Meal Planning

Okay...do not judge what you are about to see. Let me just say (in my defense), that I love lists and I love color coding. So here is February's menu partially done:

I start out by getting inspired by one or two cooking magazines I received in the mail for the current month. They are usually packed full of great seasonal recipes and most of the magazines I subscribe to are for healthy cooking.

I begin by writing one or two of these new recipes on the calendar each week so we don't get in the routine of eating the same things all of the time (gets a little boring).

Next, I fill in days I know I or we will not be home. For instance, I fill in Tuesdays with either crock pot meals, or something super easy that Mike will be okay preparing. He can cook, but if it's too much work I think he would rather eat cereal...which does not bode well with his lovely wife. I end this long but super fun process, by filling in the remaining days with items we love to eat and eat on a more regular basis (tacos, pork chops, chicken salad, etc.).

The reason I color code things is because I am incredibly visual and I want to make sure we aren't eating beef everyday, although I am sure the Hubs wouldn't mind one bit. I also use this system to make sure we eat fish at least once a week and only eat starchy items such as potatoes/rice/pasta twice a week.

For some, this might be WAY too complex, but you can put your own spin on it and do what makes it easier for you. I met with one of our family friends (she also has an awesome Blog) who plans out meals in advance for her family, and she gave me lots of great tips! The main reason I find this helpful is it makes grocery shopping much easier because I can make the list in advance and do not end up buying useless items that will go bad. I also find that it makes cooking less stressful because I always know what we are having and what to take out of the freezer!

The finished product...