Meal Planning

I thought I would give an update on my meal planning. I thought about doing a scheduled meal plan like a friend sent me. But I didn't think I could handle the rigidness of it. So I decided to come up with 5 meals a week for the next four weeks. (I did 5 because I usually do a leftover night and it seems like we go out, do take out or do finner with friends or family one night a week.) So I made the list and bought the ingredients I could for all of them at the beginning. (I am in the middle of week 2). I am trying to go to the store just once a week now to get fresh ingredients that I need.

So far, so good. Fewer grocery trips is good for my time and my money. And knowing my meal plan for the week saves me a lot of daily stress. I usually look at our calendar for the week and decide on Sunday what we will do each night.

For anyone interested, here are our first 20 meals (by weeks but in no particular order within the week):
Pot roast
Asian Chicken Pasta
Tacquitos
Grilled Cheese and Tomatoes
Baked Fish and Chicken (which we actually didn't eat as we went out one night last week and had dinner with my family one night)
Cafe Rio pork salads
Creamy Baked Ziti
Breakfast for dinner
Beef with Broccoli
Black Beans and Rice
Lasagna
Steak Sandwiches
Garlic Chicken Farfalle
Fajitas
Mexican Corn Chowder - but after seeing PW's enchilada soup yesterday I might switch this
Baked Potato Soup
Ski Country Pasta
PW Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas
Homemade Pizza
PW Beef with Snow Peas

For all of you who have given me suggestions, thanks. I am excited to incorporate some of those ideas in future meal plans.