November Meal Planning

I am a huge advocate of Meal Planning, although it is not one of my favorite activities. I love to cook but dread deciding what to make (I am horribly indecisive). But taking the time to plan meals saves a significant amount of time and also money. Typically we plan out meals by the week. We all throw out some menu ideas Sunday around the lunch table and then I plug those meals into days of the week based on our schedule and amount of prep time I will have.

From the menu I make a complete grocery list so that on our shopping trip that evening is productive and timely. I absolutely despise going to the grocery store and standing in the aisles wonder 'what am I going to make' and 'what do I need'. I also plan a pit stop during the week for fruit, vegetables and water. Real food has a much shorter shelf life than those things in boxes or can, so it is not always realistic to by for the whole week. Or if your family is like mine, they always eat more fruits and vegetables then I plan for (a dilemma I embrace).

This month Alex and I decided not to budget any money for eating out. This is going to challenge the whole family. We do enjoy eating out and all for different reasons. Mine is the break from preparing 3 meals (plus 5 snacks) a day and the boys because they like the variety of food choices. This will also challenge Alex and I to make sure he has enough snacks and meals packed for his 8-12 hour days.

I have decided to plan our menu for the whole month of November. Well, actually for half the month and then repeat! I also have a list of snacks and treat options to have available. By sticking to our menu we will stay within our budget and by planning in advance hope to avoid the last minute stops to our favorite restaurants.

Take the challenge with us: make a No Out to Eat pledge during the work week, for 10 days, or the whole month. But remember the key to reaching any goal you set is to remember your big WHY and plan. Why are you not going out to eat? Save money? eat healthier? Save for Christmas?

Start Simple

- Find 7-10 meals that your family likes and rotate them throughout the month.

-Schedule Leftovers or Out to Eat Nights

-Pick a theme your family likes for each day of the week. Like... Monday: Mexican, Tuesday: Soup, Wednesday: Beef, Thursday: Salad, Friday: Fish, Saturday: Pizza, and Sunday: Breakfast for Dinner. Then think of four menu ideas to go with each theme. Example:

Mexican- Tacos, Mexican Lasagna, Burritos, Fajitas.

Salad- Chicken Fiesta Salad, Greek Salad, Cobb Salad, Steak Fajita Salad

Here is an what our November Menu looks like:

November Menu

Breakfast (super simple options)

Smoothies

Eggs

Ezekiel Raisin Toast

Fruit

Granola and Almond Milk

Yogurt

Lunch; Dinner

LO= leftover

1st- Spaghetti and salad; Chicken and Broccoli Slaw with Crackers

2nd- Chicken salad wraps; Meat Loaf, Peas, Mashed-no-tatoes

3rd- Veggie and Rice Bake; Salmon, Broccoli Salad, Butternut Squash Soup

4th- LO Butternut Squash Soup with crackers; Chicken Fiesta Salad

5th- Big loaded salad, Vegetable Lasagna and Salad

6th- LO Vegetable Lasagna and Noodles; Chili, Cornbread, Salad

7th- Eggs, Bacon, Fruit; Caribbean Chicken and Kale Salad

8th- LO Chili over Brown Rice; Beef Stew

9th- Baked Sweet Potato and Loaded Salad; Raw Stir-Fry and Cauliflower Rice

10th- Garden Tuna Melt; Hamburgers, Oven Roasted Vegetables, Kale Salad

11th- Hummus Veggie Wrap; Beef Vegetable Soup

12th- LO Vegetable Beef Soup with Brown Rice added; Omelet and Almond Pancakes

13th- Pizza; Taco Salad

14th- Eggs, Pancakes, Fruit; Creamy Broccoli Soup

15th- LO Creamy Broccoli Soup over Baked Potato; Stir Fry Chicken

Repeat for the 16th-30th.

*We will not be having Garden Melts and Hamburgers on the 25th however, we will eat Turkey!!