How I meal plan for the week

Here is my basic method of planning out what my family will eat over the week.  I have found that when I meal plan I feel in better control of the household in general.  There is less or no extra trips to the grocery store which leaves more time to do other things, like laundry.

At the beginning of each month I create a Monthly Master Menu List which is basically a list of 30ish dinner recipes I have pinned on Pinterest, picked out of my recipe archives or clipped out of magazines.  It does take a little time but I find this method to be so helpful in many more ways than it is time consuming.  I will go over the steps I take when I make my Monthly Master Menu List in a future post.  For now, let's talk about this week!

I start out with this blank template that I printed off of Pinterest awhile back. I cannot find the link to the actual website where it originated from because I have used this sheet for so long now.  You can search for this particular one which is probably still out there in the cyberspace somewhere along with Kim Kardashian's booty pictures....  Or you could find another that you like and use that one.

 From here, I take my day planner and look at what we have going on during the week.  Things like where we need to go in the evenings, if any of us will be late coming home due to after school activities or work related things, and lastly I look at how many personal training appointments and other household errands each day.  All of these things play a factor in what I choose to put on my weekly list.  If the boys have basketball, I am teaching at night and Mike is coming home later from work because he has a late meeting scheduled, I am going to choose a simple meal or crockpot meal that I can get started early in the morning.  If I am home cleaning all day and have no where to go otherwise I will choose a recipe that requires more time in the kitchen.  This is what my Monthly Master Menu looks like.  It is nothing fancy but it works for us.

The last thing that I do is write my chosen meals on Post-it notes and stick them on. 

This week looks like this!

Monday- I have one training appointment and Mike will be home late so it will be just me and the boys at dinner time so a breakfasty type meal will be perfect.  

Tuesday - Tuesdays are always Taco Tuesday!  I have training appointments during the day and I teach my classes at night and the boys have basketball, so tacos are easy and a crowd pleaser.

Wednesday- We usually go to my parents house for dinner

Thursday- I train during the day but will have time to prepare something a little more complicated for dinner.  Mike and the boys are home right after work/school and have no where to be for the rest of the night.  I am teaching my classes so cleanup will be on the boys ;-)  

Friday- Mike and I always look forward to nachos at night after the boys go to bed.  We have done this for as long as I can remember.  The boys typically have pita pizzas or nachos themselves.

Saturday - Weekends always seem to be busy so simple and fun pita pizzas for all today!