Meal Planning & A Recipe

I'm a planner by nature. I never just wake up in the morning and say, "Gee, I think I'll head to the beach today." No, if I'm going to the beach, it's been planned well in advance. The car is already packed the night before, sandwiches made, snacks laid out, swimsuits cleaned and ready and everything set for the day.

I'm a planner.

This personality trait definitely comes with it's bonuses, but it also comes with a lot of downfalls. I miss out on a lot of last-minute fun because I "didn't plan on it." It almost makes me nervous to be spontaneous. My husband helps me with this, but still, I struggle.

Anyhow... back to the positive things about being a planner. :)

One positive thing is, that I plan our meals out a week in advance.

Now, I don't always stick to it 100%, but for the most part, we do. It eliminates the stress of trying to figure out "what's for dinner tonight?" And it also saves us a lot of time and money by purchasing things that are on sale, and not running to the grocery store several times a week.

I did a post about meal planning once before, you can check it out here if you want more details on how I do it. But once again, I just want to encourage all you mommies to plan out your meals for the entire week, hit the grocery store with coupons in hand, knowing what you have at home already, and do your best to save where you can (BOGO!!!). 

Here are some tips:

1. Buy beef & chicken when it's on sale. The regular chicken at our Publix goes on sale for $1.99/lb about once a month. I buy at least 10 packs when it goes on sale and stick them in the freezer. This is a HUGE money saver, considering chicken is usually $3.99/lb. or more. (The organic chicken also goes on sale if this is your preference.)

2. If the fresh chicken isn't on sale, buy frozen. Publix has their own brand of frozen chicken that comes in a bag. But I prefer the Target brand. They have plain, garlic & herb, and lemon pepper. They are all wonderful and WAY cheaper than buying fresh.

3. Check your pantry/freezer before you shop. You might be amazed at what your find! I often can come up with the whole week's side dishes without purchasing anything. I stock up on rice, veggies, biscuits, etc. when they are BOGO and then I have them on hand when I need them.

4. Don't be afraid to cook a vegetarian meal. Yes, I know the hubbies won't be thrilled, but they can hang for one night. Black beans & rice, pasta primavera, fettuccine Alfredo with veggies, stuffed baked potatoes, or even grilled cheese with salad - they all make healthy, filling dinners.

5. Go back to your roots. Remember those casseroles your mom used to make? Don't be so quick to overlook them. Tuna casserole, beef & macaroni casserole, Shepherd's pie; a lot of these options are less expensive and can be made using frozen veggies or canned soups.

6. Utilize your Crock Pot. I use my crock pot at least once a week, if not more. Especially on nights when I know I'll be flying home with not a minute to spare before dinner. It is SUCH a time saver and there are millions of recipes online for just about any type of food you are interested in.

Bottom line: Yes, it's nice to make a fancy meal for your family. And trust me, when I bust out my homemade chicken Parmesan, it's expensive and time-consuming... but man, it rocks the house!!! But on a day-to-day basis, I make well-balanced, kid/husband-friendly, easy-to-assemble meals. I don't need any more stress in my 5 o'clock hour, so creating these kinds of menus makes my evenings run a lot smoother.

Okay, now, to show you that I practice what I preach, I have a SUPER easy recipe!

Baked Garlic Chicken with Tomatoes & Olives

4-5 Frozen Target Brand Garlic & Herb Chicken Breasts

(1) Can diced tomatoes

(1) Can Black Olives

(1) Packet Seven Seas Italian Dressing Seasoning

Parmesan/Mozzarella cheese

Garlic

*Preheat oven to 375

1. Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray & place chicken in pan

2. Drizzle chicken with olive oil, salt & pepper & a few Tbs. of garlic

3. Pour can of tomatoes on top

 

 4. Drain olives and pour on top of tomatoes

5. Sprinkle entire thing with Italian dressing seasoning (I used 1/2 a packet)

 6. Cover with foil & cook for 30-40 minutes

7. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven for 10 minutes.

 I served this tonight with rice (which I had on hand) and a frozen veggie medley that I heated up and tossed with some Parmesan. The boys loved it!

Give meal planning a try for 3 weeks and see how it goes. You may hate it the first week. But once you get used to it, I promise you'll love the time & money you save!

Just think about where else you could be using that money. :)