Menu Plan Monday And Affordability

First the menu... then I want to talk about affordability.

Breakfasts:
Pancakes (x2)
Sweet Potato Muffins (x2)
Cereal (x3)
Oatmeal & Eggs (for me!)

Lunch:
Sandwiches
Cheese Quesadillas
Leftovers

Dinner:
Dinner out (thanks to Rob's dad!)
Cabbage and Kielbasa Soup, Corn Bread
Chick Fil A, with the boys (Gift card!)
Taco Bake (recipe coming this week)
Easy Garlic Chicken, Potatoes @ Onions w/ Dill, Steamed Broccoli
Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches, Carrots and Cucumbers w/ Ranch Dip

Snacks/sides:
Fruit: Pineapple, bananas, clementines, apples
Veggies: Carrots, Broccoli & Green Peas
Raisins
Yogurt
Cheese
Homemade Oatmeal Cookies
Pop Corn

I'm also thinking about trying these, Sweet and Salty Roasted Chickpeas... think the kids will like them?

~~~~~~

So, affordability... It really is a relative term. You hear people say all the time, "I can't afford to do that" or "I can't afford to buy that". And while they may be making a true statement, a lot of times it's really just according to our priorities. I've been thinking a lot about this in terms of what we eat. We live on a single income, tight budget, but we eat well. When I say we eat well, I don't mean we eat perfectly. There are still things that I haven't given up and at the same time there are also things that I do my best not to compromise on.

It use to really bug me when someone would say that they couldn't afford to eat the way we do. Why? Because I know our budget. And I know most people can eat the way we do. It all goes back to priorities. And while it still bugs me, I get it. They have different priorities than I do. And that doesn't mean one person is better than the other. I am passionate about it and some people just aren't. I don't have the time to get on my soapbox and explain to you why I am passionate (ok, in short: giant food companies are money hungry like most of everyone in America and will put whatever they can in our food to sell more of it... and the government allows it because well, they are money hungry too! And it's killing us!). Whew.

As the Hubs would say, "lets land the plane". Think about it before you say you can't eat better because you can't afford it. Maybe you can. Maybe you can not buy a new shirt and instead spend that money on produce. Maybe you can forgo your coffee and buy whole grain pasta this week. Maybe you can get rid of your smart phone (say what?) and your data plan and have lots of extra money each month to join that CSA. There are lots of ways to make room in your budget if you want to.

Laura at Heavenly Homemakers has recently had a series, "No More Excuses" with tips about how to eat healthy on a budget and also looks at the question, "Is it expensive to eat healthy food?"  This link will take you to that series! I hope it's helpful!

I'm linking up with Orgjunkie.com, check it out for more menu planning ideas! Have a great week!