Weekly Meal Planner (* indicates recipe is included)

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Day 1           Day 2           Day 3           Day 4     
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MEAL 1
Peanut butter   Ready-to-eat    Oatmeal (1 c)   1/2 grapefruit  
toast (2)       cereal, milk    raisins, milk  Ready-to-eat     
Banana          Whole wheat     Toast            cereal, milk   
Orange juice     toast (2)      Orange juice    Toast   
Milk            Orange juice 
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MEAL 2
Egg; cheese        Peanut butter,  Creamed tuna  Turkey ham      
puff*           jelly           on toast*       sandwich       
Green beans      sandwich       Apple           Canned pears    
Bread           Carrot sticks   Milk            Carrot sticks   
Beverage        Milk                            Milk                              
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MEAL 3
Calico beans*   Stir-fry        Pork and        Pasta, tomatoes,        
Bread           dinner*         cabbage soup*   cheese*          
Canned pears    Rice             with potatoes  Garlic toast      
Milk            Cucumber-       Bread/crackers   or bread       
                 tomato salad   Milk            4-bean      
                Pineapple                        salad*
                with apple
                Milk    
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SNACK
Apple           Jello-yogurt    Canned          Bread           
                 fluff*         peaches         pudding*                         
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Day 5           Day 6           Day 7
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MEAL 1
Ready-to-eat    French toast    1/2 grapefruit
 cereal, milk     (2), syrup    Ready-to-eat
Bran muffin*    Orange juice     cereal, milk
Orange juice                    Bran muffin*    
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MEAL 2
Pizza buns*     Chicken         Peanut butter,
Celery sticks    noodle soup     raisin sandwich
Banana          Bread/crackers  Celery sticks
Milk            Veggies with    Apple
                 cottage        Milk
                 cheese dip*
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MEAL 3
Red beans,      Broiled ham-    Beef stew*
 rice burritos*  burger on bun  Biscuits (2)
 with salsa     Corn            Canned peaches
Broccoli spears 4-bean          Milk
Milk             salad* 
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SNACK
Fruit and dip   Pudding/        Jello-yogurt
                banana fluff*
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Shopping List

This page lists the food you will need to cook this week's menus. Cross out the food you already have in your house. Your shopping list is what is left.

Fruit

20 apples
12 bananas
4 grapefruit
4 kiwi
1 small bunch grapes
raisins

Vegetables

2 pounds carrots
1 bunch celery
6 onions
4 large potatoes
1 head cabbage
1 bunch broccoli
1 head lettuce
2 tomatoes
1 cucumber
1 green pepper

Canned Food

1 (15 ounce) pork and beans
1 can mixed vegetables
2 (15 ounce) kidney beans
1 can Luck's Pinto beans
1 can Cannellini beans
1 (15 ounce) lima beans
1 (7 ounce) tuna
2 (15 ounce) green beans
1 (15 ounce) wax beans
1 (15 ounce) corn
2 cans chicken noodle soup
1 small can pizza sauce
3 (15 ounce) cans seasoned or plain tomatoes
1 small can jalapeno peppers
1 small jar salsa
2 (15 ounce) pears
2 (15 ounce) peaches
1 (15 ounce) pineapple

Grocery

1 pkg. (4 serving size) Jello�
1 pudding mix (4 serving size)
jelly
peanut butter
salad dressing for green salad
mayonnaise dressing
syrup
catsup
mustard
soy sauce
vinegar
vegetable oil
brown sugar
Splenda
cornstarch
baking soda
flour
salt
pepper
cinnamon
vanilla
garlic powder
parsley flakes

Breads and Cereals

2 loaves whole wheat bread
4 loaves white bread
8 (10 inch) flour tortillas
8 buns
ready-to-eat cereal (16 servings)
1 box raisin bran cereal
oatmeal
rice
1 pkg. Ronzini Egg Pastini 155
pasta (any shape)
biscuit mix

Meat

2 pounds ground beef
2 pounds boneless pork or
1 (29 ounce) can pork
3/4 pound turkey ham
1 pound beef stew chunks

Dairy

4 gallons milk (children under age 2 should have whole milk)
1 quart buttermilk
1 pound cheddar cheese
1 pound mozzarella cheese
8 oz. cottage cheese
4 (6-8 ounces) flavored yogurt
1 dozen eggs (need 6 for recipes)
1 pound butter

Frozen

4 - 12 oz. cans orange juice
10 oz. package frozen peas
12 oz. can juice

Recipes

Egg and Cheese Puff

margarine
8 slices day-old bread
2/3 cup grated cheese
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups lowfat milk
1 teaspoon mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. Grease a 2-quart baking dish with a small amount of margarine
2. Tear or cut bread into small pieces or cubes.
3. Grate cheese and mix with the bread in the baking dish.
4. With a fork, beat the eggs in a bowl.
5. Add milk, mustard, and pepper. Stir.
6. Pour egg and milk mixture over bread.
7. Cover with foil and keep in the refrigerator over night (or for several hours).
8. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes.

Serves 4

Calico Beans

1/2 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
15 oz. can pork and beans
15 oz. can kidney beans
15 oz. can lima beans
(You can use all the lima beans or save half to use in the pork and cabbage soup.)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup catsup
2 Tablespoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
(Add mustard if you like.)

1. Cook the ground beef and chopped onion in a large pan. Drain off the fat.
2. Add the other foods and mix.
3. Cook on the stove on low heat for 1 hour. (Or you can bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour).

Serves 6

Pasta, Tomatoes and Cheese

2 cups (8 ounces) uncooked macaroni or
8 ounces of other pasta (shells, spirals)
3 (15 ounces) cans or 6 cups plain or seasoned tomatoes
2-3 teaspoons Italian seasonings (or use a mix of oregano, basil, rosemary)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces yellow cheese, grated or cut into small cubes

1. Put tomatoes with juice in saucepan. Break up big pieces with a spoon.
2. Add macaroni and seasonings. Cook in a covered pan until macaroni is done (12-15 minutes). Add water if you need to. Stir 1 or 2 times as it cooks.
3. Grate or cube the cheese. Stir into the macaroni. Cover and let sit 5 minutes. Stir again and serve.

Serves 4

Jello�-Yogurt Fluff

1 package Jello� (four serving size)
2 cups orange juice
2 (6-8 ounce) cartons yogurt, any flavor
cut up fruit (if you like)*

1. Heat 1 cup orange juice in saucepan until it is very hot.
2. Add Jello� and stir until it is dissolved.
3. Mix in other cup of orange juice.
4. Chill Jello� in the refrigerator until it is like syrup (1-2 hours)
5. Pour into bowl. Add yogurt. Beat with a mixer until Jello� is fluffy.
6. Add cut fruit if you like.
7. Return Jello� Yogurt Fluff to refrigerator until it sets.
8. Spoon into dishes to serve.

Serves 8

* Don't use fresh pineapple or kiwi. The Jello� won't set.

Veggies and Dip

1 cup cottage cheese
1 Tablespoon onion, chopped very fine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons parsley flakes

1. Measure cottage cheese and put in bowl or blender.
2. Beat with fork, mixer, or in blender until cottage cheese is smooth.
3. Add other ingredients and mix. Add some milk if you need to make the dip thinner.
4. Store dip in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours to let flavors blend.
5. Wash and cut vegetables to serve with dip. Use carrots, celery, cucumber, zucchini, broccoli, turnips, cauliflower, green pepper.

Makes 1 cup dip

For a change:
Use 1/2 teaspoon chicken or beef bouillon crystals for the 1/4 teaspoon salt. Use 1 teaspoon dry minced onions for the chopped fresh onion.

Tips for Tasty Snacks

• Cut fruits, such as apples, pears, bananas, kiwis, peaches, into bite-sized pieces
• Use flavored yogurt for dipping fruit.
• Vanilla or lemon yogurt works well.

Stir-fry Dinner

2 large stalks of celery
1 medium onion
1/2 small head of cabbage
1 Tablespoon oil
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1-1/2 cups broth, bouillon, or juice from meat
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 can of pork (or 1 pound or 2 cups leftover pork, beef, or chicken pieces)

1. Wash celery and cut in short, thin strips. Slice onion thin. Chop or shred the cabbage.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add celery and onion. Cook till they are a bit brown.
3. Mix cornstarch, broth, and soy sauce by shaking them in a small jar or container with a lid.
4. Pour the cornstarch mix into the pan with the onions and celery and cook until the sauce is clear and thick.
5. Stir in the cabbage and meat.
6. Cover the pan and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Be sure that the meat is thoroughly heated.

Serves 4

Creamed Tuna Over Toast

2 Tablespoons margarine, melted
3 Tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups lowfat milk
1 carrot, sliced
1 stalk of celery, sliced
1 cup peas
7 oz. can tuna, drained
8 slices toasted bread

1. Wash and slice carrot and celery. Cook them in a saucepan with a 1/2 cup water until soft. Drain and set aside in a small bowl.
2. In the same saucepan, melt margarine. Add the flour, salt, and pepper and stir until it looks like paste.
3. Add the milk and stir while it cooks until the sauce gets thicker. Do not boil it.
4. Add the carrots, celery, peas, and tuna.
5. Stir and cook until the mixture is hot.
6. Make toast and serve the creamed tuna over it. You can also serve it over biscuits or noodles.

Serves 4

Pork and Cabbage Soup

half can of pork or 2 cups roast pork, cut into small pieces
3 cups water (or juice from meat if you have it)
1/2 small head of cabbage, chopped or shredded
2 stalks of celery, sliced
1 or 2 carrots, sliced
1 or 2 potatoes, cut up
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1. Mix all foods in a large pot or saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil and stir a few times.
3. Cover the pot and turn down the heat.
4. Cook on low heat for about 30 minutes.

Serves 4

Beef Stew

1 pound beef cubes
2 Tablespoons flour
salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
water
1 small can tomato paste
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1. Measure flour into plastic or paper bag. Add salt and pepper. Shake.
2. Add beef cubes to bag and shake until beef is well coated.
3. Heat oil in heavy pan. Add beef cubes and brown. Add 1 cup water. Cover with tight fitting lid and cook at low heat 1 hour.
4. Peel and cube carrots, potatoes, and onion. Add tomato sauce, stirring well. Add to beef. Cover with lid again. Cook 1 more hour at low heat.

Serves 4

Bread Pudding

1-1/2 cups bread (about 2 slices)
1/3 cup raisins
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/4 cups lowfat milk

1. Cut or tear bread into 1-inch pieces.
2. Mix bread and raisins in a 1-quart baking dish.
3. In another bowl, beat the eggs with a fork or beater.
4. Add milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla to the eggs. Mix well.
5. Pour the mixture over the bread.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. (You can tell if it is done if you stick a knife in the center and it comes out clean.)
7. Serve warm or cold.

Serves 4

Pinto Beans and Rice Burritos

2 cups cooked rice
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups cooked pinto beans (or one 15-ounce can, drained)
8 flour tortillas, about 10-inch size
1/2 cup salsa
canned chopped jalapeno peppers (if you like)
grated cheese

1. Mix rice, chopped onion, and beans.
2. Put each tortilla on a flat surface.
3. Put about 1/2 cup of the rice mixture in the middle of each tortilla.
4. Fold the sides of the tortillas to hold the rice and beans.
5. Put folded and filled tortillas (burritos), seam side down, in a baking pan.
6. Bake in the oven at 300 degrees for 15 minutes (or heat the burritos in a microwave in a glass baking dish).
7. Pour salsa over burritos. Add jalapeno peppers (if you like) and cheese.
8. Serve hot.

Serves 4

Pizza Buns

1/2 pound ground beef
4 buns, sliced in half
butter or margarine
1 small can or jar of pizza sauce
shredded or sliced cheese (mozzarella or parmesan cheese works well)

1. Crumble ground beef in frying pan and cook until it is no longer pink.
2. Drain the fat off the cooked meat.
3. Lightly butter each half of buns.
4. Spread each half of the bun with 1 tablespoon pizza sauce and top with cooked meat.
5. Grate cheese and put some on top if you like. (Add mushrooms, onion, green pepper, or other toppings for variety.)
6. Bake in oven at 375 degrees until hot and cheese is melted (about 15 minutes).

Serves 4

Four Bean Salad

1-1/2 cups celery, sliced thin
1/2 cup onions, sliced thin
16 oz. can cut green beans, drained
16 oz. can wax beans, drained
16 oz. can kidney beans, drained
16 oz. can Cannellini beans, drained
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar

1. Wash and slice celery and onions. In a large bowl, mix celery, onions, and the 4 kinds of beans.
2. Mix vinegar, oil, water and sugar.
3. Add liquid to bean mix and stir until the bean mixture is coated.
4. Cover and keep in the refrigerator overnight to mix the flavors.
5. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Serves 10-12

Note: Use fresh cooked beans or dried cooked beans in place of the canned beans. Luck's canned beans taste as good as home cooked beans. Try garbanzo beans or chickpeas in place of one of the suggested beans.

Four Week Bran Muffins

4 eggs
1 cup melted butter
1 quart buttermilk*
1-1/2 cups sugar
5 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 (15 ounce) package raisin bran cereal (or 9 cups bran flakes with raisins)
5 cups flour

To make the mix

1. Break eggs into a large bowl and beat well.
2. Beat in butter, buttermilk, and sugar until well mixed.
3. Add baking soda and salt. Stir well.
4. Mix in raisin bran.
5. Add flour and stir just until mixed. The batter will be thick.
6. Cover and store in the refrigerator. The batter will keep about 4 weeks if the refrigerator is at 40 degrees.

To bake the muffins

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Butter spray the muffin pan or use paper baking cups.
3. Take batter out of refrigerator.
4. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full.
5. Bake in oven at 400 degrees about 15-20 minutes, until brown.
6. Return leftover batter to refrigerator.

Makes 6 dozen muffins

*To make buttermilk, mix 2 Tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar with 2 cups milk.

Making Meals From What You Have In Your Pantry

Tuna Noodle Bake

2 packages Ramen Noodles, including flavor packets
10 oz. can cream soup (any flavor)
16 oz. can green beans, undrained
7 oz. can tuna, drained
2 Tablespoons onion soup mix

1. Break up the Ramen Noodles.
2. In a bowl, stir up the cream soup, green beans, and tuna.
3. Add Ramen Noodles and onion soup mix and stir well.
4. Put into butter sprayed baking dish.
5. Bake in oven at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.

Serves 4

Note: Try other vegetables in place of the green beans.

Check here if you need to stretch your food dollars.

Some reasons why you may spend too much:

• Eating in restaurants a lot. (You can make meals at home for five times less money.)
• Making larger servings than your family needs.
• Buying lots of junk foods, such as chips, dips, cookies, candy, and soft drinks.
• Wasting food because it spoils before you can use it.
• Not using leftovers.

Put variety in your meals.

If you plan ahead, you can save money. Here are some menu planning tips:

• For good health, eat foods from the basic food groups:
  Vegetables
  Fruits
  Whole Grain Breads and Cereals
  Milk and Cheese
  Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Beans
• Before you plan menus, check newspapers and online for good buys and coupons. Some foods cost less in their growing season.
• Use foods you already have. Plan to use leftovers in new recipes.
• Plan for more than one meal at a time. Then you can see how to use leftovers or foods that cost a lot.
• Check your refrigerator each day and eat leftovers before they spoil.
• Make a list of what you need to buy.

Being healthy means giving your body healthy food for energy every day. Eat as many fruits and vegetables as you can raw. When you stay healthy, you spend less money on doctor's visits and medications.

To stay healthy:

• Eat a variety of foods.
• Try not to eat the same food more than twice in five days to avoid allergic reactions to them.
• Maintain a healthy weight for a lifetime.
• Avoid unhealthy fats, but do use the the healthy ones.
• Eat plenty of fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits, raw when possible.
• Eat foods with lots of fiber.
• Avoid white sugar and salt.
• Don't drink much alcohol.
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water each day.