Posted by Dorine King on January 26th, 2017 in #RedPhoenixSNAP, King Arthur Flour Bakealong, SNAP Program, Uncategorized

Week 3 SNAP Challenges the Budget!

$8.01 Left in the Budget! (Gasp!)

Pizza Party Buns for the King Arthur #bakealong

It’s week 3 of #RedPhoenixSNAP and we have $8.01 remaining in our budget for the rest of January (gasp!).  Because I am committing to the Snap Challenge for longer than the one week stated in the guidelines, we will shop from the freezer and pantry for dinner.  The budget is getting tight!

A number of things happened last week that affected our menu this week:

1. We ended up eating leftovers on Tuesday, so all the ingredients for Sweet Potato Avocado Tacos are still in my larder.
2. The search through the freezer produced a package of Swedish Meatball Mix from Ingebretsen’s along with some cranberries — a noteworthy combination.
3. I am using the extra pork sausage from the meatballs in my Pizza Party Buns instead of the pepperoni called for in the recipe – mother of invention, eh?
4. As I was preparing my menu, a phone call from a sister-in-law inviting us to a family birthday party on Saturday allowed me to cross the fish off the list!  I asked what we could bring to dinner and explained my SNAP Challenge — she agreed that I should bring the $3.99 wine from Trader Joe’s (half of what’s left in my budget for the month – double gasp!)

I will still use my general weekly theme to create my plan.  We are having Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce on Sunday.  And because I still have all the ingredients, the Sweet Potato Avocado Tacos will be on the menu again this week.

The Red Phoenix Dinner Plan  (Week 3)

Sunday:  Swedish Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce, Green Beans

Monday:  Salad with Cheese and Fresh Veggies, Pizza Party Buns

Tuesday:  Sweet Potato Avocado Tacos

Wednesday:  Pancakes with Bacon and Eggs

Thursday:  Hubby works late so I’m having leftover Sweet Potato Avocado Tacos

Friday:  Hubby works late so I’m having leftover Swedish Meatballs

Saturday:  Family Birthday Party

*** Incidentally, I had a doctor appointment this past week.  When I told her of the SNAP Challenge, she looked at me very seriously.  Then she said, “You will not be able to eat very healthily on the SNAP Challenge.”  To which I replied, “That is the challenge, is it not?”

Note:  I use a simple menu planner system that I found on Pinterest.  Follow my Pinterest Cooking Through The Seasons board for a link to this one.  You may even find a few others that you like.

Happy Cooking!

Dorine