It’s been SOOOOO long since I have done this!! And not only is it so important for good meal planning, and for wise money budgeting but it’s also important for making sure that we eat right, too. So I’m hopping right back in and getting on the meal planning horse again.

As always, I’ll plan meals for each day, but we often switch things around a lot as our whims and daily activities desire. In the end all these meals will be stocked, prepared and consumed in a somewhat organized manner.

Sunday

1. B~ Cereal, so we’re not late to church. ; )
2. L~ Turkey sandwiches on 7 grain wheat, baby carrots, string cheese, chips
3. S~ Breakfast for dinner: Wheat Oat Flax Pancakes with Blueberries & Almonds, turkey bacon

Monday

1. B~ 7 Grain french toast, fruit, yogurt
2. L~ Homemade “Lunchables” – ritz, turkey, cheese, apple wedges
3. S~ “Super” Nachos with salsa fresca and guacamole (I leave out the meat, go light on the chips and go heavy on the fresh veggies for a healthier version)

Tuesday

1. B~ Cereal & fruit
2. L~ Chef salads w/egg & deli meat
3. S~ 15 Bean Soup w/ Smoked Sausage, brown rice

Wednesday

1. B~ Oatmeal & fruit
2. L~ Bean & Cheese Quesadillas, with salsa fresca
3. S~ Spaghetti w/ Ronzoni Extra Fiber Pasta & Salad (with carrots, cucumbers, spinach etc.)

Thursday

1. B~ Eggs & bacon, toast & OJ
2. L~ Turkey sandwiches, apple wedges, chips
3. S~ Grilled chicken, corn, steamed broccoli

Friday

1. B~ Cereal
2. L~ Fried egg sandwiches, fruit
3. S~ Porcupine meatballs, ranch beans, salad, bread

Saturday

1. B~ Bread machine bicuits, gravy, turkey bacon, fruit
2. L~ leftovers, etc.
3. S~ “Salisbury steaks,” veggies, rice.

We have several fresh and frozen fruits to choose from with breakfasts and lunches so we can choose what we are in the mood for each day. We also have a snack every day and we’ll try to incorporate either fruits or veggies depending on what the menu for the rest of the day looks like. For snacks we have things like peanut butter and crackers, string cheese, fruit smoothies, yogurt and fruit, etc.

My version of “healthy” is a combination of eating more whole foods, increasing grains and fibers, eating a variety of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, eating balanced meals, monitoring portion control and limiting the amounts of processed foods and high fat or high sugar items. My husband still has certain foods/menus he refuses to give on so we often compromise where we can. It keeps things.. interesting. ; ) I think, though, that exercising regularly will allow for a certain amount of compromising here and there. We shall see. =)

This week I had to menu plan from the food I already bought, but next week I’m going to do it the other way around, and I’m going to revisit some of my healtheir recipes from the past to see I can get our menu even healthier than it is now!

I’m still on the prowl for frugal (and picky family friendly) recipes so if you have any good links leave them in the comments please!

Here’s what is on the menu for this week:

• Monday – Easy Peasy Crockpot Lasagna
• Tuesday – Lemon Pepper Chicken and Pasta
• Wednesday – Homemade Waffles, Turkey Bacon, Fruit
• Thursday – Family Casserole
• Friday -Tostadas
• Saturday – Beans, Smoke Sausage & Cornbread

Menu Plan Monday is hosted by Laura @ I’m and Organizing Junkie!

My meandering thoughts, captured in print and somewhat organized. 5 things or areas, any areas I want to focus on. We survived our crazy week last week and got many things on our todo list done. This week is less crazy but still a bit busier than normal for us. Let’s see what we’ve got going on:

1.) My “Must-Do”s for today:

• School: Math & Science.
• Play date/ business planning for Saturday’s science fair.
• Some necessary chores before we go to the playdate.

2.) My Week:

• Princess’ Bday Wednesday!! – Girls’ day out with MIL (&Lil Prince)
• School: Math & science only.
• Work on science projects for Saturday.
• Plant seeds.
• Planning & prep for upcoming science/art fair

3.) This Month:

• Finalize new menu planning system (details coming soon.)
• Purge & organize filing system.
• Have a trial run Baking Day – something I’ve been wanting to incorporate into our routine.
• School a friend’s son along with our kids while she’s on a cruise with my mother in law for a week!

4.) Online To-Do:

• Finish blog customization for Hollie @ Groovewoman
• Finish re-design for Classic Housewife (sooo gonna be worth it!)
• Design graphics for my UBP winners.

5.) Menu Planning

• Sign up for the coupon sites Erin @ 5 Dollar Dinners recommended
• Research the stores in the nearest town, which days they have their sales, if they double/triple coupons, etc.
• Begin a chart for food expenses, coupon savings etc (so I can track how much I’m really saving and other details.)

This month is slipping away quickly – faster than I’m getting stuff on our to-do lists done! I think I always try to tackle too  much and then rollover things to the next week and the next. I guess that’s not so bad if I get the most important things done first… This week is still going to be busy with a playdate today (so us mom’s can finalize science fair plans), a playdate tomorrow (with some friends who are moving VERY soon!) and spending all day with my mother-in-law on Wednesday to celebrate my eldest’s birthday. That only gives us the 2nd half of the week to finish our science fair projects – aaahhh!!! We don’t normally plan so many things. April just crammed itself full of things faster than I could blink – and I couldn’t really turn any of them down. We just gotta keep moving and keep chip-chip-chipping away at things. What gets done gets done and what doesn’t will still be there for next week. Or next month.

My meandering thoughts, captured in print and somewhat organized. 5 things or areas, any areas I want to focus on. This week I’m still working down my never-ending, always running “To Do” lists. I did get some of it last week. Let’s see what needs to get done this week, shall we?

1.) My “Must-Do”s for today:

• Get school done.
• Recover from the time change!

Really those are my two main objectives for the day. I’m not fretting about anything else!

2.) My Week:

• Get taxes ready to give to accountant (didn’t get this done last week.)
• Regular chores & school
• Sort, purge, organize box of papers on the piano (didn’t get this done last week, either – what DID I do? Hmm.)
• Exercise daily, creating the habit and building stamina, at least 30 minutes, working up to an hour.

3.) This Month:

• Purge, reorganize filing cabinet
• Purge, organize and store away “pile o stuff” in Big Daddy’s office to make room for the exercise machine.
• Prep and turn in medical forms
• Drama Queen turns 6!!

4.) Online To-Do:

• Finish blog customization for Hollie @ Groovewoman
• Finish setting up the page for my graphic design portfolio (almost done!)
• Finish new blog design (almost done!)
• Fix blog design for Classic Housewife
• Submit posts for Digital Bliss. (almost done!)
• Write post(s) for Inspired Bliss.

Hmmm… a lot of almosts here. I should fix that.

5.) Menu Planning

• Buy Sunday papers each week – I FORGOT yesterday! Darn, darn, darn.
• Check into getting a subscription for the paper?
• Sign up for the coupon sites Erin @ 5 Dollar Dinners recommended
• Research the stores in the nearest town, which days they have their sales, if they double/triple coupons, etc.
• Grocery shop this week for additional meat and produce to go along with all the pantry stuff we still have from last week’s shopping trip.

Gee, looking at this really makes it look like I didn’t get much accomplished last week. I didn’t accomplish as much as I wanted to, but we did have a very good week with schooling and I’m looking to build on that even further this week. Maybe at the end of this week, I can cross a few more things off. Slow and steady wins the race, after all.