November: Meal Plan on a Budget!
It’s November!
According to Canada’s Food Price Report for 2024, a family of 4 will spend $16,297.20 on food this year — that’s up $701.79 from 2023!
That’s $1,358.10 a month.
That’s roughly $313.40 a week.
NEW CHALLENGE!!!
Let’s feed me, my husband, our 15 year old and our 11 year old for about HALF that and make a week long menu plan for under $160.00!
Here is the November weekly meal plan staying close to my budget of $160.00! 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! NEW FEATURE ALERT!!!! Now you can click on the recipe listed in the MENU below and it will take you directly to the recipe!!
MENU
Sunday: One Pot Gnocchi Chicken Pot Pie
Monday: Smoked Sausage and Rice
Tuesday: Pizza Bagels
Wednesday: White Bean Soup
Thursday: Philly Cheesesteak Fries
Friday: Tomato, Basil, and Bacon Pappardelle
Saturday: Cottage Pie Stuffed Potatoes
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 on the left. The items that I need to buy are listed on the right.
SHOPPING LIST:
STAPLE ITEMS:
10 tablespoons butter
4 carrots
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon dried thyme
7 tablespoons flour
4 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 chicken breasts
2 1/2 cup frozen peas
8 tbsp olive oil
4 onion
3/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 cup long grain white rice
16 slices of Pepperoni
1/2 cup Parmesan
2 1/2 tsp Oregano
7 slices bacon
2 teaspoons thyme
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
8 oz Provolone Cheese
1 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 cup fresh Basil Leaves
8 oz ground beef
1 1/2 cups frozen vegetables
1 cup beef stock
NEED TO BUY ITEMS:
14 cloves garlic
1/2 cup mushrooms
3 stalks celery
1 shallot
4 yellow/red pepper
14oz smoked sausages
4 tbsp Pizza Sauce
4 tbsp parsley
4 Bagels
1 cup Mozzarella
1 tomato
1 can of cannellini beans
1 cup heavy cream
1 package frozen waffle fries
8 oz rib eye steak
8 oz. dry Pappardelle Noodles
2 cups Cherry Tomatoes
4 russet potatoes
2 cups milk
12 oz package gnocchi
SUNDAY: One Pot Gnocchi Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken pot pie is the best. There, I said it. When I think of November dinners, I think of stew, chicken pot pie, cottage pie, and roast beef and Yorkshire pudding! This chicken pot pie had a little twist and my family was 100% there for it! This Gnocchi Chicken Pot Pie is Amazeballs! Super easy, super tasty, and super comforting!
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
pinch dried thyme
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
12 oz package gnocchi
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2 cup frozen peas
seasoning salt and pepper
Directions
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Melt butter in pan then add carrots, mushrooms, celery, and shallots. Saute until the mushrooms release their liquid and the liquid has evaporated, 3-4 minutes. Season with seasoning salt and pepper then continue to saute, until vegetables are tender, another 6-7 minutes.
Add garlic, poultry seasoning, and thyme then saute until garlic is very fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over vegetables then stir to coat and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour in chicken broth while stirring, then add milk and turn heat up to medium-high. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, then add gnocchi and stir combine.
Turn heat down to medium then simmer, stirring frequently, until gnocchi are tender, 5-6 minutes. Stir in chicken and peas then taste and add seasoned salt and/or pepper if necessary.
MONDAY: Smoked Sausage and Rice
As someone raised in a Ukrainian household, smoked sausage is a staple in our house. This smoked sausage and rice dish was delicious! It was perfect for a weeknight meal and easy to throw together to have dinner on the table in a half an hour. Full of flavour and yummy veggies, this dish will make your whole family happy.
Smoked Sausage and Rice
4
servings5
minutes30
minutes10
minutesIngredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 yellow pepper, cut into 1" squares
1 red pepper, cut into 1" squares
14oz smoked sausages, sliced 1/4" thick
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 cup basmati rice, uncooked
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Directions
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large heavy based pot over medium high heat. Add sausages and cook until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Add remaining 1 tbsp oil. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes. Add bell peppers and cook for 2 minutes until onion is translucent.
Add rice, chicken stock, paprika, salt, pepper and the sausage. Stir, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low so it's simmering very gently. Cover with lid, cook 20 minutes.
Add peas, cover, and rest 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley.
TUESDAY: Pizza Bagels
We love pizza. Ninja and I even met working at Pizza Hut! As a kid I LOVED Bagel Bites, and I think I ate them for lunch every single day of grade 8 LOL. We make homemade pizza, we make pizza pasta, and this week we tried Pizza Bagels! They were SO good!
Ingredients
4 bagels, halved
1 cup mozzarella, shredded
16 slices of pepperoni
1/4 cup pizza Sauce
1/4 cup peppers, finely diced
4 heaped teaspoons onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons parmesan
1 teaspoon oregano
Directions
Pre heat oven to 356F.
Spread the bottom slice of your bagel with pizza sauce, followed by a sprinkle of mozzarella, then pepperoni, peppers and onion. Top with a pinch more mozzarella, then finish with the top slice of bagel.
Brush the top of the bagel with melted butter, then sprinkle with parmesan and oregano.
Pop bagels on a baking tray and place in the oven for 15mins, or until the parmesan goes golden crispy, the bagel is crispy and the cheese is melted.
WEDNESDAY: White Bean Soup
Soup Season!!! Soup is one of my favourite dinners to make and to eat. With 2 teenagers in the house, we are very busy on weekday evenings, so having a big pot of soup simmering on the stove for everybody to take when they have a chance, is a perfect option! This White Bean Soup was absolutely perfect in every single way.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1/4 of a red bell pepper, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons thyme, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tomato, finely diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
15 ounce can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoon parsley, minced
Directions
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the bacon and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the onion, celery, carrot, and bell pepper and cook until starting to soften, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Turn the heat down to medium, stir in the garlic and thyme, and cook 2 minutes; stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes more.
Add the stock, tomato, tomato paste, bay leaf, oregano, salt, pepper, and beans, and bring to a boil; turn the heat down and simmer 15 minutes (uncovered).
Turn the heat off and stir in the cream and parsley.
THURSDAY: Philly Cheesesteak Fries
I’ve been on a big Philly cheesesteak kick lately. Probably because I bought provolone cheese and I want to make sure I use it Lol. I like finding fun dinners for Friday nights, when everybody’s home and we eat on TV trays and catch up on a family movie or a TV series we may be watching as a family. It’s hard to find fun family dinners that are also tasty and healthy. This one hit all of the criteria and our family loved these cheesesteak waffle fries!
Ingredients
1 package frozen waffle fries
8 oz rib eye steak
salt & pepper
1 bell pepper, sliced thin
1 onion, sliced thin
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup provolone cheese, shredded
Directions
Preheat oven as instructed for the fries.
Arrange the fries on a single layer of a large baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and cooked through.
Season the steak liberally with salt. Preheat a heavy-duty cast-iron skillet or BBQ, to medium heat. Cook the steak, 2 to 3 minutes a side, until a great crust forms and it pulls back without any resistance. Remove the steak and wrap in foil.
In the skillet, toss in the peppers and onions. Allow to caramelize for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and cover. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes longer.
Slice the steak into thin strips.
Remove the fries from the oven and set to broil.
Top with the cheese, steak, peppers and onions. Set under the broiler for 3-4 minutes to melt the cheese. Remove and allow the pan to cool. Serve with mayo or ketchup if you want.
FRIDAY: Tomato, Basil, and Bacon Pappardelle
HBear asked for this dinner. When I am making the monthly menu, I always ask my family if they have any input. They almost always say the same things lol HBear just wanted pappardelle noodles. Everything else was up to me lol. She was very happy with this dinner and so was her new boyfriend lol no leftovers after this meal because it was so good and who knew teenage boys can eat that much pasta? Lol Oh, I had some mushrooms in the fridge so I threw them in as well!
Tomato, Basil, and Bacon Pappardelle
4
servings10
minutes20
minutesIngredients
8 oz. dry Pappardelle Noodles
4 strips bacon
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
salt & pepper, to taste
Directions
Cut the bacon into small, bite-size pieces. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, mince the garlic, and cut the basil into very thin strips.
Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Cook the bacon until partially cooked, about 4-5 minutes.
Stir in the olive oil, cherry tomatoes, a pinch of salt, and the red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until the bacon is crispy and the tomatoes are blistered.
While the tomatoes and bacon are cooking, boil the pappardelle noodles in a large pot of salted water according to package directions, minus one minute (for al dente pasta).
Turn the heat underneath the pan with the bacon and tomatoes down to medium-low. Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute. Pour in the heavy cream and stir constantly until creamy and slightly thickened.
Use tongs to carefully transfer the cooked noodles directly to the pan (leaving the pasta water in the pot). Sprinkle in the basil and parmesan, and toss to combine the ingredients evenly with the noodles. (Add reserved pasta water, 2 tablespoons at a time, if needed.)
SATURDAY: Cottage Pie Stuffed Potatoes
Another favourite comfort dinner is cottage pie! So I wanted to make this comforting favourite, but make it new so we made Cottage Pie Stuffed Baked Potatoes! Yeah, we did! OMG!! Why is it that just changing the way, this dish is presented makes it taste so much better? Lol this was a fun and delicious dinner that Ninja and I loved but the Kids did not lol they are not big on change and would prefer it in a casserole dish! Lol
Ingredients
8 oz ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup beef stock
½ cup water
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
3-4 large potatoes
½ to 1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
Salt & pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F.
Prick the potatoes with a fork (about 6 times on each potato) and microwave on high for 7 minutes. Then turn and microwave for a further 7 minutes. Pierce with a knife to check if they are cooked.
Remove from microwave. Cut off the tops and scoop out the centre using a spoon, leaving a fairly thin skin (about 0.5 cm / 0.2”). Place the potato scooped out in a bowl. Add milk, butter and salt and mash with a potato masher until smooth, or to your liking.
Heat the olive oil in a large fry pan over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté for 2 minutes until softened.
Turn up heat to high. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up the mince as you go, until nicely browned and cooked – about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle over flour and stir to combine. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to simmer and continue to stir until the sauce is thick and glossy – around 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Fill each potato with the filling so it is slightly heaped. Push down lightly to pack the filling in well. Pipe over the mashed potato, or scoop it on with a spoon then fluff it up with a fork. You probably won’t use all of it – save the remainder or serve it on the side.
Place in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the mashed potato is starting to brown on the ridges.
Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Episode #403 Romantasy. This week, we get together after enjoying a nice fall day in Summerland. Topics: Oliver, Detonate, clothes swapping, meeting the parents, Caramel cocktail, Halloween, SOW, infusion, & guitar playing.
This week I recovered from my infusion while my family prepared for Halloween by decorating the yard with SBean’s her Gr6Bestie, Oliver, and Papa. We carved pumpkins and then everyone celebrated Halloween! I dressed up as a Dust Bunny, HBear was Princess Daisy, SBean was Cher from Clueless and Oliver was a Hot Diggity Dog. It was a colder Halloween here, so SBean dressed up warm to go trick-or-treating with Ninja and Papa. HBear and her boyfriend collected enough candy to watch a scary movie that evening instead. Bean brought home a good haul! I read my 100th book for the year, Ninja took me out for a drive to see all the fall foliage and we stopped at Detonate Brewing for a pint. Both the Kids had fun birthday sleepovers with their friends to end the weekend.
