Okay, let's lighten the mood up a little bit from my last couple of posts.
There is one thing I've been doing lately that I AM proud of, and that is menu planning. I got SO SICK of asking Artie every day around lunchtime, "what's for dinner tonight?" That usually ended up with us picking up takeout for dinner. Not a healthy choice for either our bodies or our budget! Plus I tend to get sick of the same old takeout after a while. Logan could eat a Wendy's baconator every day of the week, but not me.
So I decided to try menu planning, and we've been doing it faithfully for about the last three weeks. During the week when I am bored (or frustrated) at work, I check out my recipes on Pinterest or look up recipes online. I make a list of possible meal ideas. I usually choose two crock pot meals so that on Tuesdays and Thursdays when Artie works and isn't home to cook, I can put something in the crock pot in the mornings before I leave for work and it's done by the time he gets home. He can just whip up a couple of sides and voila, dinner by the time I finally drag into the house.
Usually on Fridays I make a list of meals for the following Monday - Friday and a grocery list to match. I then post it on the fridge so we know what needs to be laid out to thaw, etc. On Mondays and Fridays, Artie is usually responsible for cooking something. On Wednesdays, Artie has class and usually Logan & I go to the Y to work out, then come home and eat a sandwich or a quick frozen meal. On the weekends I've been trying to make a soup or something else that we can eat all weekend.
So far this is working out really well. Planning ahead is MORE than half the battle when it comes to weeknight meals.
I've had a couple of crock pot recipes that failed, but you never know until you try. I've never been a good cook, so this is giving me a chance to make easy dinners in the crock pot and contribute to the kitchen duties. Overall, it's working out well for all of us. Except maybe Logan, who misses the baconators.
Yes planning is half the battle! I try and plan for leftovers from the night before on the nights we can't cook - like a roast one night makes sub sandwiches the next or a ham makes soup the next night. Stretches the budget that way too :)
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ReplyDeleteI could have written half this post...with us being so busy most evenings...we ate out a lot as well...and Sunday or Wednesday for sure...but on this diet...we can't really eat out much at all. Well..I choose not to because I get so tempted so easy! Cracker Barrel works for me cause I have steak and salad...YUM!
ReplyDeleteI usually ask Drew on Mondays what he would like to have that week...and we go back and forth...so I am good with making our menu and getting what we need...but...we can never decide what we want each night, lol! I need to just write it out and eat whatever that something is...
This is great .I will take a fri or sat and cook several types of dry beans .I will have 3 or 4 pots going when they are done i split the beans into 3 meals since its jsut the 2 of us.I save all my butter bowls and use them or other cntainers .I mark the containers and freeze them.I also cook about 3 or 4 cabbages and put them in the freezer in bags just enough for a meal for us.then when we want beans since i work 10 hrs i put a bowl of them in a pot and the cabbage in a pot turn on high they thaw quick make some potatoes corn bread and meat and we good to go. I dont season the cabbage until i thaw and cook them.I freeze alot of stuff .Bell pepper is good to go ahead and slice up and then when you need some just grab a handful out and you dont have to deal with chopping makes quicker.I buy other peppers when on sale and do the same.When i have corn bread i also make a big pan so whats left i freeze then when i want dressing all i have to do is take it out and not wait on baking more.Glad you are doing better.love ya cheryl
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