What to cook for a week?

Back when I was a full time working mom of two... making a list didn't work for me. Couldn't afford it! The only list I made was things I was out of...TP, sugar, spices etc. Then I'd go to the store with my coupon box and I would just buy what was on sale. Then once home while putting things away, I'd prepare my menu for the week. I just didn't see it as profitable to plan on making meals with chicken if london broil was what was on sale and cheaper than the chicken! Why plan on carrots if green beans are cheaper? So I'd buy what was on sale and in bulk if I could and then create menus from there. Worked out very well as I could only afford to buy for a week at a time and at least one week a month, I didn't have to go to the grocery as i had a good stock pile in the freezer! I also cooked on weekends..now this was before microwaves and ready made frozen dinners etc. I made all from scratch. I'd put on a crock pot of chili and then divide it into "meal for 4" portions and freeze it. That way, before I went to work in the AM I'd take out what was for dinner and put it in the fridge and it'd be almost thawed by time i got home and just need re-heated. I'd do this with chili, spaghetti sauce, adn things like that. Once we got a microwave... I'd make breakfast sandwiches...biscuit, sausage patty, cheese and salsa... and freeze them and individually wrap and could pop in to the microwave to heat up and take with me. I'd make burittos, wrapped individually and put a few in the fridge in the AM and they'd be thawed by the time the kids came home from school so they were a good after school snack. I also made chicken pot pies...buy the pie crust in a pack of 2, add chicken chuncks, bag of mixed veges, can of chicken gravey and top with the second crust and freeze. I'd take this out of the freezer night before and it'd be ready to bake by dinner time next day. My point is...it always made more sense and saved me the most money if I bought only what was on sale and then created my menus from that once home. I have to quibble with money saving guru's that said to make a list and buy only what is on the list as the main way to save money. I mean, if hamburger meat is on the list, for $3.99 a pound, and chicken is on sale for $1.99 a pound...how stupid it'd be to buy the burger meat cause it is on your list! You could get enough chicken for 2 weeks for the same price as burger for one week! WHere's the savings in that! But most of them guru's never shopped for themselves or were short on money to know how stupid what they were saying was!

Yes, i am also making our weekly menu to save money and time. Nowadays most of the things and around us become expensive, weekly menu is very helpful in saving money and avoid for wasting food too. My husband and I go to the market every Saturday early morning for our vegetables, fruits, fish, chicken and pork to make sure that all of these are fresh and safe to eat. We used to go to the grocery twice or thrice a month for our milk and other ingredients which serve as a bonding moment but we made sure that were not hungry when we enter inside the grocery to prevent from picking unnecessary foods. Proper planning and budgeting are a big help in saving money, time and stress free.

We did try that one out before, but it seems that we can't follow it. My mom does the wet market thing while I do the groceries. However, when she comes home from the wet market, she can't seem to buy the things listed there because either it's out or the prices of it is higher than usual or she found a great alternative. Planning menu for the week or month is really tough. I certainly would appreciate moms who can do that effectively because we just can't! hahahaha.. I will try once again but for sure something would keep us from following it to the dot. What do you do when you make the list? Do you list the ingredients needed too? or you just put in the name of the dish? What if that sort of meat, poultry or fish isn't available? Have a great MyLot experience ahead!