A Simple Meal Plan…

I have been meal planning this week and though I’d share what our week’s meal plan looks like.  It isn’t very fancy, but it works.  We have a busy week, so that is key in keeping it simple.

The most important thing for me is that the meal plan helps me not be stressed at dinner time.  This ensures we can all sit down to a meal together and enjoy each other.  The people at the table are more important than the meal!  After all, isn’t that what the kids will remember?  Not complicated recipes or gourmet meals, but that we all spent each dinner together.

Monday:  Leftovers from the weekend (we had to be out that evening, so my in laws babysat and enjoyed leftovers with the kids)

Tuesday: Crockpot vegetable chili with rice, cheddar cheese, and sour cream.  (This worked out perfectly.  I put everything in the crockpot in the morning.  I had John (5) chop the veggies and add the ingredients to the pot.  He loves to cook, and this was part of his schoolwork…measuring…leanrning names of spices, and how the crockpot works by “slow cooking.”

Wednesday: Pierogis with applesauce and sour cream.  Side salad.  The kids are having raviolis.  I am not a proponent of “special” meals for the kids, but they have all tried pierogis and do not like them.  Since Steve and I love them, I usually make us a batch and the kids a bag of raviolis.  Both are quick, and everyone is happy.  That=happier dinnertime!

Thursday: Chicken fajitas.  I have some peppers from my garden to use up.  I will use them and some onions for the fajitas.  Served with rice and beans on the side.

Friday: Chicken parmesan with spaghetti.  I am making a meal for a friend who just had a baby.  I will make a double batch, so we will have some too!

Saturday:   Homemade pizza, plain and marghertia-style(I would like to use up some garden tomatoes)

Sunday: Pasta, homemade bread, and salad.

I really think meal planning is so important for our family.  When I don’t do it, there’s so much more stress at the end of the day, trying to figure out “what to make.”  So when I can, I try to plan meals a week ahead.  The more time I can free up in my day, the better!  And the more time I can have to Simply Live…For Him!