I am so excited to start the New Year off and one of my biggest takeaways from 2009 was how much easier my weeks were when I took the time to menu plan for each week. It was the number one factor that helped me keep my weekly grocery spending in check. If you were around last year when I put up my 2009 Goals you will remember, I pledged to menu plan each week. Last year it was brand new to me and I was worried I couldn’t do it. But guess what? I managed to pull a menu plan together every week! Do you have any idea how encouraging it was for me to look back and not only see that I did it, but to see how it impacted my spending and my time?
If you haven’t done so already, I encourage you to begin pulling your goals for 2010 together and join us later this week in stating a few things you would like to do for 2010.
Later this week, I will also unveil a new series I hope helps you in your planning this year. We will begin a monthly Provisions Kitchen Prep & Planning Day. This is an opportunity for you to not only think about your menu you for the month, but also to plan a few prep items in advance. Some of you will want to incorporate prep time weekly, but others might set a goal to do monthly planning. Whatever your goals, I want to help you reach them by providing some guidance, tips and tools to aid you in your meal planning!
Lastly, as you will see this week, one of my goals for this year is to provide a better source for finding my recipes. It seems to me that is a great encouragement to us all, to have some tried and true, inexpensive, yummy recipes you can have at your fingertips. Check back later to see what we will be doing!
Welcome! For those of you who are new to Meal Planning, go to my “Meal Planning” tab here to help you out while you are getting started – lots of great resources.
What meals are you planning this week? Any tips on how to easily meal plan? Whether or not you posted your meal plan for the week, please take a moment to leave your ideas in a comment. Let’s help each other out in sticking to our budgets!
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Meal Plan for the week of January 4th:
Sunday:
(Lunch) Turkey Tetrazzini, steamed broccoli, whole wheat rolls (this recipe will be coming this week!)
(Dinner) Hawaiian Pizza
Monday: Crockpot Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread
*extra sauce will be frozen to use for Spinach Cream Cheese Lasagna later!
Tuesday: Smoked Chicken Spinach Salad w/ bacon, tomatoes and homemade dressing (leftover smoked chicken from my friend Robyn!)
Wednesday: Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff, steamed broccoli, garlic bread (My friend Rhondi gave me this, recipe later this week!)
Thursday: Beef, Broccoli and Red Pepper Stir Fry w/ brown rice (using freezer rice, and leftover red peppers)
Friday: Ham & Cheese Quiche, spinach salad w/ mandarin oranges and pecans, garlic toast
Saturday: Leftovers (Turkey Tetrazzini, Spaghetti, Stroganoff)
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Lunches:
Tuna and Turkey Sandwiches, cantaloupe
Black Bean/Boca Burgers
Baked Chicken Patty, apples, red pepper strips (yes my daughter loves them!)
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, sliced apples
PB&J, sliced apples
Leftovers – smoked chicken quesadillas, smoked chicken bbq sandwiches
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Breakfast:
blueberry freezer waffles w/ bananas
banana smoothie, whole wheat toast w/ peanut butter
cereal, whole wheat toast w/ jelly
breakfast burrito (egg, cheese, & salsa) (will make some to freeze this week)
egg sandwich w/ cheese, fruit
Peanut butter oatmeal, whole wheat toast, sliced apples
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Snacks:
pumpkin chocolate chip muffins
homemade popcorn or mini-pouches
smoothies
apples and celery w/ peanut butter
applesauce
go-gurts
string cheese
cheese slices on crackers
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:: Check out more menu planning ideas here.
I use a large print planner and write down what I want to have for each week
based on my fridge and panty inventory I find its easy to take with me places and it has room to write things.. attach post it notes for ingredients
usually you can stock up during back to school sales on post it notes and planners
Ok, I know I need to start having a consistent meal plan to be able to start keeping to my budget better so here goes for my week:
Sunday: Pot Roast w/potatoes, onions & carrots
Monday: Pork Tenderloin, rice (pantry), stir fried green beans
Tuesday: Grilled Chicken Salad (I have tons of salad from Publix sale last week)
Wednesday: Spaghetti & Meat sauce, salad
Thursday: Home made Mac-n-cheese & smoked sausage
Friday: Out
Kelly: I saw somewhere on someone’s website about saving the coupons that you will not use and the expired ones for military families. I think that is a great idea even though I dont understand how the expired ones would help. Do you know anything about this? Helping our military families like this would be a great goal for 2010.
Hey, just saw you’ve been acclaimed twice in HerNashville. Congratulations. (Online, past issue.) (We know ea. other from local blog community.)
Hey Leisa! Yes, they did a great job on those. Great to see you at the book signing, hopefully I will get to another event soon!
Kelly, I am amazed at your meus each week. I’m a teacher and my husband is a fireman (among other jobs). I never know if he will be home for supper and end up going to packaged meals for the kids. I really wish they would eat more foods but every time I ask them what they want for supper, they want fish sticks or chicken nuggets. I do have a tenative menu for this week but not sure if my kids will like what I fix. Do you have any suggestions to getting the kdis to eat more/different foods?
Susan – I hear ya! I have the same problem at my house, but I am going to try to change that this year. Stay tuned to my 2010 Goals, you will probably see something there about it :)!
I have done meal planning in the past but not with couponing together, so here is my attempt at a meal plan for the week some of which is based upon what I already have in the house and what I can get bogo at publix this week, thanks for all the tips!
M-Tuna helper/green beans/corn bread ( all ingredients are already in my pantry)
T- Roast/Mashed potatoes/crescent rolls(all I have to get for this is the vegetables)
W- Crockpot lasagna/salad (have all ingredients except the ricotta and ground beef)
Th-Hamburger Helper/green beans ( already have all the ingredients)
F-Southwestern Soup/Tortilla chips (only need beans and rotel)
Have to cook the lasagna on tuesday night so that we can take it to church with us to eat on wednesday and boiling a whole chicken on thursday night to shred for the southwestern soup. Trying to keep the grocery list under 50 dollars for the week.
That is awesome that you made and stuck to your goal from last year! Your meals look really great!
Toni
.-= The Happy Housewife´s last blog ..Menu Plan ~ Stockpile Rotation =-.
Kelly-
These are great meal ideas. I’m a busy mom and also going back to school so I was wondering if it’s possible to get a link attached to your meal plans for the week with the receipes? I’m new to meal planning and would love something quick and easy access if possible! Thanks for all you do! You’re truly a blessing!!!
Sam – All the recipes I have available are in the meal plan as links. I noted that I will be posting a few of the new ones this week as I make them like the Turkey Tetrazzini and Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff! Stay tuned!
I, too, am going to aim to do more meal planning. I’ve been doing the couponing for a couple of months now and feel like I have the hang of things enough to incorporate the menu planning with it. And the huge savings has finally got my husband’s attention…he’s now on board.
One place to get delicious, easy recipes is Martha Stewart’s website. The key is to select recipes from the Everyday Food series. I like b/c I can also search by ingredients.
.-= Courtney Williams´s last blog ..Merry Merry Merry Merry Christmas =-.