Meal Plan Link-Up

Because I had some extra time this weekend, I made a more detailed meal plan for us.  My usual MO is to plan suppers only each week before I shop, and just stock the cabinets and fridge with stuff we usually eat for breakfast, lunch and snacks.  I don't usually plan what meal we will have on which day; I just cook whatever I feel like cooking that day.  This week I decided to try planning every meal for every day, and I actually sat down with the kids' schedule for the week and planned meals according to the busyness of the day, trying to anticipate the times when I'd have less energy and time for prepping and cooking.  I'm hoping this will help lessen the burnout I've been feeling about being the family chef lately.  I will let you know how it goes this week... it would be great if I could make this a regular thing, but I know I won't have time every single weekend for this kind of planning.

Plus, my husband will sometimes come home from work and say, if it seems like I'm especially busy with the girls that afternoon, "What's for dinner? Can I get it started for you?" because, you know, he's awesome like that.  If I have this meal plan up here with links to recipes all set up, he can just refer to it with his awesome self.  ;-}. You're welcome, honey!

It took me so long to get this typed out that we're already a day into the meal plan, and I'm a day late to Laura and Jill's link up now.  Oh well!

On to the plan...

Sunday

Breakfast: Overnight Pumpkin Pie Steel Cut Oats

 

They were yuuuuummmmy

Lunch:  PBJs, green smoothies and blueberry smoothies

Dinner:  Poached salmon with coconut oil, lemon juice, thyme, and garlic; roasted potato wedges and asparagus

Aldi had frozen wild-caught salmon for $4.59/lb! Unfortunately I over-cooked it and it came out a bit dry and tough. I find it difficult to cook frozen fish well. I found this helpful post however and will try again soon!

Monday

Breakfast: Leftover steel cut oats and waffles from Saturday's breakfast (thank you Daddy!)

Lunch: Scrambled eggs and fresh fruit for girls, green salad for Mommy

Supper: Crockpot Chicken Vegetable Curry

Tuesday (last day of school!)

Breakfast: Soaked Baked Oatmeal (bottom of this menu plan)

Lunch: Popcorn chips & hummus, yogurt & dried fruit for girls; green salad for Mommy

Supper: Grilled Veggie Sandwiches, leftover potato wedges from Sunday

Our grocery store just started carrying this GF bread and I got some for our veggie sandwiches.  I've never heard of it but it is almost $2 cheaper than Udi's or Ezekiel.  I'll let you know how we like it!  Anybody know it?

 Wednesday

Breakfast: Leftover Baked Oatmeal

Lunch: Cheese Quesadillas, apples and green PB dip (or just peanut butter if I don't have time to make the dip)

Supper: Leftovers

Thursday

Breakfast: Protein Pancakes, or Poached Eggs if I don't have the time for pancakes

Playdate lunch with friends: Fruit salad and make-your-own hummus wraps (topped with feta, olives, carrots, cukes, pickles, etc.)  Jen is bringing chicken salad too!  Yum!

Supper: CrockPot Beef Broccoli

Friday

Breakfast: Banana Custard Oats or leftovers

 Lunch: Hot dogs (I got some Al Fresco Nitrate-Free Chicken Franks) on GF bread and leftover fruit salad for kids; green salad for Mommy

Supper: Wild Rice Chickpea Salad or leftovers

Saturday

Break day for Mommy :)  Daddy makes breakfast and we eat leftovers/salads all day!

Our grocery bill was high this week (about $140).  I'm trying to keep it to $100 - $110 per week but it's hard with the splurges we're making now on healthier breads, organic veggies, grass fed meat, and things like coconut oil.  We also had meat for three different meals this week which is unusual for us, but I'm having trouble finding good meatless crockpot meals (for convenience) that my somewhat picky kids will eat.  Any suggestions?