I have tried several different meal planning techniques since I started working full-time. Including not cooking at all.
I even signed up on an online meal planning website. They send you a meal plan and shopping list for each week. It is convenient and I recommend the site, but it just didn't work for our family. The problem I ran into was that I was not realistically cooking 6-7 times a week, I was spending more money on groceries each week than I would like, and the recipes often took longer to prepare and cook than I was willing to do.
Jones and I get home between 5:15 and 5:30 during the week. Jones immediately goes to his highchair and says "ee-ee-ee" (eat, eat, eat). I can sometimes get him distracted by playing with Trey while I cook, but the bottom line is the kid is hungry after school! So I needed fast - but healthy - meals with little prep.
I even signed up on an online meal planning website. They send you a meal plan and shopping list for each week. It is convenient and I recommend the site, but it just didn't work for our family. The problem I ran into was that I was not realistically cooking 6-7 times a week, I was spending more money on groceries each week than I would like, and the recipes often took longer to prepare and cook than I was willing to do.
Jones and I get home between 5:15 and 5:30 during the week. Jones immediately goes to his highchair and says "ee-ee-ee" (eat, eat, eat). I can sometimes get him distracted by playing with Trey while I cook, but the bottom line is the kid is hungry after school! So I needed fast - but healthy - meals with little prep.
I decided to make my own meal plan. I am only in the first week so I can't say it's perfect, but the past two nights have been easy - and tonight's dinner is already prepared.
I worked out a plan for two weeks, cooking three times a week. 3 times a week is a little more realistic for me. Plus, it gives us nights to eat leftovers, which we always have.
I worked out a plan for two weeks, cooking three times a week. 3 times a week is a little more realistic for me. Plus, it gives us nights to eat leftovers, which we always have.
Trey and I made a commitment not to go get Mexican this month (we are trying to not eat out at all). We have found ourselves eating Mexican once a week- it's fast, yummy, and cheap. But it's not really healthy and we don't need to spend that money eating out.
Anyway, thought I would share the first two weeks of meal planning. I try to grocery shop on Sunday afternoons after I get coupons from that morning's paper.
It is nothing fancy or earth shattering and definitely not gourmet, but hopefully it will work for us.
Jones certainly enjoyed the yummy chicken soft tacos Monday night, which is success enough for me. I cut up avocado and grape tomatoes and he loved it! He is not a meat eater at all, but this chicken was so flavorful and tender, he ate it all. We had it for leftovers last night. Just as good.
Tonight we are having poppy seed chicken, which I prepared last night. All I have to do is put it in the oven and heat the green beans. Yay for low stress week nights.
Friday night we are having zucchini fries. I have to sneak vegetables not only in my toddler's meals, but also my husband's. Wish me luck!
Here are the links to some of the recipes I am trying:
http://pinterest.com/pin/237776055296085946/ - Weight Watcher slow cooker lasagna
http://pinterest.com/pin/237776055296097612/ - taco chicken
http://pinterest.com/pin/237776055296041670/ - fries
http://pinterest.com/pin/237776055295957804/ - crock pot french dip
What are some of your favorite easy weeknight meals? How do you quickly get healthy meals on the table? I would love to know!
4 comments:
We made crockpot chicken tacos last week too, except I added a can of drained corn and a can of drained black beans...sooo yummy and SUPER easy!
Keep passing along easy dinner ideas...I need them!
I use my crockpot all the time. I have the Fix It and Forget It cookbook--it is full of ONLY crockpot recipes. I fill it up the night before and turn it on before I leave for work. Then, when we get home, dinner is ready and smelling up the house.
A lot of times instead of eating leftovers, I freeze them. Then, next time all I have to do is thaw and warm.
It's such a balance.
I have always stocked our freezer with homemade meals to use if I don't have time to cook. Things like chicken spaghetti, lasagna, spaghetti sauce, chili, chicken and sausage jambalaya are my staple stock pile. I usually half the recipe so I have smaller pans, but each is usually enough for leftovers. You can bake them at night and just microwave for dinner. Also, if you have time, cook extra on the weekends and save those leftovers for during the week. Just don't get discouraged. We all struggle and juggle our responsibilities. As long as Jones is loved, everything else will work out.
We just started using emealz (which is maybe the service you were talking about that you tried?). I chose the meals for 2 for five nights. I usually only buy for and cook 3 or 4 of the meals because that's usually plenty! We always have leftovers and then we also have room to cook another favorite meal that isn't necessarily on the plan. It works really well for us because I am a terrible meal planner! The most important thing is finding what works for ya'll and just going with it! Good luck! :)
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