Winter Menu Planning 2015

Ugh!  For goodness sakes, it feels like I was just sitting here struggling through this yesterday.  Actually, it doesn't, but I do remember it well.  Why do I struggle so?  Probably because my husband loves a good meal right when he walks in the door.  Poor guy, he drives two hours a day, and he's HANGRY when he gets home.  (Hungry-angry if you've never heard that one before.  :)  Satan loves it when I don't have dinner ready because it causes strife in our household.  All the more reason to get this done!
We're going back to basics this new year.  Seriously cutting out the processed food in hopes of lowering hubby's blood pressure a bit.  We've already done a lot of that, but now that he's fully on board it's full steam ahead which means I should be back in the kitchen a lot more. 
I have set the timer for 20 minutes to get this planning done, so let's go!




Week 1
Sunday: Chicken bake strips - bread crumb and seasoned - double meat for leftovers
              Make veggie tray for week, rice- plain or seasoned by me!
              Steamed veggies, salad, homemade rolls? - Get back to 5 minute bread dough!
Monday: Green Spaghetti, salad, rolls, smoothies
Tuesday: Tacos without the shell, guacamole!, refrides, Spanish rice from scratch
Wednesday: Leftovers?/ Date Night
Thursday: Chicken Stir Fry using leftover chicken, rice, froz. stir fry veggies
Friday: Shredded Beef, potatoes, onions, etc.  homemade rolls  Lots of leftovers for the weekend!!
             FYI- Make sure you don't cook the plastic they put on the bottom of the roast!  :$






Week 2
Sunday: Chicken bake strips- bread crumb and seasoned - double meat for leftovers
              Make veggie tray for week, rice- plain or seasoned by me!
              Steamed veggies, salad, homemade rolls? - Get back to 5 minute bread dough!
Monday: Chicken Pot Pie with leftover chicken and lots of yummy veggies.
               Homemade Chicken Broth
               Homemade rolls--just use this dough
Tuesday: Ground Beef Asian Stir Fry- onion, peppers, broccoli and whatever else you want.  Throw
                in some teriyaki, soy sauce, worcestershire, garlic, ginger...
                rice
Wednesday: Leftovers/ date night?
Thursday: SW Chicken Salad/Sandwich?
Friday: Shredded Beef, potatoes, onions, etc.  homemade rolls  Lots of leftovers for the weekend!!
             FYI- Make sure you don't cook the plastic they put on the bottom of the roast!  :$


OK!  The timer is beeping...actually I reset it for 10 more minutes.  I usually plan for 4 weeks, but I figure this is a good start.  We'll see how it goes.  Hubby usually has some ideas too anyway.


Dear Lord,
PLEASE give me the wisdom to cook things my husband likes that will make our bodies strong and ready for Your service.  May dinner be nourishing, delicious and ready on time!!  In Jesus' Name I pray--Amen

Menu Planning - Ugh!

I hate menu planning!  Sometimes I wonder if Satan knows how great life is when I menu plan, and that is why I have this mental block.  I was really good with planning our meals when we went gluten-free.  Now, this week, we have fallen apart.  So the struggle begins.  I have done this in the past, so I don't know why it's such a hassle.  I need to start with prayer:
Dear Lord, Please release the block on my brain regarding menu planning.  I pray that I will be able to sort through what my family likes and doesn't like, and what type of meals we need to go with our schedule.  I pray that this time spent will be profitable to my family.  Above all, may Your will be done.  In Jesus name I pray--Amen
Whew!  OK
STEP ONE: What type of meals does my family like to eat?
Pasta, Mexican, Stir-Fry, BBQ, Sandwich, Basic, Leftovers  Alright, that was pretty easy. 


STEP TWO: Basic Weekly Template (We don't eat fish or pork.)
Sunday: BBQ with double meat for leftovers.
Monday: Chicken
Tuesday: Ground Beef
Wednesday: Leftovers/Date Night
Thursday: Chicken
Friday: Beef


STEP THREE: Plug in recipes using each meal type one time per week.
WEEK ONE:
Sunday: BBQ with double meat for leftovers.
Monday: Green Spaghetti broccoli, fruit
Tuesday: Taco lettuce wraps (or tacos), refrieds, Spanish rice?
Wednesday: Leftovers/Date Night
Thursday: Chicken Stir Fry using leftover grilled or crock pot chicken.  Rice, broccoli, fruit
Friday: Shredded Beef with lots of leftovers for weekend lunches.  Onion, carrots, other veg and fruit


WEEK TWO:
Sunday: BBQ with double meat for leftovers.
Monday: Greek Pizza, salad, veg, fruit
Tuesday:  Ground Beef Stir Fry, rice, broccoli
Wednesday: Leftovers/Date Night
Thursday: SW Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps, refrieds, chips, veg
Friday: Shredded Beef Sandwiches with leftovers for weekend.


WEEK THREE:
Sunday: BBQ with double meat for leftovers.
Monday: Chicken Quesadillas, refrieds, spa rice?, guac
Tuesday: Lasagna in a bowl., or just plain old lasagna
Wednesday: Leftovers/Date Night
Thursday: Turkey Breast (for a change!) From Cost-Co., veg, fruit
Friday: Chalupa (roast, no surprise here!), beans, chips, veg, fruit


ALRIGHT, JUST ONE WEEK LEFT TO GO!


WEEK FOUR:
Sunday: BBQ with double meat for leftovers.
Monday: Chicken Caesar Salad, veg, fruit
Tuesday: Indian Ground Beef
Wednesday: Leftovers/Date Night
Thursday: Summer Chicken "Burgers", veg, fruit
Friday: Shredded Beef Burritos, refrieds, veg, fruit


Holy smokes!  Seriously, I don't know why doing this hurts so badly.  It is such a load off to have this done.  Even if we don't stick with it, at least there's a plan. 
How's your plan?  Are you good at this, or do you struggle like me?  If you don't meal plan, I urge you to try it.  Don't follow mine, create your own - unique to your family.  Go for it!  Just don't forget to look at it when life gets moving.  :)


Dear Lord, Thank You for the resources to plan these meals.  I pray that I will remember to follow it.  May it bring good, healthy food and peace to our family.  In Jesus name I pray--Amen