Menu Plan Monday: New Menu System

Here's our last "Eat From the Pantry" menu for this month. I've learned quite a few things along the way this month.

First, I learned that it doesn't work for me to write out a list of a month's worth of meals. I tried it twice and failed to follow it evenly remotely close both times. I find that a week at a time works better for me and it's better if I don't assign certain foods for certain days. Some days I don't feel like chicken and if it's on the list, I just won't make it. :)

I also found that if I didn't like what I wrote down for the day, I was more like to crave something else and go to get it. Or there would be days we didn't know what to eat because we weren't following the list at all.

So, for this week, I wrote down some breakfasts, lunches and dinners I can make from stuff I have around. Works so much better for me to just glance at the list each day and decide what I feel like making. It also helps because if we're hungry at a weird time, I can just look at the list and pick something to make.

Breakfasts
Smoothies
Hard Boiled Eggs and Toast (x2)
Waffles and Syrup (x2)
Oatmeal
Cereal and milk

Lunches
Turkey, cheese and crackers
Soup and sandwiches
Tuna Egg Salad
P.B.&J
Hot Dogs and fruit
Snowflake Pancakes (for our theme this week)
Leftovers

Dinners
Chicken Helper
Hamburgers and Salad
Rice and Beans and Snowflake Tortillas
Pork Stir Fry (just going to wing it, I'll post about it later)
Tuna Helper
Leftovers
Leftovers

The second thing I learned is that I have to allot much more time for us to use up leftovers and anything else we might have been given. I like to cook too much, so I often over plan the amount of food we need. I need to learn how not to cook for an army... or just learn to leave enough time for us to eat it all!

I will be attaching this list to my cork board and hopefully I'll have better luck with this system. I haven't had much menu planning success lately, so it's time to find a system that truly works! What works for your family?

Menu Plan Monday

I know that I put leftovers down a lot, but with just my husband and I, we don't eat a huge amount and most recipes are enough for 4 (yes, he eats a lot, but not THAT much!). I feel that it is good menu planning and frugality to properly plan for leftovers. I find that they get forgotten about otherwise.

Monday: Plenty of Easter Leftovers!

Tuesday: Tater Tot Casserole

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Pork Chops with Apples and Rosemary (Robin Miller's Quick Fix Meals)

Friday: Ritzy Chicken (Money Saving Mom's recipe) I plan on doubling this recipe and freezing one for when the new baby comes... It has begun. :)

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Leftovers

To see hundreds of other menus and recipes head on over to Organizing Junkie!

Menu Plan Monday

Another week, another menu to hopefully follow. Last week, not so much. I made the potato corn chowder like I planned, but things went a little awry. I over salted it. For no other reason than that I kept adding huge amounts of salt (milk and potatoes are bland, right?) and it was hot and I didn't feel like burning my tongue to test it. When I finally did taste it.... ouch. Imagine drinking salt water. Yeah, really that bad. So I added more milk. And then more milk. And then more potatoes. And then more milk. Needless to say, we were eating that soup a lot last week. Funny thing is that I still thought it was too salty, but my husband said it was the best batch yet. Ugh. I've never been much of a salt person.

Monday: Tuna Quesdillas

Tuesday: Roasted Pork with Strawberry Glaze (Robin Miller)

Wednesday: Creamy Rotini and Salmon from March issue of Family Circle

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Saturday: Leftovers, gotta make room for.....

Sunday: Easter Dinner at Our House! I'll be posting about how I'm prepping and what I'm making later this week!

To see hundreds more recipes and menus go to Organizing Junkie!

Menu Plan Monday

Another week of menus. I actually sat down and planned out the next FOUR weeks of menus today based on what we have around. I feel so proud of myself! Now, whether or not I actually follow them... that's another story. I'm also going to be embarking on a mission soon to make meals and snacks to stash in the freezer for when baby #2 arrives!I'll be posting more on what I learn about freezer cooking and my list of food to make, but if you have a favorite freezer recipe or tips, I'd love your input!

Monday: Potato Corn Chowder (Money Saving Mom recipe)

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Lemon Rosemary Pork Loin (Robin Miller)

Thursday: Chipotle Pork Soft Tacos from Pork Leftovers (Robin Miller)

Friday: Leftovers/ Tuna Quesadillas

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Leftovers/Out

To see hundreds of other menus and recipes go here.

Menu Plan Monday

You can go to www.orgjunkie.com to see other people's plans for the week and recipes!

Well, last week's plan went out the window, but with our current motto being "spend nothing or very little" this month, I think I'll be sticking to a much tighter plan around here. :) It's a new month, so a new month of supposed seasonal produce (although, apparently kumquats aren't really seasonal in February).

March Produce:
Artichokes
Asparagus
Avocados
Bananas
Broccoli
Kumquats (ha!)
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Spinach

Hmm.... not too promising, except for the avocados. Any way, here are the meals I hope to accomplish this week!

Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: Cauliflower Soup (hopefully not as awful as it sounds!)
Wednesday: Potato Corn Chowder (for the couple) with Wheat Bread

Thursday: Fish (Salmon) baked or in Aluminum foil packets with veggies

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Out with in-laws

Sunday: Who knows? Maybe soup and sandwiches if nothing else is going on! :)

Breakfasts are usually just cereal, frozen homemade waffles or sometimes scrambled eggs. Lunches are usually leftovers, salad or sandwiches with fruit.

Menu Plan Monday

You can go here to find other Menu Planners and tons of their recipes!

Monday: Bacon Wrapped Apple BBQ Chicken from $5 Dinners Mom (crockpot!)

Tuesday: Foil Packet Salmon and Veggies

Wednesday: Leftovers/ Rice and Beans

Thursday: Homemade Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese (will post recipe Thursday, ask if you want it sooner)

Friday: Crockpot Steak Stew w/ Veggies and Potatoes

Saturday: Leftovers/Out

Sunday: Leftovers/ Out

February Seasonal Produce:

Avocados

Bananas

Broccoli

Cabbages

Cauliflower

Kumquats (anyone know where to get these, what they are, and what the heck you do with them?!!)

Mangoes

Pears

Tangerines

Winter Squash

Menu Plan Monday

Now that the household is back to some order, I can begin menu planning more faithfully again! I'll have to go find the list of February seasonal produce for you, but for now, here's what we're having this week:

Monday: Ritzy Chicken from Money Saving Mom's cookbook
Tuesday: Taco Bake from Kraft Food and Family book
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Baked Fish Foil Packets with Veggies and maybe homemade bread if I ever get around to it!
Friday: Probably going to go to the Cafe's fundraiser dinner (Spaghetti I think)
Saturday and Sunday: I usually leave these open as anything can happen, but if all else fails, there's frozen beans to eat with rice and cheese!

Breakfasts: Fruit, fresh juice, cereal and milk, hard boiled eggs and oatmeal
Lunches: I have to work harder on planning lunches for me and Lizzy, I'm usually at a loss and eat something unhealthy! If you have any good ideas for easy, cheap lunches (besides rice and beans) let me know! Thanks and happy cooking this week!