Week #8
As a home-maker, meal planning is my number one stress reliever! It's true - not having to worry about what's for dinner, takes one more thing off of my to-do list.
Years ago, I read a blog post by Carolyn Mahaney on Girltalk. As a new wife, this post shaped the way I planned meals... and shockingly, I've stuck with it ever since:
"I always plan the meals with my calendar. That way, I can coordinate the meal with the day—plan easy meals for busy days and the more elaborate meals for the less demanding days.
Also, to simplify the menu-planning process, I plan meals from the same category of foods for certain days. For example on Sundays I make a breakfast meal since CJ and Chad like breakfast foods. On Mondays, which is my husband’s day off, I use a meal from my freezer. Then again on Saturdays, I make sandwiches for dinner (and add a dessert to make it a little more special!) because that is the night I babysit my grandsons.
I’ve found it helpful to keep a running grocery list on a tiny dry-erase board (a freebie from a seafood market that I frequent) that is on the side of my refrigerator. The moment I run out of a food item, I jot it down so I won’t forget it come grocery-shopping day. Certain family-members like to add to the list as well. This past week “cherry coke” appeared. I knew immediately—Janelle’s been here."
I now keep a dry erase board in my kitchen for quick grocery notes. I meal plan and grocery shop every two weeks (because that is how often Justin gets paid).
My daily meal categories look like this:
Sunday: Soup & Sandwiches
Monday: Chicken
Tuesday: Crockpot Meal
(because I run errands and Noah has preschool that day... so - easy meal for a busy day)
Wednesday: Fish
(my husband's specialty, he often cooks on Wednesdays between work and church)
Thursday: Beef
Friday: Mexican
(a fun family favorite that is a great way to start the weekend)
Saturday: Pizza
Now... I don't always follow this meal plan! Life happens and there are weeks when we grab Chipotle one night, order pizza the next, and eat chicken nuggets and applesauce another! But this plan is always my goal, and makes dinner plans easy.
It also allows me to fit new recipes in whenever I wish. If I find a new chicken casserole recipe I want to try, I fit it in on Monday.
Also, I have blogged in the past about my favorite grocery shopping app, Grocery IQ. So I won't repeat that info in this post.
I also pull out my Recipe Scarpbook for recipe ideas and inspiration on the days that I meal plan.
Lastly, here is a great "Meal Planning/Shopping List" that I found on Pinterest. It is colorful and organized and can be used week to week:
