June 18, 2009
Question About Meal Planning
Question:
I follow your blog, and I stay home with my girls and work VERY part time (2 mornings a week). I am trying to have most meals at home. How do you plan your meals for your family?
We love to eat out but are looking to save some money by not doing it as much, plus, as you know, an 18 month old in a restaurant is NOT fun.
That’s a good question. I should start the meal talk by saying I am blessed with kids that aren’t the least bit picky. They eat anything, so it makes my life so much easier. I never cook anything separate for them.
I am a big time planner. I work outside the home about 4 mornings a week before Andy goes to work, so I have to be organized. I plan my meals at least a week in advance. I sit down once every week and a half with the calendar, my coupons, and recipe books and plan the next 7-10 days in meals. I make my grocery list at the same time I plan my meals so I know that I have everything I need listed out. I hate having to drag both boys out to get one missing ingredient!
We usually will grab lunch out once a week and dinner out once a week. Other than that I cook. We don’t eat a lot of nice restaurant meals now because Andrew is still a handful eating out.
The cost of living is much more expensive here than what we were use to in Fort Worth so I try to be good about spending money. I usually make two trips to the store in a week. One is a Wal Mart run where I buy everything I need except produce and meat. I buy those things at Publix just because the quality seems so much better.
I save quick meals for days we are busy and more involved meals for slower days. That is why I use the calendar when I plan our meals. I also never leave town without having my meals planned out for the week we get back and the grocery list ready for when I get home. I am very Type A personality if you can’t tell.
So her it is in action. This is what I have listed on my magnetic refrigerator pad for this week:
Sun 6/14 – steaks, baked potatoes, salad
Mon – Quiche, blueberry muffins, and fruit salad
Tue – chicken pot pie, salad
Wed – hotdogs, corn on cob, carrots, watermelon
Thur – tacos, mexican rice, chips and salsa, fruit salad (both boys love Mexican food! We so miss getting good Mexican food like we had in Texas!)
Fri – pancakes, bacon, cantaloupe
Sat – chicken spaghetti, crescent rolls, green beans
Sun 6/21- spaghetti soup, garlic bread, salad
Mon – PaPa John’s pizza, salad
Tue – chicken and rice, peas, cornbread
Wed – quesadillas, chips and salsa, watermelon
Thur – corkscrew chicken ceasar salad
Fri – roast, potatoes, and carrots, cornbread
Sat – waffles and sausage, fruit salad
Sun – Ravioli with meat sauce, garlic bread
Mon – maple mustard pork chops, sweet potatoes, corn on cob
Tue – cheddar macaroni beef casserole, carrots, and fruit salad
Wed – scrambled eggs, biscuits, cheese grits, and bacon (breakfast for dinner is a once a week thing for us)
I know this seems over the top, but it works for me. I save my lists so that if I have a hard time thinking of what to make I can look back and get inspired.
I do love the Pioneer woman’s website but more for special occasion meals. Some can be time consuming. My mom was a great cook so I use all of her recipes, and I google all kinds of things that I want a recipe for. I’ve put a few links to some of our staple meals.
Good luck with your meal planning!
Tiffany
PS Here are some of our favorite recipes from the Pioneer Woman:
