Whew! I haven’t done one of these in a LONG time!
Mon: Popcorn Shrimp, bread, carrots/salad
Tues: Pork Roast (prob on grill), rice, green beans
Wed: Meatloaf, potatoes, honey carrots
Thur: Hot dogs, mac’n'cheese, carrots sticks (Karate)
Fri: Ham, noodles, carrots sticks (yes, again!)
Sat: DiGiorno (2–one with breadsticks and one with COOKIES!)
Sun: Church Picnic. If anyone is still hungry, we’ll do sweet and sour pork stir fry with the leftovers.
I just finished up writing out my menu for the week. No, there’s nothing earth-shaking on it, which is why I’m going to skip listing it. What I want to talk about is the actual activity of menu planning.
Before 2001, I would go to the grocery store and walk up and down each and every aisle, hoping that something would catch my eye. I would hope that 7 days’ worth of meals would make their way into my cart and often have to make two or three trips within one week. While working full time. It was, to say, LAME.
At some point, I came across Woman’s Day magazine, where they listed a month’s worth of meals with recipes. I used a couple, but the idea of planning out a menu started to catch on with me. I tried their idea–a whole month–but found it to be cumbersome and our lives too changeable. So I started to make it a week at a time. Lo and Behold! It worked! I planned out the meals and what I would need for them, went to the store with a list and plan and had several pleasant side effects: spent less money, spent less time in each aisle, less trips to the store….
I’ve turned numerous people onto this concept–all of whom were just as clueless as I was about the whole idea.
It seems like they should teach a “real world” class in school. I really don’t use algebra a whole lot, but basic meal planning, balancing a checkbook and making a budget? That would have actually been useful in school.
I haven’t done this in awhile, mostly because I’ve been featuring delicious meals like Hot dogs and pizza and eggs. But this week I’ve got a couple of yummy ones I wanted to share.
M: Ziti
T: Eggs, Toast and fruit (yes, I know, but everyone eats it!)
W: Hot dogs, mac’n'cheese, carrots (ditto)
Th: Sauteed chicken breasts with tomatoes and thyme, rice, sugar snap peas
F: DiGiorno
S: Burgers and dogs on the grill, salad
S: Dilled Shrimp and angel hair pasta, carrots
Doesn’t Thursday and Sunday sound delicious? I’ll post recipes after I get the positive reviews.
If I’m “good”, I sit down sometime on Sunday and come up with a menu for the week, which leads to the grocery list, which leads to www.couponmom.com, which leads to me feeling pretty good on Monday morning for my weekly trip to the local Super WalMart. This week will also include our local Weis so I can get a month’s worth of microwave meals for Ethan’s lunches at school. But Walmart is definately where I get the most bang for my buck, if not always the best selection. (Weis completely wins with the array of teas!). This week is a combination of quick and easy
| 4 | M | Roast Chicken, rice, mixed veggies |
| 5 | T | Ziti |
| 6 | W | Chicken Croquettes, baked potatoes, |
| 7 | R | Hot Dogs, mac’n'cheese, carrots |
| 8 | F | Pizza |
| 9 | S | Thai Seared Shrimp |
| 10 | S | Crockpot Beef Stew |
I’m trying to find the provinance on the Beef Stew. I would SWEAR up and down that I got it from Pragmatic Compendium, but I’ve gone over her site three times and can’t find it! So if I’m stealing, PC, I’m sorry!
We had Ham and Potato soup last night…MMMMmmmm! Definitely hit the spot in sub-zero wind chill weather! As I posted on FB this morning, I wish Canada would just keep their air! We don’t want or need it down here in PA!
Haven’t done this for awhile, but was happy with this week’s offerings and thought you might be interested as well!
| M | Quiche and Biscuits | |
| T | Honey Garlic Pork Chops, mashed pots, carrots | |
| W | Hot Dogs, mac’n'cheese, carrots (Deacon/Elder Mtg) | |
| R | Ham, rice, veggies | |
| F | Beef Stew in crockpot | |
| S | Friends over – Pizza | |
| S | Thanksgiving Fellowship Meal at Church |
Honey Garlic Pork Chops are easy and yummy and I highly recommend them!
As I’ve previously mentioned, I do much better with fall cooking. I just love hearty soups, stews and casseroles! (My SIL used to call me the Casserole Queen!)
M: Pasta and meatballs
T: Roast Chicken, brown rice, green beans
W: Easy Chicken and dumplings (mmmmm!)
R: Hot Dogs, mac’n'cheese, carrots
F: DiGiorno Pizza
S: Celebrating our anniversary at the Revere Tavern!
S: Ham and Potato Soup
Hope your eating is as good as ours, but that your health is better. I just get Catie and Laura over their colds and Ethan comes down with strep. Sigh.
I’m unexpectedly home today, so I thought I would post my upcoming menu. With being over my MIL’s house all day, the menu during the week is a little less interesting. But I’m really looking forward to Saturday and Sunday (crockpot both days!).
M: Meatloaf
T: Eggs
W: Popcorn Shrimp
R: Hot Dogs (worship practice!)
F: DiGiorno Pizza
S: Crockpot Orange Chicken
S: Pork Pot Roast in Cider
Doesn’t the weekend sound YUMMY? I KNOW!!
I went to the grocery store with the best of intentions, but still managed to spend $139. That did include next Monday’s hamburgers and Suddenly Salad, though. Sigh.
M: Spaghetti and meatballs, because if it’s Monday it HAS to be spaghetti.
T: Eggs, crescent rolls and Fruit (haven’t had this in a long time)
W: Sweet and sour pork (leftover pork roast–yummo!)
R: Hot Dogs, mac’n'cheese, carrots
F: DiGiorno Pizza
S: Popcorn Shrimp, french fries, carrots
S: Grilled 3 herb chicken, couscous, green beans
M: Cookout! Happy Memorial Day
If Saturday turns out as yummy as it sounds I will definitely be posting the recipe. Good Eats, everyone!
Rain, rain, go away, can’t you tell we’ve had enough of you by now??? It’s been raining for days and is in the forecast for the whole week. Our yard is going to be a JUNGLE by the weekend!
Except for today, I was going for less-expensive in the planning stuff.
M: Steak, baked potatoes, green beans
T: Spaghetti and meatballs
W: Popcorn shrimp, noodles, sugar snap peas
R: Kielbasa, mac’n'cheese, carrots
F: DiGiorno Pizza
S: Picnic at a friend’s house
S: Here’s where I confess until just this moment I forgot it was Mother’s Day. I had on the agenda Ham and Potato Soup. Which I have to cook. On Mother’s Day I usually don’t do the cooking. So I’m not exactly sure what is going to happen.
Quiet week this week with food…only trying one new thing and it’s not that big of a deal.
M: Ham and Potato Soup
T: Spaghetti and Meatballs
W: Quiche, fruit
R: Kielbasa, mac’n'cheese, carrots
F: DiGiorno Pizza
S: BBQ Chicken burritos (recipe on TasteofHome.com)
S: Jim’s bday party – general cookout
M: Steak, baked potatoes, green beans (Jim’s 40th birthday!)
I put the extra Monday in there because I happen to know it ahead of time. He usually orders the exact same meal every birthday and Father’s Day. And you know what? I usually want the same on my birthday and Mother’s day. I don’t buy steak a whole lot b/c it’s so expensive, so it’s a nice treat on our special days.
