Meal planning a go-go continues... :) Tonight my family's meal plan calls for Rice and Veggies. I'm serving organic basmati rice topped with organic corn, peas, green beans (a frozen mix from Costco) and organic broccoli (also from Costco) and a side of herbed Naan. (East Indian bread that we get from Trader Joe's.) Easy, quick, inexpensive and healthy.
I’m about to take a load off your mind:
There’s NO perfect meal planning system, program or schedule that works for ALL families. Meal planning is different for everyone. You really need to try on a few for size and do what works best for your wallet, your busy schedule and the amount of cooking you can reasonably commit to without driving yourself batty.
Case in point: Some folks create incredibly specific meal plans that they follow to the very letter. No substitutions. No veering off course. No flexibility.
A specific plan might look like this:
-Breakfast - Rolled organic oats with cranberries and soy milk
-Lunch – Peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat with carrot sticks
-Dinner - Chicken Broccoli Casserole with green salad
This would never work for us.
We like to have the option of changing up the ingredients depending on our mood, busy schedule, what we might find on sale, etc.
So, our Monday meal plan looks like this:
-Breakfast – soaked oats with barley and dried fruit OR waffles and eggs
-Lunch - Peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat with carrot sticks OR grilled cheese
-Dinner – Pasta Night
Make sense? It allows for more flexibility and, as the primary cook in the family, I don’t feel pigeonholed into making meals that we may not feel like eating. Instead, it works for us to plan in terms of themes.
A typical weekly dinner meal plan for us looks like this:
Monday – Pasta Night
Examples: Fusilli tossed with walnut basil pesto and sun-dried tomatoes, healthy mac 'n cheese or garden lasagna.
Tuesday – Quesadilla Night
Stuff tortillas full of seasonal veggies and salsa for quick meal. Let the kids help! (They love adding handfuls of cheese to the tortillas and playing chef...) Make a huge batch of these yummy beans over the weekend and throw them into the mix.
Wednesday – Rice and Veggies
Experiment with different types of rice or quinoa and toss in seasonal veggies and/or grilled chicken. (Tip: Make the rice on a Sunday afternoon and reheat.)
Thursday – "Brinner"
(Breakfast + Dinner = Brinner!)
Serve crustless quiche, a seasonal scramble or strata. Kids LOVE brinner. It almost seems naughty to have breakfast at nighttime.
Friday – Pizza Night
Pizza dough is easy, cheap, and fun to make. The possibilities are endless… (A great way to clean out the fridge.) Make it a family affair and put the kids in charge of putting on the toppings.
Saturday – Lovely Leftovers
Time to eat down that fridge! Lay out a "Leftovers Buffet" (use fancy platters) and let family members compile their own meals. Maybe make some garlic bread as a fun side that ties everything together...
Sunday – Wildcard!
This could mean something that’s in the freezer (a previously made casserole or a whole chicken) or repeating one of the other meals from the week.
Stay on top of what’s stocked in your pantry and create savvy shopping lists. I make sure that most of the foods we purchase that can be used in many different ways.
Next up this week: Shopping list suggestions and recipes that will make meal planning a breeze.
Organically yours,
Minde
I want to hear your meal planning tips! What works best for your family? Why?
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