Now that I have been planning our weekly menu in advance for a month I have noticed that some weeks when we have dinner ready at 5:30 pm every night and the weekend is packed full of activities with family and friends we do not eat up all the leftovers from the meals.  I do not enjoy “wasting” leftovers.  Last Monday when I opened the fridge and realized the amount of items already in the fridge I decided we should hold off on the menu plan for that night and eat up some of the leftovers before they go bad.  Since we ate leftovers on Monday night that menu item has been forwarded to this week.  Also, you may notice that this week’s menu is not as appealing as some weeks and that is because it is a busy week on top of some business traveling so we are keeping it simple and easy both for time and to help use up any extra food we already have in the refrigerator.

Our Weekly Menu Plan

• Monday (Beef Entree):  Homemade Pizza (Hamburger & Pepperoni), Ranch Salad (using lettuce from the Garden & Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Kit we got from the box sale and only used half of the kit from a previous week)
• Tuesday (Seafood or Pork Entree):  Tuna Salad, Fresh Fruit
• Wednesday (Chicken Entree):  Cheesy Chicken Nuggets, Fresh Vegetables
• Thursday (Pasta or Vegetarian Entree): Macaroni and Cheese, Apple Crunches
• Friday, Saturday, & Sunday:  Leftovers, Family Preference, and Hosting

I have a general pattern I try to follow for my weekly Menu Plan (for example Monday we have a beef entree, Tuesday a seafood or pork entree and so forth).  It is my goal, at least in the beginning, to have at least the main dish and one side planned.  I will put together the remaining side dishes (veggies / fruits) based on the food items that need to be used up first and compliment the main entree.

Setting a weekly menu plan helps me utilize my time better, thus freeing up extra time to spend with my family.  On the days that I am working longer hours I can prep the meal in advance so it will be easier to pull together once I am home.  As I go through the menu planning process I will try to share some of our favorite family recipes.  If there is a specific recipe you would like please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate (some recipes are a toss together meal and I do not use any set measurements).

As a family of four our life can get busy.  What’s for Dinner is our weekly menu planning series and one of the ways to help keep us organized, on schedule, and within budget.  Our family typically eats 6 to 7  dinner meals at home a week.  We do try to go out to eat at least once a month as a special treat.  Breakfasts are eaten at home before work and school, lunches are eaten at work, school, or home, so dinner is our main meal together as a family.  Dinner is our time to reconnect, share, and enjoy being together after a busy day.  Our weekly menu plan covers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only because the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) is our time to spend with family and friends.  The weekends tend to be more spontaneous and my husband (who is the better cook) likes pitching in therefore we keep the menu open for variety.  We use up the leftovers throughout the week for our lunches and on the nights that we are busy or can’t cook.

Photo by Liz

I am ready for another week of menu planning!  It has been wonderful getting each day started with a plan of action in place.  I typically look over the menu the evening before to see if I need to pull out any specific items (like meat out of the deep freezer), the next morning I go over the what needs started, prepped or put in the crockpot, and as I am wrapping up homework time with the girls in the late afternoon I start putting together the last few items for the evening meal.

Our Weekly Menu Plan

• Monday (Beef Entree):  Homemade Pizza (Hamburger & Pepperoni), Ranch Salad (using lettuce from the Garden & Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Kit we got from the box sale and only used half of the kit from a previous week)
• Tuesday (Seafood or Pork Entree):  Grilled Lemon Pepper Catfish, Parmesan and Romano Rice, Fresh Fruit Salad
• Wednesday (Chicken Entree):  Chicken Tikka Masala, Naan, Jasmine Rice
• Thursday (Pasta or Vegetarian Entree): Four Cheese Pasta, Steamed Vegetables
• Friday, Saturday, & Sunday:  Leftovers, Family Preference, and Hosting

I have a general pattern I try to follow for my weekly Menu Plan (for example Monday we have a beef entree, Tuesday a seafood or pork entree and so forth).  It is my goal, at least in the beginning, to have at least the main dish and one side planned.  I will put together the remaining side dishes (veggies / fruits) based on the food items that need to be used up first and compliment the main entree.

Setting a weekly menu plan helps me utilize my time better, thus freeing up extra time to spend with my family.  On the days that I am working longer hours I can prep the meal in advance so it will be easier to pull together once I am home.  As I go through the menu planning process I will try to share some of our favorite family recipes.  If there is a specific recipe you would like please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate (some recipes are a toss together meal and I do not use any set measurements).

As a family of four our life can get busy.  What’s for Dinner is our weekly menu planning series and one of the ways to help keep us organized, on schedule, and within budget.  Our family typically eats 6 to 7  dinner meals at home a week.  We do try to go out to eat at least once a month as a special treat.  Breakfasts are eaten at home before work and school, lunches are eaten at work, school, or home, so dinner is our main meal together as a family.  Dinner is our time to reconnect, share, and enjoy being together after a busy day.  Our weekly menu plan covers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only because the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) is our time to spend with family and friends.  The weekends tend to be more spontaneous and my husband (who is the better cook) likes pitching in therefore we keep the menu open for variety.  We use up the leftovers throughout the week for our lunches and on the nights that we are busy or can’t cook.

Photo by Liz