Weekly Menu July 31-August 6, 2011

This week could be a little more expensive than usual depending on the pantry/fridge staples you have available. However, there are great new recipes on this week's menu that I was dying to try out. Plus, shopping store sales/couponing is really about stretching your dollar and you will have lots of extras from the shopping list this week (see ideas below). You will notice two recipes call for basil pesto. You can either buy a jar of pesto in the store or make your own with the recipe I included. This would be an easy week to make the pesto if you have walnuts from last week's list and purchase the Parmesan cheese.  Buy fresh basil and the rest of the items should already be in your pantry.  This week's total for two people is approximately $58 (without tax)!!  Make sure you are signed up for eVIC to get the great meat deals this week!

Great Deal This Week: Toilet Paper

Last week paper towels were a great deal and now it's toilet paper! These items can be expensive to run out and buy so stock up when they're on sale and save lots of money over time.

Seventh Generation 12 ct rolls: $3.99 each eVIC special (limit 2)

Cottonelle 12 ct rolls $6.99 each

Catalina Deal (prints at register) -buy 2, get $3.50 off next purchase

                                                          buy 3, get $4.50 off next purchase

Pair this deal with -.75/1 Cottonelle 12 ct from SS 7/17 and/or -.50/1 print. With 3 (-.75/1) coupons you could get these packs for $3.99 each!!

Weekly Menu

Sunday: Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Strawberry Avocado Salsa

Monday: Pesto Pasta with Blackened Chicken

Tuesday: Ground Turkey Tacos with Smoky Refried Beans

Wednesday: Peppercorn & Garlic Beef Skewers with Steamed Broccoli & Sweet Potatoes

Thursday: Vegetable Meatloaf with Roasted Red Potatoes

Friday: Chicken Chili with Pesto

Saturday: Pork Chops with Apples & Garlic Smashed Potatoes

All items are based on recipes with for two people so adjust as needed depending on how many people you are cooking for.

Shopping List

Weekly Menu Items

1 bunch of broccoli - $2 each

Lettuce/tomato – optional taco toppings

1 lime - $.69 each

1 zucchini - $.62 each

1 package of strawberries -$1.99 each

1 bunch of cilantro -$1.89 each

1 bunch of parsley - $1.89 each

1 jalapeno - $.25

1 red onion - $1.57 each

1 Calavo Avocados Bag - $1.27 each

1 granny smith apple - $1.29 each

1 lb baby red potatoes - $1.29

1 16 oz bag Harris Teeter baby carrots -$1.79 each

2 sweet potatoes - $1.74

1 red bell pepper -$2.99 each

1 bunch fresh celery - $1.99 each

Chef Paul’s Magic Blackened Seasoning - $3.50 each

1 can Embasa Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce - $2.99 each

1 15 oz can cannellini beans - $.57 each

1 15 oz can Harris Teeter pinto beans -$.57 each

1 package Grill Mates® Peppercorn & Garlic Marinade - $.69 each

Old El Paso – print – buy all 3, use coupon = $3.88 for all 3

    Taco Shells - $2.39

    Seasoning Mix - $1

    Can of green chilies - $1.69

1 Smithfield Fresh Boneless Whole Pork Tenderloin - $8.07 each

1 package Harris Teeter Reserve Angus Stew Meat - $1.99 each

1 2.5 lb bag Harris Teeter Chicken Breast, Boneless Skinless – eVIC $3.99 each (limit 1)

1 package Harris Teeter 93% fat free ground turkey – eVIC $1.99 each (limit 1)

1 package Harris Teeter 2% shredded cheddar – eVIC $1.47 each

1 package Harris Teeter shredded Parmesan cheese – eVIC $1.47 each

½ gallon of apple cider - $2.99 each

16 oz of Harris Teeter Buttermilk - $.79 each

Pantry/Fridge Staples

1 egg

Penne or fettuccine pasta

Pesto – Classico Basil Pesto - $3.29 per jar or homemade

Chicken Broth

Butter

Panko (Japanese style) breadcrumbs

Dried thyme

Dried rosemary

Garlic

Dried sage

1 yellow onion

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Dried oregano

Cumin

Pepper

Salt

Sugar

Cinnamon

White vinegar or red wine vinegar

Balsamic Vinegar

Ketchup – need it: Harris Teeter -$.87 each

Ideas for Extras:

There are two pork tenderloins in the package.  If you are cooking for two people, we will only be using one this week so freeze the other one to save for another dish.

Usually it is cheaper to get chicken breasts from the butcher.  However, with this week's eVIC deal the 2.5 lb frozen bag is the biggest bang for your buck and will give you more chicken to use next week.

Leftover celery and carrots would be a great snack or lunch bag addition paired with the Athenos hummus on sale this week for $1.49.

You will have plenty of strawberries left over to pack for a healthy lunch treat, blend in a smoothie, or to top off  yogurt in the morning for breakfast.

You will get two avocados in the bag so use one for a taco topping as well.

Harris Teeter Half Case Wine Sale TODAY ONLY - 10% off

For TODAY ONLY Harris Teeter is having a 10% off Half Case Wine Sale! Get six (6) - 750 ml. bottles or three (3) - 1.5 lt. bottles. Stock up on your favorites or perhaps have an impromptu wine tasting tonight!

Weekly Menu July 24-30, 2011

Below is the weekly menu for July 24-30. The grand total for two people this week is around $43.00 (excluding tax) for 7 dinners! Heads up, there's a lot of chicken this week. It's a huge staple in our house and we eat it at least 3-4 days per week. If you're always looking for new ways to cook chicken...you're in luck!

Great Deals This Week:

HT Your Home 8 ct paper towels - $5 on sale. Add an eVIC coupon for $2 off to your VIC card and you will get 8 paper towels for $3!!! If you're not sure what eVIC is, go here for more information.

Harris Teeter canned beans are $.50 each so stock up on these if you have a particular favorite.

Sunday: Shrimp Kebabs with Rice

Monday: Chicken Caprese with Arugula-Pear Salad

Tuesday: BLT in a Bowl

Wednesday: Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken with Corn, Green Beans, & Watermelon

Thursday: BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

Friday: Roast Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers

Saturday: Tomato Soup with White Beans & Pasta

Shopping List

Weekly Menu Items

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (3 per person) - $1.99/lb

½ lb Harris Teeter EZ Peel Shrimp (per 2 people) – $5.50/1/2 lb

1 large red onion (per 2 people) ~$1.57 each

Corn on the cob (1 per person) - $.40 each

Seedless Watermelon - $.69/lb (look for already cut 1/4-1/2 watermelons for about $2 each)

1 large shallot (per 2 people)- $.50 each

1 pint grape tomatoes - $3 each

1 red bell pepper - $2.50 each

1 yellow bell pepper - $2.50 each

1 large lemon - $.50 each

1 lime - $.69 each

1 pear (per 2 people) ~$1.00 each

1 package Fresh Express Wild Rocket Zest Arugula blend (per 2 people) - $3.50

1 bunch of fresh rosemary - $2.49 each

1 pack Harris Teeter wheat or white hamburger buns - $1.39-$1.69

1 32 oz carton of Harris Teeter Fat-Free Chicken Broth - $1.87 each

1 15 oz can Harris Teeter Cannellini Beans – $.50

1 28 oz can Harris Teeter diced tomatoes - $1.65

1 6 oz bag Harris Teeter Walnut Pieces - $2.47 each

1 bag Sargento shredded cheddar cheese - $2.50

Pantry/Fridge Staples/Items from Last Week

Italian Seasoning

Garlic Powder

Garlic

Oregano

Parsley

Red Wine Vinegar

Balsamic Vinegar

Cooking spray

1 yellow onion

Rice

1 can green beans

12 oz elbow macaroni: need it: harris teeter- $.64 each

Olive Oil: need it: Newman’s own - $4.49 each w/coupon (print)

Turkey bacon: need it: you may have an eVIC Friday special email for Harris Teeter turkey bacon -$1.50 each

Shredded mozzarella: need it: Sargento - $2.50 each

Tortillas (from last week): need it: Mission tortillas: $1.99 per pack or become a Harris Teeter fan on facebook and get 18 oz mission uncooked soft taco or fajita tortillas for $.99 each...only valid Sunday July 24th

1 12 oz bottle bbq sauce: need it: Kraft bbq sauce - $1 each

Weekly Menu July 17-23, 2011

Here it is…the first weekly menu posting! I have to admit, this was a hard week of sales to start with. However, that is one of the great benefits to buying sale items each week and stocking up. For this week’s menu, I already had turkey burgers, lean ground beef, pork chops, and boneless skinless chicken breasts in my freezer from the great deals last week. Thinking ahead helps to stock up a reserve for the weeks when not much is on sale. That will be one of the perks from this site though. If something is a great deal I’ll let you know to stock up and save it for the next week! I have created two lists of ingredients, one for shopping and one for “pantry staple items.” These pantry staples are items that I have a stockpile of from couponing (bbq sauce, pasta, rice from this week) or spices/oils/vinegars. Look through your pantry or cupboard to make sure you have each of these items. If not, you’ll have to purchase those as well or you can play around with substitutions/omit things if you don’t want to spend the money this week. If you buy them, they will now be a part of your pantry staples to have for future recipes!

Based on 7 meals for 2 people, this week’s menu grand total is approximately $50-55!!! with the eVIC coupon (price not including tax).  If you pay more than this, don’t be discouraged. This can vary depending on if you are using coupons, the amount of staple items you have and the number of servings per meal. With the stocked up items I have already, coupons, and meat from last week in my freezer, this week is costing me only $40 for 7 meals!! Also, keep in mind, depending on how many people you are cooking for, there may be leftovers for lunch or another dinner (Italian pasta bake) and also items to use again in the following week (i.e. turkey burgers, turkey bacon, buns, pork chops) saving you even more money and cutting costs week after week.

Click on the meal for a link to the recipe.

Sunday: Grilled Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa & Rice

Monday: Italian Pasta Bake

Tuesday: Chicken Fajitas with Black Beans & Rice

Wednesday: French Onion Turkey Burgers with Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Baked Beans

Thursday: Spinach Salad

Friday: Grilled Mozza-Chicken Sandwiches with Oven Fried Okra

Saturday: Grilled Pork Chops with Texas Dry Rub, Corn on the Cob, & Pasta Salad

Shopping Lists

Weekly Menu Items:

1 package of grape tomatoes - $3 each

1 mango - $1.69 each

½ lb okra (for 2 people) – $1.75 ($3.49/lb)

Sweet potato (1 per 2 people) - $.99/lb

Earthbound Farm Spinach - $3.50         

      - printable coupon for $2/2 you can redeem for points on Recycle Bank

Green bell pepper (1 per person) - $.99 each

2 yellow onion (1 per 2 people) - ~ $.31 each or buy 3 lb bag for $1.97

corn on the cob (1 per person) - $.50 each

Harris Teeter Farmers Market White Mushrooms - $1.89

1 bunch of cilantro - $1.79

Mahi Mahi Fillets (1 per person) - $6.99/lb

1 lb lean ground beef (at least 93%) or Ground Turkey - $4-6/lb

boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 per person) - $1.99/lb

boneless pork chops (1 per person) - $5.49/lb (usually 4 to a pack)

Butterball Turkey Burgers - $6.99

-$1.50 off printable coupon print  or SS 6/26 = $5.49

1 package Pepperidge Farm Hamburger Buns – $.79-$1.49 each

-B1G1 this week + coupon for $1 off 2 on packages = $1 each

-.35/1 Pepperidge Farm bread or rolls, SS 5/15 = $.79 each

-no coupon, buy 1 package - $1.49 each

2 cans Harris Teeter tomato sauce - $.57 each

1 can Harris Teeter black beans - $.57 each

1 can Harris Teeter baked beans - $1.29 each

McCormick Grill Mates Marinade Packet - Baja Citrus - $.69

Harris Teeter Rice 2 lb bag - $.89 each

Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad Pasta Salad Mix, Homestyle Classic - $.50 each

            -.50/2 print or SS 6/5

Harris Teeter penne pasta - $.77 each

Kraft Light Balsamic Vinaigrette - $2 each (if you don’t already have dressing)

Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon - $2.99 each

Don Pancho Tortillas – B1G1 - $1.42 each

Kraft Shredded 2% Mozzarella Cheese - $2 each

Eggs - $1.29 - $1.89 per pack

Harris Teeter Fat-Free Buttermilk - $.79 each

Stock Up Items for Future Recipes:

Harris Teeter Spaghetti or Elbow Macaroni - $.64

Harris Teeter Pasta - $.77

Harris Teeter Tomato Sauce can- $.57 each

Harris Teeter Corn or Green Beans can - $.50 each

Harris Teeter Rice 2 lb bag - $.89

Buitoni Pasta - $1.50

            -$1 off Buitoni product print = $.50

Chi-Chi’s Salsa - $2

            -.50/1 salsa jar or snackers coupon SS 5/15 or SS 6/12

Pantry/Fridge Staples

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Lime juice

Cider Vinegar

Sugar

Salt

Pepper

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Paprika

Chili powder

Italian seasoning

Brown sugar – if you need it, Dixie Crystals is on sale 

Garlic (*tip – I buy a jar of garlic and keep it in fridge for multiple uses)

Olive oil

Worcestershire sauce

BBQ sauce – if you need it, KC Masterpiece is $2 each this week

Cornmeal

Shopping Hints:

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast: Get these from the Butcher Department. They are $1.99/lb so essentially $1 a piece which is almost always cheaper than the packaged ones. Even on sale this week the packaged chicken breasts are $2.49/lb so you save $.50/lb!!

The quantity of certain items and how much you need to purchase, especially meat and produce, will depend on how many people you are cooking for.  Therefore, be prepared for prices to increase or decrease based on this.

If you have a Trader Joes or Farmer’s Market/Local Produce Stand accessible, you may find cheaper prices on produce and I encourage you to shop wherever works best for your budget and schedule. However, each week I try to buy the produce on sale and create the menu from there to cut high produce costs the best that I can.

$5 off $30 purchase July 16, 2011

I was planning to post the first weekly menu this Sunday. However, I got a nice little surprise in my inbox this morning...an eVIC coupon for $5 off $30 purchase this Saturday, July 16 ONLY. So, I will be posting the first weekly menu by Saturday morning so everyone can take advantage of this great deal!

For those of you who are saying eVIC what? eVIC is the electronic VIC card savings program through Harris Teeter. If you go to the Harris Teeter website, you can sign up for this program using the member number located on your VIC card. When you sign up, every Friday morning you will receive an email with special deals just for you. They are automatically loaded on your card and will be deducted at checkout. 

In addition to the Friday eVIC special savings, you will be able to load eVIC coupons on your card, just like the $5 off $30 coupon this week. The eVIC coupons do not double like manufacturer coupons but the good news is you can use an eVIC coupon in combination with a manufacturer coupon for the same product. For example: this week there is an eVIC coupon for $.50 off Nature Valley Granola Thins. There is a manufacturer coupon from the newspaper for $.50 as well that will double to $1.00. So, when you checkout and have both of these coupons, you will get $1.50 off the product! If your head is spinning, go to Southern Savers to read more about couponing at Harris Teeter or check out the Harris Teeter website to learn more about the eVIC program and their coupon policies.

$10 off $50 purchase at Harris Teeter!!

A coupon for $10 off a $50 Harris Teeter purchase is available at Recycle Bank. This is a website where you can complete environment-friendly challenges, surveys, etc. to earn points towards great rewards. They have a challenge going on right now where it is easy to earn lots of points. Work your way up to 100 and you will be able to cash them in for a $10 off $50 purchase coupon at HT. The coupon will be mailed to you so it won't be available to use this week but will be very useful in the future!

Getting Started

For those of you who don't know, I have a passion for couponing, bargain hunting, and creating a weekly menu of healthy, delicious, and budget friendly meals for my husband and myself. I have taught coupon classes and love sharing the knowledge I have learned with friends and family about saving money. When sharing, so many times I've had people tell me "I understand how to coupon, I buy what's on sale, BUT I don't know what meals to make with my purchases." My goal is to provide a full week of dinners starting every Sunday through Saturday. If you are just starting out and new to couponing, go to Southern Savers to learn more about the process and how to start a coupon bank to match up with weekly grocery store sales. If you feel like you don't have the time or patience for couponing, you will still be able to save money since the menu is based on weekly sale items. Each week I will take the Harris Teeter weekly ad sales and the coupons available from the Sunday paper/printable sites online and create 7 nights of dinners. Stocking up when things are on sale is one of the best ways to save money so each week I may pull from items that were on sale in the weeks before or pantry staple items as well. I will provide the recipe for each meal as well as the grocery list for the week to complete the meals listed. I hope this will be helpful and make life a little easier :) Once you enter this world, you will never be able to go back! Bon appetite!