End of School & July: A Week Long Menu Plan on a Budget


Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August.
Jenny Han
Before I begin, some housekeeping 😜.

July 11 & 12 are Amazon Prime Days! I would just like to remind you all, my friends and family, to PLEASE use my Amazon bar at the top of my page for all your shopping needs (or you can use this link to my favourite oil spray bottle to get you to Amazon and then continue to shop as you would normally 😊). As an Amazon affiliate, I receive a very small commission on any items purchased using my link. As I haven’t been approved for disability yet and MS has made my job impossible, every little bit helps.

Thank you 😊. 

Elementary school is officially done. That’s weird. HBear went into kindergarten in 2013 and we jumped feet first into the elementary school delights like PAC, hot lunch, field trips, and school Christmas concerts. These activities have filled up the majority of my time for the past 10 years! Now, it’s over. HBear went through middle school, I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t my favourite time period in her life. This week HBear successfully finished grade 9 and SBean passed grade 5 with flying colours! I now have a full fledged high schooler and a brand new middle schooler?!?!
Crazy.
This was a great year for HBear. Or at least a better one! You got to see the positives in life 😁. She loves her school, enjoyed being part of the theatre crew working on the school musical, Little Shop of Horrors, got fantastic grades, went to Vancouver on a school band trip and made new friends while reacquainting herself with friends from her past. HBear has her first after school job at the library, continued her dance instruction, became a contributing member of the Youth Action Committee, is an active member of the Diversity Club and the Indigenous Club and is on the Junior Penticton Curling Team. Next year she has goals of taking pre calculus, getting better at her drums and joining the school golf team. After 3 years of middle school hell, I’m so happy to see HBear academically coming into her own 💛. 


 
SBean ruled the school this year and loved being the oldest grade in her school. She took on more roles of responsibility, loved being a Big Buddy, excelled in reading and languages, and LOVED being involved in school plays and reader’s theatre. While school friends weren’t a main focus this year, gymnastics and Warrior Cats were! SBean has set next year’s goals of getting her front and back handsprings, doing better in math, join an acting class, and meeting a friend she can be herself around. SBean has a lot of confidence and we can’t wait to see how she tackles Middle School and all the new challenges that come with it!

Congratulations to both of my unique and amazing children! I am incredibly proud of the grace that you have both shown this year, how much you help around the house (most days 😜) and how you dedicate yourselves to the activities that bring you joy 💛. Keep it up my loves!


Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Episode #335: All Canada Day & a Bag of Chips HERE! This week, it’s Canada Day weekend! Topics: around town, maple syrup, Osoyoos golf, bully update, biking the KVR, Canada Day Quiz, SOW, & Canadian musicians.

I did another weekly meal plan staying under my budget of $156.62! That’s half of what economists think Canadians spend on groceries on a weekly basis. I want you to have all the tools to be able to feed your family 7 healthy(ish) meals, while not putting yourself into the poorhouse! I hope you enjoy and please let me know if you follow this weekly plan and if you were able to stick to the budget!

MENU (Feel free to change days up to suit your schedules and your cravings)

Sunday: Marinated Grilled Pork Chops with Rice & Salad

Monday: Sheet Pan Breakfast Bake

Tuesday: Tacos with Pico de Gallo & Tortilla Chips

Wednesday: Cheese Tortellini with Summer Veggies

Thursday: Club Croissants with Roasted Red Onion Mayo

Friday: Cheesy Sausage Potato Foil Packets

Saturday: BBQ Chicken Quinoa Bowls with Avocado Crema



Staple Items

These items are ALWAYS in my pantry or fridge. This tip bares repeating… As soon as I see an item running out it goes on the my shopping list. If they come up on my PC Points list or go on sale, I buy them. We have a second fridge in the garage, so I always have eggs, mayo, soy sauce, etc. on hand. It may take you a while and some money to get this system going but once you do… your wallet will thank you 🙂

Things I need for this week’s menu that I already have in my kitchen (my staple items) are listed below and in red.

Shopping List


4 pork chops 
1 lb ground beef
1 package of bacon
3 chicken breasts
2 tablespoons dried oregano
3/4 tablespoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 teaspoon paprika
1 ¼ teaspoons dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
6 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce 
2 teaspoons fresh ginger
5 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil
7 tablespoons butter/margarine
1 brick marble cheese OR 1 bag Mexican shredded cheese & 1 bag cheddar shredded cheese
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons chives

Sour Cream
Salsa

Rice

4 onions

2 cans corn
1 tetra Chicken stock

Salad dressing of your choosing

2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bunch cilantro

1 package three cheese tortellini
2 cups grape tomatoes
1 medium zucchini
1 jar marinara sauce

lime juice (bought 2)
1 bunch fresh parsley

package shredded hash brown potatoes
1 large red onion 
4-6 croissants 
8-10 slices of deli ham (bought 200g for lunch too)
8-10 slices of deli turkey (bought 200g 
for lunch too)
1 head green leaf lettuce (bought 3 Romaine hearts)
5 Roma tomatoes
soft flour tortilla wraps/hard taco shells (I bought both)
4 bells peppers (bought a bag of 6)
1 package smoked sausage
1 bag of baby potatoes
1 cup quinoa
1 can black beans
1 avocado

I also bought some lunch items/snacks/stock up: 4 packs of Jell-O/pudding, pretzels, 2L gingerale, Ritz crackers, Crispers, 3 jugs or juice, 4L OJ, 2 boxes of KD, milk, trail mix, apples, bananas, strawberries, and body wash.



Meat

I stock up on meat when it’s on sale so I only needed to buy the steak for this week. This is the meat we need at the prices of each.


1lb pork loin:
I had a large pork loin I bought for $1.99/lb we cut it into 4 meals = $2.98/meal



1 lb ground beef (not extra lean so I’ll make sure I drain!)
$14.27 for 4lbs = $3.56/lb
This week I need 1 lb of ground beef = $3.56



Bacon on for $3.99

3 chicken breasts:
I bought 7 breasts for $23.00 (split in 2 meals) = $11.50/meal


Meat $22.03
Menu $71.87
Lunches & Stock Up $62.82

TOTAL= $156.72


$.10 OVER!!

Sunday:

If you have followed my meal plans for a while, you will notice that I pretty much stick to a formula. I think Sunday should be a family dinner that properly ends our relaxing weekend and prepares us for the week ahead. My summer comfort meals are different than any other season, in summer I like light meals, BBQ meals and lots of vegetables/salads! This Sunday dinner was incredibly easy, tasted delicious and satisfied my Sunday summer comfort craving, perfectly!


Marinated Grilled Pork Chops with Rice and Salad

Adapted from Averie Cooks

1 cup Rice
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon butter

Lettuce
Salad dressing of your choosing

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 pork chops
parsley

To a large ziptop bag, add oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, Dijon mustard, thyme, paprika, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and pork chops. Seal the bag, and move everything around to coat the pork.



Place in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour.


Cook Rice.


Add the pork chops to your preheated grill, discard the bag with the marinade, and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes on the first side with the lid closed. Don’t move the chops around after you set them down because you want them to sear. Be patient and don’t even check on them for 5 minutes.
Flip over and cook for another 6 to 8 minutes with the lid closed, or until done which is 145F. Use a digital thermometer if you’re unsure. Rest the chops for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing into them for the juiciest pork chops.


Serve with a tossed salad and rice.



Monday:


Every second week or so I throw a breakfast meal into our dinner plans. It is something a little different, it’s always quite easy and everyone in the house likes breakfast. In fact I’m pretty sure it’s SBean’s favourite meal of the day! This week I tried a sheetpan dinner and it was AMAZING! We may never go back to all the pans, timing and bacon and egg mess ever again! This would be perfect if you are having guests and want to serve up a lot of bacon, eggs and hash browns at the same time. The herbs give this dish the perfect amount of savoury deliciousness that makes this dinner a winner!

Sheet Pan Breakfast Bake
Adapted from Damn Delicious

1 package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup cheese, shredded
8 slices bacon
6 large eggs
3 tablespoons Parmesan, grated
2 tablespoons chives, chopped


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. Place hashbrowns in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Stir in butter, olive oil, thyme, basil, oregano and garlic powder and gently toss to combine; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with cheese.



Place into oven and bake until the edges begin to brown, about 20-25 minutes.

Remove from oven and create 6 wells (I did 5 because HBear wasn’t home for dinner that night). Gently cracking the eggs throughout and keeping the yolk intact. Sprinkle eggs with Parmesan; season with salt and pepper, to taste.



Place into oven and bake until the egg whites have set and bacon is cooked through, an additional 10-12 minutes.


Place bacon into the air fryer at the same time you put the eggs into the oven and bake until crispy 10-12 minutes.

Add bacon to the eggs and garnish with chives.







Tuesday:


Tacos is a go to dinner for us. We eat some version of tacos at least twice a month. Sometimes we use ground pork or chicken. Sometimes we use hard shells sometimes we use soft shells. Sometime we forgo shells and make a salad with the ingredients or better yet we make our tacos into, nachos! 😂 This week I bought a hard/soft shell package so Ninja had hard shells, the kids had soft shells and I tossed all the stuff in a bowl and made a salad! I also made the chicken quinoa bowls ahead of this and used the leftover avocado crema, it was delicious!


Tacos with Pico de Gallo & Tortilla Chips

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 lb. ground beef
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup water 
8 small flour tortillas or hard shells
1 cup cheese, shredded
4 Roma tomatoes, finely diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 lime, juiced
sour cream, chopped bell
peppers, lettuce, shredded cheese & salsa for topping

In a bowl, mix diced Roma tomatoes, chopped cilantro, and diced red onions. Season with salt and pepper and the juice of half a lime. Set aside.


Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and stir well to cook evenly until browned, about 6-8 minutes. Make sure to break up beef into small pieces to help even browning.


Add cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper, tomato paste and water. Reduce heat to medium and let the mixture simmer for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens a bit, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and set aside.


Add 2-3 tablespoons of the ground beef mixture on each tortilla/shell. Top with cheese, lettuce, and pico de gallo. Add a dollop of sour cream and salsa. Serve with tortilla chips and fresh pico de gallo on the side. 

Wednesday:

This was my favourite dinner this week! I think 😂 Well, it tasted delicious and I immediately added it to our August menu so I guess we all liked it, a LOT. This meal comes together in 15 minutes and is summer in a bowl! All the bursts of flavour and the tangy marinara sauce make this the perfect summer pasta dish!


Cheese Tortellini with Summer Veggies
Adapted from Cooking Classy

1 package three cheese tortellini
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 can corn, drained
2 cups grape tomatoes

1 pepper (I had an extra pepper so I threw it in)
1/2 zucchini, sliced into half moons
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jar marinara sauce
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1/4 cup basil, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped



Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil to cook tortellini, cook tortellini according to directions on package.

In a deep skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat. 
Add onion and saute 3 minutes. Add corn, tomatoes, zucchini and garlic peppers and sauté until veggies are tender and many of the tomatoes have burst, about 6 to 8 minutes longer. Once veggies are cooked, add marinara sauce to pan.



Drain the tortellini. Transfer tortellini to the pan with sauce and veggies. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss in parmesan, the basil and the parsley.







Thursday:


Just joking, THIS was my favourite dinner! I think 😜. This sandwich was so good! The roasted red onion mayo is so good I ate mouthfuls of it right off the spoon! This is a perfect dinner on a hot day or the perfect picnic lunch on a big afternoon. Ninja ate 2 and was satisfied while 1 delicious sandwich was enough for me.


Club Croissants with Roasted Red Onion Mayo
Adapted from Diary of a Recipe Collector


6 slices of bacon
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
6 croissants
1/2 cup mayo
12 slices of deli ham
12 slices of deli turkey
6 slices of cheese 
leaf lettuce
1 sliced tomato


Preheat oven to 425.


Lay bacon on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Place chopped red onion on another sheet pan and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Put both bacon and onions in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.



Split croissants in half and place under broiler for a few minutes. Watch it carefully.


Mix 3/4 onion mixture with 1/2 cup mayo.


Spread onion mayo on both sides of toasted croissant.


Top bottom with 2 slices of ham, 2 slices turkey, 1 slice cheese, 2 slices of bacon. Place under broiler to melt cheese.


Top with lettuce, a slice of tomato, leftover onions and top of croissant.


Friday:


I don’t even want to say it but guys, this was my favourite dinner too 🤣. I love a dinner that tastes amazing, requires no dishes and my Kids eat up without one complaint! This is truly summer eating! Toss everything into a foil packet and onto the BBQ and you have yourself a delicious and easy summer dinner! Perfect for those lazy summer days! We added some grape tomatoes to our packets because I love the party in my mouth when the little tomato gems burst with flavour when I bite into them! We also added some broccoli and cauliflower that we had in the vegetable drawer from last week.


Sausage & Potato Foil Packets

Adapted from The Recipe Critic

1 package 12 ounces smoked sausage, sliced
3/4 pound baby potatoes, halved
1/2 zucchini, diced
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 onion, chopped
3/4 tablespoon dried oregano
3/4 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
4 tablespoons butter, separated
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded cheese
Parsley, chopped



Preheat the grill to high heat.


Toss the sausage and veggies with the dried oregano, dried parsley, garlic powder, and paprika. Season to taste with salt and pepper.




Separate the mixture evenly among 4 large sheets of foil.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter in each foil packet on top of the veggies.


Completely seal the packet and cook on the grill for 25-30 minutes or in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until veggies are crisp tender.


Remove from the heat and carefully open. Sprinkle parsley and cheese evenly among the foil packets.

Saturday:


This one of those dinners that I make often. It is SO good! I love quinoa. I love the texture, the flavour and the different option from rice. Slight problem though, my family isn’t on the quinoa train with me. This is 1 dish where they will make an exception though! Actually, no one in my family likes avocados either 😂 BUT this avocado Crema is a game changer! When you mix up the BBQ chicken, the quinoa, the fresh veggies and the cooked veggies WITH the Crema… OMG this is incredible! If you want to see full instructions with pictures click on the link below and it will take you to my original post. The post has a warning label attached to it, I don’t know why. I talk about fears lingering from the pandemic so maybe that’s why? Anyways, it’s safe to open! Or you can just follow the recipe below for this amazing summer dinner!

BBQ Chicken Quinoa Bowls with Avocado Crema

1 cup quinoa
2 tablespoons oil, separated
3 chicken chicken breasts, cut into pieces
3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn
1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped (HBear ate them all so we didn’t add tomatoes)
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup diced onion
1 avocado, peeled
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 of a lime, juiced
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Purée the avocado, sour cream, lime juice, and cilantro your food processor. Thin with water as needed until it’s a drizzling consistency.

Cook quinoa according to package directions.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to pan on medium heat. Add chicken strips, season with salt and pepper and cook until no longer pink. Move chicken to a plate/bowl.

Add remaining oil to pan on medium heat. Add corn and beans and saute until softened. Add green onions and cook for a minute or 2 more.

Pour BBQ sauce onto chicken and toss. In 4 bowls, equally divide the quinoa and barbecue chicken. Top with the black beans, corn, and peppers. Garnish with cilantro and drizzle with the avocado crema.


This was HBear’s dinner. She REALLy wanted me to take a picture and promise to post it. So, here it is! 💛

The week started out rough. I spent the day in bed resting after golfing the previous day. Tuesday I was feeling a lot better and was able to see SBean receive her grade 5 completion certificate. The assembly was very nice with a beautiful slideshow presentation. On Wednesday I was back in bed but Ninja was able to go see SBean’s readers theatre presentation. She was the meteor that killed the dinosaurs 😂. Her teacher gave them all the coolest graduation gift and PrettyP turned 6! I took the Kids to meet my Sis and her Kids in West Kelowna for a pedicure to celebrate a great year! Kindergarten, grade 4, grade 5 and grade 9… DONE! We finished off our treat with Timmies! HBear thinks it’s hilarious to take super unflattering pictures of her Momsies 😂 and Oliver has found his new favourite spot! JQ and my SIL got in on Canada Day and jumped right into summer! We took Oliver to the dog park, and went to RibFest with the family. We did yardwork, had some pool play, cotton candy skies and did a 20ish km bike ride down the KVR! It was the perfect way to celebrate the long weekend! We ended it with a trip to The District Wine Village, the beach and or course…. Tickleberry’s!

3 thoughts on “End of School & July: A Week Long Menu Plan on a Budget”

  1. Love those hash brown meals.
    Thank you from your SSPS Team and Esme for sharing your various links with us at #268 SSPS Linky. I am busy designing and creating an access database of IG and FB links and handles as you share your links with SSPS.
    If you have an account please let me know your IG and FB information then I can add and easily tag you when you're in the top 5 and I promote your post. Feel free to email me at esme@esmesalon.com or in the comments

  2. Wow. You look like you are having a lovely time splashing about. And so organised with those meals…Lovely pics to remember them at an age. A lot of my friends do first day but not last day. We just did first day of school and then first day of high school….#SeniorsSalonPitstop

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More Posts

December Meal Plan

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire; it is the time for home. – Edith Sitwell

Taylor Toronto’s Version & Homemade Gifts

I don’t know why all the trees change in the fall. But I know you’re not scared of anything at all. Don’t know if Snow White’s house is near or far away. But I know I had the best day with you today. – Taylor Swift

Winter Reading & Soup Season

Soup puts the heart at ease, calms down the violence of hunger, eliminates the tension of the day, and awakens and refines the appetite. – Auguste Escoffier

November Meal Plan

In November, the smell of food is different. It is an orange smell. A squash and pumpkin smell. It tastes like cinnamon and can fill up a house in the morning, can pull everyone from bed in a fog. Food is better in November than any other time of the year. – Cynthia Rylant

Infusion Day & Slow Cooker Meals

My morning ritual of showering for a fresh start to my day has progressed to a once-a-week occurrence. Like everything else that my MS affects, less shower time is not by choice. I take sponge baths daily of course, but actual showers are reserved for when I have enough energy for the scary, slip-and-slide thrill ride known as my bathtub’s shower. – Debi Wilson

Scroll to Top