I made a meal plan for November and so far so good. I’ve crossed off about half of the things on my list I was hoping to make. My plan after making those big stock up grocery trips {here and here} was to have enough food tucked away in the pantry, fridge and freezer to get us through the holiday season.
I loath stepping foot into grocery stores during the holidays! People are so cranky and it’s crowded. And I can’t stand crowds!
So far, shopping from my pantry is going really, really well. Even the HH is impressed with how well we’ve done.
But then again, as long as there is a meal in front of him, I’m not sure he’d even notice that I hadn’t been to the store in 4 weeks. Ha! Husbands, they’re kind of funny like that.
This past week we filled our bellies with tea and cookies {and currant scones too!}.
We even went on a date. Although honestly, I don’t think going to Taco Bell counts as a date. My husband would disagree though.
He read online that Taco Bell was selling something called a Luxe Cravings Box for $7 and wanted to see if it was true. Or at least that’s what he told me.
And well, YES, it’s true. You can get a box full of Taco Bell items {and a drink} for $7.
I would have rather lit the $7 on fire but hey, sometimes you’ve just got to let the guys pick the food, right? It can’t be all big cookies and big salads, right?
Whatever. I’m over it. I ate the soft taco thing and drank water. He ate the taco in a taco, burrito, chips and cheesy dip.
And then he said he shouldn’t have eaten all that. NO KIDDING!!!
Whatever.
I made rigatoni!
And a few days later popped some Trader Joe’s mac and cheese with hatch chilis in the oven for lunch.
I also served a Stove Top Stuffing Meatloaf I have tucked away in the freezer one night.
The next night I served the leftover meatloaf with some roasted butternut squash.
I also made a veggie gratin, which I will tell you about tomorrow. So it was a good week with lots of easy, delicious food {okay, so the Taco Bell was gross}.
Here’s hoping I have everything I need for Thanksgiving next week and I don’t have to pop by the store. {I think I have everything}.
That’s it. That’s all I have to report from Maine.
Have a great week everyone. Try and stay out of trouble.
~Mavis
P.S. What do you still have left to buy for your Thanksgiving feast? Have you started shopping already? Do tell.
Total spent this past week on groceries $ 0
November Groceries $12.58
October Groceries: $1,375.30
September Groceries: $246.41
August Groceries: $115.71
July Groceries: $401.88
June Groceries: $484.69
May Groceries: $267.13
April Groceries: $135.90
March Groceries: $235.99
February Groceries: $282.90
January Groceries: $167.55
Peg says
I still have everything to buy for thanksgiving but it’s just the two of us so it’s not a big deal. Our town has a natural grocers but sprouts opens here on Friday! I’m so excited. I would prefer Trader Joe’s but I’ve been told the chance is slim to none due to our population (most sparsely populated state in US). Also grocery stores here aren’t allowed to sell alcohol. Some say that’s a dealbreaker, others say it isn’t. And Trader Joe’s won’t say (I email them regularly).
Annette says
You will love the produce section at Sprouts!
Wendy says
Hello, that bagel with salmon looks delicious (all the other meals as well 😉 but I would like to know if you had frozen the salmon after the last shopping trip. Cause then I will try that as well.
Netherlands here, so we do not have thanksgiving. We have Sinterklaas though (5th December) nothing to do with thanksgiving but a feast is a feast……
Wendy
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes! I freeze the small packages of salmon nearly every time we buy it. I set it on the counter 30 minutes before I need to use it. 🙂
suzanne says
Oooh. Now I’m craving meatloaf. It’s been awhile. The first time I made salmon cakes/patty’s the recipe called for stove top stuffing and egg for binder. They really were delicious.
Linda Sand says
We have our Thanksgiving meal all ready to go. Precooked turkey breast, instant mashed potatoes, jar of gravy, can of cranberry sauce, unbaked pumpkin pie in the freezer. There’s just two of us so we just do the most important but easy stuff.
Teresa Young says
This will be our second year of purchasing a ready-made Thanksgiving dinner from the restaurant our son works at – so I know who cooked it, and we’re supporting a small local business. It includes turkey, green bean casserole, candied yams, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, rolls and salad.
I still have to pick up a pumpkin pie and mac & cheese at Costco.
Mimi says
Easiest Thanksgiving dinner ever coming up…we’re not having one this year.
We’re going hiking instead.
Lana says
We have kids and grandkids coming and going for almost a week so we are laying in the supplies. Yes it was nuts out there today but we survived. The rest will be a pick up order from Sam’s.
Sue S. says
Help. All of a sudden I’m not getting your daily emails Mavis. I don’t think I un-subscribed and if I did, I didn’t mean to. Thought maybe you were on a break. Can you resubscribe me? Thanks!
Sue S. says
Dining at a friend’s for Thanksgiving this year. We take turns. This year we’re bringing the mashed potatoes and shrimp cocktail. Also the Prosecco. Enjoy everyone! I’ll take my hike the day after. I LOVE turkey.
Mavis Butterfield says
Hi Sue,
I just signed you back up. An email with an activation link has just been sent to you. 🙂 If you don’t see it, be sure and check your spam folder.
Evelyn says
I still need potatoes and rolls. This will be the first Thanksgiving in 8 or so years that we have cooked. We smoke a turkey and a pork butt in a smoker. Hubby retired in Feb. he has worked Thanksgiving so he could have Christmas off for the last 8 years. 4 adult children 1 works for the county he is on call every Holiday, 2 work every holiday if it falls on a day of their shift.(medical) and they always do 🙁 The 4th is a Marine he and his GF also a Marine are coming to stay for 4 days 🙂 So the big Thanksgiving meal is on like donkey kong. The 3 other kids ,spouses and grands will come and go with grands hanging here. So excited and looking forward to having everyone coming and going.
Ashley Bananas says
I was gifted a turkey last weekend and cooked it. My significant other’s parents are here and I’ll be making a meal again next week. I feel burned out already. I have a few things but not all things. I’m hoping for amazing sales this coming up week. Sales in general have been weak overall. Hoping grocery stores entice us with some sales finally.
Linda says
Did you see this- I can see you making these-https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=432704865193644