momAgenda Blog
Do You Plan Your Family's Meals?
January 11, 2010 12:21 PM
For today's mommy-monday challenge, I want to talk about meal planning. As a recently converted meal planner, I extol the virtues of meal planning to practically everyone I know. The benefits are numerous, and they include:
- Eliminating the "what's for dinner" stress we tend to feel every afternoon
- Cutting down the last-minute trips to the grocery store. I grocery shop twice per week, once on Sunday for the week's family meals and kids' lunch foods, and again late in the week for weekend items and anything we have run out of.
- Establishing a meal routine helps eliminate the complaining we sometimes hear from our kids when we introduce foods they are not used to.
And that's just the beginning. If you have more reasons to plan meals, please share them with us. My goal is to get all of you to try this because it really does help make your life easier.
So here is your challenge. Sit down tonight and write down 4 meals that your family enjoys, and that are fairly easy to put together. Assign each of those meals to a day this week. Leave one day open for pizza or going out. And let me know how this goes for you.
Here are a few of the meals that I rotate in my meal plans:
- Tacos with toppings (I usually make beef tacos but you can make chicken or turkey if you prefer; for toppings, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and guacamole)
- Pasta with vegetables (usually my veggies of choice are broccoli and garlic, but you can use any you like) and salad
- Baked chicken pieces with couscous and vegetables
- Breaded chicken cutlets with rice or potatoes and salad
- And on Friday nights we almost always order a pizza.
So your challenge is to create a list like the above and try it out. Make sure the meals are simple, could make them with your eyes closed type things.
And let me know how it goes for you!
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Comments (6)
I have been a fan of meal planning for the longest. I plan for all the same reasons you do but I also do it as a tool to give the kids something to look forward to. I purchased a planning system from Pottery Barn that I mounted on the kitchen wall. I get the kids up early for breakfast on Sunday and we have our weekly meetings. I ask each child what they would like for dinner and we plan that into our weekly meals. I love it! Plus it allows me to look like a teacher with the marker and the eraser. :)
Posted by: Mom Noir - January 11, 2010 1:00 PM
Thanks for this! It's one of my goals for the new year. I'll let you know how it goes for us.
Posted by: blissmamaof3 - January 11, 2010 1:04 PM
I LOVE Meal-Planning! My husband, 3yo daughter, and I work together to plan the menu (I make sure I always ask my daughter what we should put on our list, she loves to pick the fruits and veggies). We make the list Friday and my husband goes grocery shopping every Saturday morning at 6am (he likes it when no one else is there). We use the local grocery store's online ads to see what's on sale and go from there. Saves us money, trips to the store, and most importantly my sanity!!!
P.S. I LOVE using my momAgenda to see what days we have meetings we have to plan around. I use the "Menu" space at the bottom of the page to write it all out (main dish, and sides)
Posted by: AlyDees - January 11, 2010 1:37 PM
Oh I SO need to do this!! My children are asking me all day long, "What's for supper?" and it usually takes me until 4:30 to figure it out . . . sigh! Ok, as SOON as my new momAgenda gets here (lol) I'm doing this!! You've inspired me. I asked this question on my FB status several weeks ago - what is your go-to meal, what you always have the ingredients on hand for? For us, it's homemade mac'n cheese, pancakes, to name a few. Love your ideas - tacos are a favorite here too! :)
Posted by: Julie Masse - January 11, 2010 4:42 PM
My husband and I reside in separate states... and he has the car. This means I only get to go grocery shopping 1-2 times per month when he comes down, so meal planning for me is a NECESSITY! I don't have the luxury of going back for something I forgot, unless I want to walk 4 miles each way (I also work 90 hours/week, so there isn't really time!). One thing that really helps me though is just making a list of meals and not assigning a specific day for each. I hate feeling tied in that I will eat this on this day... rather, I just say that I need 15 meal options, write them all on a white board in the kitchen, and can decide each evening what I want to make off the list.
Posted by: Disgruntled Julie - January 12, 2010 6:49 PM
Wow.. First off I love your ideas and thanks for sharing. I have been struggling with a plan to conquer the evening crunch calmly; and I agree meal planning ahead is key... I generally pick the menu and of course the kids groan. I like the idea of including the children in the process on Sunday (Thanks Mom Noir). I will have to use my MOMAGENDA Mealplanner (as soon as I receive it) and together as a family we will select the meals for the week.
Posted by: Heather - January 13, 2010 12:41 AM
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