Menu Planning

Do you guys menu plan or something like it??? Menus really help take the stress out of cooking and also keeps the kids and hubby from driving you crazy by asking, "whats for dinner" fifty million times. They also help me keep things organized and that really helps eliminate stress in my life. There are so many things that happen ( unannounced )our lives that throw us off, that its good to be able to control some things in our homes.lol.
I tend to take the planning approach when it comes to a lot of things in my life, my husband has a saying that he uses when talking about planning, he says, "Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance"...lol. Thats the Navy talk in him so I guess, you can take it how you want it..lol. I 100% agree with that proverb..lol. I believe things run a whole lot smoother when you have taking the time to prepare. So with that being said, I am going to share with you how I prepare menus for the week.

For me I start with a basic plan , the bones I call it, and that looks something like this: 

Monday- Chicken
Tuesday- Seafood
Wednesday- Beef
Thursday- Pasta
Friday- Homemade Pizza Nite/Out for dinner (in this instance pizza is on Sat.)
Saturday- Leftover Buffet/ kids choice
Sunday- Seafood

Now this like I said is just the bones, I later go in and add the meat (no pun intended). This requires some work, I check the frezzer and pantry to see what I have and then I can sort of narrow it down to what I want to cook for the week. I also enlist the help of my family by asking them if they want anything special this week (thats a big help!)





The Ingram Pantry :)


Once I have taken an assessment of whats in the freezer and pantry then I look for recipes online and in cookbooks so I can then start making my grocery list for the week. You can also look for coupons to go along with your shopping list as well.So the menu may end up looking something like this:

Monday: Lemon Pepper Chicken, Rice and Broccoli
Tuesday: Shrimp Stuffed Bell Peppers (leftover rice)
Wednesday: Meatball Subs, Salad
Thursday: Italian Chicken and Pasta/Garlic Bread/Salad
Friday: Pizza Nite (movie night)
Saturday: Leftover Buffet (backup meal: Turkey Chili/ Rice/Cornbread
Sunday: Beef Steak/Roasted Herb Potatoes/ Green Beans

*we also have a dessert like cookies , ice cream, cake etc. I cook that on Sundays for the week.




Some of my GO TO cookbooks that I keep out

 Do I stick with the menu , all the time NOOOOOOOOOOO!! Yes things come up and I may have to eat out or switch meals around but , its so easy to do this and get back on track if you already have a system in place. I hope this helps you guys to prepare for less stress. It may seem like a lot of work in the beginning but after a few times you will see just how much easier life can be when you have a little order in your life.
Menu planning can save you:

• Time ( you waste time wondering aimlessly up and down the aisles trying to figure out what to cook)
• Money (you wont grab things you dont need or rebuy something you already have, because you checked your pantry before you left.)
• Headache ( literally..lol i say this because cooking at home, is healthier than eating out, you know exactly what your putting into your meals and you can add and take way things as you see fit)



My grocery list

 Be Blessed.

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So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:44)