Don't you just hate it when it is 5 pm everyone is asking what's for dinner? While you are wondering the same thing, they turn around and ask YOU!
For years I fought meal planning. I thought it was a waste of time and effort spending hours making plans. When I tried it would never failed that SOMETHING would mess it up. Then a dear friend shared her meal plan. I thought she was crazy. It was such a simple plan. I tried it and holy cow it worked! My kids thought it was great. One of older daughters friend would even scope out the menu to decide when to spend the night so she could have french toast for breakfast! :0) Love you Gwynne <3
Oh, and if I deviated from this schedule, there was heck to pay from the kids! They liked knowing what to expect. We were not GF/CF at this point in our lives so processed foods made for quick meals.
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| Emily's creation: GF pumpkin, flax seed and pomegranate bread. |
Sunday: cereal
Monday: muffins
Tuesday: french toast w/bacon
Wednesday: eggs w/bagels
Thursday: cereal
Friday: french toast w/bacon
Saturday: eggs, bacon, biscuits
(or we would go to our favorite stand by Tudor Biscuits~ or~ First Watch
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| Turkey meatball soup. |
Lunch
Sunday: leftover soup from night before
Monday: sandwiches w/chips
Tuesday: spaghetti
Wednesday: clean out the fridge
Thursday: chicken nuggets or fish sticks w/fries
Friday: sandwiches
Saturday: kids choice
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| Bakes acorn squash. Who knew squash was so amazing?! |
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| I still look at this photo in disbelieve we eat like this all the time now! Asparagus and mushrooms. |
Dinner
Sunday:Beef or pork
Monday: casserole
Tuesday: chicken
Wednesday: dinner at Church
Thursday: spaghetti
Friday: eat out or order in
Saturday: hamburgers/hot dogs
http://blessingsfromlife.blogspot.com/2008/10/pictures-from-our-cross-country-trip.html
Check out our great photos traveling cross country!
So what happened to this great plan? Our sons health became compromised and we moved.
We lived at the Seattle Ronald McDonald House for 3 months followed by a month stay in a hotel. When we finally found a condo, we were only there for about 2 weeks before we had 2 go back to WV for a month. We took 2 weeks to drive cross country back to Seattle after we closed up our WV house. When we were on the road, that was the easiest meal planning ever...pb&j, fruit and water for lunch, what ever breakfast was offered by the hotel and dinner was what ever we could find near our motel. By the time we returned we had to jump in quickly with life including dr. visits, therapy and tons of hospital visits.
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| Blackberry |
Wow, I am tired of just thinking about all that craziness. After we came back to Seattle, meal planning would have made a huge difference as would have pre-made meals stashed in the freezer. I still could not get it back on track but baby I'm back! Our family is eating SO MUCH healthier these days. I look back at all the carbs we ate and it is any wonder any of us could fit through the door! For the most part our whole family now eats gluten/casein free w/no processed foods. Jeff and I cook from scratch most every meals. I am so proud. I wish I had listened to my girlfriend Debbie Davis Graff years ago. She tried to bring me out into the "light" years ago but I balked at her. She was eating great before it was "cool" to be eat local and organic. :0)
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| Typical dinner setting. Check out the sprouts jar. :0) |
So what does our meal plan look like today? Much to my husbands dismay we eat meat maybe twice a week now aside from eggs with him eating occasionally tuna and the kids salmon. Fish prices are out of this world. I wish that we could incorporate more into our diets but that would be like putting premium gas in my van....too rich for my kitchen.
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| I can taste these sweet strawberries. |
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| This was my 1st attempt at a GF coffee cake. I was so proud! |
Breakfast
Sunday: muffins, scones or coffee cake w/fruit
Monday: porridge w/flax seed, honey and bananas (oatmeal, quinoa or rice cereal) or hard boiled eggs
Tuesday: french toast w/fruit
Wednesday: eggs w/veggies and black beans
Thursday: pancakes w/fruit
Friday: french toast w/bacon
Saturday: kids choice (lately this has been flax seed banana waffles)
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| Can you believe my kids request things like this to eat. yum! |
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| CF potato casserole |
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| homemade hummus! |
Lunch
Sunday: clean out the fridge
Monday: leftovers from Sunday night dinner
Tuesday: pasta or humus, with veggies and brown rice
Wednesday: sandwiches w/fruit
Thursday: leftovers
Friday: soup w/sandwiches
Saturday: kids choice
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| Cabinet soup |
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| potato soup |
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| GF/CF eggplant and polenta lasagna |
Dinner
Sunday: main meal of the week (Jeff cooks) usually chicken w/starch
Monday: veggie soup
Tuesday: stir fry w/rice or quinoa
Wednesday: veggie dish, black beans
Thursday: pasta
Friday/Saturday: potato bar, taco, pizza, black bean, portabella or hamburgers.
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| Lookie at all those vegetables on his plate. |
Our meals do vary but I try really hard to stay on this schedule. With every afternoon driving 45 miles with 2 hour therapy sessions for the younger kids this has been a life saver. (add another 20 miles for classes) When it is baseball/soccer season I try to cook as much in the morning as possible and then pack the cooler. Having this schedule has also helped my husband. He is so great to cook in the afternoon when he gets up. (He works midnights) he use to think this meal plan was umm a bit controlling or obsessive. Sometimes he deviates from the schedule, but he sees how wonderful it works. Especially when our son has been hospitalized, or ends up going to the hospital. I always try to cook extra to sock away in the freezer but it never works. :0( Someday!
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| stuffed peppers with rice |
I ran across this creative menu/recipe/shopping list holder. But sadly Mine is printed on white paper tucked in a sheet protector located in our family notebook. I wish that I was more organized. All in all I think I have a good system for our family. I would love to hear how you plan your meals, shop and save $$.
So, the next time someone asks what for dinner...will you have an answer or will you call take out?!
My your table be bountiful~ blair
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