Sunday: Family
Go all out for the family and prepare GLAZED SAGE-ROASTED CHICKEN today. Serve the juicy bird with CREAMY RICE (toss hot cooked rice with reduced-fat sour cream and crumbled bacon). Add PETITE GREEN PEAS (frozen) and BAGUETTES. For dessert, top POUND CAKE (frozen) with RASPBERRY SAUCE. In a blender, process 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen raspberries (thawed) with 2 teaspoons sugar. Strain and discard seeds. Chill 1 hour and spoon over cake.
Plan
Save enough chicken and raspberry sauce for Monday. Save enough cake for Wednesday.
Shopping List
roasting chicken, fresh sage, orange, canned apricot halves, orange juice concentrate, rice, reduced-fat sour cream, bacon, frozen petite green peas, baguettes, frozen pound cake, frozen raspberries, sugar.
Monday: Budget
A good way to save money is to prepare CHICKEN AND POTATOES AU GRATIN using leftover chicken. On the side, HARVARD BEETS (such as Aunt Nellie's) are good. Add a GREEN SALAD and SOURDOUGH BREAD. For dessert, spoon leftover RASPBERRY SAUCE over fat-free VANILLA ICE CREAM.
Plan
Save one casserole for Wednesday.
Shopping List
cooking spray, frozen hash-browned potatoes, canned condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of celery soup (such as Healthy Request), reduced-fat sour cream, onion, shredded 50 percent reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, Harvard beets (such as Aunt Nellie's), salad greens, sourdough bread, fat-free vanilla ice cream.
Tuesday: Express
TACO NIGHT gets dinner on the table in a hurry. Follow the directions on any reduced-sodium taco seasoning mix and fill the taco shells with the mixture. Top the tacos with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and diced avocados. Serve with vegetarian REFRIED BEANS. For dessert, make FLAN (from a mix).
Shopping List
any reduced-sodium taco seasoning mix, taco shells, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, vegetarian refried beans, flan mix.
Wednesday: Heat and Eat
Take a break. All you have to do tonight is reheat Monday's CHICKEN CASSEROLE and serve it with fresh BRUSSELS SPROUTS. Add WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Dessert is leftover CAKE with SLICED PEACHES.
Shopping List
fresh brussels sprouts, whole-grain rolls, peaches.
Thursday: Kids
The kids always like SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS. Buy any meatballs and top the spaghetti with your own or another brand red pasta sauce. Sprinkle the combo with freshly grated PARMESAN CHEESE. Serve with GREEN BEANS and ITALIAN BREAD. Make instant CHOCOLATE PUDDING with 1 percent milk and stir in miniature marshmallows for a kid-pleaser.
Shopping List
any meatballs, spaghetti, your own or another brand red pasta sauce, parmesan cheese, green beans, Italian bread, instant chocolate pudding, 1 percent milk, miniature marshmallows.
Friday: Meatless
I never cared that EGG SALAD SANDWICHES were low-cost because they're so delicious. Make your own "salad" and reduce the saturated fat by using more cooked egg whites than yolks, along with low-fat mayonnaise and coarse salt and pepper to taste. I always add a little sweet pickle relish, too. Spread the egg salad on toasted whole-grain bread and top with lettuce and sliced tomatoes.
Add canned NAVY BEAN SOUP alongside. Fresh PINEAPPLE is good for dessert.
Shopping List
eggs, low-fat mayonnaise, coarse salt, pepper, sweet pickle relish, whole-grain bread, lettuce, tomatoes, canned navy bean soup, fresh pineapple.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Prepare KOREAN-GRILLED BEEF SKEWERS for your guests. Place the skewers on a bed of coleslaw mix for a pretty presentation. Add packaged LONG-GRAIN AND WILD RICE with SLICED SUMMER YELLOW SQUASH and CRUSTY BREAD.
For dessert, impress the crowd with VANILLA ORANGES with CHOCOLATE. Toss sliced and peeled oranges with sugar and a dash of pure vanilla extract. Scatter semisweet miniature chocolate chips on each serving.
Shopping List
boneless beef sirloin steak, reduced-sodium soy sauce, sesame seeds, light brown sugar, garlic powder, ground ginger, crushed red pepper, green onions, coleslaw mix, packaged long-grain and wild rice, yellow summer squash, crusty bread, oranges, sugar, pure vanilla extract, semisweet miniature chocolate chips.