Bi-weekly Meal Plan and How I Meal Plan

This blog is all about how to plan meals on a budget. What exactly do I mean by a budget? We have a family of 4, two adults and two children 3 and 1. We live in a small town in Virginia, so the cost of living here is definitely not as high as some places, but not as low as others. We budget about $160-$200 every two weeks for groceries. I usually try to keep it on the lower end, but depending on what I have to buy it can definitely go towards the higher end. My grocery category includes any food we eat for two weeks, paper goods (toilet paper, paper towels, etc.) cleaning supplies, diapers/baby wipes and personal hygiene products. This does not include eating out.

I try to use coupons when I can, mostly Kroger digital coupons.We do have a great discount grocery store here and that's where I went shopping today.

I usually plan my menu for two weeks (since my husband gets paid every two weeks) before I go shopping. This really helps to save money so you aren't just buying whatever looks good and usually this way, you get what you need in one trip which saves money as well. Today I made my menu up and went to the discount store first. I usually only find about 1/3 of my grocery list here so I was planning on going to Kroger next. But I found so many great deals at the discount store that I had to come home and redo my menu.

I plan mainly just the supper meals, but I plan two different homemade soups for hubby to take to work, two breakfasts for the two Saturdays and any other special recipes I want to try for either lunch or desserts. My girls and I eat sandwiches or leftovers for lunch and either cereal or scrambled eggs for breakfast. I also only plan main dishes. I add sides as I go, making sure I pick up enough potatoes and rice and frozen and canned vegetables to get us through two weeks.

I'll link any recipes that I can online, otherwise I'll add recipes to the blog later and link up then. So, without further delay, here's our meal plans for the next two weeks.

1. Loaded Baked Potato and Chicken Casserole
2. Spicy Crockpot Chicken Legs
3. Taco Quesadillas 
4. Baked Chicken Taquitos
5. Sam's Club Rotisserie Chicken and Mashed Potatoes (I get free ones with my new Sam's Club Membership!)
6. Chicken and Egg Noodle Casserole
7. Breakfast for supper -  French Toast with Peaches and Sausage
8. Imitation Crab Cakes
9. Smoked Sausage and Cheesy Rice
10. Chicken with Cheese and Bacon
11. Leftovers
12. Baked Flounder
13. Loaded Baked Potato and Chicken Casserole (Husband's favorite, so I make about once a week)
14. Graduation Banquet at church. Taking 7-layer salad and My Favorite Fruit Salad.

Soup: Taco Soup and Chicken Noodle

Other: Iced Sugar Cookies
Breakfast Burritos to freeze

Saturday Breakfasts: Scrambled Eggs with Bacon
Sausage Gravy and Biscuits

I don't stick to this order, I just do whatever I'm in the mood for that night.