How To Meal Plan.....

I've wanted to do this post for a while, just have never sat down to actually "write it".....but with some new blogging adventures on the horizon, and more people interested in this topic, now is the time!
So.....why meal plan? How do you start to meal plan????
Here are some short tips on how to start meal planning and make it effective :

1. Make Time To Plan Your Meals
In our society, time equates to money.......and there is no better way to spend your time (and save you money) then to set aside some time every week to plan meals. The "I don't have time, I am so busy" excuse does not fit here - we are ALL busy, we all wish we had more hours in the day - but if you can sit down and watch a t.v program or surf the net, you have time to meal plan - no excuses ; )
If you don't "make" time to menu plan, you won't have time for it - it's as simple as that.
When you first start to meal plan, it will take you a bit longer, but the more you do it, the less time you need to spend at it. Take an hour a week - preferably before you go grocery shopping (I choose to do my meal planning on Sunday or Monday morning) and look through recipes (tried and true as well as new ones) and decide what should be on your menu for the coming week.

2. Look At Your Flyers
If one of you goals is to save money through meal planning, then this step is essential! See what is on sale for the coming week, what specials are on, and try to meal plan around those sales. Flyers usually post their best deals on the front and back of their flyer - honest - that is the truth ; ).
Plan around what is on sale, and, if your budget allows, stock up on sale items - this goes more so for meat/fish as that can be the most expensive part of your grocery bill.
Also - plan around what is already in your pantry and freezer - huge money saver!

3. Get Meal Suggestions From The Family
Let's face it, planning meals week in and week out can be daunting.....the "what should we eat this week" can be exhausting to say the least. Heck, even I throw my arms up in the air many times with this question. Something that has worked well for me, is asking my husband and kids, what do you think we should eat this week? While Munchie's suggestion is always "Homemade Mac and Cheese mom", the Great One, offers up ideas that I hadn't thought of - it helps immensely......plus then you involve the whole family ; )

4. Before Going Shopping, Check your Pantry (A.K.A. the seven eleven!)
My girlfriend has nic-named her pantry the "seven-eleven" - it is always stocked and always open ; ). I am guilty of not doing this often enough, I "think" I have something and don't buy it, or I actually did have it , and then I either have to go back to the grocery store or have more items than I need on hand.....check that pantry before making a grocery list!!!!

5. Use a Top 25 Meals List
Sit down with your family and come up with 25 meals that all of you enjoy - this becomes your go-to list. I use my list more than I can tell you - if you look at our meal plans over the last year you can probably pick some of them out - in the summer, "Asian chops" and "taco salad" are huge on my list. Other items that are from my list: Slow Cooker Chops, Corn Chowder, Tater Tot Casserole, Chili and buns, Sweet and Sour Meatballs (You NEED to try this recipe!!!)............I might post my list soon....could be a good idea and a good tool!

6. Have A "Clean Out The Fridge Night" and a "Soup Night"
Essential to saving money is using up your leftovers. We do this most weeks in what we call the "leftover buffet" - I pull out the weeks leftovers and add a salad or a veggie and that is dinner. It saves me time and $$$$. I also try to incorporate a soup night during the winter (switched up with a salad night in the summer/breakfast for dinner) - this not only saves money, it is also good for you. If you ask my family what they want for dinner - odds are they will tell you "homemade soup and buns" - hamburger soup, taco soup, green pea soup, corn chowder, broccoli cheddar soup, meatless minestrone - the list goes on and on.....they love them all!!! (Plus....they're all homemade!)

7. Save Your Menus
After putting in so much work for your meal plans......save them! No sense in reinventing the wheel - re-use some of those meal plans in the coming months, or simply use them for inspiration or meal ideas ; )

8. Do Batch Cooking
I sound like a broken record when I get going on this one at some of our classes.......when you are making soup or chili, double up the recipe and freeze it for a later date. Casseroles, lasagna, spaghetti sauce, meatballs (reg and sweet and sour) - double, double, double!!!! It is the same amount of work, so why not get two meals for your time???? This one is a no-brainer ; )

9. Plan For Snacks and Breakfasts
Make muffins, homemade waffles, cookies- whatever items your family eats on a regular basis and freeze them! You have no idea how handy it is to have muffins/cookies to grab when you are on the go with the kids - homemade is always better than store-bought!!!! I also have started making my own granola - yummmmm!!!

10. Do It!!!
All of the information in the world won't help you if you do not put it to use.....so go do it - meal plan the next week - trust me, once you do this a few times you will wonder why on earth you didn't start sooner!!!!!!

Homemade Granola

Took some time out this week to replenish my homemade granola......it is also a clean eating recipe that I put together.....and it is yummy : )

Homemade Granola
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup flax seed
1/4 cup hemp seed
1/2 cup slivered almonds (or any other nut you like)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp cinnamon

Put all dry ingredients in one bowl - mix.  In another bowl, add the remaining ingredients and stir.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until it is all coated (this may take a bit).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and put the mixture on top.  Place in a 325 oven for about 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.  It is done when it is golden and dry to the touch.
I overdid mine a weeeee bit ; )

This is before it went in the oven.....

After - should have pulled it out about 5 minutes earlier....but it is still yummy : )

April Meal Plan

I have been plugging away at my April meal plan.....not sure if I am going to plan the entire month or not.  Our weather has been such a variation that I might just meal plan a week or two at a time.
Here is what I have so far:
April
1   Pot Roast with mashed taters and veggies (peas and carrots?) (and Yorkshire pudding!)
2
3   Clean Out the fridge night!
4   Homemade pasta sauce with meatballs  (Did this on Monday)
5   Cream of broccoli soup with homemade biscuits.
6  
7   Family Easter dinner - The Great One and I are responsible for making pies for 33 people! lol
8   Roasted Ham, Scallop Potatoes and veggies
9  Taco Salad??
10  Leftover ham used in mac and cheese (homemade)
11  Shepherds pie
12  Slow cooker corn chowder
13  Asian pork chops on the BBQ with double baked taters and salad
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

15 Minutes......

The Great One showed up with three family packs of boneless pork loin chops.  They were on for a GREAT price at a local grocery store and he took advantage of the sale.
I took 15 minutes, divided up the chops and prepared some for the freezer and some for tonight.

Pork Chops divided up into Ziploc bags......

Asian Marinade

Grilled Chop Marinade



4 of the 5 meals.....

Pork Stir fry - cut up and ready!

Asian Chops

Grilled BBQ Chops

Tonight's BBQ Chops (white wine, salt, pepper, garlic and chili flakes)

15 minutes made 5 meals......works for me!!!!

April.....

I'm sitting down tonight to start plugging in my April Calendar and do a bit of meal planning.  Can I tell you, I'm excited that this will be the first month where I am going to get to start putting in some frequent BBQ type meals......I LOVE this time of year!!!!!  While I know that I won't have as many BBQ days as the month of June, even a few will put a smile on my face : )

Will post my April meal plan as soon as I have it ready. 

Success!

The lawnmower taco recipe did not go over to well with the family.....neither did the tex mex fussili we tried (I like both of them.....the family however, did not....so it is a no repeat on both....sigh!)
BUT - the honey terriyaki chicken recipe - success!!!!!  VERY good - we did it on the BBQ (It is so nice outside lately!) and every little bit was gone - as in, no leftovers!!!!!
So - try it - you will like it!  Heck, you may like the lawnmower taco too......normal people like you and I do....it's those fuss pots like my "three" kids, that don't! lol
Enjoy!

Meal Plan Monday

I am adjusting our meal plan this week due to the amazingly beautiful weather that is headed our way!!!

Monday
Lawnmower Taco Meal  (pre-made freezer meal that we did not use at the beginning of the month!)

Tuesday
Grilled Terriyaki Honey Chicken  (Another pre-made marinade), with Spicy Noodle Salad and some steamed asparagus

Wednesday
Not entirely sure yet......... maybe a pork chop recipe or pork roast - potatoes and steamed broccoli

Thursday
Clean Out the Fridge Night!

Friday
Salsa chicken or BBQ

Saturday
Pizza night!!!!!

Sunday
Hmmmm....... lots of choices........something on the BBQ, or ham???