A long while ago when I really got into being frugal I printed out the Hillbilly Housewife $70 menu plan. I posted briefly about it, but since then I've experimented more and I've tried to morph it into something healthy. Her's is a very southern (hillbilly?) menu plan with staples such as collard greens, hot dogs and milk powder. The recipes are valuable though, and they inspired me to create my own super easy frugal menu. What I have listed below is what you need to have on hand:

DAIRY
20 quarts (4 pounds) Instant Nonfat Dry Milk
Costco-sized Butter Pack
5 dozen Eggs (she recommended 3 dozen but at Costco 5 is the same price)
8 ounces shredded Cheese
2 tubs of fruit-flavored yogurt
MEATS & PROTEIN
2 packs of Firm Tofu
Large Salmon filet
3 pounds Black, Pinto, and/or Kidney Beans
FRUITS & VEGETABLES
1 pound Frozen Peas
Frozen broccolli
3 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
Flat of Canned Diced Tomatoes
Flat of Cream of Mushroom soup
Big bag of Gala Apples
6 12oz Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate
Baby carrots
Seasonal veggies and fruits (these are the cheapest things in the store... especially tomatoes, lettuce, sprouts, cucumbers, sweet peas, etc.)
GRAINS & STARCHES
3 pounds rice (Jasmine is my favorite)
10 pounds All-Purpose Flour
2 pounds plain cornmeal
Hamburger buns
2 Costco-size tortilla packs
3 loaves of bread
Big bag of Instant Oatmeal
BAKING
Baking Powder
Yeast
Big jug of honey
5 pounds sugar
CONDIMENTS & SEASONINGS
Ranch Dressing
Jam
Peanut butter
Yellow Mustard
Ketchup
Mayonnaise
Ketchup
Mayonnaise
Salt
Black Pepper
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
Cinnamon
Ginger

The MENU

Ginger Black Bean Burgers
Scrambled Egg Wraps
Pasta with a Veggie and/or Tofu Sauce
Cornbread and Vegetarian chili
Tofu and rice wraps
Baked salmon and rice
Pancakes with honey
Peanut Butter and Honey or Jam on bread or tortilla
Toast and Honey or Jam
Broccoli Casserole
Oatmeal with Yogurt

There are a couple of choices with this plan. First of all, 3 loaves of bread isn't enough for our family, so you have to make some of your own, which is why we have a bread machine. Second, you'll be making two different bean soups, and using the crock pot is the best way to do this. Rather than having to think about making it the night before, you can put the beans in the cooker 8 hours ahead without soaking, turn the cooker on low and have soft beans for dinner. You'll be making ginger black beans one day, and a hearty chili with kidney beans another day. I also can't seem to make hamburger buns but burgers taste nice with large rolls if you are so inclined. The dry milk powder is for bread baking, and as you will notice very little milk used in the diet, that bag of powder will last a really long time. Snacks are peanut butter and jam or cut up fruit and veggies.