Menu Plan Monday - week of 05/18 - 05/24/09

We are back on the meal planning wagon this week - and I'm so happy to have our plans set! This week, we have two activity days so we planned our meals accordingly. I'm also excited to try out a new recipe on Tuesday which I think will be a huge hit with my kids. I'm going to have one of my older kids (probably my 8 year old) help out with this one as it is assembling a lot of pre-cooked ingredients. I like allowing my children the opportunity to be in charge of meal time when I can to help their self-sufficiency. My 8 year old in particular LOVES to be in charge in the kitchen - and this will add a recipe to his personal food arsenal!

Monday - crock pot roast beef with carrots and baby red potatoes

Tuesday - Chicken in a Pan with a Tan with green salad and homemade honey wheat rolls

Wednesday - appointment day - BBQ beef sandwiches using leftover roast from Monday - we'll add fresh vegetables and a pasta salad

Thursday - evening activities - Crockpot Pork Chalupa with rice and green salad

Friday - kid favorite - tater tot casserole with steamed vegetables

Saturday - we've been invited to a party so no planning - we'll eat leftovers if plans change

Sunday - oven roasted turkey with mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetables and homemade rolls

I'm excited to free up some freezer space by cooking a turkey this weekend! Thanks for stopping by! Stop by later in the week for new meal suggestions using current grocery ads! And, be sure to check out hundreds of other great menu plans for this week at Menu Plan Monday!

Menu Plan Monday - week of 03/16 - 03/22/09

We are trying to participate again this week in Menu Plan Monday! Having a menu plan makes our dinner times run so much more smoothly that it is quickly becoming a "must have" item in our household. Here's what is in the works for our meals this week.....

Check out more great Menu Plans for the week to get fresh ideas for your own weekly dinners!

Monday - homemade chicken strips with french fries and fresh veggies - I may even try to slip in some funnel cakes for dessert (such a 'filling' meal but one we only have a few times a year)

Tuesday - something GREEN for Saint Patrick's Day. So far, we have on the menu steamed green beans and some great red potatoes - we're still going to have to look in the freezer for our main course. I may go with meatloaf as it just sounds like a yummy compliment to the sides I've already picked out! We may even try some making some Irish soda bread with the kids. :)

Wednesday - easy chicken pot pie and extra veggies on the side (Recipe added 03/20/09 - it is a nice and easy homemade version of a great comfort food - and a terrific way to use up leftover chicken, which we had on the grill over the weekend and need to finish!)

Thursday - Crock Pot Day - chili with either corn bread or bread bowls and a tossed green salad (I always make a big pot using my dry beans to ensure leftovers - these will appear again on Saturday!)

Friday - pork chops and scalloped potatoes because we didn't get to have them last week!

Saturday - Navajo tacos AKA Indian Fry Bread - so yummy and our favorite way to use up leftover chili!

Sunday - LEFTOVERS to clean up the fridge

Menu Plan Monday - week of 2/16 - 2/23/09

One thing that definitely saves our family money (and me some sanity) is planning out our meals. I strive to plan out our weekly dinner plans, taking into consideration the current grocery ad sales as well as our activities for the upcoming week. Here are a few tips I have used in our meal planning....

• When I know we will be out of the house for a full day, I try to plan a crock pot dinner. That way, dinner is done when we arrive home and everyone is starving and unable to wait for prep. time.

• If we will have an activity one night, I plan something simpler to make sure we are able to eat and be out of the house on time. This helps prevent grumbling about being hungry and curbs the temptation of stopping for unhealthy take-out - or budget-busting grocery store stops for snacks.

• I also strive to incorporate leftovers into our meal plans. I do this two ways - first, by leaving a day open for leftovers at the end of the week. If we don't have leftovers, we can easily make something quick and simple that night. Second, we do leftover makeovers! This can be turning leftover turkey into turkey soup or enchiladas, or it could be turning roast beef into BBQ sandwiches or the starter for beef burrito mix!

This week, I am excited to share a post of our weekly menu plan. I will do my best to add recipes for these as we make them for our meals this week. For more great meal plans, check out Organizing Junckie's Menu Plan Monday.

• Monday - roasted turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, green salad and steamed vegetables

• Tuesday - tacos with fresh vegetable tray

(for this meal, I will be using some ground beef that I am purchasing on sale this week - Albertson's has 73% lean on sale in a 5 pound chub for 98 cents per pound. I cook it and then drain the grease and rinse it well with hot water to make it leaner for our family)

• Wednesday - roast beef with potatoes and carrots (and gravy!)

(for this dinner, I am using a Rancher's Reserve roast that I purchased at Safeway for $1.77 per pound)

• Thursday - attending cub scout potluck dinner (we are bringing some buns for sandwiches)

• Friday - turkey enchiladas with rice and green salad

• Saturday - family birthday party - meal yet to be determined

• Sunday - leftovers to clean up the fridge!