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Use this menu plan during the spring months. In North Carolina, that would be April, May, and June. Compare it to the winter menu. Menu plans for summer and fall are coming. This menu shows the regular and green costs and total protein for each day and the cost totals for each week and the month. Every week starts with dinner on the first cooking day and ends with breakfast, lunch, and a snack on the next cooking day. The Cook for Good Basics and Spring ebooks give you more recipes and detailed cooking plans.
Bottom Line: The average meal costs just $1.15 per person regular and just $1.57 green, using June 2009 prices.
Fit your schedule — I like having pizza on Sunday night, but if you'd rather have it on Friday, just mix up the dough on Thursday night. It only takes a few minutes. You might be able to go shopping on Thursdays and do your main cooking on Friday.
Celebrate the holidays — This menu was done in May, so it has a Mothers' Day dinner with asparagus quiche and strawberry shortcake on the first Sunday and a Fathers' Day dinner with pizza and strawberry ice cream. When planning your own month, take a look at your calendar for special days including birthdays and anniversaries. Just adding a little fruit to the main dinner or having a favorite dessert that day can make it festive.
Extra days — Since months vary in the number of days they have, this plan shows four weeks (28 days) worth of menus, plus three "extra" days at the bottom of the plan. Use the food shown for these days for longer months, to share with friends or family, or just as backup just in case you drop a pizza or put way too much hot pepper in the chili.
| Sample Menus, Spring 2009 | ||||||||||
| meal | regular cost | green cost | protein | main dish | side dish 1 | side dish 2 | fruit | dessert | ||
| Saturday — Week 1 | ||||||||||
dinner |
$2.07 | $2.85 | 27.9 | rotini with spring-onion tomato sauce & cheddar | sugar-snap peas | chocolate pudding | ||||
| Sunday — Week 1 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.41 | $0.62 | 12.3 | Sweet Raisin Flatbread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.48 | $2.07 | 15.1 | Cuban black beans | rice | Skillet Asparagus | banana | |||
| snack | $0.18 | $0.28 | 3.0 | oatmeal-raisin cookies | ||||||
| dinner | $1.70 | $2.88 | 35.1 | pizza with mustard greens and spring onions (2 slices) | tossed salad with vinaigrette dressing | strawberry ice cream | ||||
| total | $3.77 | $5.85 | 65.5 | |||||||
| Monday — Week 1 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.29 | $0.47 | 14.5 | Good Wheat Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.66 | $2.42 | 20.2 | Cuban black beans | rice | Skillet Asparagus | banana | vanilla yogurt | ||
| snack | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.0 | |||||||
| dinner | $1.32 | $2.40 | 26.3 | pasta with parsley pesto | glazed carrots | strawberry ice cream | ||||
| total | $3.27 | $5.29 | 60.9 | |||||||
| Tuesday — Week 1 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.29 | $0.47 | 14.5 | Good Wheat Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $0.92 | $1.48 | 16.4 | pizza with mustard greens and spring onions | carrot | banana | ||||
| snack | $0.18 | $0.28 | 3.0 | oatmeal-raisin cookies | ||||||
| dinner | $1.65 | $2.29 | 23.5 | bean burritos | tossed salad with vinaigrette dressing | strawberries | vanilla yogurt | |||
| total | $3.05 | $4.52 | 57.4 | |||||||
| Wednesday — Week 1 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.29 | $0.47 | 14.5 | Good Wheat Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.76 | $1.98 | 17.6 | bean burritos | sugar-snap peas | orange | ||||
| snack | $0.18 | $0.28 | 3.0 | oatmeal-raisin cookies | ||||||
| dinner | $1.41 | $2.60 | 20.3 | Potato peanut curry | rice | broccoli | strawberries | vanilla yogurt | ||
| total | $3.66 | $5.33 | 55.4 | |||||||
| Thursday — Week 1 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.29 | $0.47 | 7.5 | Good Wheat Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.43 | $2.15 | 20.6 | rotini | tomato sauce with spring onions | broccoli | orange | |||
| snack | $0.18 | $0.28 | 3.0 | oatmeal-raisin cookies | ||||||
| dinner | $1.77 | $2.91 | 32.2 | spring green eggs scramble | baked new potatoes | banana | ||||
| total | $3.68 | $5.81 | 63.3 | |||||||
| Friday — Week 1 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.41 | $0.62 | 12.3 | Sweet Raisin Flatbread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.01 | $1.69 | 23.4 | pasta with parsley pesto | carrot | |||||
| snack | $0.27 | $0.68 | 0.6 | strawberries | vanilla yogurt | |||||
| dinner | $1.41 | $1.77 | 20.6 | black-bean and tomato stew | rice | tossed salad with vinaigrette dressing | orange | oatmeal-raisin cookies | ||
| total | $3.10 | $4.76 | 56.9 | |||||||
| Saturday — Week 2 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.31 | $0.49 | 14.7 | Good Wheat Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.49 | $1.99 | 19.7 | bean stoup base | black beans | Good Wheat garlic toast | banana | |||
| snack | $0.27 | $0.68 | 0.6 | strawberries | vanilla yogurt | |||||
| total | $4.14 | $6.02 | 62.8 | |||||||
| $24.67 | $37.58 | Weekly total (average per meal: regular $1.17, green $1.79) | ||||||||
| Saturday dinner — Week 2 | ||||||||||
| Week 2 | ||||||||||
| dinner | $2.21 | $2.99 | 28.2 | rotini with tomato sauce with mustard greens and onions & cheddar | sugar-snap peas | chocolate pudding | ||||
| Sunday — Week 2 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.41 | $0.62 | 12.3 | Sweet Raisin Flatbread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.38 | $1.82 | 15.4 | red bean chili | rice | orange | ||||
| snack | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.0 | |||||||
| dinner | $2.13 | $3.74 | 31.3 | magic quiche with asparagus | baked new potatoes | tossed salad with vinaigrette dressing | strawberry shortcake | |||
| total | $3.92 | $6.17 | 59.0 | |||||||
| Monday — Week 2 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.31 | $0.49 | 14.7 | Whisk Sandwich Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.42 | $1.86 | 15.8 | red bean chili | rice | carrot | banana | |||
| snack | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.0 | |||||||
| dinner | $2.62 | $3.81 | 26.8 | rotini with mustard-green tomato sauce & cheddar | sugar-snap peas | orange | strawberry shortcake | |||
| total | $4.35 | $6.16 | 57.3 | |||||||
| Tuesday — Week 2 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.31 | $0.49 | 14.7 | Whisk Sandwich Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.83 | $3.05 | 27.2 | magic quiche with asparagus | carrot | baked new potatoes | raisins | |||
| snack | $0.18 | $0.35 | 5.1 | vanilla yogurt | ||||||
| dinner | $0.70 | $1.29 | 18.4 | Black-eyed peas with herbs | rice | strawberry shortcake | ||||
| total | $3.01 | $5.18 | 65.3 | |||||||
| Wednesday — Week 2 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.31 | $0.49 | 14.7 | Whisk Sandwich Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.01 | $1.49 | 17.2 | Black-eyed peas with herbs | rice | Skillet Asparagus | ||||
| snack | $0.45 | $1.03 | 5.7 | strawberries | vanilla yogurt | |||||
| dinner | $1.12 | $1.69 | 22.7 | noodles in spicy peanut sauce with spring vegetables | orange | |||||
| total | $2.90 | $4.70 | 60.2 | |||||||
| Thursday — Week 2 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $1.00 | $1.09 | 15.2 | bean burritos | tea | |||||
| lunch | $1.53 | $2.25 | 20.9 | rotini | tomato sauce with mustard greens and onions | broccoli | orange | |||
| snack | $0.18 | $0.28 | 3.0 | oatmeal-raisin cookies | ||||||
| dinner | $1.47 | $2.10 | 21.0 | Swiss chard frittata | roasted spring vegetables | banana | ||||
| total | $4.17 | $5.71 | 60.1 | |||||||
| Friday — Week 2 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.41 | $0.62 | 12.3 | Sweet Raisin Flatbread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.12 | $1.69 | 22.7 | noodles in spicy peanut sauce with spring vegetables | orange | |||||
| snack | $0.18 | $0.28 | 3.0 | oatmeal-raisin cookies | ||||||
| dinner | $1.50 | $2.18 | 25.2 | Hoppin' John | tossed salad with vinaigrette dressing | banana | vanilla yogurt | |||
| total | $3.21 | $4.77 | 63.2 | |||||||
| Saturday — Week 2 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.29 | $0.47 | 14.5 | Whisk Sandwich Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.25 | $1.61 | 18.6 | bean stoup base | black-eyed peas | Whisk garlic toast | ||||
| snack | $0.71 | $0.86 | 1.3 | banana | vanilla yogurt | |||||
| total | $4.47 | $5.93 | 62.6 | |||||||
| $26.03 | $38.63 | Weekly total (average per meal: regular $1.24, green $1.84) | ||||||||
| Saturday dinner — Week 3 | ||||||||||
| dinner | $2.27 | $3.22 | 29.7 | rotini with tomato sauce with spring onions & cheddar | sugar-snap peas | corn bread | strawberries | chocolate upside-down cake | ||
| Sunday — Week 3 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.41 | $0.62 | 12.3 | Sweet Raisin Flatbread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.17 | $1.98 | 16.3 | red-lentil soup with spring onions | corn bread | Skillet Asparagus | banana | |||
| snack | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.0 | |||||||
| dinner | $1.70 | $2.88 | 35.1 | pizza with mustard greens and spring onions (2 slices) | tossed salad with vinaigrette dressing | strawberry ice cream | ||||
| total | $3.27 | $5.56 | 63.7 | |||||||
| Monday — Week 3 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.29 | $0.47 | 14.5 | Good Wheat Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.63 | $2.30 | 23.8 | bean burritos | carrot | cheese, cheddar | orange | |||
| snack | $0.39 | $0.69 | 3.8 | walnuts | ||||||
| dinner | $1.26 | $2.26 | 17.5 | Potato peanut curry | rice | broccoli | strawberry ice cream | |||
| total | $3.57 | $5.71 | 59.6 | |||||||
| Tuesday — Week 3 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.29 | $0.47 | 14.5 | Good Wheat Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.18 | $1.99 | 16.2 | red-lentil soup with spring onions | corn bread | stir-fried asparagus | orange | |||
| snack | $0.45 | $1.03 | 5.7 | strawberries | vanilla yogurt | |||||
| dinner | $0.98 | $1.79 | 20.9 | pizza with mustard greens and spring onions | broccoli | chocolate upside-down cake | ||||
| total | $2.91 | $5.21 | 57.3 | |||||||
| Wednesday — Week 3 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.29 | $0.47 | 14.5 | Good Wheat Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.05 | $1.15 | 20.2 | bean burritos | carrot | corn bread | ||||
| snack | $0.45 | $1.03 | 5.7 | strawberries | vanilla yogurt | |||||
| dinner | $1.61 | $2.16 | 24.0 | noodles in spicy peanut sauce with spring vegetables | sugar-snap peas | banana | ||||
| total | $3.40 | $4.60 | 64.2 | |||||||
| Thursday — Week 3 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.29 | $0.47 | 7.5 | Good Wheat Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.95 | $2.99 | 25.9 | rotini with tomato sauce with spring onions & cheddar | broccoli | orange | ||||
| snack | $0.18 | $0.28 | 3.0 | oatmeal-raisin cookies | ||||||
| dinner | $1.24 | $2.13 | 20.7 | egg and spring-onion burrito | shredded cabbage | banana | ||||
| total | $3.67 | $5.87 | 57.1 | |||||||
| Friday — Week 3 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.41 | $0.62 | 12.3 | Sweet Raisin Flatbread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.12 | $1.69 | 22.7 | noodles in spicy peanut sauce with spring vegetables | orange | |||||
| snack | $0.60 | $0.96 | 4.8 | walnuts | raisins | |||||
| dinner | $1.47 | $1.78 | 17.1 | chickpea stew on couscous | oatmeal-raisin cookies | |||||
| total | $3.60 | $5.05 | 56.9 | |||||||
| Saturday — Week 3 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.31 | $0.49 | 14.7 | Good Wheat Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.46 | $1.99 | 20.2 | bean stoup base | red lentils | Good Wheat garlic toast | banana | |||
| snack | $0.30 | $0.47 | 1.2 | orange | ||||||
| total | $4.34 | $6.33 | 65.8 | |||||||
| $24.76 | $36.53 | Weekly total (average per meal: regular $1.18, green $1.74) | ||||||||
| Saturday dinner — Week 4 | ||||||||||
| dinner | $2.12 | $2.74 | 24.7 | rotini with tomato sauce with mustard greens and onions & cheddar | sugar-snap peas | cocoa cookies | ||||
| Sunday — Week 4 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.41 | $0.62 | 12.3 | Sweet Raisin Flatbread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.58 | $1.97 | 19.4 | chickpea stew on couscous | orange | |||||
| snack | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.0 | |||||||
| dinner | $1.90 | $3.25 | 34.8 | pizza with green peppers and onion (2 slices) | tossed salad with vinaigrette dressing | strawberry shortcake | ||||
| total | $3.89 | $5.84 | 66.4 | |||||||
| Monday — Week 4 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.31 | $0.49 | 14.7 | Whisk Sandwich Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $2.28 | $2.60 | 23.7 | rotini with pasta sauce 4 & cheddar | sugar-snap peas | banana | ||||
| snack | $0.00 | $0.00 | ||||||||
| dinner | $1.45 | $1.83 | 18.0 | red bean chili | corn bread | carrot | strawberry shortcake | |||
| total | $4.04 | $4.92 | 56.3 | |||||||
| Tuesday — Week 3 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.31 | $0.49 | 14.7 | Whisk Sandwich Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.01 | $1.15 | 16.3 | pizza with green pepper, and onion | carrot | banana | ||||
| snack | $0.42 | $0.74 | 6.0 | walnuts | ||||||
| dinner | $1.42 | $1.83 | 18.0 | red bean chili | corn bread (2 servings each, baked on top of chili as casserole) | carrot | strawberry shortcake | |||
| total | $3.16 | $4.21 | 55.0 | |||||||
| Wednesday — Week 4 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.31 | $0.49 | 14.7 | Whisk Sandwich Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $2.08 | $3.11 | 26.3 | rotini with pasta sauce 4 & cheddar | broccoli | banana | ||||
| snack | $0.12 | $0.18 | 1.9 | cocoa cookies | ||||||
| dinner | $1.23 | $1.69 | 16.3 | roasted spring vegetables | hummus | orange | ||||
| total | $3.73 | $5.46 | 59.2 | |||||||
| Thursday — Week 4 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.31 | $0.49 | 14.7 | Whisk Sandwich Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.23 | $1.69 | 16.3 | roasted spring vegetables | hummus | orange | ||||
| snack | $0.12 | $0.18 | 1.9 | cocoa cookies | ||||||
| dinner | $1.38 | $2.54 | 27.6 | pasta with parsley pesto | glazed carrots | strawberries | ||||
| total | $3.03 | $4.90 | 60.5 | |||||||
| Friday — Week 4 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.41 | $0.62 | 12.3 | Sweet Raisin Flatbread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.45 | $2.30 | 23.9 | pasta with parsley pesto | carrot | |||||
| snack | $0.45 | $0.81 | 5.7 | strawberries | vanilla yogurt | |||||
| dinner | $0.70 | $1.22 | 16.5 | red-lentil soup with spring onions | corn bread | orange | cocoa cookies | |||
| total | $3.01 | $4.95 | 58.3 | |||||||
| Saturday — Week 4 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.31 | $0.49 | 14.7 | Whisk Sandwich Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $1.24 | $1.62 | 13.4 | bean stoup base | kidney beans | corn bread | banana | |||
| snack | $0.42 | $0.64 | 3.1 | orange | cocoa cookies | |||||
| total | $4.08 | $5.50 | 55.8 | |||||||
| $24.93 | $37.17 | Weekly total (average per meal: regular $1.19, green $1.77) | ||||||||
| $100.40 | $151.56 | Monthly total (average per meal: regular $1.20, green $1.80) | ||||||||
| Extra Day 1 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.31 | $0.49 | 14.7 | Whisk Sandwich Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $0.88 | $0.94 | 23.1 | end-of-month rotini with mixed sauces | corn bread | mixed-vegetable stew with kale, carrots, onions, and garlic | milk | |||
| snack | $0.90 | $0.69 | 3.8 | walnuts | ||||||
| dinner | $1.23 | $1.54 | 17.7 | chickpea and tomato stew with green onions | rice | milk | orange | oatmeal-raisin cookies | ||
| total * | $3.32 | $3.66 | 59.2 | |||||||
| Extra Day 2 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.31 | $0.49 | 14.7 | Whisk Sandwich Bread, toasted | peanut butter | tea | ||||
| lunch | $0.27 | $0.50 | 9.7 | end-of-month stoup | garlic flatbread | raisins | ||||
| snack | $0.69 | $0.69 | 3.8 | walnuts | ||||||
| dinner | $1.74 | $1.89 | 25.9 | lentil, onion, and tomato stew | couscous | milk | banana | cocoa cookies | ||
| total * | $3.00 | $3.57 | 55.1 | |||||||
| Extra Day 3 | ||||||||||
| breakfast | $0.65 | $1.19 | 7.8 | sweet potato | yogurt | tea | ||||
| lunch | $0.74 | $1.54 | 24.2 | red-lentil soup with spring onions | parmesan cheese | garlic flatbread | raisins | |||
| snack | $0.69 | $0.69 | 3.8 | walnuts | ||||||
| dinner | $1.73 | $1.67 | 18.4 | black beans in enchilada sauce | rice | greens, kale or collards | orange | |||
| total * | $4.21 | $5.09 | 54.2 |
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* Some recipes at the end of the month call for leftovers and parts of other recipes, so the cost shown may be low for the amount of food served. But these recipes include some specific ingredients to create a realistic price and all ingredients were in the shopping cart. All costs are accounted for in the monthly shopping-cart costs.