I am a HUGE fan of menu planning. Menu planning has saved me time, money, and most importantly STRESS. I used to look at the clock at 4:00 and think – “Oh no, what on earth am I going to make for dinner?!”
I love the way meal planning has helped our family. We eat a wider variety of foods as I don’t have to rely on old standbys. I love not wandering aimlessly around the grocery store looking for things that “look good,” or desperately rummaging through the pantry trying to scrape together ingredients that will make a composed dish.
I also love looking at the menu in the morning and seeing what items I can prep ahead of time. Mornings tend to be much calmer at our house, and early prep work saves me during the “crazy” time in the afternoon when typical dinner prep occurs.
If you’d like to check out all of my previous Weekly Menus, click HERE!
Ready for some new ideas? Here we go!
Monday:
Breakfast- Pancakes (My birthday girl had hers in the shape of a “2.”)
Dinner- Sloppy Joes, Fries, Fruit Salad
I made the sloppy joe filling a few weeks ago, and froze it! For more freezer cooking ideas, click HERE.
Tuesday:
Breakfast- Omelets in a Bag
Dinner- Chicken Stew, Homemade Wheat Bread
Think chicken pot pie filling, only creamier and chunkier!
Wednesday:
Breakfast- Chasing Supermom’s Healthy Zucchini Bread & Fruit
Dinner- Crockpot Pork Tacos, Rice, Jell-O
To make the Pork Tacos, I throw a pork roast in the crock pot with enchilada sauce and green chilis. I cook on low for 6-8 hours, and then shred. SO so easy!
Thursday:
Breakfast- Oatmeal
Dinner- 3 Cheese Chicken Florentine, Garlic bread, Green beans
Sometimes, a great short-cut product like Kraft Recipe Makers can really jump-start dinner. There is no shame in supplementing your cooking with convenience products.
Friday:
Breakfast- Muffins and Scrambled Eggs
Dinner- Pita Pizza, Salad
I absolutely LOVE to pin breads, rolls, and muffins. I have a whole board on Pinterest. To follow me on Pinterest (and feed off of my muffin obsession), click HERE.
Pita Pizzas are a family favorite. I use soft Greek Pita bread as the crust, and allow everyone to customize their toppings. Fridays are also “Family Night” at our house. Click HERE to read through some of our past activities and treats.
Saturday:
Breakfast- Bisquick Coffee Cake
Dinner- Grands Chicken Chile Bake, Crockpot Refried Beans, Jell-O Fruity Roll-ups
Yes, we eat a lot of Jell-O. I try to serve Jell-O or fruit anytime I make something that may be considered spicy. I find the sweet and tart qualities of the Jell-O help offset the spicy flavors for my kids. (Plus, I’m a HUGE fan of 60’s style food.)
Sunday:
Breakfast- Cold Cereal, Hard-boiled Eggs
Dinner- Chicken Wraps, Fruit/Veggie
Chicken wraps are a new “go-to” favorite at our house. Use breaded chicken strips or strips of grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, and cheese inside a tortilla to make a tasty twist on the taco. My husband likes to add Ranch dressing to his wrap.
For more weekly meal plan menus, click HERE. You can also always find my Weekly Menus, under the Resources Tab on the homepage.
{Kathy} Meal planning is the key to having a well-functioning home environment. I have taken my cues from how restaurants plan their meals. First, you are right — morning prep is ESSENTIAL for making dinner doable. Do we think chefs show up at restaurants show up 30 minutes before the place opens? No, the prep work is done all day. Anything we can do in the morning works. That includes setting the table while I empty the dishes from the dishwasher that were there the night before! Why even put them in a cabinet if they are going to be used in a few hours. Again, a restaurant trick.