Showing posts sorted by relevance for query meal planning. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query meal planning. Sort by date Show all posts

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Coffee Break with Katie: That Meal Planning Thing


Some of you wrote to me requesting more information on the meal planning.  It seems that you all liked that idea.  Meal planning is very simple and it's very easy.  You just have to get in the habit of doing it.  I have built my "meal planning" into my daily Friday chores.

I don't know about you, but every day I have a "to-do" list.  I have a smart phone, so my phone actually updates my list for me every day.  I have the daily things on that list: empty dish washer, vaccuum, feed the dog, get the mail, etc.  I know some of those are obvious, but it really allows me to feel MORE accomplished at the end of each day.  Then I have some tri-weekly things on M, W, F like laundry, furminate Daisy, dust, pick up clutter, sanitize the kitchen, etc.  Then there's the weekly things: on Mondays, wash windows...on Tuesday, clean bathroom...on Wednesday, etc, etc, etc.  One of those weekly things is my Friday Meal Planning.

I sit down every Friday morning with a BLANK calendar page that I print off my computer.  This page includes those evenings when we won't be home, due to meetings, etc.  Then I fill in from my regular calendar my meals, based on how much time I KNOW I'm going to have.  For example, Wednesday is always Bible Study, Choir, and meetings.  So on Wednesday I know hubby and I will have to leave the house early and dinner will be on the "fly" so to speak.  Then "Mac N Cheese" ends up on that calendar space.  Or Friday night is usually date night and I try to make my hubby's favorite meal, so perhaps "Lasagna, Garlic Bread, & Salad" go on that calendar space.

Last week my calendar looked like this:
  • Sunday - Refrigerator Surprise (Left-overs)
  • Monday - Ham Loaf & Salad
  • Tuesday - Corned Beef Brisket & Potatoes
  • Wednesday - Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup
  • Thursday - Homemade Chicken and Rice Soup & Salad
  • Friday - Spaghetti with Meatballs, Garlic Bread, & Salad
  • Saturday - Chicken Hawaii
When I get ready to make my grocery list, I figure out the ingredients I'll need for each meal.  Then I see if I need them.  For example I have the ham loaf, brisket, and chicken.  From the store this week I need bread, salad, potatoes, & rice for the Chicken Hawaii.

By using this method, not only will you have extra money at the end of the week, but you won't buy a lot of "unnecessary" items from the grocery.  Always keep quick foods on hand for busy days when you don't have time to prepare your meal and stock that pantry with them!
  • Ramen Noodles ($2.50 for a box of 12 at WalMart)
  • Cans of Soup (55 cents a can at Aldi's)
  • Mac N Cheese (35 cents a box at Aldi's)
Each of the items above can be used to make something else.  For example, use the noodles from the Ramen, add chicken to the top and WAH-LA....instant dinner.  Use cans of soup as a meal itself or top chicken and noodles with cream of mushroom soup!  Use the Man N Cheese as it is or add ground beef and a sprinkle of parmesan and WAH-LA...another instant dinner.

LET ME HEAR FROM YOU:
Do you plan your meals?  Do you budget you spending on food? What works for you?!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Menu & Meal Planners



I have blogged several times about my meal planning.  I LOVE to meal plan.  Mostly because it saves me and my family time & money.  I thought I'd share with you my simple and easy meal planning strategy.  Please know that my meal planning methods will not work for everyone, but will work for some people.  The first thing that I did was I bought a CHEAP ($4) calendar that was a single page and bound with a spiral wire and a hook at the top.

Once a month (on the 1st) I get out all my cook books and recipe box and sit down at the dining room table with a big cup of coffee.  First I pick two days a week that will be "pantry meals" and write them down automatically.  For us it's usually Wednesday and Sunday as those are the days we barely have time for any kind of a formal dinner.

Then I flip through all my recipes and decide what I'd like to make.  I try to have one red meat, one (max of two) chicken, one all veggie, and one turkey or pork meal a week.  This keeps me and my hubby from feeling like we always eat the same things.  Then I fill it out with the name of the meal (for example: Tomato Sausage Polenta) and the recipe book with page number, or simple write "recipe box."  I don't often worry about side dishes, just a main dish.  My husband and I eat simply, so if we're having soup, I'll just make a loaf of bread to go with it.  Here's a closer look at the calendar that hangs on my fridge.

Now, for those of you who are thinking I'm old fashioned...this is just the FIRST part.  Once I've filled out my calendar for the month, I sit and fill everything into my iCalendar in a special calendar I created appropriately entitled, "meal planning."  This ensures that wherever I go, I always have my meal plan with me and know what I'm cooking for dinner.  See my picture below...


So how do I make my grocery lists you ask?  First I take 2 or 3 index cards, depending on the number of weeks in the month, and fill out the things I know I'll need to get for the next 2 week period.  I take and add an additional $20 into our bi-weekly budget for extras and sale items to supplement our pantry dinners.  This method works for me and my madness, but might not work for you.  Here are some other awesome menu planners on Etsy that you might enjoy.

Magnetic Grocery List and Menu Planner
From the ad: "Get organized with Crystal Gayle Photography's magnetic menu planner and grocery list! This magnetic planner makes planning meals a snap. It helps you keep track of what groceries to buy -- as you run low! Stick it to your fridge, or keep it slipped onto a clipboard, and the chaos in your kitchen will be a thing of the past!And best of all, it's reuseable, pretty -- and something you can customize!The organizer measures approximately 8.5"x10.5" with lamination, and comes with a bullet tip black dry erase marker."






PRINTABLE PERSONALIZED WEEKLY MENU PLANNER
From the page: "With this easy, colorful way to organize your meals, that will be a simple question to answer! You can hang this planner on the fridge, display it on a cork board, or stick it in your purse for grocery shopping. You can print as many times as you like! If you don't like the colors shown, see my color guide to the right and choose up to seven colors. You will receive a high-quality PDF file containing this meal planner. The file is formatted to be printed on U.S. letter-size paper (8.5x11)."





LARGE DRY ERASE MENU CALENDAR
From the page: "This is a "Frame Your Own" glass dry-erase board print! JUST FRAME in a regular ol' picture frame and use the glass as the dry-erase surface. FULL COLOR and GORGEOUS!! SHOWS like art, WORKS like a white board. Fantastic new concept; simple, affordable and classy. This is not made with vinyl stickers like many other products on the market, but with a gorgeous, full color, large 1 piece art print that is simply framed right under the glass."

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

NEW Printables



As you all know by now I am a huge fan of meal planning.  Well, a semi-disastrerous thing happened to me last month.  I went to plan the first few weeks of June's meals...and guess what.  My calendar had come to an end.  It was a simple calendar...but it had a year's worth of good, healthy meals on it.  So what did this mean?  It meant it was time to get a new calendar.  There are times in my life when I pay good money for things.  But hubby & I are on a budget and there was no room in it for the $15 hanging style calendar I wanted to buy.


That's when the search began.  I started to look for free printable meal planning calendars.  I wanted a monthly one, without a grocery list, and without dividers (fruit, vegetable, sides, etc).  But I also wanted it to match the theme of my kitchen and favorite beverage: coffee.  Thus the search began.  I scoured all of Pinterest....nothing.  To my surprise...nothing that I even remotely liked.  


So...I ventured onto the trust worthy and massive search engine, Google.  To the very best of my limited searching skills, I searched the internet high and low for a coffee themed meal planning calendar.  Do you know what I found?  Nothing.  That's right.  Nothing.  So, I spent a few hours at the beginning of the month creating a meal planning calendar that would match the theme and colors of my kitchen.  In a nut shell: coffee themes in brown, blue, and red.


So, here's my first ever FREE printable from Kater's Acres.  Please let me know what you think and enjoy.  To see more items like this and view Parker's newest line of "helpers," please click here.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

What We're Eating





We have blogged many times before about meal planning.  We meal plan a month at a time or more, sometimes for 2 month periods.  Meal planning is cost effective and for me is also a stress reducer. Here's a sample list of some of the great dishes my hubby and I will be enjoying this month.  If you would like to see any of these recipes appear on our blog, just comment below and we'll be sure to add them.



  • Cornbread Chicken Pot Pie
  • 3 Cheese Pasta Bake
  • Baked Chicken & Cheese Risotto
  • Skillet Sausage & Stuffing
  • Cheese Burger Pasta
  • Asian Chicken & Rice Bake
  • Greek Style Beef Stew
  • Southern CornBread & Turkey Pot Pie
  • Chip Dried Beef on Toast

Friday, June 8, 2012

In the Kitchen with Katie: Grocery Challenge


Well....I'm challenging myself this month.  I'm doing something that I have NEVER done in my entire life.  I will be doing all my grocery shopping for ONE MONTH in ONE DAY.  Yes...you read that right.  I will be doing my grocery shopping for an entire month in one day.

Here are a few things to note before you try this yourself.  Hubby & I are trying with all our might to pinch & save every penny we can, read some of the ways we do this here.  So budgeting has been our lifestyle for several years now.  Because of this, I have always had hubby & I eat from a meal plan since we have been married.  All this does is help me out...by cutting the stress, worry, & trying to decide on last minute meals.  However, this being said, it doesn't do much for my hubby.  You can see our many previous posts on meal planning, but start with this one if your interest is peaked.

All this aside, the reason I'm trying this is not ONLY for our budget, but because I have friend's that do this and do it successfully.  Wouldn't it be nice to only have to go to the store once a month?  YES.  Does this mean I probably will NOT end up back at the store?  NO.  Why, you ask?  We live 25 minutes from the closest major shopping area, that's one hour just in the car to get groceries every week.  YUCK.  I would LOVE to just have to sneak into Ray's (our local grocery 5 minutes from my house) and pick up the gallon of milk, eggs, & bananas that I need.  How much easier was that?  LOTS easier.

Here's what I already know: the bill will be astronomical...but I just have to keep in mind that these groceries are for the whole month, not for just the week or next two weeks.  And I also know that I WILL forget something.  However, I always do anyway, so this isn't that big of a deal to me.  So...we're going to see if I can do it.  I always plan my meals out at least one month at a time.  So knowing what we're going to eat will not be an issue.  The issue will be running out of what we need.  Despite this, I'm going to try it!  We'll see if I can do it.  Click here to download a FREE Coffee themed meal planner we created or visit our store where you will find some of Parker's newest helpers, including meal planners.



Tuesday, May 17, 2011

The Diet: Day 1 (Yesterday)


Luke's Lunch




So, after recently stepping on the scale, my hubby and I began our diets again today.  My husband and I both eat very healthfully, however our portions are WAY TOO BIG and far to generous.  So, really it's not a "diet" per se, but rather a conscious way of eating.  I've already lost over 20 pounds, due mostly to my surgery...but I'd love to learn to eat healthier, and trim off an additional 10 pounds!  




My Breakfast
I love cereal and I'm usually good for two bowls.  I find cereal just isn't as satisfying to me as other breakfast foods.  However, there is one breakfast / snack that I love and am satisfied after just a small amount.  My breakfast of "choice" or my new weight-loss breakfast is low fat cottage cheese, topped with strawberry yogurt, homemade granola (at just 60 cal. per 1/2 cup), and fresh berries.






My Lunch
My lunch yesterday consisted of herbed rice with a sprinkle of bacon, 15 Tricuit Thins (130 cal), 1 Babybel Spreadable Cheese Wedge (35 cal), 2 small clementines, 2 large strawberries, 1 med. banana, & ice water with fresh lemon.


I'm excited and I'm ready for the challenge.  I've never been thin, but I've never been horribly overweight either.  I currently wear a 14, I would like to be back into my 10's! I guess I should state that this isn't so much a diet.  According to a lot of my research, dieting refers to limitations.  My husband and I aren't limiting ourselves...I'm not buying all "low-fat," "reduced fat," "lean," or styrofoam products (ha ha ha). I'm still buying the same products...we're just eating less, trying to become healthy, together.  Our ministry is together as a team, our marriage is definitely team work...so why shouldn't this be as well.


Here's what my plan thus far includes: walking my considerably overweight (but adorable) pooch every day, cutting down portion sizes, and following some very strict rules.  According to research there are several things that help you to lose weight.  Here's what I've found:

  1. Drink a FULL glass of water before every meal.  Not only will it aide in digestion, but it also helps you to feel fuller, making you eat less.
  2. ALWAYS eat from a plate/bowl.  This means, no stuffing my hand in the bag of pretzels over & over.  The reality is I have no idea how much I've actually eaten...and neither do you if you're doing the same thing.
  3. Use a SMALLER plate. This helps not only to make you feel fuller, because your plate is full, but you are less likely to overeat.  So STOP putting your salad in a bowl and your entree and side dish on a plate.  Use ONE plate and put it ALL on there...this will help you eat smaller portions and feel more full.
  4. Make my plate colorful!  Colorful means vitamins & nutrients.  I'm aiming for greens, red/oranges, and less of the white stuff (carbs).
  5. No eating dinner in front of the TV.  This happens about twice a week at our home.  Why?  Because it's usually the ONLY time we have to watch a movie.  So we take our plates to the living room and prop down with TV trays.  Why is this a problem?  According to research, people who eat while working on the computer or watching television are four times as likely to overeat.  The reason?  You're ignoring you "I'm feeling full" mechanism, which causes you to overeat.  Also by being distracted you forget how much you've actually eaten.  (ie: When you eat, do only that...EAT...and take your time doing it)
  6. Take out lunches BEFORE we eat.  Usually we do this, eat until we're happy and full.  THEN, we put leftovers in containers for Luke & I to pack for lunch.  We're going to start doing this backward once again.  FIRST take lunch meals out...THEN fill plates for dinner.  This will automatically decrease our portion sizes.  Not to mention that without "leftovers" sitting on the stove, when there's an empty pot, it's hard to find seconds!
  7. Write down or take pictures of every meal and/or snack you eat.  This allows you to visually see how much food you've eaten.  This leads to eating less and feeling full longer.
So, with one day of healthy eating under my belt and a delicious (yet nutritious) lunch packed for hubby, it's time to begin planning my lunch.  Hmmm...what to have.  I'll keep you posted on how hubby and I are both doing in our "diets" and change of lifestyle.  We began this journey together on May 16, 2011...let's see where it goes from here.

Don't forget to become our "friend" on facebook to see pictures of some of the awesome meals that I'm going to prepare to help us trim our waistlines!

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