Showing posts with label menu planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label menu planning. Show all posts

Mar 5, 2020

Getting Back to Menu Planning

For the last - I don't even know how long - I've gotten away from menu planning. There have been weeks when I've sketched out a plan, but it's been nothing like what I used to do. But I was going through old posts and came across this one from exactly six years ago today, Simplifying My Menu Planning.

Getting Back to Menu Planning


In that post, I wrote about how I had been planning monthly menus, and how a list of thirty meals that my family enjoyed made planning for the entire month easier.

I realized that this would still work for me.

I have to update my list of meals, because my family doesn't like some of those meals now, and we have new favorites. But planning should be easier because our schedule is actually a lot less hectic now that we're not juggling four teams' worth of practices.

I was also reminded of the tremendous benefits of cooking at home. I have been cooking a lot, but I could do a better job of prepping ahead. And a menu plan would help me save more time and money, not to mention stress.

Since it's the beginning of the month, I'm going to Google Calendar and planning our meals for the rest of March. I know I won't stick to the plan, but as I said six years ago, I'm much more likely to cook if I have a plan, even if I'm not following it!

Jan 20, 2020

Make Meal Planning Easier with Lists

As I've mentioned, oh, a million times over the years, I'm a huge fan of meal planning. And I've discovered some tips and tricks, like checking the weather in the summer to make sure I'm not firing up the oven when the high outside is 110 degrees.

Another thing that helps me with meal planning is to have some lists. One list is quite short. Where some families do theme days, like Meatless Monday and Taco Tuesday, I like to do things according to our schedule. This means I save meals that don't make for good, portable leftovers for Fridays and Saturdays, when I don't pack a brown bag lunch for my husband. On Thursdays, when I'm doing some crazy driving for afternoon pick ups, I plan make-ahead meals. Sundays and Tuesdays, when I go to the farmers market and buy fresh fish, are seafood nights.

Make Meal Planning Easier with Lists


Another list has our favorite meals, particularly meals that everyone in my family enjoys. This list changes with time, but right now, it includes Baked Beef Tacos, Roasted Cauliflower and Sardine Pasta, Miso Soba Bowl (I use this recipe as a base and change up the veggies), Spinach Artichoke Dip, and Clam Chowder.

A third list has pantry meals, or meals for which I usually have ingredients on hand and can throw together quickly if I'm caught off-guard. This list includes frittatas, fried rice, and hot dogs.

Your lists will be different, of course, but they can help make planning your meals for the next week or month faster and easier. You still have lots of flexibility to get creative, but the structure gives you a starting point (which is key if you're in a particularly busy season).

Do you have any tips for meal planning?

Apr 30, 2017

Menu Plan Monday: Week of May 1, 2017

Menu Plan Monday | Chief Family Officer

Our schedule for this week is pretty set, but the rest of the month is kind of in flux ... so I only made a menu plan for this week and not the rest of the month. I'm really trying to cook healthier, by cutting down on red meat and serving more fish and tofu. So here's my plan for this week:

Monday - Buffalo Chicken Wings, Salad

Tuesday - Beef Tenderloin (if I'm going to serve red meat, I'm going for the delicious kind!), Horseradish Cream, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Yorkshire Pudding

Wednesday - Miso Chicken, Rice, Roasted Eggplant

Thursday - Pan Fried Tofu, Soba, Salad

Friday - Sheet Pan Garlic Butter Flounder with Green Beans

Saturday - Leftovers

Sunday - Breakfast (waffles or pancakes, bacon or sausage, eggs, fruit)

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Apr 2, 2017

Menu Plan Monday: Week of April 3, 2017

Menu Plan Monday | Chief Family Officer

Even though I haven't been publishing a menu plan, I've been cooking a quite a bit. But without a regular menu plan, I find that after a few weeks, I feel off-kilter. So, I figured I'd better publish one this week. Here's what I've got planned:

Monday - Miso-Glazed Salmon, rice, some kind of veggie

Tuesday - Dinner out

Wednesday - Honey Sesame Chicken, rice, steamed broccoli

Thursday - Beef Enchiladas (previously made; just need to defrost and bake!), Salad

Friday - Dinner out

Saturday - Crispy Tortellini with Peas and Prosciutto

Sunday - Breakfast (pancakes, bacon, fruit, eggs)

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Mar 5, 2017

Menu Plan Monday: Week of March 6, 2017

Menu Plan Monday | Chief Family Officer

I've been lax about posting my menu plan again, but I've still been cooking a lot. We're adjusting to a new routine with the boys' practice schedules, and the time change this coming weekend might mess things up again. But for this week, here's my plan:

Monday - Broccoli Pizza {I'll throw some pepperoni on there for the kids, LOL}

Tuesday - Egg Salad Sandwiches

Wednesday - Bacon Wrapped Tofu, rice, roasted baby broccoli

Thursday - Roasted Cauliflower and Sardine Pasta

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Better-Than-Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

Sunday - Breakfast {waffles, bacon, eggs, fruit}

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Jan 22, 2017

Menu Plan Monday: Week of January 23, 2017

Menu Plan Monday | Chief Family Officer

Life has been crazy lately, but I'm excited about this week's menu - I've got a few new recipes I'm looking forward to trying out, and I've also got a lasagna craving. :)

Here's my plan for this week:

Monday - Bacon-Wrapped Tofu, rice, some kind of veggie

Tuesday - Broiled Halibut with Bechamel Sauce, some kind of veggie

Wednesday - Cauliflower and Sardine Pasta

Thursday - Baked Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Friday - Lasagna, salad, garlic bread

Saturday - Homemade Crunch Wrap Supreme, Guacamole

Sunday - Croissant Breakfast Sandwiches, Fruit

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Jan 8, 2017

Menu Plan Monday: Week of January 8, 2017

Menu Plan Monday | Chief Family Officer

How do the weeks fly by so quickly?! It's already the second week of January, and my kids are heading back to school tomorrow. I've learned over the years that although it's tempting to pack this first week of school with all of the things I didn't or couldn't get done while the boys were underfoot, it's best if I try to take it easy. So here's my plan for this week:

Monday - Slow Cooker Korean Short Ribs, rice, some (green) veggie

Tuesday - Chicken Tamale Pie, salad

Wednesday - Lobster Rolls, crudite

Thursday - Slow Cooker Shredded Beef, Sweet Potato Casserole

Friday - Unstuffed Cabbage Soup

Saturday - Four Cheese Garlic Spaghetti Squash, some kind of veggie

Sunday - Breakfast {waffles, sausage, fruit}

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Jan 1, 2017

Menu Plan Monday: Week of January 2, 2017


Happy New Year! Not that I can believe it's already 2017.

This is the third month in a row that I've made a menu plan for the month. As always, I know things will change and adjustments will have to be made, but it makes planning for the week ahead so much easier if I've already got the bones of a plan in place, and it just needs a little tweaking.

My kids are still off from school, so things will have to be extra flexible around here this week! But here's my plan:

Monday - Enchiladas (from the freezer; they just need to be defrosted and baked), salad, lots of avocado

Tuesday - Broccoli and Spinach Quiche (I've got a pie crust left over that I need to use up; I'm sure I'll be making a pot of Annie's mac and cheese for the kids)

Wednesday - Miso Chicken, rice, some kind of veggie

Thursday - Garlic & Anchovy Farfalle, some kind of green veggie

Friday - Portugese Bean Soup (using leftover bone-in ham from the freezer instead of buying ham hocks)

Saturday - Baked Sandwiches (I've got some kaiser rolls in the freezer that I want to use up), crudite

Sunday - Breakfast (pancakes, bacon, eggs, fruit)

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Dec 18, 2016

Menu Plan Monday: Week of December 19, 2016

Menu Plan Monday | Chief Family Officer

As much as I feel like I've been getting ready for Christmas for the last month, I also can't believe Christmas is less than a week away! The kids are off from school, and we're hosting Christmas Eve, so I'm going to try to keep our meals fairly simple this week (including some take out!). Here's my plan:

Monday - Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Wings, crudite

Tuesday - Honey Baked Ham (I have a craving!), Sauteed Salt & Vinegar Brussels Sprout Leaves

Wednesday - Mac & Cheese, salad or steamed broccoli

Thursday - Clam Chowder

Friday - Brown Sugar Meatloaf, some kind of veggie

Saturday - Beef Tenderloin, salad, Cauliflower Puree, Sweet Potato Latkes

Sunday - Leftovers or Dinner out {not sure where we'll be yet}

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Dec 4, 2016

Menu Plan Monday: Week of December 5, 2016

Menu Plan Monday | Chief Family Officer

Is your December starting to get crazy? Mine is. I'm mostly done with holiday shopping, but events keep getting added to the calendar. I'm trying to keep weeknights as free as possible for the next two weeks though, until school gets out for winter break. That means we'll be eating at home until the weekend, so here's my plan for this week:

Monday - Honey Sesame Chicken {from the freezer}, some kind of veggie

Tuesday - Garlic Cheddar Chicken Strips, some kind of veggie

Wednesday - Salmon Poke Bowl

Thursday -Slow Cooker Orange Shredded Beef, rice, some kind of veggie

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Nov 27, 2016

Menu Plan Monday: Week of November 28, 2016

Menu Plan Monday | Chief Family Officer

I cannot believe it's the end of November! I just filled in my menu for the month of December, because I find that life really is easier if I do a month's menu at a time - if you're a week-by-week planner, give it a try! Of course, that doesn't mean I'm not constantly making adjustments, but that happens whether I'm planning weekly or monthly.

So here's my plan for this week:

Monday - Hawaiian style breakfast (rice, spam, eggs, fruit)

Tuesday - Egg Salad Sandwiches, crudite

Wednesday - Beef Fajitas (from the freezer)

Thursday - Baked Chicken Meatballs, some kind of veggie

Friday - Baked Pasta with Bolognese Sauce (I have a jar of leftover sauce in the freezer), steamed broccoli

Saturday - Turkey Sloppy Joes (will make a freezer kit as well), some kind of veggie

Sunday - French Dip Sliders, roasted butternut squash and/or sweet potato fries

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Nov 20, 2016

Menu Plan Monday: Week of November 21, 2016

Menu Plan Monday | Chief Family Officer

The best food holiday of the year is finally upon us! I'll be making the delicious side dishes I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, plus I think I'll also make a noodle kugel since my family loves it and it's been a while since I've made one. (I totally forgot to make it for Rosh Hashanah last month.)

But we still have to eat the rest of the week, so here's my plan:

Monday - Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas, taco fixings

Tuesday - Breakfast (waffles, bacon or sausage, fruit, plus homemade strawberry syrup per my son's request)

Wednesday - Quiche with Broccoli, fruit

Thursday - THANKSGIVING!

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Dinner out

Sunday - Lentil Soup with Sausage, Chard and Garlic

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Nov 13, 2016

Menu Plan Monday: Week of November 14, 2016

Menu Plan Monday | Chief Family Officer

I'm thinking the one-month menu plan was easy to make this time because I had so many meals in the freezer just ready to go. Therefore, as I use up what was in there at the beginning of the month, I want to start stashing away new meals for next month. I need to go to Costco this week, so I'll pick some new meals to make from my Freezer Meals Pinterest board. I've found that shopping at Costco is conducive to freezer meal prep, since I can buy one big package of meat and make two or three meals at once.

Meanwhile, here's my plan for this week:

Monday - Roasted Cauliflower and Sardine Pasta

Tuesday - Beef Tenderloin, Whipped Cream Horseradish, Creamed Spinach, Yorkshire Pudding

Wednesday - Miso Chicken, rice, some kind of veggie

Thursday - French Dip Sandwiches, some kind of veggie

Friday - Chili (this one is a favorite, but I might make a different one for variety, including extra portions to freeze)

Saturday - Leftovers

Sunday - Breakfast (pancakes, bacon, fruit)

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Oct 30, 2016

Menu Plan Monday: Week of October 31, 2016

Menu Plan Monday | Chief Family Officer

I'm really excited about the cooler weather we've been having - it feels like fall! And that makes me feel like casseroles and soups, although I didn't actually get any casseroles on my menu for this week. I'm going to stop putting up freezer meals for a few weeks, so we can work our way through the food we already have in the house.

Here's my plan for this week:

Monday - Mummy Dogs, crudite, fruit

Tuesday - Kalua Pork Hash (using leftover kalua pork from the freezer and adapting this hash recipe), some kind of veggie

Wednesday - Crock-Pot Cocktail Meatballs, some kind of veggie

Thursday - (Leftover) Kalua Pork Hash Croquettes, some kind of veggie

Friday - Pan-Seared Tilapia with Citrus Vinaigrette, some kind of veggie {the tilapia has been in my freezer for a while}

Saturday - Dinner out

Sunday - Broccoli and Cheddar Soup {I'll be using frozen broccoli}

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Oct 23, 2016

Menu Plan Monday: Week of October 24, 2016

Menu Plan Monday | Chief Family Officer

I'm pretty happy with how things are going in my kitchen lately, but I need to stock up on some new freezer meals. In fact, as I refine my freezer cooking techniques, I realized that I needed (and therefore made) a Freezer Meals Pinterest Board. From that, this week I am going to prep Braised Beef Short Ribs, Bolognese Sauce, Fajitas (beef and chicken), and Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken. Costco, here I come!

And here's my plan for this week:

Monday - Pasta Bolognese, salad, garlic bread

Tuesday - Sandwiches, Fruit, Crudite

Wednesday - Slow Cooker Rosemary Chicken, Sausage & Mushrooms, Polenta (I'm testing the chicken recipe to see if we like it, and to see if I can turn it into a freezer meal)

Thursday - Italian Turkey Meatloaf, some kind of veggie

Friday - Garlic Cheddar Chicken Strips, 10-Minute Miso Broccolini

Saturday - Crockpot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, garlic bread

Sunday - Dinner out

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Oct 16, 2016

Menu Plan Monday: Week of October 17, 2016

As usual, I didn't get to all of my planned meals last week, but it was still fabulous having an actual planned menu. So I'm back again this week, although I need to make room in my freezer before I can put up more meals.

Menu Plan Monday | Chief Family Officer

Here's my plan for this week:

Monday - Chicken Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Olives (the chicken is frozen in the marinade right now)

Tuesday - Chicken, Rice and Mushroom Casserole (the chicken and rice are from the freezer; I just have to make the cream of mushroom sauce to bake it in), green beans

Wednesday - Egg Salad Sandwiches, fruit

Thursday - Enchiladas (from the freezer), salad

Friday - Lentil Soup with Sausage, Chard, and Garlic

Saturday - Dinner out

Sunday - Leftover soup

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Oct 9, 2016

Menu Plan Monday: Week of Oct 10, 2016



It's been a while since I've actually planned my menu for the week, but the good news is that I have been cooking a lot. I've always been a fan of freezer meals, but in the last two months, I've been making a TON of freezer meals because a close family member has a new baby and I've been stocking their freezer for them. In the process, I've discovered new techniques and recipes that have ignited not just a fandom but a passion for freezer cooking.

This week, I'm planning to use the $5/$20 meat purchase Target coupon to make Brown Sugar Meatloaf and White Chicken Chili for the freezer, along with some Apple Crisp and Short Ribs. If you're interested in learning more about freezer cooking, I highly recommend New Leaf Wellness as a great resource.

Here's my plan for this week, including several meals from the freezer:

Monday - Slow Cooker Cocktail Meatballs, some kind of vegetable

Tuesday - Ruth Reichl's Savory Sweet Pasta

Wednesday - Slow Cooker Kalua Pork {I season the pork roast before freezing; after I thaw it overnight, all I have to do in the morning is dump it into the slow cooker!}, sauteed cabbage, rice

Thursday - Freezer Club Sandwiches, chips, fruit {I'll make extra for the freezer too}

Friday - Miso Ramen

Saturday - Breakfast for Dinner {pancakes, bacon, fruit}

Sunday - Leftovers

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Jun 19, 2016

Menu Plan Monday: Week of June 20, 2016

Menu Plan Monday | Chief Family Officer

For reasons I can't really articulate, I haven't been planning my menus lately. Which isn't to say I haven't been cooking, because I have. I guess it's that our life has been so busy and unpredictable that I have been living day to day, and I've been having trouble thinking ahead more than a day or two.

But I do think we are settling into a routine, at least for a few weeks - or at least, in the sense that this week will be similar to last week. So, here's my plan for this week:

Monday - Somen Salad {I might use soba instead}

Tuesday - Roasted Cauliflower and Sardine Pasta

Wednesday - Eggs in Purgatory with Sausage {mostly because the name of this dish is so fantastic!}

Thursday - Some kind of frittata

Friday - Egg Salad Sandwiches, fruit

Saturday - Breakfast {pancakes, bacon, fruit} or dinner out

Sunday - Dinner out

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

May 15, 2016

Menu Plan Monday: Week of May 16, 2016

Menu Plan Monday | Chief Family Officer

With too many weekday games and practices, I lost my motivation to plan my menus these last few weeks. I still cooked some, but we also ate out plenty. I want to get back to cooking more, because it's healthier and we'll save money. And since things are calming down a little bit, I can and want to get back to menu planning too.

Here's my plan for this week:

Monday - Turkey Bolognese, some kind of vegetable, garlic bread

Tuesday - Skirt steak, rice, eggs, fruit

Wednesday - Pizza or calzones, salad or some other veggie

Thursday - Macaroni and cheese, salad

Friday - Dinner out

Saturday - Dinner out

Sunday - Breakfast for dinner (pancakes, bacon, fruit)

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Mar 13, 2016

Menu Plan Monday: Week of March 14, 2016

Menu Plan Monday | Chief Family Officer

I totally flaked on a menu plan last week, but we winged it ok. However, I don't want to do that again, so I'm back to planning this week. What I really need to do is inventory my freezer, so I can use up what I have - because we seem to have quite a bit!

Here's my plan for this week:

Monday - Spam Musubi, crudite {we'll be eating on the go}

Tuesday - Beef Roast, some kind of veggie, garlic bread

Wednesday - Roast Beef Sandwiches, crudite {eating on the go again}

Thursday - Homemade Poke Bowl {didn't get to this the other week, but a recipe is coming!}

Friday - Dinner out

Saturday - Dinner out

Sunday - Leftovers (if we're not eating out again, which we might be)

My shopping list:
Carrots
Celery
Fruit (whatever looks good)
Broccoli and/or cauliflower (on sale at Ralphs)
French bread
French rolls
Sashimi grade salmon
Masago
Seaweed Salad
Extra-firm Tofu
Imitation crab

See more weekly menus at I'm an Organizing Junkie.