Meal Planning

I've been trying for the past several months to do a weekly meal plan. I absolutely HATE the words "what do you want for dinner?" so it's much better if I think about this once and have all the appropriate groceries on hand (with one or two "back ups" just in case we're REALLY not in the mood for something in the plan when that day arrives). This makes it much easier for deciding what to have for dinner too. If Steve asks that awful question and I say "I don't know" then we go back and forth and back and forth and often what I suggest gets shot down. But if he asks and I say "we're having Potato Corn Chowder (which we're having tonight) then he usually says "oh, okay." MUCH less stress. I don't know why that was a big stressor, but it was!

Anyway - Last week's plan was this:

Monday - Homemade Pizza w/Salad
Tuesday - Quick & Easy Italian Meatball Soup (from the new cookbook - MUCH better than the navy bean & Ham soup. MUCH).
Wednesday - Beef & broccoli stir fry
Thursday - leftovers
Friday - Crunchy ranch chicken w/roasted potato medley (fancy!)
Saturday - Mac & Cheese & veggies

4 new recipes last week! I actually got a mailing - do you ever get them - the recipe cards that they're enticing you with and you can subscribe and get a binder and more recipes blah blah blah? Well, I never subscribe but I always keep the recipes and this batch were pretty good.

This week's meal plan is shaping up to look like this:

Sunday - Homemade pizza (again!) Yum
Monday - Potato Corn Chowder (from a soup mix Steve got for Christmas - Henry & David)
Tuesday - Tater Tot Hot Dish (fancy!)
Wednesday - On your own/leftovers - Mama has Stitch & Bitch!
Thursday - Chili (recipe from Laurie - Steve's FAVORITE chili recipe), corn bread
Friday - Leftover chili
Saturday - Chicken Cordon Bleu w/potatoes

Let me just say it's a big relief having this all figured out on Sunday. We even did shopping yesterday so aside from picking up some milk & lettuce, I don't have to shop until next week - whohooo!

This is all part of my trying-to-simplify-and-get-my-life-back-on-track strategy. I'm also trying to do the Fly Lady "missions," I'm reading "Simple Abundance" (again) and trying to take time to reflect, meditate & dream about how life should be. So far I'm feeling pretty good.

Comments

Kate said…
Good for you chica! And your menus sound divine! My friend Melissa puts a can of refried beans in her tater tot casserole. It makes a huge flavor and consistency difference!
11:54 AM
Anonymous said…
I try to do this too. I absolutely HATE that question. It just bugs me and then having a picky toddler it is even worse! Why don't the husbands ever have to think about this stuff!

I think you should start a food/recipe blog!(Like you need more things to do, right?) BUT! I would love to try some of the stuff that you are cooking...like that meatball soup!
2:32 PM
juliemac_29 said…
I love meal planning once its planned! LOL It serious does make everything so much easier. I used to assign the meals to the night, but it turned out to be easier for us to just have our list of 5-6 meals for the week and then pick as the nights came up. False sense of choice. LOL I'm working on this week's tonight - we should compare!
4:33 PM
George Erdosh said…
Although weekly meal planning is an excellent idea, I tend to make shorter-term plans: say three to four days. But it depends on your life style. I like to shop often to get freshest foods and doing it a week in advance may not work.

Check out my latest (Nov/08). It’s already getting great reviews:

Tried and True Recipes from a Caterer’s Kitchen—Secrets of Making Great Foods

www.howfoodswork.blogspot.com

Now available on many internet booksellers’ websites.
11:39 AM
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