Planning meals and menus is not intuitive. I know that it took me many years and a lot of trial and error...but I also know that planning equals nutrition and balanced diets. That alone should motivate us to work at planning and spending a few minutes a week investing in the long term health and social well being of our families. The goal is to come home from the grocery store with the food items that we need to prepare the meals that we've planned, right?
So let's start with the meals, specifically dinner because that is the biggest meal of the day in most families and the one that everyone usually gathers for. Because we all know that variety is the spice of life, I like to choose beef, pork, chicken, fish, and vegetarian menus every week. If you have a night that you are always busy or have a specific activity that challenges your dinner time - plug in a “routine” meal. For example, Friday night was always pizza night at our house for many years. It gives everyone something to look forward to or at least something they could count on without wearing mom down!
Monday – Spaghetti www.mealessence.com/Recipes/RecipeView/tabid/72/Default.aspx
Tuesday – Grilled Chicken Shish Kabobs www.mealessence.com/Recipes/AddEditRecipe/tabid/65/Default.aspx
Wednesday – Fish Tacos www.mealessence.com/Recipes/AddEditRecipe/tabid/65/Default.aspx
Thursday – Grilled Rosemary Pork Tenderloin
Friday – Fettuccine Alfredo www.mealessence.com/Recipes/RecipeView/tabid/72/Default.aspx
Saturday – Burgers on the grill
Sunday – Leftovers
Next, look at each entrée and make a decision about the sides; at our house we try to limit starch to one per meal. Each family has their own personal preferences with regard to vegetables, salads, and sides but planning ahead makes it easier to focus on healthier meals.
• Spaghetti is an interesting place to start! Let’s add a fresh green salad and some garlic bread. Now we have a meal plan!
• Grilled Chicken Shish Kabobs is a very healthy meal and filling as well. Rice is nice to serve the meat and vegetables over and perhaps some fresh fruit. When ever there is lot of vegetables in a meal try to avoid a vegetable salad. Instead think fresh fruit or eliminate the salad.
• Fish tacos are just plain fun. You can grill the tilapia ahead or broil in the oven. Let’s add some black beans and chips with fresh salsa.
• Grilled Rosemary Pork Tenderloin is a great opportunity for mashed potatoes. Easy to make and kids love them! Add some grilled corn on the cob since you are firing up the grill and dinner is served.
• Fettuccine Alfredo is perhaps the easiest of all. Add a green salad and some bread if you like and you’re done. Wonderful meal in under 30 minutes!
• Burgers on the grill with all the trimmings only need a side of fruit or a fresh vegetable. Lemon Garlic Green Beans are a personal favorite of our family.
• Last but not least are the Leftovers. No one could possibly cook for 6 days without leftovers. At our house Sunday lunch is our large meal of the day and dinner is leftovers or a sandwich. Leftovers are always good – you can even freeze them and pull them out in a pinch.
That takes care of our dinner plans for a week. Now what? Now we break those items down into ingredient lists or what we call recipes. List the ingredients on your shopping list and move into the everyday items like cereal, eggs, bread, sandwich items, etc. This is where MealEssence.com saves time. What used to take about an hour can now be accomplished in minutes.
Every family has their own routine each week for breakfast and lunch. You need to include those items on your list. Saturday and Sunday get consideration when everyone is home so we will add a menu for one or both of those days. Crockpot meals work well for Sunday with church in the morning and grilling is a favorite in the summer. We are almost finished.
This is a great time to ask family members if there is anything they would like from the store. Any special requests that can be picked up at the weekly trip to the store. Remember the more you go to the grocery store the more you will spend. The average grocery store sale is about $30.00 so even if you’re picking up milk, you may end up with unnecessary purchases before you get to the checkout.
Making a list does save money but remember to stick with the list and take time to be sure you get everything you need on the list. Now and only now am I ready to head to the grocery store. Wow! That is a lot of work…duh! Who knew? This is why so many of you reading this blog don’t plan. This is what so easily disables us; this is what we don’t invest in, what we never seem to have time for. Good news, MealEssence.com is here for you! Take the tour now http://www.mealessence.com/Home/OnlineTour/tabid/104/Default.aspx