This house goes through some food. By 'some' what I really mean is a LOT! I eat more than my stick figure shows, Jameson snacks all day long, and I feed anywhere from 2-4 hungry soldiers each day of the week. If you have ever fed even one soldier, you know that it takes a full sized buffet to feed 'em!
My mom, the awesome, has been writing out a weekly meal plan for as far back as I can remember. She is very smart to do so, and has passed on her planning, office supply hoarding, print out everything, write everything down on paper, gene to me. I truly get joy out of having paper and a pen in my hand and writing down lists.
Don't judge.
ANYHOO! I enjoy meal planning. I get on Pinterest, look up recipes, and write down all the dinners we feel like having. I try to do 14-16 meals bc I prefer to shop only when we get paid. 2 shopping trips a month... that is plenty enough for this gal who is not keen on crazy rude crowds at the store.
So 14-16 meals have been picked. Now to write out the shopping list. I try to keep it all categorized together. Dairy, meat, fresh produce, baking, canned, carbs, frozen, household items, Jameson needs, HBA. I'm in the works of actually making a meal planning binder... I'm serious about the organizing, planning, and office supply hoarding! (I will make sure to blog my binder once I get it worked out, and remember to buy black ink for my printer) Then off to the store I go with my list. I try to stick to my list, with the exception of a few 'I forgot' or 'I really should have eaten, but I had minutes to escape to the store while Daddy is home watching the little person."
Ok so the list is not even close to as organized as I usually
have it. I was kind of in a hurry this morning to just run to the store
and hurry and get out before the day's adventures began.
The middle piece of paper is my everyday pantry stash. I use
these items often and can always throw something together as long as
I have these things on hand and any sort of meat in my freezer.
I also have a snazzy framed chalkboard I hung on one of my kitchen cabinets. I write down all the dinners after each shopping trip, and Nic and/or I pick the meal we want for the night. No guessing. No wondering what we have in the house that we can make. No having to run to the store multiple times each week. No extra spending on the randoms you pick up every time you walk in the store (you can never get JUST milk!). It's truly great!!
This is usually what my menu board looks like...
sometimes with or without the football foods
This is the menu when the Army refuses to release my husband from work
except for about 5 hours to sleep... which several times he just
had to sleep in his chair/on the floor of the arms room
This is the menu that happens when Ranger husband has to work everyday
for 2 months and I begin to throw myself a birthday pitty party.
The cake was amazing by the way.
Ok so it's looking a bit of a mess right now. I'm usually better about having my shopping list organized, but like stated I kinda threw it together this morning since toddler meltdowns have been the norm in this house lately. I promise to get the awesome looking menu binder posted shortly and you all will see how organized, crazy, and possibly a little genius that I feel I am.
I know what's for dinner tonight!
Carrie Danilla Linn
*I applaud the coupon clippers! Seriously there is so many hours that go into it and I know they can get AMAZING deals. I am not on of those women. I do have the coupons.com app and clip a few from there, and whatever may come in the Sunday mail that I know I will use. But lets face it. I'm cheap. I'm happy to admit I'm cheap. And in being cheap I almost always get the store brand of items, which I found out even with a pretty good coupon, I can get the store brand cheaper than the name brand. There are a few things I always go name brand and get lucky to find coupons for them often to help with the cost.
