezer!


November Week 4 Meal Plan Options:

Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch:  Fruit, scrambled egg and toast✓, grilled cheese sandwich✓, French toast, pancakes, waffles✓

Dinner:  Spaghetti with meat sauce✓, pork chops✓, Thanksgiving dinner (roast chicken, mashed potatoes, corn bread, green beans or broccoli, cranberry sauce)✓, leftovers✓.

Snacks/Desserts: Fruit✓, nuts. Sri Lankan "cocktail mix" (a spicy snack mixture with pieces of murukku that is made with a type of lentil flour, nuts, chick peas, raisins, etc.)✓ pumpkin pie cheesecake✓  

Here is how it all turned out:

Sunday:
Brunch:  Grilled cheese sandwich
Tea: Almond Danish
Dinner:  Spaghetti and sauce 
Snacks/Dessert: crackers

Monday
Brunch:  Scrambled egg and toast
Dinner: Spaghetti and sauce
Snacks/Dessert: Jalebi, tangerine

Tuesday
Brunch:  Tuna salad sandwich
Dinner: Pork chop with stir fried vegetables; Spanish rice mix (from a box)

Tuesday Dinner

Snacks/Dessert - Tangerines, corn bread

Wednesday
Brunch:  Tuna salad sandwich
Dinner: Leftover pork chop, vegetables, and Spanish rice
Snacks/Dessert: Corn bread

Thursday
Brunch:  Skipped brunch!
Dinner: Thanksgiving Dinner (Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, corn, cranberry sauce, corn bread)
Supper:  Ham sandwiches made from ham and biscuits given by friend S
Snacks/Dessert: Pumpkin cheesecake, cranberry sauce (I ate the cranberry sauce that friend S had given me, which had pineapple bits and walnuts in it, as if it was dessert, as it was so delicious).

Friday
Brunch:  Ham sandwich
Dinner: Leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner (roast chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole)
Snacks/Dessert: Pumpkin cheesecake

Saturday
Brunch:  Sandwich made with the last of the tuna salad 
Dinner: More Thanksgiving dinner leftovers
Snacks/Dessert: Candied yam muffins, cheese and crackers

Candied Yam Muffins


Sunday
Brunch: Stuffing Waffles

Stuffing Waffles

Dinner: Leftover Spanish rice, shredded roast chicken, and leftover corn mixed together to make a fried rice of sorts; vegetables given by neighbor S (a mixture of Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and asparagus)
Snacks/Dessert: candied yam muffin; Sri Lankan cocktail mix, tangerine

Monday (November 30)
Brunch:  Stuffing waffle
Dinner: Chicken "pot pie", made with the last of the roast chicken, gravy, vegetables, and mashed potato topping (that is the plan, anyway; haven't made it, yet; might turn out to be a deconstructed pot pie!  LOL).
Snacks/Dessert:  Tangerine and muffins, probably

I have either frozen or used up most of the leftovers (or, will have, once I have tonight's dinner), except for half a can of cream of celery leftover from the green bean casserole.  That can be used to make a soup or another casserole, later in the week.

Well, that ends my November meal plans!  I didn't always make what I had listed even as options (this week's dinners, however, worked according to plans), but, it worked out well enough for me.  I didn't go hungry, that's for sure!

Tomorrow is the start of December and I am debating whether to continue with meal planning or just "wing it" and make it up as I go.  Stay tuned!

8 comments:

  1. Do you find that the meal planning/suggestions list helps you have more variety during the week? I do. Once I've written out a plan I find it much easier to see how samey it is and I can tweak it to ring the changes.

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    1. I think it gives me variety over the course of the month, more than during the week, simply because I end up eating leftovers several days in a row, rather than freezing portions for later. I should get into the habit of freezing more of what I cook!

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  2. You are such an inspiration with your menus and planning ahead. I don't do much of that because I never know what John is going to feel like eating...or if he will eat. I did prep a lot of food today though-after buying in bulk- and have it in packages in the freezer and fridge. xo Diana

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    1. Thank you, Diana. I can see how it can be hard for you to meal plan. Sometimes, I, too, don't know/can't decide what I might want to eat several days from now. Good planning on your part to prep things and freeze. :)

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  3. I admire the way you continue to prepare good meals for yourself. Sometimes when there's just one person, the motivation to do that goes away.

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    1. Thank you, Live and Learn. I guess I like to eat too much to not cook for myself! :D

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  4. All sounds delicious Bless. I'm in such a habit of menu planning I think I'd be lost if I didn't do it.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Martha; for years, my meal planning was based on what was on sale that week, because that's what I'd buy and cook! :)

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