Sunday: Spinach Quiche
Monday: Spaghetti
Tuesday: Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Wednesday: First softball game! Which means Chris is on his own for dinner
Thursday: Tilapia, Brown Rice, Green Beans
Friday: Cheese, sausage, crackers, snacky foods
Saturday: I think we are doing a pre-run dinner with our half marathon buddies- so probably out for pasta!
7 days until the half! Not so sure I am going to beat my last time. It's been a cold and busy few weeks, meaning less running. And a bum knee doesn't help either. And I slacked on my final long run today. Whoops. I am splitting it into two short runs. That's okay right?
"She started her day with a simple prayer, 'Lord, lead the way.' Then she stepped out the door with a heart full of courage."
Showing posts with label Menu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Menu. Show all posts
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Menu
It has been a whirlwind of a week. Chris was gone last Monday through Wednesday. The Middaugh's were here for a visit Wednesday through Saturday. And Casey and Tyler got here Saturday and will be leaving in the morning. We spent yesterday in Chicago and today we will be in Indy.
I'm pooped.
And most importantly, I have eaten horribly since Wednesday, and I hate it. I am ready to be back on my some-what-healthy eating plan. And running. But there's more to the not running than just having company. I hurt my knee, and am trying to let it heal before the race, which is in two weeks. I am just ready to be back to normal and enjoy a few days of silence and grading papers.
So, here's our backtonormal menu plan beginning tomorrow evening:
Tuesday: Spinach Pasta, bread salad
Wednesday: I will be helping with dinner at Redeemer, so we will be eating there.
Thursday: "Clean out the fridge day!"
Friday: Garlic Chicken Breast, Brown Rice, Salad
Saturday: French Toast and Eggs
Sunday: Spinach Quiche
I'm pooped.
And most importantly, I have eaten horribly since Wednesday, and I hate it. I am ready to be back on my some-what-healthy eating plan. And running. But there's more to the not running than just having company. I hurt my knee, and am trying to let it heal before the race, which is in two weeks. I am just ready to be back to normal and enjoy a few days of silence and grading papers.
So, here's our backtonormal menu plan beginning tomorrow evening:
Tuesday: Spinach Pasta, bread salad
Wednesday: I will be helping with dinner at Redeemer, so we will be eating there.
Thursday: "Clean out the fridge day!"
Friday: Garlic Chicken Breast, Brown Rice, Salad
Saturday: French Toast and Eggs
Sunday: Spinach Quiche
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Why I plan a menu. And The Menu.
Last night we were celebrating a friend's birthday party. I was talking to another friend's husband and somehow we got on the subject of budgets. Which for those of you who don't know, Chris and I are taking Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey and are loving it. I fought taking it for a couple of years, but now wish we had taken it earlier. Anyway, he asked about our food budget and how we keep it cheap, etc. I mentioned the menu and he looked at me like I was nuts (and sometimes I feel that way, but it works. We're saving money). He said he often comes home, the couple goes to the grocery store to get dinner for the evening, and then of course they head back home to eat it. I was in awe. I shouldn't be though. I have tons of friends who make regular stops at the grocery store after work to get last minute things for dinner. That can't be fun or easy on the pocket! Last minute trips to the store increase spending and impulse buying. On that note, let me tell you why we plan a menu.
Money: Chris and I have a lower budget for food, and we chose it that way. We also enjoy eating well, so we have to stretch what we have. We are saving about $50 a month by menu planning/ budgeting on groceries. That's $600 a year! And I might add, I am not a big coupon person. I tend to get frustrated with them. Some ways the menu saves money are:
Time: When I leave practice at 6, all I want to do is go home. And so I do. There is no last minute grocery stop to pick-up bread for dinner, or take-out. It's all done in one trip. There's no extra time spent at the store.There is also no extra time spent rummaging through the pantry trying to find stuff to cook.
Nutrition: A common problem with people on budgets is that they begin to buy cheaper foods to make their money go farther, which usually means that that person buys food that is not as healthy. In our case, it's my goal to not let this happen. I'm trying to make sure Chris and I eat healthier, which the menu helps with. When I plan, I make sure we have veggies, fruit, and grains with dinner. Our fruit and veggie intake has increased since we began, which is awesome. I also make sure we have at least 1 or 2 vegetarian meals a week, 1 fish, and 1 pork. I don't cook red meat unless we get it for free from someone (like the deer meat we have). I can look at the entire week as a whole and make sure Chris and I are getting the appropriate nutrition our bodies need.
Organization: Since I don't get home until 6:30ish, Chris is in charge of cooking. With the menu, he is able to have a hassle free evening. He usually doesn't help with the menu because he doesn't enjoy it, and that's fine with me. He cooks what's on the menu and it makes our lives so much easier. Obviously some husbands wouldn't like this, but Chris seems to. It also keeps our pantry organized because we are slowly cleaning out all the "junk" from those impulse buying grocery days!
So, that's why we plan a menu! It takes about 5 minutes total once you get the hang of it. The "I don't have time excuse," doesn't fly with this one. :)
Here's the menu I like to use because it forces me to keep track of the meats: http://www.personal-nutrition-guide.com/support-files/weekly_dinner_planner.pdf
Our menu for this week:
Sunday: Leftovers/ Snacky foods
Monday: Whole Grains and Bean soup mix, bread from the freezer, random veggies to throw into the soup
Tuesday: Pizza, Salad
Wednesday: Tilapia, Brown Rice, Italian Veggies, fruit
Thursday: Chicken Quesdaillas (chicken from the freezer), Salsa, and fruit
Friday: Chicken Paninis (same chicken), Green Peas, Fruit
Saturday: Deer Steaks, Green Beans, Sweet Potato Fries
Money: Chris and I have a lower budget for food, and we chose it that way. We also enjoy eating well, so we have to stretch what we have. We are saving about $50 a month by menu planning/ budgeting on groceries. That's $600 a year! And I might add, I am not a big coupon person. I tend to get frustrated with them. Some ways the menu saves money are:
- We don't have any last minute pizza runs because we don't want to figure out what's for dinner.
- We make ONE trip, so we save on gas.
- I have time to compare store ads, and then make my menu based on what we have at home and what's on sale at the store.
- We shop at more than one store (they are all next to another so it is easy for us) to find the best deals.
- We don't waste food. We use it. For example, we have soup every couple of weeks to get rid of veggies that may be going bad. And when we do waste food I get irritated. That's throwing away money!
- You can also buy fruits and veggies that are in season, therefore, cheaper! :)
- We also pay for groceries in cash. And honestly, this is the secret. More on that later.
Time: When I leave practice at 6, all I want to do is go home. And so I do. There is no last minute grocery stop to pick-up bread for dinner, or take-out. It's all done in one trip. There's no extra time spent at the store.There is also no extra time spent rummaging through the pantry trying to find stuff to cook.
Nutrition: A common problem with people on budgets is that they begin to buy cheaper foods to make their money go farther, which usually means that that person buys food that is not as healthy. In our case, it's my goal to not let this happen. I'm trying to make sure Chris and I eat healthier, which the menu helps with. When I plan, I make sure we have veggies, fruit, and grains with dinner. Our fruit and veggie intake has increased since we began, which is awesome. I also make sure we have at least 1 or 2 vegetarian meals a week, 1 fish, and 1 pork. I don't cook red meat unless we get it for free from someone (like the deer meat we have). I can look at the entire week as a whole and make sure Chris and I are getting the appropriate nutrition our bodies need.
Organization: Since I don't get home until 6:30ish, Chris is in charge of cooking. With the menu, he is able to have a hassle free evening. He usually doesn't help with the menu because he doesn't enjoy it, and that's fine with me. He cooks what's on the menu and it makes our lives so much easier. Obviously some husbands wouldn't like this, but Chris seems to. It also keeps our pantry organized because we are slowly cleaning out all the "junk" from those impulse buying grocery days!
So, that's why we plan a menu! It takes about 5 minutes total once you get the hang of it. The "I don't have time excuse," doesn't fly with this one. :)
Here's the menu I like to use because it forces me to keep track of the meats: http://www.personal-nutrition-guide.com/support-files/weekly_dinner_planner.pdf
Our menu for this week:
Sunday: Leftovers/ Snacky foods
Monday: Whole Grains and Bean soup mix, bread from the freezer, random veggies to throw into the soup
Tuesday: Pizza, Salad
Wednesday: Tilapia, Brown Rice, Italian Veggies, fruit
Thursday: Chicken Quesdaillas (chicken from the freezer), Salsa, and fruit
Friday: Chicken Paninis (same chicken), Green Peas, Fruit
Saturday: Deer Steaks, Green Beans, Sweet Potato Fries
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Menu for the Week
The menu plan is working wonders in helping stay in our grocery budget. It's amazing how much less we spend on food every week, and how much food we are not wasting! It also makes for easier dinner preparation every night. I love it!
Monday: Eggs, Sausage, Biscuits, Gravy
Tuesday: We grilled on Saturday because it hit 40 degrees! :) We made an extra chicken breast so we could have chicken paninis one night. We will also have fruit.
Wednesday: Spaghetti with sauce (using the extra sausage from Monday) and rolls that I made last week.
Thursday: Italian Breaded Pork Chops, Rice, and Asparagus.
Friday: We are babysitting, so we will eat dinner with the kids.
Saturday: Deer Burgers, Homemade Hamburger Buns (new recipe), and whatever fruits and veggies need eaten.
Monday: Eggs, Sausage, Biscuits, Gravy
Tuesday: We grilled on Saturday because it hit 40 degrees! :) We made an extra chicken breast so we could have chicken paninis one night. We will also have fruit.
Wednesday: Spaghetti with sauce (using the extra sausage from Monday) and rolls that I made last week.
Thursday: Italian Breaded Pork Chops, Rice, and Asparagus.
Friday: We are babysitting, so we will eat dinner with the kids.
Saturday: Deer Burgers, Homemade Hamburger Buns (new recipe), and whatever fruits and veggies need eaten.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Menu for the Week
Sunday: Superbowl Goodies at a very sweet, new friend's house! We are taking guacamole.
Monday: Italian Breaded Pork Chops, Rice, Broccoli, Spinach Salad
Tuesday: Leftover Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, French Bread
Wednesday:Oregano Chicken (this is a new recipe; it looks interesting so I had to try it), salad, rice, fruit
Thursday: Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries
Friday: Pizza (with my new favorite crust recipe, of course!)
And the best part of this is that my shipping list is super short. :) Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!
Monday: Italian Breaded Pork Chops, Rice, Broccoli, Spinach Salad
Tuesday: Leftover Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, French Bread
Wednesday:Oregano Chicken (this is a new recipe; it looks interesting so I had to try it), salad, rice, fruit
Thursday: Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries
Friday: Pizza (with my new favorite crust recipe, of course!)
And the best part of this is that my shipping list is super short. :) Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Tomorrow's a busy today- Menu for next week
Since I probably won't have time to write this tomorrow, and right now I don't feel like working, here's this week's menu:
Sunday: We will be at a friends for football, so no need for dinner. We are taking "Ooey Gooey Cookies".
Monday: Spinach Quiche from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spinach-Quiche/Detail.aspx.
Tuesday: Waffles and fruit. If you like whole wheat pancakes or waffles, this recipe is awesome! We use it all the time. We replace some of the butter with applesauce and replace two of the eggs with egg whites. It's really good with applesauce on top too! http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Whole-Wheat-Pancakes/Detail.aspx
Wednesday: Chicken and Wild Rice soup from the freezer.
Thursday: Spaghetti
Friday: Burger, homemade hamburger buns, sweet potato fries, corn
Saturday: Slow cooker Chicken (new recipe for us to try), green beans, rolls (freezer), and mac n' cheese! http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Slow-Cooker-Chicken/Detail.aspx
I feel like I have been in the kitchen all day today- despite the 3 hr. Starbucks trip to plan lessons. I have baked three batches of Oreo brownies, cookies, and 3 dozen muffins. And I. Am. Exhausted.
Next week is restock week. Meaning I have to stock back up on bread, rolls, and granola bars!
Sunday: We will be at a friends for football, so no need for dinner. We are taking "Ooey Gooey Cookies".
Monday: Spinach Quiche from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spinach-Quiche/Detail.aspx.
Tuesday: Waffles and fruit. If you like whole wheat pancakes or waffles, this recipe is awesome! We use it all the time. We replace some of the butter with applesauce and replace two of the eggs with egg whites. It's really good with applesauce on top too! http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Whole-Wheat-Pancakes/Detail.aspx
Wednesday: Chicken and Wild Rice soup from the freezer.
Thursday: Spaghetti
Friday: Burger, homemade hamburger buns, sweet potato fries, corn
Saturday: Slow cooker Chicken (new recipe for us to try), green beans, rolls (freezer), and mac n' cheese! http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Slow-Cooker-Chicken/Detail.aspx
I feel like I have been in the kitchen all day today- despite the 3 hr. Starbucks trip to plan lessons. I have baked three batches of Oreo brownies, cookies, and 3 dozen muffins. And I. Am. Exhausted.
Next week is restock week. Meaning I have to stock back up on bread, rolls, and granola bars!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Menu for the Week
Sunday: Turkey, Cranberry Sauce, Garlic Pull-apart Rolls from the freezer, asparagus
Monday: Easy Garlic Chicken, Corn, Fruit, Whole Wheat Rolls (freezer)
Tuesday: Spaghetti and sauce, garlic bread
Wednesday: Eggs, sausage, toast, fruit
Thursday: Salmon, green beans, rice (and the hubbs will have hot dogs..)
Friday: Pizza! Haven't decided if we will do french bread for the crust or make regular pizza crust.
Saturday: Vegetarian Lasagna- a delicious pampered chef recipe!
The bread for this week is already made, which will make everything so much easier!
Monday: Easy Garlic Chicken, Corn, Fruit, Whole Wheat Rolls (freezer)
Tuesday: Spaghetti and sauce, garlic bread
Wednesday: Eggs, sausage, toast, fruit
Thursday: Salmon, green beans, rice (and the hubbs will have hot dogs..)
Friday: Pizza! Haven't decided if we will do french bread for the crust or make regular pizza crust.
Saturday: Vegetarian Lasagna- a delicious pampered chef recipe!
The bread for this week is already made, which will make everything so much easier!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
What's for dinner this week?
Sunday: Dinner with Hailey. :)
Monday: Chicken Caesar Wraps
Tuesday: Italian Breaded Pork Chops, Roasted Asparagus, Whole Wheat rolls(already made and in the freezer). The rolls are from http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/.
Wednesday: Pizza and fruit (the fruit makes it healthy, right?)
Thursday: Chicken, Cheese Quesadillas with onion and black beans. We have some cheese that needs to be used.
Friday: We will be at a friends. Our dinner contribution will be a Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball and Graham Crackers.
Saturday: Turkey (frozen from Thanksgiving), Cranberry Sauce (also frozen), the rest of the asparagus, and corn meal muffins (also from http://www.thefrualgirl.com/).
Sunday: Red Beans and Rice and the corn meal muffins.
There it is. My menu.
Monday: Chicken Caesar Wraps
Tuesday: Italian Breaded Pork Chops, Roasted Asparagus, Whole Wheat rolls(already made and in the freezer). The rolls are from http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/.
Wednesday: Pizza and fruit (the fruit makes it healthy, right?)
Thursday: Chicken, Cheese Quesadillas with onion and black beans. We have some cheese that needs to be used.
Friday: We will be at a friends. Our dinner contribution will be a Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball and Graham Crackers.
Saturday: Turkey (frozen from Thanksgiving), Cranberry Sauce (also frozen), the rest of the asparagus, and corn meal muffins (also from http://www.thefrualgirl.com/).
Sunday: Red Beans and Rice and the corn meal muffins.
There it is. My menu.
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