Photo by Bookish in North Park
Well-my grand plan to have this post written and posted yesterday ran seriously awry when the school bus arrived 5 minutes early. As it was only 15 degrees out we do cut the bus time rather tight and the kiddos were not able to make it out the door on time.
So I had to load them in the car and head on up to the school with them. I had planned on running into Binghamton later in the day to do some very necessary grocery shopping and not so necessary thrifting (it’s a disease, a disease I tell you!) I figured it was more efficient to just grab my shopping list, drop the kids off and head on in to town.
I had all the best intentions of sitting down when I returned home in the afternoon to post my Menu Plan. But you know what they say about good intentions. . .
So here we are, a day into the week. This week is typically full of “stuff”.
I’ve got a meeting tonight at the church and then again on Thursday at another church in the district-our priest has moved to WI and we are starting the entire transition process. As a member of the Vestry (like a church elder) I have a lot of meetings, planning, decisions etc to help with in that whole process. In the Episcopal church you don’t just get sent a replacement-it’s a whole process.
Friday night I’m c0-hosting a Bunco party at a friend’s house. So I had to get a babysitter (hubs is out of town that day) and figure out something easy to eat.
Saturday I need to lock myself in my office and enter all the receipts from the last year into Quickbooks for our taxes. Somebody shoot me now.
Like I said-a typical busy week at the Frugal Upstate Household. I’m just glad we don’t have any winter team sports to worry about practices for, now that Princess has finished up wrestling.
Monday: Cream of Chicken Soup with Beer Bread.
Homemade Cream of Chicken soup is so very very good, and nowhere near as caloric as you would assume! I will post the recipe this week. I used my Beer Bread recipe for a quick side.
Tuesday: Venison Parmesean, Pesto Flavored Pasta & Tossed Salad
This dish is made like Chicken Parmesean, but simply using Venison instead. I find that Venison goes well with tomato sauce-there is just something about the two strong flavors together. Of course you can’t have an Italian type meal without some pasta, so I’ll toss some with the frozen pesto cubes made of the summer’s Basil crop.
Wednesday: Calzone
Using the Pizza Hut Crust Clone recipe of course. Since Thursday I have to run out the door (and it’s pizza day at school anyway) and Friday I’ll be at Bunco I figured I better fit Pizza/Calzone day in early!
Thursday: Reuben Sandwiches & Vegetable Soup
Princess has inherited my absolute LOVE of Reuben’s. I bought some shaved corned beef a few weeks back and froze it in meal sized portions. I’m going to try out a new Rye bread recipe (you can’t have a Reuben on white!) for the bread and use the Panini press that I won at BlogHer last year-It’s never been out of the box so this is a good opportunity. The veggie soup will be made with a beef bullion cube base and all the various leftover veggies in the fridge. I just love a “clean it out” type soup.
Friday: Chicken Nuggets & boxed Mac’n Cheese
I’ll be eating at Bunco, so the kids will have this easy favorite.
Saturday: MeatLoaf, Potatoes & Green Beans
The meatloaf will be a mix of venison & beef. Actually-I plan on using this opportunity to make & cook a couple of meatloaves for the freezer, as well as some meatballs. Sort of a mini Ground Meat Batch Cooking day.
Sunday: Hamburger Gravy over Biscuits, Carrots
Well, it will actually be “smushed up leftover meatloaf” gravy-but that doesn’t sound so nice, does it?
So there is the plan!
I use leftover meatloaf to make spaghetti & meat”squares”. LOL
Your menu choices sound questionable. Do you realize how much salt & fat you are serving to you soon-to-be immensely obese children? Do you know how much salt is in just one beef bullion cube? At least 2000mg and the allotment per person per day should not exceed 2300mg.
You also serve too much meat, not enough fiber, fruit and fresh vegetables. Do you actually serve your family beer bread made with one can of beer? Yuck. It looks disgusting. Then you put in cheese and bacon bits (more salt & fat). You actually write about your pizza that you try to cut down on calories by laying off the cheese BUT then put pepperoni on the pie.
You actually feed your unsuspecting children chicken nuggets and boxed mac & cheese? You should be put in jail and kept away from your kids. You are causing them to become obese and get diabetes (looking at you, you’re a porker yourself).
If you think I am being too hard on you, I am! Your menu sucks. You are doing a disservice to your family AND your readers. That’s why people in upstate New York are always on disability and grow up into living their lives in wheel chairs. I see you and your family are well on your way to a lifetime of unhealthy eating and disease. Obviously, you’re too broke and poor to afford good eating. Go apply for food stamps and learn how to nutritiously prepare nourishing meals for your family.
You’re a disgrace. You don’t impress me much.
I’d love your hamburger gravy recipe. I can’t seem to duplicate the taste of the hamburger gravy they served us in the grade school cafeteria.
Hey Jenn,
Don’t let people get you down. Some people are just pessimistic in nature. I had one of these once on my blog.
I commend you for publishing your weekly meal plan. It really helps people with theirs. Meal planning is about making your life easier. And I understand why you are having mac n cheese and chicken nuggets on Friday – it’s something that the kids and dad can make easily. It’s not you are eating it everyday. Should you add some more veggies or fruit? Maybe. But that is your choice what you eat. Plus what I figure is just about anything made at home is better for your wallet and better nutritionally than eating out.
To Alice, “That’s why people in upstate New York are always on disability and grow up into living their lives in wheel chairs.” Exuse me…. !! Where are you from? I am sure we could find some nasty things to say about the area you live in. Stop being such a hater!
Wow Alice…I would have HATED being your child!!! First, who are you to criticize her menu? She makes meals, spends time with her family, and works hard to provide a great menu. As long as her kids exercise (which they do, as noted by this and her other posts), there is nothing about this menu that is bad. Almost every one has a veggie, and almost every one is home-made instead of store bought (which is better for you!)…as far as your issue with Mac & Cheese and chicken nuggets? All white meat nuggets are completely healthy as long as they aren’t McDonald’s. As for the M&C…how dare you deprive your children of one of the best foods ever invented. It is a great quick meal, tastes great and is NOT bad for you in moderation. The problem with childhood obesity is not home cooked meals with normal levels of salt and fat…it is parents who let their children sit on the couch all day and never participate in athletics. I am glad you feel like a big shot sitting behind your computer trashing her for her menu…but you know what? Your big attitude, rude tone, obviously uniformed and judgmental behavior don’t impress any of us. Do us all a favor: stop reading this blog.
Jenn, Don’t worry about crabby people who are probably just jealous that you can cook and have kids that love you. 😉 I think this menu looks phenomenal, and very similar to the types of foods I was raised on. Most of them are quick and easy, but will be delicious, filling and easy to use for leftovers (I know this was a huge key for my parents). While I didn’t grow up in a frugal household really, we did like to make use of leftovers a lot (my favorite was leftover lasagna and spaghetti, there is just something about second day pasta that is so wonderful). I applaud you for cooking every night and providing your family with healthy food and avoiding takeout as much as possible. Keep up the hard work, and sharing your menu’s!! 🙂
Alice? I recommend you increase your fiber intake immediately.
My mom cooked stuff like this menu 1) it was delicious, 2) I’m right at the median weight for my height. Never been obese or even a little overweight. As a kid I was a beanpole until I hit 12 & suddenly grew curves. I’ve always been an active type, my only problem is a little anemia exacerbated by the lack of red meats in my diet (as in what-I-eat diet, not lose-weight diet).
I’d love to see commenters like Alice start their own sites, run them for a few years, and see what that gets them.
mmm…beer bread is delicious – shows what you know Alice!
I imagine Jenn is trying to stay classy here, so I’ll take this one…
—
Alice,
I know it’s a big, scary, confusing world out there. That someone else might have a different idea about how to live their life … why, that’s enough to make you question your own choices!
Wait, that’s not quite right. You don’t live your life based on choices you have made, but unquestioned habits you have fallen into, supported by cliches you heard from other, smarter people.
It’s so much easier being mad at everyone different from you. It makes you feel important, saying bad things about another person. Everyone else is wrong, you are right. You don’t have to make sense, all you have to do is make noise. So much easier than all that icky thinking.
So go ahead, keep throwing feces like an enraged little monkey. You don’t seem to have anything better to do with your time anyway.
Thanks so much for the feedback. We’re all better people for having shared this time together.
Congratulations Jenn!! You have achieved a new level of internet fame: the acquisition of your first completely irrational beyond all comprehension vitriolic troll!!
If I thought “Alice” would come back to read it, I’d reply to her directly – but with statements like ‘You should be put in jail and kept away from your kids’ I’m afraid ‘she’ is more of the garden-variety hit & run troll. They just post nastiness and move on to the next blog doing the same, hoping to strike a bullseye somewhere and make someone else feel as miserable as they, themselves, are.
Meanwhile, great menu this week. Would love to try your venison parmesan some day, but it will have to be at your house – given that we don’t tend to have the venison here! 😉
Jenn,
I loved all of your recipes that I have tried which are quite a few. I appreciate the time you take to write in your blog on a regular basis, and the weekly menus. I love your lunch box report it helps me give my daughter a variety of foods. And this is for Alice…………… last I remembered we live in America so you got to write your nasty comment. If you don’t like Jenn’s menu or blog don’t read it, cook with it or whatever, get back on the broom you flew in on and get out. Jenn has a lot of courage and guts taking the time to write and vlog about all the information she does, it takes a person with ill manners and nothing better to say to comment the way you did, don’t be jealous of one of my favorite domestic goddesses and homemakers. I wish I did such a good job with cooking for my family, guess what Alice I use MSG and let my kids have food with it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bravo, Drew.
You know what gets me the most about people like Alice? She had to seek out someone to be mean to. It’s not like Alice and Jenn crossed paths one day and Alice happened to be in a foul mood.
Jenn was happily in her own corner of the Internets doing her thing, sharing her knowledge and experience free of charge and then comes along Alice who had to expend energy to visit and more energy to be a jerk. I definitely know who I feel sorry for and I’ll tell you, it isn’t Jenn.
Anyone that would like to visit “Alice” on a more personal level may do so at:
alice99@yahoo.com
My Frugal Honey would be much too classy for this sort of thing – but her Biker Hubby has no qualms with making the playing field a bit more even.
Alice should learn not to mess with this family – Jenn takes a lot of time to write this Blog and it has served to motivate a lot of people to get away from the drive-thru and save money at the same time. As someone else so aptly pointed out – ANYTHING made at home has got to be better than the junk most folks eat on a daily basis.
Grandma always said, “If you don’t have anything nice to say…don’t say anything at all!” – Grandma was a pretty smart lady!
Yankee