Meal planning at my house usually involves starting with the protein and figuring out what sides (starches and vegetables) are available and will take the least amount of preparation time. If feeling energetic/creative, I’ll pick a cuisine or flavour based on whatever jars of sauce or spices I’ve got. And I’ve got a good assortment of sauces and bottles of spices and spice blends.
If barbecuing, I let the smokey flavour of the grilled meats star and keep the sides plain.
I went into a bit of a carnivore frenzy on my last visit to the grocery store and came home with a large tray of hot Italian sausages and a family pack tray of lean ground beef.
Since I already had sausages in the freezer (for making a fast meat sauce), I skewered and bbq’d the entire tray. The ground beef were turned into mini meat loaves and four 1/3rd pounder hamburgers, since that’s the size needed to fit into those giant sweet potato hamburger buns I made. I also dug a steak and a package of two pork chops out of the freezer.
Vegetables … well, I picked up a bundle of fresh asparagus since they were on sale. A bit of salt, a drizzle of oil (vegetable or olive) and a few minutes on each side and you’ve got tender but still crisp stalks of delicious asparagus to nibble on.
BBQ: Before and After
Beef
Pork
Most of the meat loaves and burgers went into the freezer for quick future meals. The main portion of the steak was reserved for a steak and mushroom sandwich so supper was the bits trimmed off and some of the grilled asparagus.
One of the mini meat loaves was turned into a wrap with creamy guacamole and a home made flour tortilla
Cooking is Fun ... Really!! 
Your freezer certainly does have a wonderful selection of meals for you to choose from.
Odds and ends which can be assembled/added to in order to make fast meals. 🙂
It sure doesn’t look like you’re eating on a budget! Great planning! We are still going through the buns, yesterday JT made a ham and cheese sandwich with one, so damn good. I haven’t had a hamburger in ages, looks like you’ve got me craving one.
Thank you. Good prices for everything I bought/made. I had a bbq steak on one of those buns (as well as a burger) … when they’re all gone, I’ll made some more but smaller for things like pulled pork or chicken cutlet.
All that looks delicious! I find it so difficult to save money on food…. Temptations are usually too strong!
Crab, lobster, scallops, steaks … so many expensive proteins that I crave but can’t really afford on a regular basis so I make do with less expensive ones that still taste great.