Planning menus is one way I save money and make sure that we have delicious, healthy meals each week. If you aren’t planning menus, you’re making life harder than it should be!
I plan by meal. I plan breakfasts, lunches, dinners first and then snacks and desserts.
Here are this weeks meals. Its time for warm, filling foods ……
Breakfasts
Baked Oatmeal
toast, bacon, eggs
Biscuits and sausage
Hot cereal, maple syrup
Lunches
Soup
Baked potato with different toppings
Wraps with chicken or turkey
Leftovers
Beef patties – like Cornish pasties, with vegetables and a sauce
Suppers
Chili 4 Ways: pasta, cheese, sour cream, onion
Ham and potato soup, yeast rolls
Vegetable Beef Soup. cornbread
Pasta and meat sauce, salad
Baked chicken, fruit salad, flat bread
Baked beef in puff pastry, green salad
Leftovers
Snacks and Desserts
Rice pudding
Baked apple dutch baby
About Sylvia
I’d share if I could
I think the place I have the most difficulty with are the lunch menus during the day.
hahaha
Sometimes hubby is home and sometimes he’s not. He likes a nice, decent, hot lunch…most men do!
But I normally do not cook for lunch. We have sandwiches or microwave leftovers (reruns as Mema Bobo would call them). hahaha
Then, we try to have a good, hot, decent, yet healthy filling supper.
Plus there are times I suggest something for supper and it’s something nobody else wants. And if I just fix it anyway, they might “pick” at it and eat something else later on anyway!!!! hahaha
Hi Linda
But I have certain snacks, treats, etc for them throughout the week and when those are gone…. its GONE until next time. Its just something I have had to enforce to keep spending down and to keep people from over eating snacks.
I think you probably have to back up and get control of the kitchen. My kids aren’t allowed to rummage. Mark is of course.
I prepare a meal in the evening and if I know there are some who just really don’t eat that meal, not just someone who doesn’t want it today, I prepare an alternative that is simple and quick. But that is their only alternative. They can’t go rummaging and eat things that are earmarked for later use or that are not nutritious for supper (iow snacks and treats).
Make a list of things that you all like for lunch. Buy groceries that week to match the list. Then you have a whole list to choose from all week. If you normally have lots of leftovers, then plan one two or even three days of leftovers. I guess the trick is to be in charge of your kitchen and manage it well!
If you need lunch menu suggestions, just holler!
grilled sandwiches – cheese, ham and cheese
loaded baked potato
soups – potato, tomato etc
Here is a delicious, easy chicken noodle soup:
* 1 (26 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
* 3 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
* 2 cups diced cooked chicken breast meat
* 2 teaspoons onion powder
* 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
* 2 (9 ounce) packages frozen egg noodles
Cooking Instructions
1. In a large pot, mix the cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, and chicken meat.
2. Season with onion powder, seasoning salt, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, and stir in the noodles. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
Some days we just eat mac and cheese for lunch accompanied by a sliced apple or banana!
I hope this gives you a few ideas, Linda. There are tons more ideas for easy quick lunches on line, so search and see what you can come up with!
Uhm, consider this my hollering!
wooooooooo pig sooiee!! ROFL
Yes, please…suggestions are definitely welcome!!
If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that it’s never too late to make a change. Growing up in a family with 10 brothers and sisters, my mom didn’t prepare breakfast or lunch meals. We got up (during the week), went to the barn, did our chores, came in and got ready for school and we were off for the day. I developed a very nasty habit of skipping breakfast. We ate lunch at school.
Today, my kids are home all day since we homeschool. For years, they’ve been on their own for breakfasts and lunch. I never thought about it. That’s the way my mom did it, and it never occurred to me to change it. …well it has now!
Planning the week’s menus in advance will help me ensure that a prepared meal is available to my family three times a day. Wonderful idea Sylvia of having prepared snacks too! This way, they only get the stuff that’s good for them. No more grazing for this family!
I appreciate the articles you write on this site Sylvia. Many women don’t have the luxury of their mothers working along side them as they learn how to care for their families (for whatever reason). Your articles fill that gap for me. Thank you.
Tammy you really blessed me today. Its good to hear that something you write helps others! Makes me want to keep on writing!
I hope you have success with your menu plans, Tammy!