Menu Planning Monday! (6/21/2010)

Although organization and I have never been the best of friends, I have resolved this summer to embark on an odyssey of organization.  My goals are to reorganize our master bedroom, guest room, our library, our current-collect-all-and-future-nursery, finish unpacking boxes and organize whatever comes out of them, and to reassess our "keepsakes", get rid of what doesn't qualify, and organize the rest.  The only major room that I don't really need to organize is the kitchen--but even there I have discovered a need for organization as I try to do the whole stay-at-home wife cooking dinner thing.


A few months ago I discovered Laura over at I'm An Organizing Junkie.  She has some absolutely wonderful organizing tips and tricks and one of those is Menu Plan Monday!  I planned my week's meals for the first time last Monday and it went wonderfully!  I saved quite a bit of money at the grocery store by only making one trip, and every day I knew what I was going to make.

My first learning experience was that, since I packed the leftovers for Bryan's lunch, I didn't have enough left over for dinner on Thursday.  The good news?  I had picked up salad makings and crab meat along with everything else, so while it was a light dinner, it was still healthy and satisfying.

My other learning experience was that I need to slightly over-plan sides--I got caught short on Friday, but there was leftover salad and some bread, so I made it work.

Overall, I am going to try to make menu planning a regular part of my food prep life from now on!  And on that note, here's my menu for the week!

Breakfast:  oatmeal, yogurt, or fresh fruit with 1/2 cup of cottage cheese

Lunch:  sandwich (either PBJ or ham/turkey and cheese), or leftovers (esp. left over lasagna)

Dinner:   (bring on the planning!)
Monday: Left Over Lasagna from Father's Day with green beans or broccoli
Tuesday:  Fresh Broccoli and Chicken Pasta Toss
Wednesday:  Crock Pot Enchilada Casserole with green beans
Thursday:  Salad with crab meat or left overs
Friday:  Garlicky Baked Shrimp with a side pasta and mixed veggies
Saturday and Sunday:  leftovers, salad, or out to eat

Now, I'm off to make my grocery list and get some housework done.  The truck is still out of commission, so hubby is still in my car.  But that's ok--it means we get to go to the grocery store together tonight!  Man, I love summer.