if your home is anything like ours, there are times when the flow is simply perfect. and then there is the rest of the time. you know, those days when one tiny thing knocks your world off its axis and you spend the entire day (and night) playing catch-up, putting out fires left and right, only to feel exhausted + overwhelmed + unaccomplished at the end of it all.
been there. often.
one very simple thing that has helped me/us to maintain a sense of cool flow in the past has thankfully made its way back into our lives. i'm talking about a menu/meal planner.
to outsiders it may sound silly, but you guys know what i'm talking about. having a plan works wonders. you end up going to the store once or twice a week (instead of daily) which translates into more time. T I M E. and more time each day to do something of your own choosing? hallelujah!
i love to cook. loooove. but when i don't plan what i'm going to cook, it becomes more of a chore than a pleasure. and preparing meals for my family is all about love. so having a plan makes it all come together as intended... even if the recipe goes awry.
so here are a few tips from my own experience -
- devoting time to make a weekly meal plan can fall off the priority list rather quickly, so try filling in the meal planner 2-weeks at a time.
- look at the calendar to coordinate activities and determine when there will be actual cooking time in home leading up to the meal (vs. when you can to utilize the slow cooker).
- embrace your slow cooker if your family has a lot of late afternoon activities. with a little planning, you can retrofit family favorites to be done in the crock pot.
- tear out recipes from magazines, the paper + tag them on pinterest when you find really good ones you'd like to try.
- clip your meal planner to a clipboard along with your 2-weeks worth of recipes.
- make up your shopping list based on the entire week and go to the market ONCE. **but be sure to check your pantry for any staples you may already have on hand (or need to stock up on).
- do not feel restricted by your meal planner. move meals around as your weeks change, save the risotto for another day when you have more time, switch out ingredients, etc. let it work with you. it's your plan, after all.
- and by all means give yourself a night (or entire day) off. you heard me. plan to take a day off kitchen duty. considering my husband is in the food business, one would think he cooks at home. nope. (seriously, what's up with that?!) so my night off KP usually means we go out or order takeout. fine by me.
and just in case you'd like a copy, i've made a printable to share :)
DOWNLOAD MEAL PLANNER NOW : use it + share it + enjoy!
here's a peek at a few goodies on the menu in the Casa kitchen these past few weeks...
- salsa chicken + vegetables (crock pot) w/jasmine rice
- pork roast, mashed cauliflower and green beans
- beef and potato hand pies and green salad
- pasta with cold sauce (fresh tomatoes, garlic + basil)
- grilled ribeye steaks with salt + vinegar roasted potatoes and salad
- spaghetti with homemade marinara + (leftover) ribeye (inspired by this recipe)
- chicken succotash w/avocado and farmers cheese
- orecchiette with chard, (leftover) pork, lemon + goat cheese (inspired by this recipe)
- roasted tomato soup BLT style with grilled cheese (this recipe gave me the idea to put bacon + lettuce on top and my people love toppings)
- apple pancakes (recipe from the chew which was a healthier version of the deep fried apple rings we passed on at the orchard a few weeks ago)
- (can you tell i went through a few issues of everyday food while planning?)
so far it's been working brilliantly for us (if i do say so myself). that said, i'm sure things will fall off course as they tend to do in life. but knowing that this has worked so well for us so far, and knowing that it is now here for me (and you) to print off and use each week is great encouragement + motivation to keep up with things.
and i'd love to hear if you end up using the meal planner (or another variation thereof), as well as new yummy recipes you might have to share. xoxo
