Titus 2 Tea - Meals - Week 1

Do you have trouble even wanting to keep meals planned ahead?  Does it seem like a waste of time because when you look at the plan you don't even want to eat what's up there?  And yet, on the other hand, do you struggle to know what to make and then do you even have the ingredients for that meal?

These next three weeks, we're working on menu planning, grocery shopping, and budgeting meals.

Join us here, or at my house at 7:30 on Thursdays (we'll be skipping Thanksgiving Day, of course).

For starters, let's talk about making a menu.  Does it seem silly?  Do you find that you don't even follow the menu, so what's the point?

For many years, I just flew by the seat of my pants - what does that mean anyway?  I never planned ahead and my favorite question was, "What should we have for dinner?"  Guess what the answer to that question is, at least in my house.  "I dunno."

My suggestion is that you start little.  Start by planning what you'll have for tomorrow.  Start making a list of all the meals you like.  Post that up somewhere, so you can look at it, for a reference tool.  Maybe when you are cleaning up from supper tonight, you can decide what you'll have tomorrow.   Pull the meat you'll need out of the freezer, while you're doing this.  Make sure you put it in a bowl in the fridge.

I like doing a month's worth of meals at a time, because then I don't have to think about it for another month.  It takes a few minutes one evening, but then I don't have to mess with it again all month.  Here's the system I use:

http://www.sugardoodle.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7734:robins-menu-board&catid=3490

My kids help me pick out the meals that they enjoy, and then I put them up on the board.

Another idea that may work for you, and we do incorporate this into our monthly plan is having a type of meal on a specific day.  Our system is Sunday - meat and potatoes in the roaster; Monday - Asian; Tuesday - Mexican; Wednesday - Crockpot meal; Thursday - Casseroles; Friday - Italian; Saturday - Soup.   The kids look forward to each day because it's a different type and they like them all.

So I challenge you to try it.  Just for one month.  See if you don't enjoy your life just a bit more because you don't have to think about this.  Pick one of the ways above or find your own way.  If you have a great way, let me know.  I love new ideas. 
More on all of this here:
http://keepinguphomeinabusyworld.blogspot.com/2012/08/meal-schedules.html
Making the most of today,
Steph