A Month of Meals Coronavirus Style

Long time no post again. However, with the now-pandemic situation I thought I’d use this medium to share some of my plan to cope with the COVID-19 outbreak.
Panic? No. Concern? Yes.
Why. Why be concerned? Personally, I am fortunate to have all four grandparents still living at nearly 30 years of age. I see my mother frequently who in turn sees two of them, about 80 years old. I at 29 can likely survive just fine if not inconvenienced however if I give it to her who gives it to them, f*(8 I’m not signing anyone up for that.
Societally I’m concerned for those who aren’t as fortunate as me to be able to work remotely. Who don’t have sick leave or PTO. Who can’t afford to go to the doctor and get checked if they’re sick or worse if they’re gravely ill from pre-existing conditions. That’s a topic for a whole separate post.

So. Learning from what I see happening in Italy, I came up with a meal plan for four weeks. Should we not be able to leave our home, my husband, 10 year old, 3 year old and I should still be able to eat. I make no promises about the nutritional balance of these meals. It’s what works for us.

I thought I’d share in case someone wants to piggy back and not have to reinvent the wheel. I just bought most of what was required for 28 days of meals for less than $400. Granted, breakfast and lunch doesn’t include everyone. I assumed I would be reporting to work and need to have grab and go breakfast and lunch and that the 10 year old and 3 year old would have breakfast and lunch elsewhere. I know now that’s not the case.

The Governor of Ohio has ordered schools to close for three weeks. I didn’t account for that. But to me that means this plan may not make 28 days. I may have to return to the store. But I’m prepared to feed us for some time if it comes to a point where I may not be able to shop. God willing this food won’t spoil between now and then. I have work to do separating milk and beef and freezing in reasonable portions. I’m running out of freezer space. But I think it will work.

Here’s my plan.

Warning: I haven't checked this list more than once in typing it. No guarantees it's all accurate. Double-check yourself as you decide what might work for you. **edit- I think I forgot the ingredients for chicken parm.**

Week 1 | Breakfasts
Frozen waffles Monday and Friday
Yogurt and granola Tuesday
Fruit (apple, banana) Wednesday
English muffin with peanut butter Thursday
Homemade French toast Saturday
Cereal Sunday

Week 1 | Lunches
Frozen pot pie Monday
Lunch meat sandwich Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday
Canned soup and crackers Wednesday
Tuna salad sandwich Friday
Fish sticks and fries Saturday

Week 1 | Dinners
Shepherds pie Monday
Spaghetti and garlic bread Tuesday
Sloppy joes Wednesday
Chicken and balsamic veggies Thursday
Grilled cheese and tomato soup Friday
Lasagna Saturday
Chicken and noodles Sunday


Week 2| Breakfasts
Yogurt and granola Monday and Thursday
English muffin and peanut butter Tuesday and Friday
Frozen waffles Wednesday
Eggs, bacon, and toast Saturday
Pancakes Sunday

Week 2 | Lunches
Canned ravioli Monday
Leftovers Tuesday
Lunchmeat sandwich Wednesday
Canned soup Thursday
Tuna salad and crackers Friday
Chicken nuggets and fries Saturday
Cereal? Sunday

Week 2 | Dinners
Southwestern Alfredo Pasta Monday
Chicken nuggets and Fries Tuesday
Baked pasta and garlic bread Wednesday (cook pasta according to package, stir in spaghetti sauce, pour into casserole pan, cover with shredded cheese and bake until cheese is melted)
Logan county hamburgers Thursday
Frozen pizza Friday
Crockpot ribs, beans, and rolls Saturday
Southern Vegetable Soup Sunday

Week 3 | Breakfasts
Oatmeal Monday and Thursday
Cereal (to go bag) Tuesday
Waffles Wednesday
Yogurt and Granola Friday
Waffles and eggs Saturday
Cereal Sunday

Week 3 | Lunches
Leftover soup Monday
Frozen pot pie Tuesday
Tuna sandwich Wednesday
Canned soup Thursday
Canned ravioli Friday
Lunches Saturday and Sunday undecided/leftovers

Week 3 | Dinners
Spaghetti, Tomatoes, and Spinach with garlic bread Monday
Fish sticks and fries Tuesday
Tacos Wednesday
Tortellini and garlic bread Thursday
Ham and cheese sandwiches on Hawaiian bread Friday
Enchiladas Saturday
Chicken parmesan Sunday

Week 4 | Breakfasts
Oatmeal or english muffin (assuming muffins keep long enough) Monday
Waffles Tuesday
Pop tarts Wednesday
Yogurt Thursday
Oatmeal Friday
Egg in a hole Saturday
Eggs, beans, and tortillas Sunday

Week 4 | Lunches
Canned soup Monday and Thursday
Leftovers Tuesday
Tuna sandwich Wednesday
Canned pasta/ravioli Friday
Lunches Saturday and Sunday undecided/leftovers

Week 4 | Dinners
Baked Pasta and Garlic Bread Monday
Fish sticks and fries Tuesday
Enchiladas Wednesday
Ravioli and garlic bread Thursday
Breakfast for dinner Friday (probably french toast and eggs)
Cowboy Calzones Saturday
((Easter on Sunday, I didn't plan for Sunday))




Here's the insane grocery list (omitting things like salt and pepper that I have on hand always):
frozen foods:
30 waffles
3 frozen pot pies
5 meals worth of frozen french fries
3 meals worth of fish sticks
2 meals worth of chicken nuggets
24 slices of garlic bread
Frozen pizza
12 oz frozen egg noodles
package of frozen ravioli
1 C frozen okra
16 oz frozen mixed veggies
2 Cups frozen corn
2 cups frozen peas and carrots


dairy:
10 yogurts
Shredded cheese 2 meals worth for topping
2.5 C shredded mozzerella
4% cottage cheese, 12 oz
20-22 oz ricotta cheese
12 slices american cheese
swiss cheese slices
grated Monterrey jack (1/2 cup, I end up substituting something else usually)
2 cups shredded cheddar
41+ eggs
Milk. All the milk. (nah, I picked up a couple gallons)


cereal:
1 Box/bag granola
peanut butter
2 cereal boxes
8 servings oatmeal
Pop tarts


produce:
Apples
Bananas
4+ celery stalks
red pepper
2 yellow onions
small potatoes
grape tomatoes
5 carrots
broccoli
12 oz baby spinach
3 tomatoes


bakery:
8 english muffins
hamburger buns for one meal
Hawiian Rolls
73+ slices of bread


baking supplies:
waffle ingredients/mix
pancake ingredients/mix
olive oil, at least 1 cup
1/2 packet active dry yeast
4 cups flour


canned goods:
2 cans of black beans
5 cans of soup
4 cans tuna
mayonaise
3 cans ravioli or pasta to go
sloppy joe sauce
1 can corn
better than bullion chicken flavor
1/4 C balsalmic glaze (possible to make your own)
1 can tomato paste
14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes
2 14.5 oz cans vegetable broth
1 10.75 oz can cream of chicken soup
can of tomato soup
1 jar BBQ sauce
1 can baked beans
28 oz can crushed tomatoes


international:
masa tortilla mix
two boxes of spaghetti
3 jars spaghetti sauce (5 meals, split jars)
4 cups dry pasta
2 cans green chilies (3.4 oz)
3 packs taco seasoning
2 cups dried penne
14 oz jar Alfredo
6 lasagna noodles
2.5 Cups grated parmesan
1 package of tortellini
16 oz can refried beans
2 cups of rice
16 oz can salsa
1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies
16-20 tortillas


meat/deli:
2 packages lunchmeat
7 pounds of ground beef
8 chicken breasts

1 rack of ribs

1/2 lb hot breakfast sausage

sliced ham

misc departments:
crackers (for soup and tuna salad)
2-3 cups mashed potatoes (or a box of potato mix and ingredients)
2 16 oz cans beef gravy

Don't forget things like toothpaste, shampoo, soap, etc.

Back to School Madness

I realize it's been almost a century since I posted. I'm sorry about that. I've thought of posting a few things here and there but it's been so busy around here and I put the computer away for a few days to get things done and enjoy my last few days of summer vacation. Here are a few of the activities we've been partaking in lately:

I made these Cowboy Calzone from The Pioneer Woman's cookbook. They were delicious!! They don't reheat well. I had more filling than pizza dough so I saved the filling in the fridge. It makes great burritos the next day. I would probably try adding some refried beans to the burritos though.

We took Aidan to the pool for the first time. He loved it! Quite different from natural water.

I've been busy being the hands-on mom I thought I'd be all summer. Gee, where did the time go? Anyway, I started making Aidan a felt face set. I suppose you could just go buy a Mr. Potato Head, but this is more creative. The facial features come off and you can rearrange the face. I just have to make more pieces first.

We also made finger paint from flour, salt, and water. It's sticky and thick, but you know it's safe if your little one decides to eat it. I'll post the recipe one of these days if anyone's interested.

We made three colors by using food coloring drops.

Then we set up outside to help manage the mess.

Aidan didn't like the finger paint at all. He didn't want to touch it. Instead he used his Crayola paints as I posted about a few months ago. He likes to try to suck the paint out of them before I catch him.

I used those to paint his feet and do a footprint. He didn't like this process too well either, so the right one didn't turn out as well.

I also got started making Aidan's growth chart. Here it's just a board but presently I have it cut down, sanded, and painted white. Now I have to get creative about the decoration, I'm not sure how I'm going to do that yet. I'll try to post the full project when finished.

We also had fun trying out this idea:

I just mixed some food coloring in with water before making ice cubes out of it. These are this funny shape because we happened to have those water-bottle sized ice trays that make the round cubes to slip into bottles.

We put them in the tub with him to watch them melt and so he could feel the difference in the warm water and cold ice. Be careful though, small cubes are a choking hazard as they melt. Stick to the bigger ones and as they dissolve keep them out of little mouths.

It'll turn the water funny colors, too.

The other night during story time Aidan took pleasure in sticking out his tongue. It was pretty funny.

I got out the camera and snapped a few photos and video.

On Wednesday, we filled a baby pool with spaghetti and let the little ones "swim" in it. They didn't really take to the idea of swimming though, instead it became a spaghetti flinging contest. There was spaghetti ALL over the yard surrounding the pool. It was a lot of fun, albeit messy. I have video of that as well, perhaps I'll add some clips later.

Now that I've been to orientation at school, summer fun time is drawing to a close. It's about school supplies, textbooks, and parking permits. The seasonal fun isn't all over, we'll fit it in between studying and fieldtrips, but I'm about to feel the affects of being in class full time Monday through Friday instead of spreading it out and taking classes online. My schedule will be much different, and convenience products will probably fill the gaps in my life. Like frozen pie crust. If I get around to baking that Chicken Pot Pie I was planning on, I'm using frozen crust...that's why they invented those products, to save our time.

Until next time...hopefully it won't be 20 days again...thanks for reading!!

Pot Roast and Memorial Day

Last week's new recipe (I'm down to one month left!!) was Pot Roast out of the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. I've got a link in another older post. I use a LOT of the same cook books, maybe it's my way of going through the best of them before moving onto another. I check others sometimes but seem to always end back at the few I always use.

Memorial Day weekend I planned on cooking this Pot Roast on Sunday. For dinner, we ended up going to a cook out at our neighbor's house, so the Pot Roast waited overnight in the fridge, ready to reheat and eat on Monday. I only wish I would have made more...it was goooood.

I made it in the crock pot and it's SO easy. The recipe calls for..1 lb carrots peeled and cut into 2 in. pieces.

Next, we need 2 stalks celery, bias-sliced into 1in pieces. I'm not exactly sure how they mean bias-sliced...so I cut them kind of diagonal, that was my interpretation. 

I didn't have 2 small onions cut into wedges, but I did have one...so I cut it into smaller than usual wedges to spread the flavor out.

 Then I used a few medium potatoes for 12 oz tiny new potatoes or 2 medium potatoes or sweet potatoes.

Then I gathered my spices: 1tsp instant beef bouillon granules, 1tsp dried basil, 1/4 tsp salt. We only had bouillon cubes and it looked about like two made 1tsp...I'm used to being exact with everything but it probably doesn't really matter here, I'm learning to let it go a little.

Next I combined 3/4 C. water, 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce and the spices.

I trimmed some of the fat from the meat. I secretly believe that leaving some on there is good for the flavor. I don't know that this is true...but it makes things somewhat easier for me anyway, though maybe not healthier.

We're looking for 1 2.5-3 lb boneless beef chuck pot roast. 

The beef goes on the top of the veggies, and then sauce/spice mixture gets poured over that.

I cooked it on high for about 5 hours. Anywhere from 5-6 is good.

This is where we got distracted and decided to change our dinner plans.

Aidan LOVES the neighbor's petal tractor.

He also loved the pool...he's already got his own now.

He was a little tired by the time we left. Usually he loves his car.

When we finally DID eat the pot roast on Monday it was delicious if I say so myself. I kind of lost the fuel to keep up the photojournaling. I made mashed potatoes (real ones) and that took a lot out of me. By the time I was done I was way beyond ready to eat.

Next time, I'll try to finish the photography I start.