A simple monthly menu for a family. Healthy inexpensive menu for the week

Creating a weekly menu for your family is a very useful activity that will help you make the most of your time preparing hearty and healthy meals, and will also significantly reduce your financial expenses on groceries.

Surely we all know the situation when the refrigerator is empty and you urgently need to prepare something for your household. Very often at this moment we go to the store and buy quite a lot of products that we, in fact, do not really need.

On top of everything else, they often make dishes that do not bring any value or benefit to the body. If you want to avoid all this and also start practicing healthy eating for the whole family, you need to create a menu for every day.

It won’t take long to work on drawing up a nutrition plan - on average, it takes an hour of time. At the same time, you will receive clear “instructions” for the next seven days, which will help you finally free yourself from the endless "kitchen slavery", and will prove useful to your spouse and children.

To make your diet balanced and consistent with the basic principles of a healthy diet, you should diversify it with certain recipes. They, in turn, can be found on the Internet or relevant literature. So, how do you create a menu with good recipes for the week for your family?

The benefits of planning a menu for the week

There are many benefits to creating a complete healthy meal plan for your family for the week. You will spend no more than one hour on the entire development process, and this time will more than pay off within a week. You will stop asking yourself a stupid question “What can I cook quickly?”, you will begin to eat more healthily and balanced, and you will begin to spend a minimum amount of time on kitchen work.

Creating a simple weekly menu for your family will give you the following benefits:

  • You will save yourself from unnecessary hassle, since the meals will be planned in advance;
  • You will stop wondering what to buy for home to eat after work, and how to quickly cope with preparing a family dinner;
  • You will be able to eat more varied, and, importantly, tasty;
  • From an early age, your children will learn to eat nutritiously and correctly, not to snack on unhealthy foods, not to overeat, and not to eat “dry” food;
  • You will be surprised to find that you begin to spend less money on purchasing food, and spend only on really necessary products, and not on quite expensive “garbage”, which can be used to save yourself in the absence of a full lunch or dinner in the house;
  • You will stop eating fast food, canned food and processed foods, and you will no longer have to eat borscht that was prepared on Monday all week.

So, if all the listed advantages of pre-meal planning for a certain period captivate and attract you, it’s time to take decisive action and start making a list of products that you should purchase. This is no less important step than creating the menu itself. Because if you write down only the dishes, during the process of preparing them some component may be missing, and you will have to spend time on additional “runs” towards the market or supermarket.

Meal plan for you and your family: where to start?


Weekly and monthly meal plans usually do not include breakfasts, since they are prepared quickly and are very varied for each family.

First of all, it is worth discussing mistakes that absolutely should not be made.

For example, many women like to search for recipes using a tablet or computer. In fact, instead of the apparent convenience, you will also have to spend time constantly “looking” at the Internet.

Therefore, you should use old-fashioned methods - if you have a favorite blogger whose recipes you have been wanting to try for a long time, just write them down on paper, or, as a last resort, print them out. This will make it more convenient for you to look for clues directly while preparing a dish. It’s even better if you use a cookbook, where all the proportions, quantities and mixing methods are clearly written out.

If you have a large enough family, do not forget to take into account and write down on a piece of paper what is temporarily or permanently prohibited for individual members. For example, if your child is allergic to carrots, making carrot cutlets for dinner might be a good idea for everyone else, but it certainly isn't for him. Therefore, you will have to either replace this ingredient for everyone, or prepare something special for one.

If you are planning to create an economical menu for the week for a family that is currently going through difficult times financially, we recommend that you go in advance to the store, market or supermarket where you most often buy food. Write down the prices for “basic” food. If you prefer certain companies, write down only the cost of their products. Fix prices for vegetables in an average order.

What does “basic” food mean?

These are those products that are used almost everywhere, in any complete dish or snack, and which can “help you out” at any time, being quite filling, appetizing and loved by everyone.

Among the “basic” products are usually listed:


  • Chicken meat (especially fillet);
  • Potato;
  • Rice or buckwheat;
  • Non-seasonal vegetables (onions, carrots, cabbage, etc.);
  • Out-of-season fruits (apples, bananas, kiwis, oranges, etc.);
  • Pasta;
  • Chicken eggs;
  • Butter and vegetable oil;
  • Dairy and fermented milk products;
  • Flour.

Of course, lists of traditional “basic” products cannot be tailored to each person, much less to a specific family. But still, you must agree that the listed food sources are the most in demand at any time of the year. If you have a special family (for example, you practice a raw food or vegetarian diet), write down what you buy most often for preparing family lunches and dinners.

Some meal planners forget to consider many important things.

For example:

  1. Family dinner in a restaurant or cafe on Fridays;
  2. Training in sections for children on Thursdays and Tuesdays;
  3. Fasting days.

Yes, yes, fasting days are needed not only for ardent guardians of the female figure, but also for all other family members! We strongly recommend that you make at least one vegetarian day a week. During the vegetarian day, your household should only eat dishes made from cereals, vegetables, dairy and fermented milk products and eggs. Completely exclude both meat and fish.

Example of a vegetarian day:

  • Breakfast: oatmeal with milk and nuts, cheesecake with raspberries, green tea;
  • Snack (most likely outside the home): banana and whole grain muffin;
  • Lunch: vegetable broccoli soup (prepared very simply and quickly), vegetable stew (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant), cheese, diet cake (raw food);
  • Dinner: cottage cheese, several fruits and cookies.

Please note that if you return home late (or your children come in the evening after sports clubs), dinner these days should be as light as possible. Under no circumstances should you serve it with fried potatoes and meat or anything similar.

If there is a family tradition of dining out on certain days of the week, do not include those days in the plan (unless you also dine at home).

Rough plan

How to create a weekly menu for a family?

First, write down all the recipes you would like to try during that week. Then specify the products that will be needed to sell them. Visit a store or market to calculate approximate costs from your family budget. Make a list of all the food you need, slightly rounding up the amount. Make notes to yourself regarding “forbidden” dishes and products from your spouse or children. Eliminate days when you are not likely to eat at home.

Then you have come to the right place. 🙂 We have prepared a menu for a week for a family of 4 (four adults or two adults + two teenagers with a good appetite).

In this article: menu for the week, ready-made and proven recipes, shopping list for the whole week.

When compiling the menu, we took into account:

  1. usefulness- it should give strength and energy for a busy working day,
  2. balance-contain various useful substances: microelements and vitamins,
  3. diversity- dishes should not become boring and replace each other regularly.

Breakfast Semolina porridge with raisins

Dinner Goulash soup

Afternoon snack Ratatouille with rice

Dinner Potato zrazy with mushrooms + Salad with arugula and radishes

Breakfast Semolina porridge with raisins

Dinner Pea soup

Afternoon snack Ratatouille with rice

Dinner Liver stewed in sour cream + pasta + Fresh cabbage salad with garlic dressing

Breakfast

Dinner Pea soup

Afternoon snack Potato cake

Dinner Liver stewed in sour cream + pasta + Fresh cabbage salad with garlic dressing

Breakfast Curd casserole with vermicelli

Dinner Chicken kharcho

Afternoon snack Potato cake

Dinner Cauliflower cutlets + rice + Lettuce salad

Breakfast

Dinner Chicken kharcho

Afternoon snack Pancakes with apple sauce

Dinner Cauliflower cutlets + rice + Lettuce salad

Breakfast Cinnamon Oatmeal

Dinner Fish solyanka

Afternoon snack Pancakes with apple sauce

Dinner Potato and minced meat casserole + Cucumber and mint salad

Breakfast Egg croutons

Dinner Fish solyanka

Afternoon snack Chocolate cake with walnuts

Dinner Potato and minced meat casserole + Cucumber and mint salad

If you are more accustomed to a lighter diet, pay attention to the article “Healthy nutrition menu for the week.”

If financial issues are a priority for you, then you will be more interested in the “Economy menu for the whole week for $25.”

(excluding snacks):

Vegetables, fruits, greens

Potatoes - 3.5 kg
Eggplant - 2 pcs.
Zucchini -2 pcs.
Carrots -0.5 kg
Onion -0.5 kg
Bell pepper -1 kg.
Garlic -5 heads
Dill - 4 bunches
Parsley - 1 bunch
Arugula -2 large bunches
Green onions - 2 feathers
Cilantro -1 bunch
Mint - 3 sprigs
Lettuce leaves - 800 gr
Tomatoes - 700 gr
Cherry tomatoes - 2 cups
Cabbage - 1 1/2 heads
Radish -0.5 kg.
Lemon -1/2 pcs.
Fresh cucumbers - 1.6 kg.
Pickled cucumbers -5-8 pcs.
Apples - 600 grams
Mushrooms - 400 gr. (champignons or oyster mushrooms)
Head of cauliflower - 1 medium size
Sauerkraut - 750 g

Nuts, seeds, dried fruits

Pine nuts -40 gr.
Walnuts - 300 gr.
Raisins - 70 gr

Meat, fish, eggs

Fish fillet or head, belly, fins, bones (for hodgepodge) - 700-800 gr.
Beef - 500-800 gr. You can take a shoulder blade, a brisket, the top of a shank, or a motoleg.
Chicken - 5-6 pieces (3 wings and 2-3 breasts or legs)
Minced pork - 750 g
Liver - 1.3 kg (beef, or pork, or lamb)
Smoked pork belly or bacon - 300 gr
Eggs - 21 pcs.

Dairy

Milk -3.5 l.
Butter - 170 gr.
Hard cheese -750 gr.
Sour cream - 450 gr.
Cottage cheese - 1 kg.
Cream 20% - 400 gr.
Condensed milk -0.5 cans

Groceries, etc.

Sliced ​​loaf - 1 1/4 loaf

Rye bread - 2/3 loaves
Puff pastry - 250 gr.
Semolina - 400 gr.
Sugar - 440 gr.
Small vermicelli - 130 gr
Pasta - 800 gr.
Tomato paste -120 gr.
Tomato puree - 100 gr.
Sunflower oil - for frying
Olive oil - 130 gr.
Flour -850 gr.
Whole grain wheat flour 400 gr
Baking powder - 2.5 tsp.
Vanilla sugar -1 tbsp. l.
Rice - 1 kg.
Vinegar - 2 tsp.
Pearl barley - 115 gr.
Olives - 100 gr. (about a glass)
Canned capers - 2-3 tbsp.
Olives - 30 pcs.
Cocoa - 2 tbsp.
Chocolate - 100 gr.
Lemon juice -4 tbsp. l.
Mustard - 3 tsp.
Breadcrumbs - for frying
Peas - 460 gr.
Oatmeal - 300 gr.

Spices and seasonings

Ground paprika - 3 tbsp.
Bay leaf - 11 pcs.
Salt and black pepper - to taste
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp.
Nutmeg - to taste
Tkemali sauce - 1/2 cup
Khmeli-suneli - 1.5 tsp
Basil - 1.5 tsp. dried or 1.5 tbsp. fresh
Cilantro - 1.5 tbsp.
Cinnamon - 1 ½ tsp.

Attention: The menu has a number of recipes designed for fewer than 8 servings. When compiling a shopping list, all ingredients were increased so that their quantity was enough to prepare 8 servings (2 meals for 4 people). Accordingly, when preparing such dishes, you only need to take the number of ingredients corresponding to 8 servings; their quantity is already included in the shopping list.

Bon appetit!

Save this article to your bookmarks or your social network, print it out (or rewrite your shopping list) and start bringing it to life by preparing simple and delicious dishes.

As prices rise, saving on food is becoming increasingly difficult. Especially if you have a large family. But there is a good option - this is a pre-compiled menu for a week for a family of 4 people with recipes and a grocery list. A pre-compiled list will protect you from purchasing unnecessary goods.

Detailed menu

Monday

  1. Breakfast – toast, oatmeal with raisins, tea.
  2. Lunch – pickle soup, mashed potatoes with boiled beef.
  3. Dinner – potato zrazy with mushrooms, salad.

Rassolnik

Rassolnik

Ingredients:

  • pork ribs – 300 g;
  • potatoes – 4 pcs.;
  • onions – 2 pcs.;
  • carrots – 2 pcs.;
  • pearl barley – 4 tbsp. l.;
  • pickled cucumbers – 4 pcs.;
  • lean oil - for frying;
  • tomato paste – 2 tbsp. l.;
  • spices, salt - to taste.

Preparation:

  1. Boil broth on pork ribs.
  2. Peel, cut and fry all vegetables (except cucumbers). Send into broth. Cook over low heat.
  3. After 10 minutes, add tomato paste, seasonings and salt.
  4. Next add pearl barley. Cook for about 30 minutes
  5. Add pre-peeled and chopped potatoes. After 20 minutes, set aside the pan with the finished soup.

Potato zrazy with mushrooms

Potato zrazy with mushrooms

Ingredients:

  • potatoes – 1 kg;
  • mushrooms – 300 g;
  • onions – 2 pcs.;
  • egg – 2 pcs.;
  • butter – 60 g;
  • lean oil - for frying;
  • flour – breading;
  • salt, seasonings - at your discretion.

Preparation:

  1. Peel the potatoes, wash them, immerse them in water, boil, add salt and cook until tender.
  2. Cut the mushrooms into cubes.
  3. Peel the onions, chop finely and fry in a small piece of butter until golden.
  4. Add mushrooms, seasonings, salt. Stir and cover with a lid for a couple of minutes. Then remove the lid and simmer until the liquid has completely evaporated over medium heat.
  5. Cool the finished potatoes a little and pass through a meat grinder.
  6. Add the pre-beaten egg and the rest of the butter to the mashed potatoes. Mix well.
  7. Divide the mixture into 8 pieces and form into balls. Mash each one, turning it into a flat cake and place 1 tbsp in the center. l. mushroom filling.
  8. Raise the edges of the cakes and form oval pies.
  9. Roll all the zrazy in flour, fry on both sides in hot vegetable oil until golden brown.

Chinese cabbage salad

Chinese cabbage salad

Ingredients:

  • Chinese cabbage – 25 l;
  • green onions – 4-5 pcs.;
  • mayonnaise – 2 tbsp. l.;
  • vinegar - 1 tbsp. l.

Preparation:

  1. Rinse the cabbage, remove large leaves and cut them into 2-3 pieces.
  2. Wash the green onions and finely chop them.
  3. Combine mayonnaise with vinegar.
  4. Add the prepared dressing to the leaves and mix well.
  5. Transfer to a nice plate and garnish with onions.

Tuesday

  1. Breakfast – buckwheat porridge with milk, coffee/tea.
  2. Lunch – noodle soup, carrot salad.
  3. Dinner - .

Interesting! Weekly menu for a family of 2

Vermicelli soup

Vermicelli soup

Ingredients:

  • chicken meat – 0.5 kg;
  • onions – 2 pcs.;
  • carrots – 2 pcs.;
  • potatoes – 5-6 pcs.;
  • pasta - at your discretion;
  • greens - optional;
  • salt – 1 tbsp. l.

Preparation:

  1. Wash the chicken and cut into medium pieces.
  2. Peel the onions and carrots, immerse them in a pan of water along with the meat, boil, remove the foam, reduce the boiling temperature. Add salt and cook for 30-40 minutes.
  3. When ready, remove all food. Vegetables are no longer needed. Separate the meat from the bones and put it back into the broth.
  4. Peel the potatoes, cut them, place them in boiling broth and cook for 20 minutes.
  5. In the meantime, take fresh carrots and onions, peel, chop finely and fry in vegetable oil. When ready, add to soup.
  6. Add pasta, cook for about 8-10 minutes. At the end you can add a little chopped herbs.

Carrot salad

Carrot salad

Ingredients:

  • carrots – 400 g;
  • cheese – 150 g;
  • garlic – 3-4 cloves;
  • greens – 30 g;
  • sour cream – 80 g;
  • salt - to taste.

Preparation:

  1. Grate the peeled carrots on a coarse grater.
  2. Grate the cheese on it and add to the carrots.
  3. Finely chop the garlic and add to the processed ingredients.
  4. Season with sour cream, salt and mix thoroughly.

Chicken liver with sour cream and pasta

Chicken liver with sour cream and pasta

Ingredients:

  • liver – 300 g;
  • pasta - at your discretion;
  • onion (large) – 1 pc.;
  • sour cream – 4 tbsp. l.;
  • lean oil - for frying;
  • salt, seasonings - to taste.

Preparation:

  1. Rinse the liver several times, chop coarsely, roll in flour.
  2. Peel the onion, finely chop and throw into a hot frying pan with vegetable oil.
  3. After 2 minutes, add the liver, fry until golden brown, then lower the heat, add salt and simmer covered for 5-7 minutes.
  4. Separately cook the pasta. Drain the water.
  5. When ready, combine the liver with pasta and serve.

Wednesday

  1. Breakfast - hot sandwiches with cheese and sausage.
  2. Lunch – noodle soup, bean puree, cabbage salad.
  3. Dinner – potato casserole with minced meat.

Cabbage salad

Cabbage salad

Ingredients:

  • white cabbage – 400 g;
  • carrots – 2 pcs.;
  • onion (large) – 1 pc.;
  • greens - a bunch;
  • vegetable oil - dressing;
  • salt - to taste.

Preparation:

  1. Wash all vegetables thoroughly, peel and cut into strips.
  2. Combine in one plate, add salt, add butter and serve.

This is the simplest salad recipe, which is on the menu for the week, and fits perfectly for a large family of 4 people. The food list, which includes the ingredients for this dish, is at the end of the article.

Potato casserole with minced meat

Ingredients:

  • minced meat – 0.5 kg;
  • potatoes – 1 kg;
  • eggs – 3 pcs.;
  • onion (medium) – 1 pc.;
  • flour – 3-4 tbsp. l.;
  • hard cheese – 120 g;
  • lean oil - for frying;
  • pepper, salt - at your discretion.

Preparation:

  1. Wash the potatoes, peel them, cut them in half, pour boiling water over them and cook until done.
  2. Peel the onion, chop finely and fry in oil until golden brown.
  3. Add minced meat, stir and fry for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  4. Mash the finished hot potatoes well.
  5. Wait until it cools down, add eggs and flour. Mix.
  6. Place the finished products on a baking sheet in layers, add cheese between them. The sequence is as follows: potatoes, minced meat, potatoes, sour cream.
  7. Place the baking tray with the contents in the oven at 180 degrees until done. As soon as a crust forms on the surface, you can remove it.

Syrniki

Ingredients:

  • cottage cheese – 450 g;
  • eggs – 2 pcs.;
  • flour – 7 tbsp. l.;
  • sugar – 5 tbsp. l.;
  • vegetable oil - for frying.

Preparation:

  1. Place the cottage cheese in a deep bowl, mash, add eggs and sugar. Mix everything until smooth.
  2. Add 4 tbsp. l. pre-sifted flour and continue stirring.
  3. Place the mixture on a board sprinkled with flour and form a “sausage”. Cut into equal pieces, dip each in flour, press down a little. To make flat cakes.
  4. Place in a heated frying pan with oil, fry on both sides until golden brown.

Pea soup

Pea soup

Ingredients:

  • beef – 0.5 kg;
  • peas - 1 tbsp.;
  • potatoes – 5-6 pcs.;
  • onion – 1 pc.;
  • carrots – 1 pc.;
  • garlic – 2-3 cloves;
  • greens - a bunch;
  • vegetable oil - for frying;
  • salt – 1 tbsp. l.

Preparation:

  1. Pour the peas into a deep bowl, pour boiling water over them and leave for an hour.
  2. Pour water into a saucepan and boil. Add washed meat, salt, cook for about an hour.
  3. Wash the potatoes, peel and cut into cubes.
  4. Finely chop the peeled onion. Pass the carrots through a medium grater, and turn the garlic into crumbs.
  5. Add carrots, onions and garlic to a heated frying pan with oil. Fry at low temperature, stir occasionally.
  6. Remove the meat and cool. Instead, put the peas in the pan and cook for about half an hour. After the appointed time, throw in the potatoes and cook for 20 minutes.
  7. Finely chop the beef and add it to the soup with fried vegetables. At the end, add chopped herbs and set aside after 5 minutes.

Chicken fillet baked with potatoes

Ingredients:

  • chicken fillet – 1 kg;
  • onions – 3 pcs.;
  • potatoes – 1 kg;
  • cheese – 150 g;
  • tomatoes (fresh) – 3-4 pcs.;
  • mayonnaise - dressing;
  • seasonings, salt - to taste.

Preparation:

  1. Prepare everything except cheese and tomatoes separately.
  2. Cut the fillet into thin slices, beat, rub with salt and pepper and fry in oil.
  3. Boil the peeled potatoes whole, being careful not to overcook them. Cut it into rings.
  4. Turn the onions into rings, soak them in vinegar for a while, then fry them.
  5. Use a sharp knife to turn the tomatoes into circles, being careful not to crush them.
  6. Place on a baking sheet in layers, first meat, then onions, potatoes, tomatoes and cheese. Cover all layers with mayonnaise.
  7. Place in an oven preheated to 200 degrees and cook for about 30 minutes.

Friday

  1. Breakfast – oatmeal with dried fruits and honey, tea/coffee.
  2. Lunch – pea soup.
  3. Dinner - .

Baked fish with cheese and vegetables

Baked fish with cheese and vegetables

Ingredients:

  • cod fillet – 1 kg;
  • onions – 2 pcs.;
  • carrots – 2 pcs.;
  • bell pepper – 1 pc.;
  • tomato – 2 pcs.;
  • greens, cheese - decoration;
  • cheese (for filling) – 120 g;
  • sour cream – 2 tbsp. l.;
  • soy sauce – 1 tbsp. l.;
  • egg – 1 pc.;
  • coriander, cumin - at your discretion;
  • ground black pepper – 2 pinches.

Preparation:

  1. Cut the frozen fillet into 8 equal parts. Treat each one with spices and salt.
  2. Place on a greased baking sheet.
  3. Cut the onion into rings and put 2 pieces each. for every steak.
  4. Place carrots on top, passed through a coarse grater.
  5. Rinse the pepper, peel the inside and cut into strips. Place on carrots.
  6. Next, add tomatoes in circles.
  7. Add soy sauce, sour cream, ground pepper and grated cheese to the beaten eggs. Mix everything thoroughly.
  8. Pour the prepared sauce over each steak.
  9. Place in preheated oven. Bake until a delicious crust forms.

Saturday

  1. Breakfast – pancakes with apples, black tea.
  2. Lunch – vegetarian pilaf.
  3. Dinner – stewed chicken, bean salad.

Pancakes with apples

Pancakes with apples

Ingredients:

  • ready-made pancakes – 8 pcs.;
  • apples – 4 pcs.;
  • sugar – 200 g.

Preparation

  1. Pancakes should be cooked with milk.
  2. Peel the washed apples and grate them on a coarse grater.
  3. Place in a saucepan, add sugar, a little water and simmer until the fruit is soft.
  4. Unfold the pancakes, put 1 tbsp in each. l. fillings, wrap in tubes.

Vegetarian pilaf

Vegetarian pilaf

Ingredients:

  • round rice – 500 g;
  • onions – 2-3 pcs.;
  • carrots – 2 pcs.;
  • butter (melted) – 3-4 tbsp. l.;
  • mustard seeds – 2 tsp;
  • salt – 2 tsp.

Preparation:

  1. Grate the carrots and onions on a coarse grater or cut into strips.
  2. Heat oil on the stove in a thick-bottomed pan and fry the mustard seeds. As soon as they start to crackle, add vegetables and fry for 10 minutes.
  3. Stir gently and pour in 800 ml of water. As soon as it boils, cover with a lid and let it simmer for 20 minutes.

When serving, you can garnish with fresh herbs.

Bean salad

Bean salad

Ingredients:

  • red beans (canned) – 1 can;
  • Korean carrots – 200 g;
  • sausage (boiled) – 150 g;
  • white crackers - 2 handfuls;
  • mayonnaise - dressing;
  • greens - a bunch.

Preparation:

  1. Cut the sausage into strips and combine with carrots.
  2. Place the beans in a colander to drain excess liquid and add to the food.
  3. Add mayonnaise and finely chopped greens.
  4. Cut the loaf into cubes, fry without oil, cool and add to the salad before serving.

Sunday

  1. Breakfast – oatmeal with walnuts, yogurt.
  2. Lunch – vegetarian pilaf.
  3. Dinner – vinaigrette, fish cutlets.

The vinaigrette

The vinaigrette

Ingredients:

  • beets – 2 pcs.;
  • carrots – 2 pcs.;
  • potatoes – 5-6 pcs.;
  • pickled cucumbers – 3 pcs.;
  • onion (large) – 1 pc.;
  • greens - a bunch;
  • unrefined oil - dressing.
  • salt – 1-2 pinches.

Preparation:

  1. Boil all vegetables except onions and cucumbers in their skins, remove the peel.
  2. Cut each ingredient into small cubes. Combine everything in one container.
  3. Add herbs and oil, mix well. Place on a beautiful dish.

Fish cutlets

Ingredients:

  • fish fillet – 1 kg;
  • onions – 2 pcs.;
  • egg – 1 pc.;
  • bun – 100 g;
  • semolina – 3 tbsp. l.;
  • butter – 30 g;
  • ground pepper – 2 pinches;
  • salt – 2 tsp.

Preparation:

  1. Soak the bread in water.
  2. Pass the fillet, onion and soaked bread through a meat grinder.
  3. Add melted butter, egg, pepper and salt to the minced fish. Mix and beat well.
  4. Divide the mixture into pieces and form into cutlets. Roll each one in semolina.
  5. Place the cutlets in a heated frying pan with oil, fry on both sides, pour in 2 tbsp. l. water, cover with a lid and turn down the heat. After a minute, remove the lid and fry until done.

Below is a list of all the necessary foods that can feed a family of 4 all week. The main thing is to strictly follow the written menu and recipes.

List of necessary products for the week:

  1. Bread.
  2. Coffee.
  3. Vegetable oil.
  4. Unrefined oil.
  5. Butter.
  6. Soy sauce.
  7. Dried fruits.
  8. Walnuts.
  9. Pearl barley.
  10. Buckwheat grain.
  11. Semolina.
  12. Oat groats.
  13. The rice is round.
  14. Beans.
  15. Canned beans – 1 can.
  16. Pancakes.
  17. Peas.
  18. Sugar.
  19. Salt.
  20. Flour.
  21. Raisin.
  22. Seasonings.
  23. Pasta.
  24. Milk.
  25. Mayonnaise.
  26. Yogurts.
  27. Vinegar.
  28. Sour cream.
  29. Cottage cheese – 600 g.
  30. Korean carrots – 200 g.
  31. Pork ribs – 300 g.
  32. Beef – 1.2 kg.
  33. Chicken meat – 2.5 kg.
  34. Chicken liver – 300 g.
  35. Minced meat – 500 g.
  36. Cod fillet – 3 kg.
  37. Sausage.
  38. Cheese – 750 g.
  39. Tomato paste – 1 pack.
  40. Pickled cucumbers – 1 jar.
  41. Potatoes – 8 kg;
  42. Onion – 2.5 kg.
  43. Carrots – 3 kg.
  44. Mushrooms.
  45. Eggs.
  46. Beijing cabbage – 1 pc.
  47. White cabbage – 1 pc.
  48. Garlic.
  49. Tomatoes – 1 kg.
  50. Greenery.
  51. Apples.
  52. Beet.
  53. Bulgarian pepper.

Having previously compiled a menu with recipes for the whole week for a large family of 4 people, you can follow the list to buy everything you need and save a certain amount of money. Here are the simplest products listed, from which it is easy to prepare delicious and satisfying dishes.

Planning a menu for a week for a family with recipes is not easy; in addition to the correct purchase of food, you need to take into account the tastes and characteristics of family members, the family budget and the availability of products in the nearest store, and your own supplies at home.

If you approach this issue rationally, then the task and its subsequent execution will not cause any special problems or hassle. On a piece of paper you need to write down an approximate menu of 4 - 5 meals, then check your own orders and make a list of necessary purchases. This approach will not only optimize time and expenses, but will also allow you to switch to a healthier diet.

Of course, it is worth considering that some products will have to be purchased within a week, as they may spoil. These are, for example, purchases such as:

  • Bakery products;
  • Dairy products with a short shelf life;
  • Fresh vegetables and fruits, aromatic herbs.

This approach allows you to plan your free evening time, because thanks to the available products, you can defrost and marinate meat or chicken, make minced meat, or even prepare dinner for the next day. In this article we only consider dinners with recipes, since breakfast does not cause much trouble, and we usually have lunch at work.

In addition, in the evening, when you are tired after a busy day at work, you do not need to buy groceries in a hurry, thereby avoiding thoughtless purchases that consume a sufficient part of the funds allocated for food. Well, having any product at hand, there is no need to rack your brains and study recipes, because you already know what you will prepare. Although there may be deviations from the menu, it is not necessary to strictly follow the list of dishes.

In order for this principle to take root in your family, you need to learn how to properly create a menu; for example, you can start with 2-3 days. At the same time, you should definitely take into account the seasonality of fruits and vegetables, and, if possible, try to prepare several new ones, with increased complexity, for variety in the diet. Those dishes that you like are added to the list, from which a plan for the week is drawn up. For convenience, you can write them down on a large sheet, by category, and when drawing up a plan, simply choose what you want to cook and eat.

It is worth considering:

  • Features of your family, health of relatives and financial wealth.
  • Stock up on the products you have in your cupboards. Conduct a thorough audit, see what should be included in the menu.
  • Separately, make a list of dishes and products for entertaining guests, but keep in mind that guests may drop by unexpectedly, so think over Plan B.
  • Pay attention to promotions and all kinds of sales in supermarkets. This will allow you to save a lot and add new dishes to your diet. It is worth taking into account price fluctuations for seasonal vegetables and fruits.

Every person’s diet must include the following products:

  • Meat, fish and poultry, seafood;
  • Dairy and lactic acid products;
  • Vegetable oils, chicken and quail eggs:
  • Fresh vegetables, seasonal fruits, spicy and aromatic herbs;
  • Cereals for breakfast and side dishes for meat dishes;
  • Sweets in the form of marshmallows and marmalade, tea and coffee, cocoa for them;
  • A variety of spices, because with them each product begins to sound original and new;
  • Bakery products, confectionery products;
  • A small supply of canned goods for salads and other dishes;
  • And many other products tailored to your nutrition.

You can write out the menu on regular A4 sheets, or you can print them and put them in a folder with transparent files. Moreover, on one side of the sheet there will be, for example, a menu, and on the other a list of the main products for preparing dishes this week. By compiling a couple of dozen such sheets, you can vary your diet throughout the year.

An electronic menu option is no less convenient; in addition to dishes and purchases, you can also store recipes for their preparation. Well, after compiling the list, give it to the family for approval, and try to compile it in this way - within a week it is necessary that there are 2-3 favorite dishes of each family member. This way, a smooth compromise can be reached.

So, let's start creating a menu, and consider a new dish every evening with a list of ingredients and preparation. As mentioned above, the article will give examples of first courses, but, as a rule, many of us do not dine at home. Let's look at an approximate menu for a week for a family with dinner recipes.

A good option would be to prepare first courses by boiling meat, fish or vegetable broth in a large saucepan 2-3 times a week. Then in the evening all that remains is to prepare the vegetable base and cook fresh soup, literally one serving for each family member. The broth can also be used throughout the week to prepare main courses for dinner.

Stuffed peppers in the oven

Ingredients:

  • Bell pepper – 5 pcs.
  • Onion head
  • 4 stalks of celery
  • Round rice – 100 gr.
  • Hard cheese – 125 gr.
  • Champignon mushrooms – 200g.
  • Salt and spices, fresh herbs, a little vegetable oil.

Preparation:

  1. First of all, let's put the rice to cook and boil it until almost done.
  2. While the rice is cooking, fry the chopped onions and mushrooms, add chopped celery stalks to the mix.
  3. Wash the pepper, cut it in half without cutting off the stem, and remove the seeds.
  4. Discard the almost finished rice and add it to the vegetables. Season with spices and salt.
  5. Fill the pepper boats with the mixture, sprinkle with grated cheese mixed with herbs and freshly ground pepper and bake in the oven until done. Serve with any vegetable salad.

Evening tip! Cook a little more rice, it will be needed for tomorrow's lunch.

Pumpkin and carrot puree

Ingredients:

  • Potatoes – 600 gr.;
  • Fresh carrots – 1 pc.;
  • Pumpkin – 200 gr.;
  • Milk – 200 ml;
  • Butter – 75 gr.;
  • A little salt and pepper to taste;
  • 2 sprigs of green onions.

Preparation:

  1. Peel the vegetables and cut them into small pieces. The pumpkin for this recipe can be frozen.
  2. Place the vegetables in a saucepan, add water and add a little salt.
  3. A few minutes before the vegetables are ready, heat the milk with a piece of butter.
  4. Mash the vegetables in a saucepan, drain the broth first, add milk and butter and whisk with a whisk. Add some salt to taste and serve, garnishing the tender and bright puree with chopped green onions.

Evening tip! Let's cook a portion of fresh meat broth from a rather fatty brisket.

Roast chicken

Ingredients:

  • Potatoes – 3 pcs. per person;
  • Chicken – weighing up to 2 kg;
  • 3 cloves of garlic;
  • 2 onions;
  • 2 medium carrots;
  • A little oil;
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, spices, a little herbs.

Preparation:

  1. Cut the chicken into portions and place on a greased baking sheet. Add garlic, cut into several pieces, and onions.
  2. Peel the potatoes and carrots, cut into small pieces and add to the chicken.
  3. Salt and season with spices, add herbs.
  4. Place the pan in the oven for at least 45 minutes, then check the readiness of the meat and vegetables. You can add fresh tomatoes, then the roast will turn out with sauce, but for this use a deeper baking sheet.

Evening tip! Boil 2 root vegetables each - beets, potatoes, carrots.

Spicy vinaigrette with spicy dressing

Ingredients:

  • Boiled vegetables - from the evening of the previous day;
  • A can of green peas;
  • 3 salted (not pickled) cucumbers;
  • 100 gr. sauerkraut;
  • A bunch of greenery;
  • Head of red onion;
  • 2 teaspoons mustard;
  • 57 gr. olive oil;
  • Juice of half a lime.

Preparation:

  1. Cut the boiled vegetables into pea-sized cubes, focusing on the grains from the can of canned product.
  2. Pickled cucumbers and sauerkraut are also finely chopped. The smaller the cubes, the tastier the dish, and the salad looks more appetizing.
  3. Season boiled vegetables and pickles with peas with a dressing of mustard, oil and citrus juice.
  4. Before serving, sprinkle the vinaigrette with fresh herbs, serve with fish and fresh black bread.

Evening tip! Cook mushroom broth from fresh or canned champignons with the addition of a small amount of dry porcini mushrooms.

Spicy coleslaw

Ingredients:

  • Fresh red cabbage – 400 gr.;
  • Shallots – 3 pcs.;
  • A bunch of fresh herbs;
  • Spoon of mustard with grains;
  • A little salt and black pepper
  • 100 gr. mayonnaise;

Preparation:

  1. Chop the cabbage - you can use a food processor, a grater, or simply chop the vegetable into thin and long strips.
  2. Mix mustard with chopped herbs and mayonnaise, season the sauce with salt and freshly ground pepper.
  3. Chop the onion and scald. The straw should be thin and long.
  4. Mix cabbage with onions and season with sauce. Serve with potato casserole.

Evening tip! Relax, tomorrow is the weekend!

On weekends, you can prepare your favorite dishes that take a lot of time, bake homemade pies or pies, make small preparations for cutlets or meatballs, cut meat and fish into portioned pieces.

It’s difficult to talk about feeding a family on weekends; of course, you can plan cooking for these days, for example, we still have mushroom broth. A little onion, garlic, white wine and fresh mushrooms, a glass of Basmati rice, 20 minutes of continuous stirring and you will have a great risotto.

Today, the economic situation in most of society has its own characteristic features:

  • the possibility of buying a home, mainly with a mortgage (which many people use);
  • the great needs of each person and the ability to satisfy them due to the diverse supply of the market, but since not many earn enough, the credit system has spread.

Therefore, most people may experience financial difficulties. Then it becomes necessary to tighten the belt. In such cases, one of the lifelines is an economical menu. It will help you save money and at the same time eat tasty, satisfying and even healthy.

Let's look at one menu as an example, and then talk about general recommendations for economical nutrition.

Below is a menu for the week indicating the serving size and its calorie content per person.

Weekly grocery list

1. Pork (1 kg) 350 rubles

2. Minced beef (1 kg) 280 rubles3. Chicken soup set (200 gr.) 60 rubles4. Beef liver (400 gr.) 75 rubles5. Rice (1 package) 60 rubles6. Oatmeal (1 package) 35 rubles7. Buckwheat (1 package) 70 rubles8. Millet (1 package) 48 rubles9. Semolina (1 package) 30 rubles10. Pasta (1 package) 53 rubles11. Vermicelli (1 package) 30 rubles12. Eggs (10 pcs.) 60 rubles13. Sprats (1 package) 90 rubles14. Potatoes (2 kg) 40 rubles15. Cucumbers (2 fresh 3 salted) 70 rubles16. Bell pepper (1 pc.) 30 rubles17. Fresh tomatoes (3 medium pieces) 140 rubles18. Beets (2 medium) 10 rubles19. Carrots (4 medium) 20 rubles20. Apples (2 pcs.) 50 rubles21. Bananas (2 pcs.) 20 rubles22. Pears (2 pcs.) 30 rubles23. Cookies (2 packs) 60 rubles24. Bread (2 rolls) 60 rubles25. Milk (1 package) 120 rubles26. Cottage cheese (1 package) 170 rubles27. Sour cream (1 jar) 80 rubles28. Low-fat kefir (1 bottle) 70 rubles29. Ryazhenka (1 package) 70 rubles30. Butter (1 package) 120 rubles

The total cost of products on this list is 2401 rubles. It is designed to prepare food according to the above menu for a family of two adults.

And in our other article you can see a list of products for only 1000 rubles for a whole week, also for a family of 4 people

Before you go to the store, you need to make a clear list of products needed to prepare dishes from the menu. There is no need to buy anything extra.

It is worth buying products in places where prices are really lower. The most profitable way is to go to the market (you can bargain) or a wholesale center. Promotions in stores are a great help. You must always keep an eye on them.

You need to go to the store for shopping purposefully, and not when you have to. And in order to avoid wasting money, you must be well-fed at this time.

Most people's main dishes are meat dishes, which are expensive. To save money, you can buy offal - liver, hearts, stomachs. In addition to their low price, when prepared well, they have a wonderful taste.

It is necessary to completely exclude fast food, hamburgers, sushi, and carbonated drinks from the diet. It is very expensive and unhealthy. You should also avoid going to cafes and restaurants (only on very special occasions can you afford such a luxury).

One piece of meat can be used to prepare two dishes. For example, boil a whole chicken or a bone with meat (it’s better to cook for a long time over low heat - this way the meat will be soft and very tasty). Use the broth to make soup. And clean the meat from the bones. Add some of it to the soup, the rest can be stewed with vegetables or made into goulash.

In order not to cause indignation among household members during the week, it is necessary to cook their favorite dishes or food with their preferred ingredient at least once. For example, make stew with potatoes for your husband on Monday, and bake fish with rice as a side dish for your son on Thursday.

For picky families, you can cook for several days at once. If you cook a large pot of soup, it can last for three days. This will save a lot of money on groceries and time for the housewife.

Many people love to buy juice in cardboard boxes and bottles, which is a very big waste of money. In addition, they contain many preservatives and dyes, which is why they are harmful to health. It will be useful and less expensive to cook compotes and fruit drinks yourself.

It should be taken into account that for breakfast you need to eat easily digestible dishes, for example, porridge. The highest calorie meal is lunch. Dinner should be between breakfast and lunch in terms of calorie content. It is advisable to eat more often, but in small portions. Therefore, the menu includes snacks - second breakfasts and dinners.

Eating tasty and healthy doesn’t mean it’s expensive! Eat healthy and be happy!

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As we know, you can’t catch a fish from a pond without difficulty. The same rule applies when creating a menu. You'll have to pore over this simple task for an hour.

There is some good news:

  • The time spent on creating a menu will be returned to you with interest within a week.
  • This will save you a lot of nerves. After all, you won’t have to rush to the store on the way home, you won’t have to strain your already tired brain with the question “What should I cook today?”
  • At the end of the month, you'll probably be surprised to find that you've spent less money on food.
  • Your homemade food will become more varied and, most likely, tastier.
  • It will be easier to eat a truly balanced diet, rather than torturing your body with endless food from cans or eating borscht cooked on Monday all week.

I admit that there will be even more advantages. It all depends on the current state of things.

I’ll make a reservation right away: This article will talk about creating a dinner menu when (I hope) your whole family gathers around the table. , as a rule, everyone is different. Some people don’t even have time to have breakfast at home, and the vast majority have lunch outside.

To create a complete menu for the week, choose 1 hour of free time. For example, on Sunday, or even better on Saturday (to have time to buy all the groceries on Sunday). In the future, you will spend much less time on this activity.

Do not throw away the menus you have compiled, but carefully put them in a folder. Then they can be alternated again.

After a couple of months, you can safely return to the previous menu options.

To create a menu you will need:

  • A4 sheet of paper.
  • A pen or, better yet, a pencil.
  • Your favorite cookbooks (I, for example, love) or culinary magazines, a selection of clippings with recipes and the like.
  • Your family's plan for the coming week (if you don't remember it).

Use a tablet or computer to search for recipes. You'll only waste time.

Firstly, even very interesting articles are difficult to read online without being distracted by reminders, pop-ups, etc. And I’m generally silent about searching for recipes...

Secondly, recipes from the Internet are difficult to find later in your already impressive list of bookmarks.

Thirdly, you will get confused by the variety of recipes and in the end, as we often do, when the choice is too large, you will not choose anything at all.

If you have a favorite blogger whose recipes you like, and you have long wanted to try them, then I advise you to save them the old-fashioned way - print them on paper. You will not be distracted by the Internet once again, and also, if the recipes turned out to be successful, you will be able to put them in the folder of your favorite dishes. For example, I also have one. There I collect copies of recipes that I tried at a party, and there, on the spot, I received a photocopy.

If you liked a recipe from a culinary magazine, carefully cut it out and file it in a folder, and throw away the magazine or give it away. This way you will avoid piles of unnecessary paper around the house and will be able to easily find the recipe when you need it.

How to take into account the circumstances of your life in your menu

I recommend doing at least one day a week, two chicken, two fish, one meat and leaving one day free (more on that below for why free). It’s even better to increase the number of vegetarian and fish days by reducing chicken and meat days.

If you know in advance that you have a restaurant on Fridays, then remember this and create a menu for only six days.

If your children go to clubs on Tuesdays and Thursdays, then I recommend taking this into account. On such days, it is better to leave time for the children, saving it on cooking. So feel free to plan your Monday and Wednesday meals in large portions that will last you two days.

On days when you arrive late (for example, you have courses or training), plan the lightest meals: salads, vegetarian hot dishes, fish.

One of the important conditions for success: do not choose complex dishes for weekdays and Sundays that take a lot of time and effort. If you wish, include something more complex on the menu for Friday or Saturday (or when you have free days on your schedule).

Even if you love to cook, like me, you will still get tired of hanging around in the kitchen endlessly, especially after a long day at work. And why? There are a huge number of very tasty and healthy recipes in the world that are easy to follow.

Personally, I have a rule: a maximum of 30-45 minutes to prepare a full dinner. Exceptions are dishes that are cooked in the oven. There you cleaned everything, cut it, put it in the oven and went about your business. I select recipes (if they are not my invention) precisely according to these criteria - tasty, simple and fast. That is why give preference to dishes that are cooked in the oven.

Leave one day a week... empty. Even if you don’t have to go to a restaurant or visit, you will definitely be at home. My experience confirms: no matter how you plan, there will always be food left over. Therefore, in my family we have introduced a “leftovers day”, which we spend on Sunday (or the last day before the next purchase of products for the new menu). On such a day, I use my imagination or look through cookbooks, replacing missing ingredients with similar ones. Sometimes the results are simply masterpieces, the recipes of which I post on my blog along with the weekly menu for the whole family.

Before you sit down at the table and start making a list, I advise you to look in the refrigerator. What do you have lying around that needs urgent consumption? These products should form the basis of your menu.

For example, if you have a head of cabbage lying there, then include Cole Slaw salad or cabbage soup in the menu (or both, if there is a lot of cabbage). If there is chicken there, then come up with dishes with it.

If a mouse hangs itself in the refrigerator, then congratulations! It will be much easier for you to create a menu, and you will be able to fit whatever your heart desires (from food) into it.

Let's go to the menu itself

Write a plan on a piece of paper. For example:

  • Monday: .
  • Tuesday: vegetarian (for two days).
  • Wednesday: leftovers.
  • Thursday: cabbage soup with meat.
  • Friday: restaurant.
  • Saturday: chicken.
  • Sunday: “fantasy from leftovers.”

Browse through your selection of recipes. If you are looking for chicken dishes, use the index at the back of the cookbook. Very often you come across excellent options when you realize that in 1-2 recipes you can use all the products left over from this week, simply by buying, for example, rice and parsley with garlic. Such recipes are ideal for thrifty housewives and owners.

Immediately start writing down the dishes you like next to the days of the week on your sheet. Indicate the name of the dish, the title of the book and the page number with the recipe. If in the process you come across a better option, then correct what you wrote. I advise you not to get carried away here. Once you have a plan for all the days on a piece of paper, call it a day. Bookmark your favorite recipes and use them for next week when the time comes.

Usually you just have to start. Over time, you will get everything done much faster.

Dishes from the weekly menu can be varied at your discretion and adjusted to suit your changing plans. So, if you don’t want fish on Monday, freeze it and cook chicken. And on Saturday then eat fish.

It is better to remove the food from the freezer the evening of the previous day and put it in the refrigerator, well packed. This way they can not lose their beneficial properties. Please note that they defrost much faster than meat and chicken. You can get them in the morning before going to work.

And one more thing: it is not at all necessary to make a list on a weekend and start planning on Monday.

For example, I shop on Tuesday, when there are not so many people in the stores. That's why my planning also starts on Tuesday - with fresh food.

As you can see, there are many options for creating a menu for the week. This activity gives you freedom of action, and the menu can and should be adjusted to suit your needs and the needs of your family.

Good health to you!

How relevant is the issue of saving in the modern world? How much does the average family spend on daily food? The question of an economical menu for the week in many families is becoming a global issue that not everyone can solve. After all, this is not just about buying inexpensive products.

It is important to provide the family with all the necessary nutrients. We must not forget about the variety of food, because if you eat the same thing for many days in a row, then sooner or later the savings will become unbearable. That is why creating an economical menu for the week is quite difficult.

But it is important to get the right mindset and understand that an economical menu is not a refusal of all the goodies, but an opportunity to save money for other family goals. Just think: often a trip to the store can be equivalent to some kind of trip!

An abundance of food and a large number of public catering places are a big threat to the family budget. But you can cope with this if you create an economical menu for every day.

Saving rules

It’s important to talk about what an economical menu for a week could be for a family of 3 people. The average family spends a lot on food, often becoming the largest part of the family budget. At the same time, you need to plan the menu, and it is important to take into account all the taste preferences of each family member. If the housewife does not know how to create a menu while saving money, then she should adhere to some rules:

  1. Allow enough time to create a menu; this will allow you to clearly balance your diet, identify dishes, and make a list of necessary products.
  2. When going shopping in a store, you need to buy only those items that are written on the list. In addition, there is a little advice for those who do not want to give in to temptation in the store: go shopping well-fed. In this case, the temptation to buy something unnecessary and past the list will disappear by itself, and you will buy only the goods you need.
  3. You need to shop for the entire week. This is how the subconscious will say that the refrigerator has all the necessary products for the family, and there will be no temptation to run to the store for something else.
  4. When creating a menu, you need to take into account that it should not contain harmful products or semi-finished products. But if you decide to create a menu for the month, then be sure to freeze the food, you cannot do without it.
  5. The menu can be compiled in any form. You can print it out and write it yourself. It is important to do this in such a way that you can swap dishes if necessary.
  6. The menu should include recipes in order to correctly determine the list of products that need to be purchased in the store. If you don’t have a recipe, you might forget to buy something.
  7. When creating a menu, remember that hot dishes are prepared for several days. Soup or borscht can last two or three days in the refrigerator. The same applies to fish and meat dishes; they can also be consumed for two or three days, and they will not change their taste.
  8. The same cannot be said about salads and side dishes. They need to be cooked just before serving. It doesn't take much time.
  9. You can't give up baking completely. Once a week, pampering your loved ones with delicious pastries is a sacred thing. It is much tastier than store-bought confectionery.
  10. Remember not only about taste preferences, you need to take into account the age of all family members, chronic diseases (if any), and physical activity.
  11. The children's menu may differ significantly from the adult menu.

In a word, each family has an individual economical menu, taking into account the tastes of family members and other factors.

Features of menu design

Of course, when creating a daily menu, you need to remember about saving, but nevertheless, you should not forget about high-quality, varied and tasty food. You need to eat only high-quality products, with a normal shelf life, they must be without GMOs and various kinds of additives. This shouldn’t even be discussed, because health cannot be bought.

Particular attention should be paid to the temperature outside the window. For example, in winter, few people want to eat cold salads; in winter it is better to give preference to cereals, purees and hot soups. But still, vitamin deficiency cannot be compensated even in winter. Therefore, it is ideal for the whole family to purchase vitamins.

Ask all family members what they would like to eat, because it is unlikely that an economical menu will be happy for anyone if it is unwanted.

You can find various recipes on the Internet. And, in fact, there are a large number of them. The Internet and magazines are excellent helpers in this matter.

Products must be used wisely. After all, we are talking about savings. For example, when buying meat, think not only about preparing a meat dish, but also about how you can cook a delicious soup from the bones.

Taking into account all these nuances, you can rationally and correctly create a menu for three, four family members or more.

Shopping

Particular attention should be paid to going to the grocery store, because this is where all the troubles associated with irrational spending of money come from. To the tips that have already been listed earlier, you can add:

  1. The need to slowly select products, compare prices and the range presented.
  2. There is no need to fall for various promotions and enticements, in particular, “buy two for the price of three.” We strictly follow the compiled list.
  3. Make purchases once a week, this does not apply to bread, bakery products and dairy products.
  4. Buy semi-finished products only in extreme cases.

Prepare in advance, if possible, freeze the preparations yourself and divide them into portions. This way, the saving process will be easier.

How much to spend on food?

There are current queries on the Internet: menu for 200 rubles, menu for 150 rubles, etc. Each individual family can accurately determine the amount of money that will be spent on food.

The amount depends, of course, on the number of family members, on the family’s well-being and on how much you need to save.

This is all discussed separately and it is decided how much money a week a family can afford for food, so that the food is healthy, rational and varied.

Menu for the week

Drawing up the menu “from start to finish” falls on the shoulders of the hostess. After all, every family has its own favorite dishes and recipe features. Therefore, it is impossible to take any menu as a basis. The weekly menu for a family of 4 members is prepared in advance and carefully thought out.

But there are still tips that will help you take the right direction. There are dishes and recipes that do not require large financial investments, but are nevertheless very nutritious and tasty, and, most importantly, inexpensive.

Breakfast. According to the rules, it should be the most nutritious meal of the day and should not be skipped. It is optimal and inexpensive to eat porridge cooked in milk or water for breakfast (depending entirely on the choice of the housewife and the financial capabilities of the family).

Dinner. There are definitely first and second courses here. Saving is saving, but liquid meals normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, while the latter saturate and provide the body with useful substances.

Afternoon snack. Skip it or put it on the menu - it's everyone's choice. For an afternoon snack they usually eat fruits or salads. For children and their growing bodies, it is not advisable to skip this meal.

Dinner. Here you can treat yourself to meat dishes and salads.

Below is an example of a balanced, but at the same time inexpensive menu for the week.

Monday

Breakfast. Oatmeal with milk or water. You can complement your breakfast with boiled eggs.

Dinner. Chicken soup with vermicelli added. Mashed potatoes, baked fish.

Afternoon snack. Carrot and dried apricot salad. You can use vegetable oil as a dressing.

Dinner. Chicken meat stewed in sour cream, a side dish such as vermicelli and any vegetable salad.

Tuesday

Breakfast. Omelet with the addition of salami or sausages.

Dinner. Creamy soup made from zucchini. Wheat porridge, vegetable salad.

Afternoon snack. Fruit salad dressed with yogurt.

Dinner. Vegetable salad, chicken liver.

Wednesday

Breakfast. Buckwheat porridge with milk or water.

Dinner. Chicken soup, meatloaf and egg.

Afternoon snack. Rice with vegetables, cooked in the oven.

Dinner. Pork cutlets and mashed potatoes or zrazy stuffed with potatoes, for example.

Thursday

Breakfast. Casserole made from cottage cheese. Another tasty and healthy recipe is muffins with liquid filling.

Dinner. Vegetable soup, cabbage pie with side dish.

Afternoon snack. Fruit salad. You can eat the same muffins (all family members will definitely like them).

Dinner. Mackerel baked in the oven. Garnish with potatoes and vegetables will be a great addition to dinner.

Friday

Breakfast. Dumplings, which, of course, need to be prepared in advance and frozen. They can be filled with different fillings, be it potatoes, cottage cheese or fruit.

Dinner. Borscht with sour cream, porridge and vegetable salad.

Afternoon snack. Any salad to choose from depending on the family’s preferences.

Dinner. Pork or beef chops. You can choose a side dish, such as beans.

Saturday

Breakfast. Fried eggs with boiled sausage.

Dinner. Pea soup. Caesar salad with chicken and croutons. You can add tomatoes for taste.

Afternoon snack. Pancakes with a variety of fillings. They can also be prepared in advance and frozen. If you have time, you can bake fresh pancakes, they are much healthier.

Dinner. Stew with minced meat and cabbage.

Sunday

Breakfast. Egg toast, oatmeal.

Dinner. Solyanka, borscht or soup. Porridge and salad from meat and vegetables.

Afternoon snack. Pie with any filling, it can be meat, potato, vegetable or fruit.

Dinner. Potato casserole with minced meat.

Of course, the list of products and dishes may change. At the same time, it is convenient to create a menu for the week in order to better understand prices and savings.

There are many advantages of such a menu. Firstly, it saves money, which will improve the well-being of the whole family. Secondly, it improves your well-being. The fact that a person stops eating unhealthy foods, large amounts of sweets, and also eating in public places has a positive effect on the functioning of the digestive tract, cleansing it.

The third advantage concerns the figure and changes in its proportions. Such nutrition will help you lose a couple of kilograms, if they are extra.

In any case, such an economical menu will certainly not cause harm, but on the contrary, it will bring a lot of new and useful things to the family’s lifestyle. You should forget about all store-bought dishes, in particular pizzas, burgers, etc. This is bad for saving.

Quick breakfasts in the morning, lunches at work and homemade dinners in 20 minutes can be tasty, healthy, easy to prepare and, at the same time, not at all expensive. To do this, you only need to purchase all the necessary ingredients once a week and properly distribute them over 7 days.

For breakfast I recommend porridge and toast. This food leaves you feeling full for a long time and cooks very quickly. Making toast will take no more than 5 minutes, and porridge can literally be prepared on its own while you get ready for work. Just add the cereal to the pan, add water or milk in a ratio of 1:3 and go about your business. After 15 minutes, all you have to do is put the resulting contents on a plate and add your favorite ingredients for brighter taste, for example, nuts, dried fruits, any fruits and nut butters. I prefer frozen berries and honey with porridge. These are exactly the ingredients that I always have on hand and the combination of which truly gives me pleasure, because breakfast is the most important meal of the day, the main task of which is to provide energy for several hours of productive work.

Breakfast must be delicious, because a good day begins with pleasant emotions.

As for lunch, in my office I often don’t have time to go somewhere and have a quality lunch, or such lunches are difficult to find within a suitable budget. In such cases, I prepare a nutritious salad at home the night before.

In addition to vegetables, I add a filling element to a nutritious lunch salad.

Such a component could be, for example, chickpeas, beans, crackers, fried mushrooms, any cereal or Greek cheese. You can also add meat, chicken or fish left over from the last dinner to the salad. Both olive oil and plain yogurt without additives work well as a dressing. Or you can quickly mix honey, mustard and lemon juice, this will create a wonderful honey-mustard sauce that will give any salad a unique bright taste. Following this simple rule, the result will be a nutritious salad with the maximum amount of vitamins and nutrients necessary for the body.

The main rule for dinner is speed of preparation.

When you get home in the evening after a crazy day of work, you want to eat something hot as quickly as possible. In this case, I prefer pastas and stewed vegetables. Maximum cooking time is 30 minutes. Well, that's not much when it comes to a delicious, flavorful dinner.

Monday: Breakfast
RICE PUDDING WITH APPLES

Turn on the oven to 200 degrees. Roughly chop one apple, add cinnamon and move around. Place on a baking sheet in the oven.

Boil 1 glass of milk, add ⅓ glass of rice (It is better to soak rice and other grains overnight so that the grains cook faster the next day).

After cooking (about 20 minutes), place the rice on a plate or in a jar, add a little honey and slices of baked apple. As for environmentally friendly and healthy food from jars, the catering service Bankatering is of particular interest. She delivers food in convenient jars directly to the office or to an event.

Monday. Dinner:
BAKED VEGETABLES SALAD WITH NUTS AND CILANTRO

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Cut and brush with olive oil 1 bell pepper, 0.5 zucchini, 1 tomato, 1 eggplant. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

Add walnuts and finely chopped cilantro and a few pieces of feta to the prepared vegetables.

Monday: Dinner
PASTA WITH SOFT CHEESE AND TOMATO SAUCE

Boil your favorite type of pasta until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce. Cut 2 tomatoes. Chop 1 clove of garlic and fry in olive oil. If you have any meat in the refrigerator, it will also fit perfectly into the sauce, cut it up and fry it along with the garlic. Add tomatoes and simmer until some of the liquid has evaporated. Add salt, pepper, oregano and prepared pasta. Let the pasta simmer in the sauce for 5 minutes to infuse flavor and aroma. Stir and place on a plate, add a few pieces of Greek cheese such as feta.

Tuesday: Breakfast
OATMEAL WITH RASPBERRY AND HONEY

Boil 2 cups of water, add a little more than half a cup of oatmeal. Add a handful of frozen raspberries and 2 tablespoons of honey to the finished oatmeal. By the way, this breakfast is also great cold, so if you don’t have time to eat it at home, you can put it in a jar or container and take it with you.

Tuesday: Lunch:
GREEK SALAD WITH CHICKEN

Cut 1 cucumber, 1 tomato, 0.5 bell pepper. Add a few olives, pieces of Greek cheese, some boiled chicken, a little lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano.

Tuesday: Dinner
SPANISH RAGU WITH RICE

Boil ⅓ cup rice in 1 cup water.

Porezhye 0.5 bell peppers and 0.5 onions. Fry in olive oil until the onion turns golden. Peel and chop 0.5 zucchini and 3 tomatoes. Add to the pan with the peppers and onions. Add also 1 pinch of sugar, salt and black pepper. The stew will be ready when the vegetables are soft.

Wednesday: Breakfast
PEANUT BUTTER TOAST

Toast the bread in a toaster or frying pan without oil. Add peanut butter and any additional ingredients such as green apple pieces, berries or bananas. For a delicious breakfast on Wednesday morning, one of these is perfect.

Wednesday: Lunch
TUSCANY PANZANELLA SALAD

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Cut 3 pieces of bread into cubes, pour olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano, bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

Chop 3 tomatoes, add croutons, a few olives and olive oil.

By the way, this salad will taste better if it sits in the refrigerator overnight, so it’s best to prepare it the night before.

Wednesday: Dinner
GLASS NOODLES WITH MUSHROOMS

Pour boiling water over glass noodles for 10 minutes. Fry 100g of mushrooms with 1 clove of garlic, several slices of fresh chili and grated ginger. The amount of ginger required for this dish looks like 2 cloves of garlic.

Cut ¼ carrots into strips and add to the pan with the mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes. Add glass noodles and stir. Add spices to taste.

Finely chop the cilantro and add to the noodles.

Thursday: Breakfast
BUCKWHEAT PORRIDGE WITH CINNAMON

Boil ⅓ cup of buckwheat in 1 cup of milk. Add a pinch of cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of honey.

Thursday: Lunch:
SALAD WITH CHICKPEAKES AND FRESH VEGETABLES

Cut 1 tomato, 1 cucumber, 3/4 carrots, 2 lettuce leaves, several cauliflower florets, 1 stalk of celery, add ½ cup boiled chickpeas. Top with a little lemon juice and yogurt or sour cream. Add salt, pepper and other spices to taste.

Thursday: Dinner
PASTA WITH BAKED TOMATOES AND GREEK CHEESE

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Cut 2 packages of cherry tomatoes in half, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.

Boil the pasta until al dente and mix thoroughly with a few pieces of Greek cheese, olives and ⅓ of the baked tomatoes (the rest of the tomatoes will be needed for dinner on Friday and breakfast on Sunday). Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the paste to absorb the flavor and aroma. Sprinkle black pepper on top.

Friday: Breakfast
NUT OATMEAL PUDDING

This breakfast is best prepared in the evening. To prepare it, you need to mix all the ingredients and put it in the refrigerator overnight. During this time, the oatmeal will swell and become saturated with flavor.

Pour half a glass of oatmeal with a glass of milk, add 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, 50 g of nuts, 2 tablespoons of honey and a handful of raspberries. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate overnight.

Friday: Lunch
SALAD WITH FRIED MUSHROOMS

Peel, cut and fry 150g mushrooms in olive oil.

Wash 50g of lettuce leaves, cut. Also cut 2 tomatoes. Mix all ingredients with 50g nuts, salt, pepper, oregano and olive oil.

Friday: Dinner
POLLACK WITH VEGETABLES

Boil 2 potatoes.

Fry pollock in olive oil with salt and pepper. Also lightly fry the boiled potatoes in the same pan.

Make a salad with lettuce, half the remaining roasted tomatoes, olives and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Saturday: Breakfast
TOAST WITH EGGS AND FRUIT SALAD

Bake 2 slices of bread in a toaster or fry in a pan without oil.

Fry 2 eggs any way you like.

Place a few lettuce leaves and eggs on the bread. Sprinkle with black pepper.

Peel and cut 0.5 apples, 1 orange and 0.5 pears. Finely chop a small piece of ginger. Mix fruit, ginger and 2 tablespoons honey.

Saturday: Lunch
PUMPKIN SOUP WITH COCONUT MILK

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees. Cut the pumpkin into cubes and bake for about 1 hour until done (part of the pumpkin will be needed for Sunday breakfast and dinner).

Fry several slices of fresh chili, chopped garlic clove and 2 times more fresh grated ginger in olive oil. Add pumpkin (about 200g), black pepper, coconut milk (about 200g) and blend in a blender. Heat the soup, stirring frequently.

Saturday: Dinner
CAULIFLOWER WITH CHEESE, PEAR, APPLE AND CELERY SALAD

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Divide the cabbage into florets. Grease a baking sheet with olive oil and place the desired amount of your portion into it. Season with salt and pepper, add a little oregano and grated cheese to the cabbage. Bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown.

By the way, cauliflower is also good raw, so you don’t have to wait until it’s completely baked.

Chop 0.5 apples, 0.5 pears and 1 stalk of celery. Mix the ingredients together with a handful of walnuts and 1 tablespoon of honey.

Sunday: Breakfast
TOASTS WITH SOFT CHEESE, BAKED TOMATOES AND PUMPKIN

Bake a few slices of bread in a toaster or fry in a frying pan without oil. Spread Greek cheese on bread and add roasted tomatoes and pumpkin.

Sunday: Lunch
SOUP DAL

Fry some grated ginger, a few slices of fresh chilli and dried mustard seeds. Add 0.5 coarsely chopped carrots and 1 chopped potato. Fry until half cooked. Add 0.5 cups of dry lentils, lightly fry and cover with water. Salt and pepper. Cook until done.

Sunday: Dinner
WARM SALAD WITH BAKED PUMPKIN AND CHICKEATS

Heat the remaining baked pumpkin in the oven. Mix with lettuce leaves and boiled chickpeas (it is also better to use freshly boiled chickpeas warm). Drizzle with Greek yogurt, salt and pepper and add some cilantro.

Weekly grocery list for 1 person (to prepare 21 dishes)

The approximate cost of food for a week is 4900 rubles. These are 21 complete meals + bulk products that will remain for preparing dishes for the next week (Rice, glass noodles, pasta, chickpeas, buckwheat, oatmeal). On average it turns out to be approximately 233 rubles. for 1 dish. If desired, this figure can be reduced by at least 1000 rubles if, for example, you do not use products such as pumpkin, cauliflower and frozen raspberries. They can be safely replaced with those products that you have in stock. Thus, the price tag of products for the week will drop to 3925 rubles, which will be 187 rubles. for 1 dish.

Product Quantity Price, rub.
1 Rice 1 pack 40
2 Glass noodles/Funchoza 1 package 110
3 Paste 1 pack 40
4 Chickpeas 1 pack 105
5 Buckwheat 1 pack 60
6 Oatmeal 1 pack 1 pack 30
7 Tomato 12 pcs 400
8 Cucumber 1 PC 50
9 bell pepper 2 pcs 25
10 Zucchini 1 PC 40
11 Eggplant 1 PC 60
12 Carrot 2 pcs 15
13 Potato 3 pcs 15
14 Small pumpkin 1 PC 200
15 Apples 2 pcs 15
16 Pear 1 PC 15
17 Orange 1 PC 15
18 Small size cauliflower 1 PC 500
19 Celery stalks 1 package 165
20 Cherry tomatoes 2 packs of 250g 180
21 Lemon 1 PC 15
22 Lettuce (Iceberg) 1 package 90
23 Garlic 1 clove 1 head 35
24 Ginger 1 root 50
25 Chili fresh 1 PC 25
26 Cilantro 1 bunch 40
27 Fresh champignon mushrooms 250g 85
28 Chicken breast 1 PC 200
29 Pollock 200g 88
30 Frozen raspberries 1 pack 1 pack 275
31 Bread 1 PC 90
32 Olives 1 jar 80
33 Peanut butter/Urbech 1 jar 200
34 Nuts (any kind will do, I use walnuts) 200g 400
35 Coconut milk 1 jar 166
36 Greek cheese (Sirtaki/Feta) 1 package 300g 176
37 Yogurt without additives (Greek) 1 pack 200ml 45
38 Russian cheese 1 package 250g 155
39 Milk 1 pack 60
40 Cinnamon 1 pinch 1 small package 60
41 Dried oregano 1 package 40
42 Mustard seeds 1 package 113
43 Salt 1 pack 17
44 Pepper 1 pack 63
45 Honey 1 jar 200ml 130
46 Olive oil 1 bottle 250ml 120
TOTAL 4898