Meal Planning for dummies like me

Meal Planning Week 3

Meal Planning Week 3

Meal Planning Week 3 is hopefully another step up from Meal Planning Week 2. Week 2 wasn’t awful but it could be better. 

I am not expert in Meal Planning, not even close but I can see the benefit in it and I want to keep preserving until I can realise those benefits or find it not helping as much as I had hoped. The original inspiration for Meal Planning came from a great guest post on meal planning on the site. 

I have been approached by moms in a similar position to me who like the concept but just can’t get started. This post, which may even become a series of posts is to hold myself accountable and to show those who ae interested that if I can work my way through it so can you. 

 

 

What happened in Week 2

 

So last week’s meal planning was okay. I just didn’t expect to be at the shops as soon in the day as I was and so I didn’t get a chance to fully scout out the fridge and freezer before I left the house. I really should have and that is what I’m focusing on doing this week. 

I focused on only doing 5 meals and I’m keen to expand to doing a full 7 day plan.  I’m not there yet, maybe next week. 

What’s great though is that because I had the idea of meal planning in the back of my mind as soon as I got into the zone at the grocery shop I started remembering what I had bought and hadn’t used the previous week. 

 

You can read last week’s post over here: Meal Planning Week 2

 

 

What I learnt from last week 

 

1. Even though I know that Monday and Thursday are my days without the kids I still can’t make something that requires me to be home a few hours before cooking (like having stew on the stove) because I need to rush out and get the kids from daycare. 

 

2. Your menu has to relate to the day on which you are shopping. I scheduled buying fresh bread on Monday and a fresh roast chicken on Thursday which would mean having to go to the shops twice in the week. 

 

You definitely spend way less time at the shops and there is less panic every evening. 

 

Meal Planning Week 3: This week’s plan 

Step 1: Working out our week.

This week I have a “school readiness” seminar on Tuesday night which means I have to plan around that. 

 

Generally we have homemade pizzas courtesy of my husband on a Sunday night but as we didn’t think week, this will also be on one of the nights this week. 

Step 2: Check the deep freezer

I’ve remembered to check the deep freezer. This feels like a win already. Although my mind is like a sieve, I keep going back to confirm what’s in it.

 

You’ll never believe I found a butter chicken in the freezer that I made as a heat-up meal. I can’t believe how easy it is to lose things in the freezer. 

 

Now we plan the meal 

 

 

 

Meal Planning Week 3: The Menu

 

So, this week we will be having:

 

Monday

 

Lamb Chops, potato bake and vegetables. 

 

I can make potato bake earlier in the day so that the kids can also have it with their dinner, I just need to substitute the meat because I won’t have cooked the lamb chops by then. 

Tuesday 

 

Soup and bread. There is great ready made soup at the store so this is a really quick meal. I will just add some cream to it and a few more spices or herbs. 

 

Kids are going to have noodles – one of their favourites. I will add some corn, peas and try get some meat in there but they are so difficult about meat.  

Wednesday

 

Chicken Breast Fillets with Cous Cous and Vegetables. 

 

My kids absolutely love cous cous and crumbed chicken breast fillets are almost the same as chicken nuggets so I am sure I can get them to eat that. 

 

Thursday 

Homemade pizza for the whole family.  

 

Friday

Steak on the BBQ. Yes, my husband will stand outside and work the BBQ, not me. I always struggle with what to add to the steak so maybe I’ll get some corns to BBQ and baby (new) potatoes. 

 

 

 

For the post on Meal Planning Week 2 just click on the image below and it should take you there. 

 

how to start meal planning

 

4 thoughts on “Meal Planning Week 3

  1. So great to meal plan and have things ready. I am also so guilty of forgetting the freezer and losing stuff!! We have about 4 packs of chicken breast because I never check before I order the shopping!!!

  2. Your meal planning is wonderful but what i love the most about your post is you sharing the learning process that went behind it! Thank you so much!

  3. I’ve been meal planning more, too, and have had to plan the meals not only on when I go to the store (e.g. I don’t want raw fish sitting in the fridge for 4 days!) and what the weather is like. It’s summer in the US so I have to plan a lot of no-cook or grilling meals when it’s hot. It makes it more complicated!

  4. I love that you’re keeping at this. You are absolutely right to plan your meals around your schedule (as in what you have going on that day and how much time you can devote to making the meal). Try making your grocery list before going to the market – checking your pantry, the refrigerator and the freezer as you plan.

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