Menu Plans

For years now I’ve been searching for help on how to plan my meals each week. My husband is your typical meat and potatoes guy from the south and when I actually remember to eat, I prefer to cook everything with garlic and olive oil!

What I have learned is that when I don’t plan, I end up with a grumpy family and I spend a lot more money (either running to the grocery store or eating out) as a result of my lack of planning.

I try to plan my meals around what’s on sale at the grocery store this week (as well as what I already have in my pantry). It’s best to always have staples for a few “go to” meals on hand (such as tacos, some sort of pasta dish, chili, homemade pizza or breakfast for dinner) for those nights when the unpected happens. Then I mix up my week with a few new recipes, a few tried and true recipes and some suggestions from other websites.

Here is a sample week’s menu (keep in mind I have two preschoolers!):
BREAKFAST: 
Oatmeal & berries
Cereal & applesauce
Smoothie (plain yogurt, strawberries, pineapple, juice & honey)
Waffles with peanut butter & syrup
English Muffin Egg Sandwich

LUNCH:
Quesadillas, peanuts & raisins
PB&J, grapes
Ham sandwich, apple
Chicken noodle soup, carrot sticks with peanut butter
Pasta with garlic and olive oil, green salad

DINNER:
Beef Daube Provencal over potatoes
Roasted Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary, egg noodles and roasted asparagus
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas with refried beans, tortilla chips and green salad
Breakfast for Dinner: Scrambled Eggs, Cheese Grits, Biscuits, Bacon and Grapefruit
Pizza Night: Homemade pizza with pepperoni, green pepper, onion and fresh garlic

This is just a sample menu from our family. Even if a recipe doesn’t sound good, use it as a starting point and make it work for you and your family.

***To view all my MENU PLAN archives, Click HERE***

For more ideas, here are some other Menu Tips and Recipes. Check back weekly for new plans and food tips.