Friday, February 16, 2007
Getting more organized with my meal planning....
I know a lot of you participate in Laura's Monday Menu plans! I love to have my menu all planned out and ready to go for the week. It makes my sometimes chaotic life seem to have a plan. I like that! Well,I have decided to take that a step further. I have been reading the website, Preschoolers and Peace and getting some great ideas on how to keep things organized in the kitchen,with homeschooling,with younger children in the mix,etc...I love websites that help give moms like me that little push towards having a peaceful and well run home. God has given our home as my domain and I do want to do everything in a manner that shows excellence and gives God glory.
With the security a schedule or plan has for me,I also,strongly believe in some balance to that! As a mother and homemaker...I have to have some flexibility in my thinking or our home becomes just too rigid, especially with preschool age children. God has been very gracious to help me see this. Sometimes,my schedule can be an idol of the heart,and I definitely do not want that.
After saying all that--it helps to get all my thoughts out there,so you know where I am coming from--I have come up with a plan that copies the ideas at Preschoolers and Peace. I have made a master plan that will guide me on my meal planning. The following will be the main dish idea,then I will have various side dishes with each entree.
I will rotate the following dishes:
I am not bound by this schedule or list,it just gives me some things to work with. I am going to try and stick with the daily menu planning for the specific things for certain days(Monday-chicken,Tuesday-Beef or pork,etc)...but,you know,if I find a new wonderful recipe to try out and we like it,I will just add it on to my regulars!
I highly recommend this websiteto those who might be looking for help with having a peaceful home with little ones! I wish I had this resource years ago! It is helpful for those with older ones,too!
With the security a schedule or plan has for me,I also,strongly believe in some balance to that! As a mother and homemaker...I have to have some flexibility in my thinking or our home becomes just too rigid, especially with preschool age children. God has been very gracious to help me see this. Sometimes,my schedule can be an idol of the heart,and I definitely do not want that.
After saying all that--it helps to get all my thoughts out there,so you know where I am coming from--I have come up with a plan that copies the ideas at Preschoolers and Peace. I have made a master plan that will guide me on my meal planning. The following will be the main dish idea,then I will have various side dishes with each entree.
Monday Night--Chicken
Tuesday-- Pork or Beef
Wednesday--Something easy or eat out
Thursday--Mexican
Friday--Pasta
Saturday--Homemade Soup or Pizza
Sunday--Sometimes crock pot or eat lunch out
I will rotate the following dishes:
Chicken
Poppy seed chicken
Mesquite grilled chicken
Chicken spaghetti
Swiss chicken bake
Southwest chicken
Chicken cordon bleu
Chicken with rice
Chicken pot pie
Chicken and dumplings
Chicken parmesan
Chicken stir fry
Baked lemon chicken
Pork
Coke crock pot pork chops
Susanne's southwest pork chops
Pork Tenderloin
Shake N Bake pork chops(my husband loves this!)
Beef
Roast
Steak
Brisket
Beef Stroganoff
Beef tips and rice
Mexican
Tacos
Sour cream chicken Enchiladas
Crock pot taco chicken
Fajitas
Burritos
Taco Salad
Pasta
Spaghetti with meatballs or meat sauce
Lasagna
Shrimp Scampi with angel hair pasta
Penne pasta bake
Chicken parmesan with thin spaghetti
Shrimp *Lo Mein*
I am not bound by this schedule or list,it just gives me some things to work with. I am going to try and stick with the daily menu planning for the specific things for certain days(Monday-chicken,Tuesday-Beef or pork,etc)...but,you know,if I find a new wonderful recipe to try out and we like it,I will just add it on to my regulars!
I highly recommend this websiteto those who might be looking for help with having a peaceful home with little ones! I wish I had this resource years ago! It is helpful for those with older ones,too!
I am a stay at home mother to 4. I am very blessed to have a godly husband who loves the Lord and his family. I welcome the days of much needed grace,the times of sweet victories,and the tears of trials,knowing it is all for God's glory. I want my lifesong to sing to Him,the author and finisher of my faith. Soli Deo Gloria--To the Glory of God alone.
17 Comments:
Do you have ANY idea how HELPFUL this is to me? I feel like I should pay you or something! ; ) Thanks for sharing. I know that you will think that you are just an ordinary mom when I say this, but you must know that I am using you (or at least what you post) as a benchmark for my homeschool and domestic endeavors! No pressure, really. HAHA! ; )
BTW: where are your pictures in your sidebar? Do you like to post pics actually IN your posts??
I have been doing this for years. I use a three-ring binder to put my menus in. The menu for the week goes in the clear outside cover and the rest of the menus are organized by month. That way I can look back at what we have had in the past, see if it was a winner or a loser, or just get ideas when my brain is in non functioning mode. When next Feb rolls around, I'll toss out 2007 so I only have one full year in the book at a time. I also keep my budget in the binder. I don't bother keeping to a rigid schedule. If Monday's meal ends up working better on Tuesday I don't fret. But at least I'm not walking around the house wondering what I'm going to make for dinner anymore.
Hi Kim,
My dh loves Shake and Bake too. I buy it for chicken and pork.
Hugs,
Elizabeth
Fantastic advice!! Thanks for the link!
Hi Kim, thanks for this link! This is a great site and very much needed for me...
Great link! I am researching how I can be better about schedules for my preschoolers. I loved some of her ideas! Thanks
I will have to check out that website. I hope this helps your schedule out. I have been having each girl and my husband pick one meal a week, so that only leaves a few for me to plan.
You are a girl after my own heart!!! I love your plan. I made a huge master list not to long ago of all the meals I make. And, it has made deciding what to make so much easier!! I just read through the list and pick something for each day.
I can't wait to check out the site you mentioned thanks for the link. I am all about organizing - so I am always thankful for your advice!!!
I would love to have coffee with you too Kim!!
I find that at least having a plan frees me up so much! You have a real nice amount of dishes to rotate. And yet it can be flexible enough for surprises. Great job, Kim.
I have really liked that site too! Thanks for sharing your meal plan and rotation. I think that is a great idea! It help so much to have a plan, even if it doesn't always work out w/little ones. :)
Hi Kim, great idea! I have kept all my weekly menu plans since starting menu planning over a year ago but I have never done anything with them. I think I'm going to do up some kind of spreadsheet to organize them and by doing this I'll (hopefully) be able to better plan future menus.
Laura
Kim, thanks so much for sharing this website with us. I, too, have really been prayerfully working on our daily routines and schedules--while at the same time, reminding myself that they are simply the guiding principles for the day and not the absolute rule. I'm always open to ideas and suggestions to help make our days run more smoothly--thanks again!!
I REALLY need to sit down and do this!! I love being organized like that, but alas, it hasn't happened since the birth of my last child! You've inspired me!
Kim,
I think I'm going to print all of my recipes that are bookmarked, categorize them, and then implement a plan like yours. I like it!
blessings~
Annie
My Mothers & More group just had a meeting about preplanning meals and other ways to organize home and family, and I found my way to your blog through one of their suggestions.
In thanks to you and your commenters for showing me your wonderful list and ideas, and inspiring me to create ours, I wanted to share a pork crock pot recipe with you--so easy and so yummy, it can be pulled pork sandwiches or "Sunday dinner" over mashed potatoes...my whole family loves it and I hope yours does too!
Blessings and thanks to you.
2-nights Crock Pot Pork from my friend Jodi
For the first night, it was a 3 pound pork loin roast. I put it under the broiler for about 15-20 minutes in the morning, just with a little pepper and kosher salt and poultry seasoning. Then, it went into the crock pot (on high) for 5-6 hours, along with a sliced onion, a little salt and pepper, 1 clove garlic (pressed), 1 bay leaf, ½ cup water and 1-2 Tablespoon soy sauce.
After it cooked, I removed the meat and bay leaf, then whisked in flour to make gravy from the drippings. Served over mashed potatoes.
Second day – made homemade BBQ sauce:
3 cups ketchup
2 cups water
Dash Worcestershire
Dash olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoon brown sugar
1-2 teaspoon chili powder
Then, “shred” leftover pork with fork, add to BBQ sauce. Cook on low all day. Serve on Kaiser rolls with cole slaw! YUMMY!
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