Hi Everyone--
Jennie's post about meal planning made me want to make my first post about something that really helps me out. Planning meals that are healthy and budget friendly is the absolute hardest thing about being a mom and a wife for me.
I bought a regular-sized notebook specifically for meal planning. On the back cover my husband and I sat down and listed all the stuff we like to eat for dinner. Every Sunday night I fold over a new sheet and start a new menu for the following week. I fold the paper the long way so I have 2 even columns side-by-side. On the left side, I write the days of the week and what we'll eat. On the right side I make my shopping list. When it's time to go grocery shopping, I just tear off the right side of the paper and my list is ready to go.
It's really easy and convenient and I don't have to make mulitple runs to the grocery store every week because I already know what we're having every night of the week. It sure does take a lot of stress out of meal planning!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Great idea!
ReplyDeleteI have a binder called a 30 meal binder. It has 30 or more of my families favorite meals It helps me decide my weekly menu. I got the idea at http://littlenannygoat.blogspot.com/2010/02/30-meals-review.html
I had not mentioned my menu for this week yet because I have been planning as I have been going because it has been such a crazy week, but here is what I have made so far and what I plan on making the rest of the week.
Mon: Minestronie and homemade Wheat bread
Tues: Leftovers from Mon. (Soccer night)
Wed: Ham, cheesy potatoes and asparagus
Thurs: stir fry
Fri: Pizza (hopfully homemade)
Thanks Charloe! I am sooo totally going to do this! I have a friend that has a paper hanging inside the door of her pantry and she keeps a running inventory of what she has on that paper. It has helped her with meal planning. Michelle, I would LOVE a copy of all your recipes, but I also need ways to convince my kiddos to eat them!
ReplyDelete(P.S.- you both managed to work yourselves into my dream last night. Charloe, Corban was sleeping in my bathtub, and Michelle, you got all the bad guys and took them DOWN! Perhaps I'll have to blog about my dream on my personal site.)
ReplyDeleteValerie,
ReplyDeleteThat is so funny! I like hearing about me taking down bad guys! It makes me feel strong and fearless!
As far as kids not eating what I make. Mine know that if they don't like what I make they don't eat! So they have learned to like most of what I make, but there are a few exceptions, but luckily it is usually just one item in the meal.
Look on Bettycrocker.com they have a bunch of kid friendly meals. People have rated them. I printed out the ones that sounded good to me that had 4 or 5 stars and put them in my 30 meal book. I thought it would be hard to come up with 30 meals, but I realized that I had way more favorite recipes than that so my binder is a "book" of recipes:-)
Great idea. Thanks!
ReplyDelete