Holiday Meal Planning

Holiday Meal Planning

The following is a guest post from momAgendaCOMM blogger Toni Patton.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner. Thankfully, this year I am not taking on the Thanksgiving holiday since we are traveling to visit family. However, Christmas will be at my home which means I must find the time to plan a menu and cook.

COMM_Toni_Nov.jpgWhile we did install an extra oven, it will still be tricky getting everything done in time for the perfect Christmas lunch if I don’t plan ahead. Thankfully, the momAgenda weekly meal planner comes in very handy! Being busy with the kids’ schools, my blog, and wanting to have the perfect Christmas lunch, I need to stay organized. The momAgenda meal planner helps me do just that.

I can keep track of appointments, meetings, and even make shopping lists on the bottom area of the planner. The top area has a portion dedicated for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This has been a great help during the school year for planning when my kids want to eat at school and when they want to take a homemade lunch. I love that everything is right there on the planner at a glance for me to see!

For holiday meal planning, I take a slightly different approach to using it. In the breakfast, lunch, and dinner areas, I write down what needs to be cooked. I can cook casseroles and a few other things days before and freeze them so preparation time is much less needed on Christmas Day.

On Monday during Christmas week, I assemble green bean casserole and freeze it. Then, I prepare all desserts. Tuesday might be a reminder to start thawing the turkey (if I haven’t already.)  Wednesday is for making cranberry sauce and my chicken and dumplings (because they are always so much better when they thicken over night). That evening, the rolls are set out to thaw. Christmas day is all about the turkey and simply heating all the dishes I have made that week.

With the momAgenda meal planner, I can write out what I want to do during the part of the day that’s required, so I am not trying to think on my feet (which tends to stress me out during the holiday). So, whether you want to be a little more organized with your weekly meal planning or need to prep for a big holiday dinner, let the momAgenda weekly meal planner help you!  If you are anything like me, it will be huge sanity and time saver, which means a better attitude due to less stress and more free time to spend with family!

How do you organize your holiday meal?

Toni shares stories about parenting, life and everything in between on her blog A Daily Dose of Toni. You can also find her on Twitter and Facebook.