For me, the biggest benefit to meal planning is eliminating multiple trips to the grocery store each week. I like to go once and get it over with. We did try grocery delivery many, many years ago when Rich and I were both working and the girls were toddlers. I didn't like how I couldn't pick out my own produce, or select the loaf of bread with the later use by date. I know a lot of people like grocery pick-up and our store just started doing that, but again with not being able to choose which produce is in the best shape. (I understand I have control issues, but the stores near us have food that needs to be tossed, expired items or near expired items. You have to check everything.)
I also prefer to meal plan weekly for a couple of different reasons. In general, I like to focus on getting through one week at a time. It helps to eliminate stress. Here's what I think about when meal planning:
- What do we have for activities, meetings, family stuff for the week?
- What food do we have that needs or should be used?
- What's on sale at the grocery store?
The girls have dance classes on four nights a week this year. The fifth weeknight they will have CCD, when it starts up. Friday night during the school year is almost 100% pizza night for us because I have my tap class after the girls have dance. There's only one night that's tough this year. On that night, the girls all have dance in the afternoon. Then, after an hour break, Allie and Emily have tap. (Anna is still tapping, but because she skipped a year several years ago, she's a year behind.) On that night, it's too early for them to eat dinner during the break before tap. Plus, who would want to eat dinner right before a tap class? So we all eat dinner after tap. It's almost 6:30 when we arrive home and people are hangry at that point so dinner needs to be ready.
Here's a look at our meals from the first week of school. We were still down at the cottage on Sunday night (we grilled and I didn't take photos) so this is Monday through Thursday.
Ravioli and tortellini with Caesar salad and garlic bread.
Mini turkey meatloaves (that's a ton of ketchup baked on top), roasted broccoli and scalloped potatoes.
Tacos - all veggie for me (roasted cauliflower and beans)
Spinach and tomato lasagna with greens.
1 comment:
These are my favorite posts of yours. Thank you for being open about being a mom who just needs to get dinner on the table, and what you do to make that happen. One request, maybe the recipe for turkey meatloaf? You write about it and it sounds so good!
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