Meal Planning week of 8.12

kns1988 · August 2018

Is anyone into meal planning? We're trying to get our budget under control, so this is my first week making and trying to stick to a meal plan. Post your plans here.

kns1988 · August 2018

Saturday = Southwest roast, beans
Sunday = BBQ, mac n cheese
Monday = Grilled chicken salad
Tuesday = Leftover grilled chicken salad
Wednesday = Chicken stir fry, rice, veg
Thursday = Chicken breast (oven), baked potatoes, veg
Friday = Frozen pizza

molosmiles · August 2018

I need this thread in my life. Give me all the ideas. School starts this week so I need lunch ideas too.

I'm the worst at meal planning and waste too much food. Currently my cupboards and fridge are bare. I need help.

pttomato · August 2018

I really need to get back into meal planning. I have to come up with meals where the carb is separate, don’t require me to turn on the oven (too hot) and that my toddler will eat some of.It would help if I could find the motivation to do more prep work. I think it will at least be cool enough this week to turn on the stove which will help a lot.

CoastieGirl79 · August 2018

Following this. Looking for meal inspiration o get us through the summer. Also any ideas for freeze ahead meals. We did that with DS, and it was a lifesaver. I'm thinking of getting an instapot, too.

@kns1988 thanks for starting this thread!

hlb8179 · August 2018

Our meals this week are one pan apple bacon chicken (https://www.theendlessmeal.com/one-pan-bacon-apple-chicken/), taco salad bowls (with salsa chicken in crock pot), baked sweet potatoes with Amy’s canned chili on top, turkey meatballs with butternut squash risotto (from the frozen section), and bunless burgers with salad. My 3 year old eats everything we do, and it’s just the two of us Monday through Thursday. I will make three of those tonight and have leftovers for lunch and dinner the next couple nights before cooking again Thursday and Friday night.

ersh1010 · August 2018

Typically I cook on Sunday's and we eat leftovers all week. I can't bring myself to cook after work. I prepped turkey chili for the crockpot tomorrow. Also made a pasta bake with ground chicken, artichokes, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms in a pesto sauce. I grilled a few chicken breasts we will cut and put on salads for lunch all week.

galactickates · August 2018

Yeah so I should probably follow this, I either call my best friend to ask what she's making which 50% of the time involved egg plant, or H and I going back and forth saying "what do you want for dinner?" "I dunno, what do you want?" And ending up with grilled chicken or tacos.

Kabazaba · August 2018

Definitely following this. I meal planned our first year of marriage, when we were broke grad students, and I have never eaten so well and spent so little on groceries. It does take some time, but so worth it. Time to try and get back in the habit!

molosmiles · August 2018

@galactickates Ha ha ha. This is so me. But I ask my SIL, who happens to be my close friend. My SO would never really eat the foods she does so asking doesn't help, but I still ask because she always has a plan.

I found thefresh20.com and I used to love it, but I feel like my family or I don't like something waxh week that stops me from making the meals. It is 20 ingredients, 5 meals, all healthy from scratch meals....but sometimes take longer to cook than I would like.

saltedcaramel518 · August 2018

Mon-Shredded chicken sandwiches and french fries
Tues-Baked popcorn chicken and Instant Pot ranch potatoes
Wed-Chicken enchiladas (something I already have in the freezer...whoo!) and rice
Thurs-Bubble up pizza and roasted zucchini slices
Fri-DH has a football game, so I'll probably eat out

saltedcaramel518 · August 2018

@CoastieGirl79 I love my Instant Pot. I got it for Christmas 2016, and I use it at least once a week. I can't sing it's praises enough.

Some freezer meals I've made before:
Chicken enchiladas-https://recipebookandmore.wordpress.com/2014/08/26/cheesy-chicken-enchiladas-freezer-meal/
Baked Spaghetti-https://www.northcarolinacharm.com/2017/03/baked-spaghetti-easy-freezer-meal-to.html
Hot Pockets-https://happymoneysaver.com/homemade-hot-pockets-scratch-freezer-friendly/

I almost always have some cooked shredded chicken (from the Instant Pot!) in my freezer to pull out for a quick dinner of tacos, chicken sandwiches, etc.

BitterBetty12 · August 2018

@saltedcaramel518 Yessss IP! I am obsessed with mine. But I was too lazy to find a recipe this week so it's the first in a while I'm not using it.

I need this in my life. I have been off the rails for the last couple of weeks and the scale and my clothes are showing it from the bloat. My hardest meal is lunch.

This week:

Monday - Whatever the hell I find in my freezer
Tuesday - Chicken and broccoli alfredo wonton cups
Wednesday - Chicken burritos
Thursday - Turkey burgers with sweet potato fries and corn on the cob
Friday - Fettucine Alfredo

Breakfasts: Eggs, chocolate peanut butter banana overnight oats
Snacks: Cottage cheese, yogurt, fruit, carrots, graham crackers
Lunch: Uhmmmmmmm. DDs chicken nuggets? Leftovers? A lean cuisine?

CoastieGirl79 · August 2018

@saltedcaramel518 thanks for the recommendations! I've been reading lots of good stuff about insta pots.

alannac1 · August 2018

@ersh1010 your pasta bake sounds delicious! Are you willing to share the recipe?

Im good about meal planning for lunch because i go home for lunch everyday... But im pretty boring and cook on sundays and then eat the same thing all week. This week its homemade chipotle chicken bowls with cilantro lime rice, pinto beans, grilled chicken, topped with shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream.

For dinner, we usually grill up either chicken breasts or burgers. (Its just me and my husband for now.. might change once baby arrives!) Our local butcher sells prepackaged one lb packages of fresh ground beef in bulk, so our freezer is always stocked with those. For chicken, i stock up when the all natural breasts go on sale and then hand-trim them and put 2-3 breasts in a freezer bag and marinate with different marinades and then just freeze them.

galactickates · August 2018

Can we make an IP thread? I got one as a wedding present but i'm too nervous to use it. I would love a recipe thread to reference. I've pinned a bunch of recipes but I'd rather get it from people who make are actually making these things.

saltedcaramel518 · August 2018

@galactickates I'd definitely contribute

galactickates · August 2018

@saltedcaramel518 I don't need much arm twisting to start threads

just created. I'm excited to star it so I can reference easily

drabong88 · August 2018

Here are my meals for the weak! I've been spending way too much at the grocery this was the first week in a while I actually planned out my meals.

Monday: shepherds pie with a salad
Tuesday: Turkey sloppy joes
Wednesday: french dip sandwiches with fries
Thursday: parmesesean tialpea with baked potatoes
Friday: chicken cordon bleu with mashed potatoes

kns1988 · August 2018

@drabong88 Shepherds pie sounds great! Is it hard to make?

molosmiles · August 2018

@kns1988 Shepard's pie is super easy!! Even easier if you already have leftover mashed potatoes, but easy enough to make same night if you cut the potatoes small enough.

There are many recipes out there, but I like the more traditional. Brown ground beef, add seasonings (salt, pepper, onion, garlic, worstecheshire, etc), a tbsp or 2 of flour, then veggies, I use frozen veggies (peas and carrots). I use a cast iron pan, then add the mashed potatoes right on top of the mixture, cover with shredded cheese and into the oven as high as your pan can take, just to warm up the potatoes and melt the cheese.

mrsmang · August 2018

@molosmiles @kns1988 in a pinch I’ve used instant mashed potatoes on shepherds pie too. Definitely a yummy, pretty quick, option!

ersh1010 · August 2018

@alannac1 I just made it up otherwise I would share the link! Basically I made pasta aldente. Browned lean ground chicken, added a chopped onion after it was cooked to soften. Added a large container of sliced white mushrooms to soften as well. Dumped all of it in a 13x9 pan with some frozen artichoke hearts, sliced (non oil) sundried tomatoes and a small jar of pesto with a few splashes of half and half. Mixed it all and baked until hot (350 degrees for 30 min). I threw some grated cheese on top at the end of baking to slightly brown.

drabong88 · August 2018

@kns1988 I make pretty much the exact same as @molosmiles. I add onions, peas and carrots as my veggies, sometimes corn. I've also made it with Turkey and add beef broth and it turns out yummy still!

molosmiles · August 2018

@drabong88 @kns1988 I completely forgot the beef broth! I definitely add that!!

alannac1 · August 2018

@ersh1010

Thanks! Going to give it a shot next week!

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