Menu Plan Monday Keeps Me Honest — You?

Posted on March 8, 2010 by Kelly Estes

My homemade latte

What’s for dinner? In order to avoid dinner emergencies happening too often, I’ve started planning a weekly dinner menu <gasp>! Planning the menu for the week helps cut down on short trips to the grocery store (and lowers our food bill). Thanks to the Menu Plan Monday idea from Laura at I’m An Organizing Junkie!

First, I make a homemade latte (yum); this is my incentive to sit down with my coffee and do a little research for our weekly menu. All it takes is a few minutes of googling what’s on sale at the local grocers, and then finding or creating recipes to match. I must say meal planning is a little harder during Lent, since I like to have seafood on Friday. Meatless lasagna isn’t for me. That said, here’s my menu for the week. If you have any menu planning tips, I’d love to hear them!

Menu Plan Monday (prep work completed on the weekend, as Mondays are busy!) :)

Sunday: Baked Ziti (serves 8, so great for leftovers) with coleslaw.

Monday: My own version of Pork Roast Casserole (using leftover pulled pork from Saturday) with green salad and zucchini.

Tuesday: Baked Ziti leftovers (yum…Italian dishes always seem even tastier leftover) with steamed broccoli and leftover coleslaw.

Wednesday: A twist on Low-fat Chicken and Chickpea Stew (trying out a recipe using my crockpot–yes!).

Thursday: Spaghetti (homemade) with garlic bread and cranberry feta green salad.

Friday: Baked fish (whatever is on sale) with microwaved asparagus and brown rice.

Saturday: Hubby’s in charge of dinner! :)

So, do you have any meal planning tips for me? And what’s for dinner at your house this week?

Photo by Kelly Estes

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About Kelly Estes

Kelly is a freelance writer who loves to cook. She is a former award-winning newspaper journalist who now writes for the web from her test kitchen in Jacksonville, Florida.
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  • The one thing that I do that makes meal planning so much easier is taking a mini inventory of what is already in the fridge, freezer and pantry before making the menu. It makes it alot easier if I know what I already have to work with and then again, when I make my weekly shopping list, I know exactly what I need to get to finish off the meals. It works well for me, and I hope its a helpful tip :)
  • Lori,
    Oh, yes. The cranberry feta green salad is very good. I wrote about it a few weeks ago; here's the link (look below the recipe for the lemon vinaigrette) http://www.hotcookin.net/2010/02/23/lemon-vinaigrette-perfect-salad-flavor/

    Yes, Saturday should be cooking free for dinner. :) Hubby is welcome to either cook or take me out (sans kids). :)

    I admire spontaneity! I'm afraid I have to plan somewhat-- but to each his/her own! I'm off to check out your blog now. And then I need to make a list of some things to get for my veggie garden.
  • The cranberry feta green salad sounds so good, can you share?

    Love your idea for Saturday's menu plan.

    I am more of a spur of the moment person. I keep stocked all of our favorites and then my planning starts right before dinner does.
    .-= Lori´s last blog ..A Certain "Je Ne Sais Quoi" By Chloe Rhodes =-.
  • Ron
    I like the idea of a menu plan for the week- roughly how long does it take you to do yours? Do you offer any suggestions for your husband for Saturday dinner, or is he left to his own devices (heh)?
  • Ron,
    I think it took me about 20 minutes to map out my menu for the week. So, by the time I finished my homemade latte, I was done with the meal planning. :) As far as Saturday dinner, I generally do offer some suggestions and advice to my husband for Saturday's evening meal. I try to go easy on him and recommend either an easy recipe or a meal from the freezer. I try to keep homemade spaghetti sauce in the freezer for 'emergencies.' Thanks for stopping by, Ron!
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