Bring on warmer weather!!!!! YES YES YES!!!! It's November and finally we are having more consistent days of warmer weather now. With that comes some super excitement for me because it means having more BBQ meats with salads are suitable :) ... not that we can't have these things during cold weather, but its just more likely during summer nights! There's nothing like a summer BBQ or similar on warm nights with fresh salads ... mmmmmm yummy!
This fortnight that is where my Meal Planning mind went. Although I do have frozen meals already prepared in my freezer I am looking at getting some new single meats for dinners this fortnight. I could go just your regular chops. sausages, steaks etc However I am going to check out things we may like from Lenards Chicken! I haven't honestly shopped from there for years, but since moving I walk past one very regularly every week. So I took some time to look over their website and then actually went in to see what items my particular store stocked, as not every store has everything you see online.
My general rule for setting a grocery budget is $70 per adult (persons aged 14yrs+ because we all know that teenagers eat as much as adults at this point!) and $50 per child (under 14yrs) in the household is the main grocery shop budget for a fortnight. I feel no matter where you are living in Australia - city, country or coastal states - it's a fair $ goal for your budget. For us that is $240 for the main shop in the first week - BUT personally I am trying to hit $200 if I can. I wont feel too bad though just as long as I'm under my $240.
I then have a flat $70 for the top up shop in the second week of the fortnight. I base that off what ever I set per adult. So in total that is $310 for the fortnight for my family of 4.
Keeping all this mind my budget for my main shop is $240. I’m currently estimating that I will spend around $197, so be sure to watch the matching grocery haul to see if I stay under budget !
Some tools I used to do my meal planning were:
(VIP's use the shop code found on the private Facebook Group to download FREE)
- 4pk Monthly Meal Planner + Shop Your Pantry Meal Ideas + 40 Dinner Theme Night Idea's + Blank Family Favorite Meals Sheet - INSTANT DOWNLOAD
- A Easy Grocery Calculator - INSTANT DOWNLOAD
- 2pk Grocery List Budget + Grocery & Meal Planning Wish List - INSTANT DOWNLOAD
- Lunch Box Meal Planner - INSTANT DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE
- Daily Meal Planner For The Busy - INSTANT DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE
Print out these using the VIP shop code found on the Facebook Group!
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So that is where I'm at this week. Be sure to check out the matching grocery haul vlog if you want to see what I got and how I went with staying within my budget.