Meal Plan/List

I can't believe it's October- and barely still so. It's high time to dust my blog off. :) Life has been crazy with...well everything. The boys are in soccer, school is in full swing and my dh began the year quite behind in preparations for a couple of classes from to being away for 6 weeks this summer due to a family emergency. He is trying diligently to keep his head above water amidst all of his responsibilities. I have found if he's behind, so am I. The trickle down effect is subtle, yet it exists.

In my efforts to utilize my time and finances more efficiently at home and in the grocery store AND actually get dinner on the table at a more consistent time I am going back to a system I instituted while expecting my 3rd child.

Hunger is a great motivator! ;)

I have been continually battling with myself about 4pm most days contemplating what I should make for dinner and most times realizing I had neglected to pull anything from the freezer the previous night.

~headache~

I have recently switched my diet to a more whole foods based diet. (Eating Clean) It is amazing how much better I feel and the weight loss is nice as well! The meal plan (which is about 98% 'clean' with a few fudges allowing for the family) will help me to keep to it and be less tempted to head for Little Ceasar's 15 minutes before the food is to hit the table. :)

A friend asked if I'd be willing to share so I figured I'd just post it here as I could not find an effective way to share on Facebook. There must be a way- I just don't know it.

The information inside the ( ) are my notes to myself on where to find the listed recipe. On some recipes I have listed white rice/brown rice- it's not that I wish to cook both, however my husband is the lone hold-out for white rice. ~Drat!~

When I print the list I print the meals on one side, the shopping list on the other. I then go through my pantry/freezer and cross off what I already have and then go shopping. Once I've shopped I post the list on my fridge door and cross off the meals as I make them. The meals are pretty simple and in keeping with my current lifestyle. Did I mention I have 5 kids?? :)

Unfortunately, the formatting of the Word document did not hold for the list part- but it's 3 columns across with the appropriate items in each column. I think one can get the gist.

2 Week Meal Plan #1

Fall/ Winter 2010

1- Skillet Beef w/ Lentils** (mwl p 107), Salsa, Salad

2- Sweet ‘n Sour Chicken** (Clean Recipes) (or Pork –mwl- p 177), Wh/Br Rice, Salad

3- Greek Chicken** (Clean Recipes), Roasted Broccoli, Whole Grain Pasta Shells

4- Fish Sticks (ECFamily- 297), Peas, Baked Sweet Potato Wedges (Family- 272)

5- Leftovers

6- Recipe to Try: __________________________

Ingredients:

7- CrockPot Roasted Chicken, Green Beans (garlic and sesame oil), Roasted Root Vegs. (Family- 264)

8- Skillet Ginger Chicken w/ Cilantro and Lime, Whole Gr. Pasta, Gingered Carrots Ginger

9- Hawiian Pork Chops** (recipe box), Wh/Br Rice, Broccoli

10- Key West Chicken** (CR’s), Mixed Veggies/Leftover Veggies

11- Honey Chicken (CR’s) , Wh/Br Rice, Green Beans

12- Leftovers

13- Recipe to Try: _________________________

Ingredients:

14- Braised Balsamic Chicken (CR’s), Whole Grain Vermicelli, Salad

** = Preparation: make tortillas, marinade or make ketchup

Breakfast recipe to try:

*************************************************************************************************

Meal Plan #1 Shopping List

Bakery Jarred Canned

2 packs tortillas Tabasco Chipotle 4 lg cans pineapple

(in case I can't make) ½ C Balsamic vinegar 2 cans diced tomatoes w/ basil/oregano

1C Soy sauce Tomato paste

Olive oil // Peanut oil// Sesame oil

Honey// Lime Juice// Apple cider vin.

Herbed Seasoning (Fish Sticks- Old Bay?)

Frozen Dairy Meat

2 meals Green Beans Sm. Sour Cream ½ lb. Ground Beef

1 meal Mixed Veggies plain yogurt= yogurt cheese 7 pork chops

1 bag peas Cheddar (2lbs pork Loin cubes- if sw/sr pork)

1 whole Chicken

25ct (or 13 lbs) Lg. Chicken breasts

Pamela- __ add'l Chick breasts

__ lb gr Turkey

8-6oz Tilapia Filets

Produce Dry Goods End of Week 1

1 Ginger root 1C Lentils 1 meal Salad

1 lg tomatoes /// 8 Romas 3 C Wh. Rice /// 5 C Br. Rice 2 heads Broccoli

2 red Peppers 1 box Whole Grain Pasta Shells 1 head garlic/2-3parsnips/3 yams/6 reds

2 lbs Carrots 1 box WG Vermicelli 1 lg Tomato /// 2 Romas

1 meal Salad 1 box WG Spiral Pasta Scallions

Cilantro /// 2 Limes 2 Beef Bouillon cubes

2 heads Broccoli Cornmeal OR Kashi 7 grain TLC Crackers

6 med. White Onions basil / oregano / cumin / thyme / garlic salt

Pamela- ___ Sw. Potatoes Crushed Rosemary Miscellaneous