How to Plan a Weekly Menu...

Dreaded menu planning!  Everyone thinks this is so tough to do each week, but really once you get used to it, it's not hard at all.  I start by taking inventory on what needs to be used - fridge & freezer and I put it into a list, proteins & carbs! I look for simple matches that will use up the most of those "need to use" items I already have! Alongside that, I start the "need" list of accompany items to complete my recipes! It's just building meals and days in terms of using items as building blocks!

From there, I hit the pantry and log into my online grocery shopping app to fill in! Even if you don't shop online, you can access the app so that you can shop from the ad to save $! You can scroll through the sale ad by best deals and by category! Makes it easy to build a meal from the best priced items and throw in the things you might have picked up on your Costco or Sam's run!

      Sample from my phone app!














You learn which things are the family favorites that you can keep on your menu most weeks, and then there are others you can throw in there for busy nights!  I have "go to" meals that I reserve for soccer nights, PTA meeting nights, etc... the quick, easy dinners that you can have almost done well ahead of time and can throw into any open slot on your plan!
👉 My Almond Crusted Chicken Tenders are a huge hit always, and easy to make ahead! On busy weeks I turn out a big batch of those on Sunday, to be reheated!


I usually plan/purchase/prep all work-week breakfasts, lunches and 5-6 dinner meals.   Thankfully, we have found a truly quality nutritional company that offers high protein shakes and we have replaced most of our breakfasts and lunches with those to get the protein we need and make-up for some of the lack of proper nutrition food lacks today!  They are a no-brainer and now an addiction! 😉  They save me tons of time and prep! So, I save my breakfast casserole for mid-morning snack!

Tip: Pretty much anything can be stuffed into a chicken breast or pork tenderloin!
Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter, place the chicken breast on one side of plastic wrap and fold other side over top of breast to cover. Use a meat mallet/tenderizer to pound the breast to about 1/2 thickness. Unfold plastic wrap. Place whatever you want to stuff the breast with in the middle of the breast, roll the meat up and secure with toothpicks or skewers if necessary! Bake at 400F for about 20 minutes of until 165F!

Another great way to use up veggies is to toss them into egg muffins!


My Guidelines for the each week...

Dinner:

• I try to vary the protein selection, and base my meals around that.  We do eat a lot of chicken; grilled, roasted, baked, slow-cooked.  But, I try to add fish 1-2 nights and red meat 1 night.  We have a pork dish about every other week! And we usually do one night with a Quinoa Casserole! 
• I TRY to add 1 new recipe/dinner item each week just to build my repertoire and see what sticks!
• Add fruit to every meal for the kids.
• I think about meal prep when I menu plan and try to select at least 1-2 One Pot Wonders for the Slowcooker, Pressure Cooker or a One Skillet item that I know I can turn out easily and in bulk to knock out a dinner and a few mini-meals or snacks!  Quinoa Casseroles or Taco Skillet are great for those! 

Breakfast: 

• Quick, Easy and Healthy, that's it! 

Mornings are nuts and we all have to get ready and out the door so early, so this is definitely a place that I save time by making all breakfast ahead on Sunday!  Breakfast casserole or Egg Muffins every week! Yogurt and fruit are easy to add when that is done!

Lunch:

• Nutritional Shake
• I make the kids Bento Box style lunches using Sistema Boxes or PlanetBox.  When they are home, they get the "Wheel" and they are allowed to pick: 1-2 proteins, 1-2 fats, 2 carbs.  
• Pictured: It is actually filled for a snack, Greek Yogurt Dip, olives, pickles, cheese and veggies.

Snacks: 

• Just like other meals, snacks are build with the building blocks of protein, carbs and fat for us and the kids!
• A couple ounces of lean protein, a handful of carbs and a thumb of fat!

The Benefits of Planning and Purchasing Ahead:

Time!

• It keeps me from making multiple trips to the grocery store, driving, walking the aisles, waiting in line...
• No more daily time spent on what to fix...
• Meals are on the table pretty quickly with Sunday prep done...

Money!

• Less trips to the store, less impulse items in the cart!  Online shopping, much less impulse items!
• Planning ahead = no dump - You throw away much less food if you plan and buy for those meals and nothing additional! 
• You can shop the ads in your app and use them to start your menu.
• If you sign up for the yearly subscription, the cost is only about $1.92 per week, and you are allowed unlimited orders!  

Calories!

• When healthy balanced meals are planned and prepared, that's what you consume!
• A lot less crappy food appears in your pantry when you menu plan and purchase for that!
• You are more likely to plan healthy options, than plan for pizza and wings! (But don't think that I don't ALWAYS keep quick fix items for the kids on-hand for emergencies!)

Convenience!

• Having my meals planned, purchased and prepped keeps me from losing my mind when it's time to fix dinner!
• I can sit in pick-up line and add things to my cart, and pick up my shopping when and where I have a minute!
• I keep an open order going in the app, so that when I think of something we need, I hop in and add it to my cart, so that I don't forget about it between then and the rest of my day!

Sanity!

• The Menu is there, no one asking what's for dinner!  And... the motivation to cook the planned and purchased meals is much greater, when so much is already done for you during the week!  When the meals are fixed faster, you hear MUCH less whining!