Planning Meals

I know you know that I plan my meals out... I mean, I do post them weekly. That is part of my plan in helping me get and stay organized!!! It helps to make sure we don't eat out too often AND it helps with not having to make hamburger helper every night since I didn't think ahead and lay something out for dinner.

Here's how I do it...
...maybe it will help you to get organized too!

First... I have made a list of all my families favorite meals. Yes, I mean an actually list (on the computer anyways)! This helps me to remember different things that we have eaten and really liked before... to keep us from not eating spaghetti every week!

Second...sometime during the week (usually in the evening after kids are in bed) I sit down and write out a supper item for each evening. It is important that you grab your calendar when you are doing this... It helps to see what events are planned that week and whether or not you will need to grab something fast and on the go, plan something that is quicker to fix so you can head out to your event after supper, or know if you will have time to prepare a more time consuming meal!

One thing I have been doing is trying a new recipe at least once per week. This is fun as we are getting to try new things...but it also increases our family favorite list when we add the ones that we really like. I get most of my new recipes from friends and family, from work and church cookbooks and from the all recipes website. I LOVE this website. I get a daily recipe emailed to me and I have my online recipe box that I add anything that is emailed that sounds good and looks easy to make. You can create yours too! Check it out at www.allrecipes.com.

Also, I usually leave Thursdays for leftover night! After preparing three meals in a row, we usually have enough leftovers in the fridge from those meals to feed our entire family. This is just good sense... it allows us not to waste food and gets those leftovers eaten BEFORE they get moldy! Sometimes it doesn't work out and we don't have the leftovers I thought we would. On those occasions...I usually fix frozen pizzas or grilled cheese sandwiches. Something easy that I know I have on hand!

Another thing I do is usually give us one day that week to eat out (either as a family or Chris and I alone)! I LOVE to eat out at restaurants and I cannot omit that from my lifestyle just because I want to make more meals at home! If I plan it...it helps me to stick to the plan and doesn't let "eating out" get out of control!

Third... Once my meals are planned out for the week I sit down and make out my grocery list. I determine the ingredients I will need for each of my meals and write them down. Then I head to my pantry and cupboards to see what I already have and what I will need to buy. This is extremely important to meal planning. I HATE going to the grocery store. And, if I HAVE to do it. then I am only going ONCE! So, I want to make sure that I have everything I will need to make my meals... because nothing is more frustrating than to NOT have an ingredient that I am needing (which I usually notice at the specific time I am cooking that meal).

Fourth... Once my grocery list is in place...I usually add items that are on sale and are at the cheapest price to stock my panty (I will go into this process in a later post). Then, I head to the store for my one stop for the week and purchase everything I will need to make my meals!

EASY you say? It is when you are organized.

Do I stick to my schedule every week? Not always...you have to adjust and be flexible as sometimes things arise to change your plans.

But does meal planning help? ABSOLUTELY! It helps keep you sane... and healthy... and financially in check... and most importantly... happy because you are spending LESS time worrying and preparing supper and MORE time doing fun things with your family!