Yesterday when I finished menu planning and writing out my grocery list I posted that as a quick update on twitter and facebook. Not long after, I had two comments from friends on facebook asking about menu planning. Somehow I have gotten away from the practice of posting our weekly menu here. I decided that it may be a good idea to start that again.
Along with my menu, I’m going to start posting some tips for planning out a weekly menu plan. So, if you have more specific questions about meal planning, please ask them in the comments and I’ll address them in the upcoming weeks along with my meal plans.
This one practice has saved a ton of stress in my week as a homemaker. Planning out our weekly plan has become a part of my Sunday afternoons as I prepare for the upcoming week. I usually make out a shopping list when the menu is all planned out and head off to the grocery store when my husband gets home from work.
The first thing I do when planning out our weekly menu is to look at our family’s calendar for the week. On busier days, I know I need to plan a quicker meal or maybe something in the crock pot. I also know by looking at our calendar if there are any days that we’ll be out and hence won’t need to plan a meal for.
For example, the girls are beginning swim lessons this week. The lessons will be on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. By looking at those on the calendar I knew that we would need something that I could prepare in advance and have ready to eat before heading out for their lessons. Thursday was a little easier since I was able to make that a leftover night. Yes, I do plan for leftovers.
And here’s our plan for this week….
Monday – Out to Eat
IHOP is offering a kids eat free special for the entire month of April from 4-10 pm. Our kids have never eaten at an IHOP and we haven’t been since moving back to the states so we’re planning to go tonight!
Tuesday – Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans
Wednesday – Pizza (kids have AWANA and Keith will be at work late)
Thursday – leftovers
Friday – Baked Pork Chops, Macaroni, and a vegetable
Saturday – Grilled Steak and either hot dogs or burgers for the kids
Sunday – leftovers
What’s on your menu for this week?
And as always, visit Organizing Junkie for more menu planning ideas.
Sherry says
I don’t know what I would do without a meal plan. I did it about a month ago, and I felt lost. LOL! Yummy – grilled steak! 😀 Great looking meal plan!
.-= Sherry´s last blog ..Menu Plan Monday April 12th – 18th =-.
Olivia says
Sounds great, and it’s very similar to the way I plan meals. We’ve eaten that baked pork chops, macaroni, and a veggie several times in the last few months. Yum!
.-= Olivia´s last blog ..Free Go-gurt for the First 30! =-.
Jennifer Scruggs says
Mon– breakfast for dinner
Tues– home-made chicken fingers and waffle fries
Wed– Tacos
Thurs– Pintos, Cornbread, fried potatoes, and smoked sausage
Fri– Pizza (Because we leave for DISNEY sat morning and I don’t want to deal with cooking or cleaning up the kitchen– since I not only have to pack our family of 4 for the trip, but prepare my house for a house-guest all week– my WONDERFUL Mother-in-law is coming to take care of Lilly while we are gone!!!)
Thanks, Monica– reading your weekly menu posts over the last year is what got me to start planning meals– it sounded cumbersome at first, but once I started planning this way several months ago, it has saved me TONS of stress– and money!!! 🙂 Love ya!!!
Jenn