Meal Planning on a Budget

I know everyone has noticed how our grocery bills have gone up over the last few years.  I'm preaching to the choir. I know! I know! And there are so many ideas on the internet on how to save money on meals that it seems overwhelming to even know where to start.  Well this month I've decided to bite the bullet and really I mean really budget my grocery bill.

First off shop my pantry and freezer.

I was surprised at what I forgot I had. I planned the week using what I had on hand as a starting point and then found recipes that included those items.

First on the list- frozen ham bone from Christmas.

So tonight ham and lima bean soup!

 

 

I have never made this before. I probably should have called my mother but the internet made it look so easy.  LOL

I have been slow cooking the bone and beans all day. Just 4 quarts of water the ham bone and 1 lb of frozen lima beans.  Now that it is cooking and making the house smell so wonderful I wish I had thought to get the ingredients to make cornbread but we had crackers in the pantry.  If its as good as it smells I will definitely remember the cornbread for next time!


What are some tricks you've learned to help stretch your dollars when it comes to meal planning?  Let us know in the comments below.   I would love to hear from you.