I love it. I want a little easel to hold this... and maybe a different frame, but hey, this is a frame we had stashed in the basement. Literally, I downloaded the template for free here, printed it, grabbed the frame, and put it together in five minutes or less. I love LOVE that with the template behind the glass I can write my meal plan on it with dry erase markers.
I had to run to the Target anyway so I stopped in the home office section and found these beauties.
Is it weird that when I saw this package of 8 double sided dry erase markers in 16 colors that I clapped my hands with glee? Yes? Oh.
I'm OK with that.
We were pretty good about eating meals at home for a while, but slowly we've fallen back into old habits of eating out 3-4 meals a week. We realized that we're eating out with friends on Friday and Saturday nights, then usually going out or picking up take out once during the week, and then there is the occasional lunch. It doesn't sound so bad, but we all know eating at home is healthier, saves money, and the food is just better (we know where it comes from). My goal is to have a plan for dinners each night of the week, and fill out my meal plan each Sunday. Doing this should save me a ton of time because I will be more prepared with a solid list to go to the grocery store each week (I heart my Grocery iQ app). Also, it will save me the stress and time spent trying to decide each day what I'm going to cook for dinner with the ingredients we have, or having to run to the store again. Now the challenging part will be keeping it up... but I have high hopes. The best part about meal planning is that it will help me be more creative with meals and trying new recipes. Why haven't I done this before? Well, I have half heartedly... meal planning is not a new concept, I just feel like I finally have my act together!
So now that I'm all set up, here is this week's plan (I've linked recipes if I found them online):
Monday: Fillet Mignon wrapped in bacon with roasted asparagus and couscous (today is a special occasion, we don't have fillets often)
Tuesday: Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken with brown Jasmine Rice and salad
Wednesday: Slow Cooker Green Chili Pork Tacos
Thursday: Left over Baked Ravioli (defrosted) with salad
Friday: PIZZA, my go-to wheat pizza dough is here
Saturday: Eat out, or leftover tacos
Sunday: Chili with Pumpkin Cornbread. I'm going to re-attempt this chili...
I'm pretty excited! I should have plenty of leftovers for lunches and to freeze. I may start blogging my meal plans each week... hmm, we'll see. So, are you a planner? What's on your menu this week? Really, I want to know!
This post is linked up to these link parties:
Just a Girl's Show and Share Day
This post is linked up to these link parties:
Just a Girl's Show and Share Day
I love that meal planner, I'm so copying it! I usually plan my meals for the week, but I like the idea of writing it down like that, so Cory knows the plan too. We are leftovers people so I usually plan meals that make enough for 4 so we can have it two nights. That way I don't have to cook every single night! I love cooking, but I don't always feel like it after work!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'd love to do leftovers every other night, but since we usually eat leftovers for lunch John gets grouchy with having the same meal so many times in a row. So, now if we have more left overs (beyond lunch) I freeze them and we eat it one night the next week.
ReplyDeleteI gave John the disclaimer that I could change the meal plan at any time :).
What do you do for lunches beyond sandwiches? We need some fresh ideas. I wish I could get John to make his lunch so our dinner meals could be dinners! He is lazy and claims he doesn't have time to pack it. Uh, yeah right...
ReplyDeleteLove this meal planning idea and will also be copying. I make my meal plan for the week on the back of my grocery shopping list which usually means it gets crumpled in my pocket and lost before the week is out.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! We're also in the meal planning rut, and hopefully this will encourage me to think ahead.
ReplyDeleteI really like this idea. It adds a little fun to an otherwise boring job. Thanks for posting this. I'd love for you to add this idea to my Sweets This Week link party.
ReplyDelete~Sarah
Such an awesome idea! I really want to implement it, but I know me... I'll try it once then it'll never get done again. :) BUT - I am making your Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken today. And I'm running to the store (literally) to try the slow cooker green chili pork tacos tomorrow night. Thanks for being so awesome!
ReplyDelete@Jess, both recipes were really good. John really liked both and we'll be making them again and again. Let me know what you think of them.
ReplyDeleteThat is a super cute meal planner!! I'm going to try the slow cooker salsa chicken this week too :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up with Sweets This Week :)
ReplyDelete~Sarah