Food Budget Woes & A Weekly Meal Plan

I know I'm not the only one who spends a ridiculous amount of money on food every month. Right? Right? Please comment and tell me you also have this problem. I see all these Pinterest posts about feeding a family on $80 a week and I'm like, WTF? You all must be hungry. But I always say I want to get our grocery spending down to a more reasonable amount. I have a generous amount budgeted and we almost always go over by a substantial margin. (I'm looking at you, COSTCO!)

In an effort to do more things that I keep saying I want to do, I'm taking action! I'm meal planning for 3 meals a day, plus snacks and only shopping for the items needed to create those meals. Because I think my problem is that I'm a stock-piler. (Once again, thanks, COSTCO!) There are times when you should stockpile. Say, for example, one of your staples is on sale, buying a few extras (preferably enough to get you through to the next time it is on sale) makes good fiscal sense. Hoarding olive oil...not so much. Also, I should probably use less olive oil. Haha. No.

Here is my plan for the coming week.
(Note: I eat a homemade gluten free muffin for breakfast every day, so the breakfast plan is just for the fellas.)

Monday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Applesauce, Cinnamon, and Raisins
Lunch: Thai Quinoa Salad
Dinner: Spicy Lamb and Bean Tacos

Tuesday
Breakfast: Yogurt with Museli
Lunch: Salad (I like to make an enormous salad with veggies, nuts, beans, and a vinaigrette.)
Dinner: Jerk Chicken and Brown Rice with Serrano Lime Slaw

Wednesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Raw Cacao, Peanut Butter, and Banana
Lunch: Black Beans and Quinoa
Dinner: White Lasagna

Thursday
Breakfast: Yogurt with Museli
Lunch: Pasta Salad
Dinner: Mung Bean Dal with Basmati Rice and Curried Veggies

Friday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Blueberries
Lunch: Coconut Curry Noodles
Dinner: Taco Pizza with this crust

Saturday
Breakfast: Pancakes
Lunch: Quinoa Veggie Bowls
Dinner: Date night in! Garlic Stuffed-Bacon Wrapped Dates and Mojitos followed by Cauliflower-Almond-Sage Risotto (veganized) and Salad
 Dinner for the kids: Cheese Quesadillas and Tomato Soup

Sunday
Breakfast: Egg and Cheese Sandwiches and Hashbrowns
Lunch:Vegetable Fried Rice
Dinner: Bean and Bacon Soup and Chickpea Fritters

Snacks: Almonds, Trail Mix, Fresh Fruit*, Ceci-Rosemary Spread w/ Crackers
Beverages: I still buy juice and milk for the kids, but we all drink water most of the time.

*I would just like to point out that for each of us to have one piece of fresh fruit a day is 35 pieces of fruit! How could you do that on $80 a week? I don't even know. I'm not shooting anywhere near that low, thankfully. But it makes me sad that healthy, high quality food is what people must sacrifice to make ends meet. I have a feeling that whatever I decide to be when I grow up will have something to do with solving that problem.