I do a rough draft menu monthly. I prefer to spend the time just once a month and then I swap stuff out as I find new recipes or defrost my freezer and find long-forgotten food in the bottom (someday we'll get an upright).I sat down and planned out March this weekend. As I did it, I was reminded of a technique that I've been taught in many home organization classes. In very simple terms, you create a list of all the meals/main dishes your family likes. Then when you do menu planning, you can just look at that list and, BAM, menu plan is done. Of course, the idea is to update that master list as you find new meals you like and remove ones that maybe you really don't care for.
I had a master list when we were childless, but I haven't looked at it since having kids. What we eat has changed a lot. Well, maybe not a lot, but I guarantee that we never had chicken nuggets for dinner the first six years we were married!
Doing my big meal plan this weekend made me think that I should recreate that master list. It is so easy to get stuck in the same meals over and over. I know I'm forgetting some really good meal that we all loved, but I have a swiss cheese brain. That master list could help fill in the holes.
And now my meal plan for this week (my crock-pot is going to be busy):
MONDAY: Ham and potatoes in the crock-pot (ham chunks, potato chunks, 2 cans of cream of something soup, a little milk, cream cheese added 10-15 minutes before serving), corn, salad, canned peaches
TUESDAY: Crock-pot Chili (Mindy's award winning recipe), corn bread muffins, salad
WEDNESDAY: BBQ Sandwiches (roast cooked with some sauce in crock pot and then shredded) on hoagie rolls with roasted potatoes, salad, canned pears
THURSDAY: Pumpkin Pancakes (from my freezer supply) and fruit smoothies
FRIDAY: Fast Food Friday
SATURDAY: Homemade Pizza (yep, we do pizza weekly)
SUNDAY: Chicken, Squash, and Sweet Potato Stew (from my freezer supply) with salad and jello
2 comments:
I find that reading other peoples' meal plans helps my own menu get out of its ruts.
Like "Ham and Potatoes in the Crock Pot" is likely going to happen this week. Perhaps Tuesday.
I make my menu plan when I sit down to read this blog, so here goes:
Monday: Breakfast for dinner - Eggs, hash browns, and biscuits with fruit smoothies
Tuesday: copy Cindy - Ham and Taters in the crock pot
Wednesday: Bowtie Alfredo with green beans
Thuursday: Barbequey Stuff with corn and applesauce
[1lb hamburger, 2 cans pork & beans
3/4 c bbq sauce, minced onion, brown sugar - topped with refrigerator biscuits and cheese then baked]
Friday: Ham Fried Rice. Yep, again. Me likey a lot... and Emma loves it, too, though Lizzy doesn't.
Saturday: Shanghai or spaghetti.
Sunday: Crock pot chicken
Okay, I'm late, but mine's up! Cindy, you rock for keeping me going. Please don't stop! I did a very simplified version...so if anyone wants recipes, let me know.
Post a Comment