The best things in life are free...

As I have mentioned here before, monthly meal planning was a new endeavor for me which I started shortly after we moved here last year.  When people are astounded by the organization that goes into our monthly meal plan, I always am sure to remind them of my humble beginnings.  The time that was particularly difficult was the period right after The Incredible Hulk was born.  Between breastfeeding, exhaustion, and simply having a whole lot of new responsibilities - cooking dinner and even doing grocery shopping seemed like a really lofty undertaking.

Often the scene at the grocery store went something like this:

Me (to husband, who is at the grocery store to help me in case the baby becomes inconsolable, as babies are wont to do in the middle of the grocery store):  What should we have for dinner?
Husband:  I don't know.  What sounds good?
Me: Chicken?  We haven't had chicken in awhile.
TIH: (WAAAAHHHHH.)
Husband: (makes funny faces, gives favorite toy, changes diaper)  Okay, what do we have coupons for?
Me:  FRACK.  I forgot the coupons.
Husband:  Okay, so Monday we have planned.  What about Tuesday?
Me:  Did we plan Monday?
TIH: (WAAAAAHHHHHH.)
Husband: (orders pizza)

And so on, and so on.

So, when I was contacted by Mommy Savings about this awesome "Life Moments" shopping planner they have developed my first thought was, "Wait, where the hell were you guys three years ago?" and second, "This is the coolest thing EVER."

Quarterly, Mommy Savings is sending out a shopping planner.  In that planner includes 3 month's worth of space to meal plan; places to create a shopping list; recipes, tips, and information mostly relevant to new moms; helpful websites like New Mom on the Blog; and the best part - COUPONS.  And we're not talking about silly coupons for stuff you don't need.  We're talking at least one coupon for every item that I found in my grocery cart on a monthly basis (especially in the first year of being a mom.)  These brands include Pampers, Lansinoh, Nestle, Gerber, and Carter's.  And there's also great coupons for stuff you'll use around the house like toothbrushes, shampoo, toilet paper - basically everything your family survives on.

The price for this amazing little planner that shows up at your doorstep once a quarter?  ZIP.  NADA.  ZERO.  ZILCH.

I know what you're thinking?
SIGN ME UP FOR THE FREE ORGANIZATION AND COUPONS.

Not a problem.  If you're interesting in opting in to receive the "Life Moments" shopping planner to your doorstep, all you have to do is visit Mommy Savings and provide your email address.  They're not going to sell you anything, they're not going to charge you anything, they're not even going to make you jump through any hoops.  (I know this for a fact, I signed up myself.)

And if at any point you decide you don't want to receive the planner, you can just send it to me.  I like double coupons.

If you're considering starting to create a meal plan for your family, I think doing it on a weekly basis is a great starting point and this planner would also be a nice way to keep it organized.  As someone who forgets her grocery list on the kitchen table on a LITERALLY weekly basis, I can definitely attest to the value of keeping everything in one place.

So, what are you waiting for?  CHECK IT OUT!

Though Shopper Incite  provided me with their product for review, the opinions expressed in this post are solely my own.  Obviously I barely have the time to wash my own hair some days, so I'm not going to take the time to write about a product I don't fully endorse (plus, it's free, so whatever.)

On certain Sundays in November...

November is here!  The month of my favorite holiday by far - Thanksgiving.  Our family is switching things up quite a bit this year.  We usually spend Thanksgiving with my husband's family.  But, since our move, I've only seen my dad's side of the family twice and it has been really bumming me out.  So, instead we decided to switch up our usual plans and spend Thanksgiving in St. Louis.  Not to mention, I haven't been to this particular Thanksgiving feast since the year I found out I was pregnant with The Incredible Hulk.  I actually found out the day before Thanksgiving that I was pregnant.  So, as you can imagine, I didn't really get to enjoy the food that day.  Since I was just focused on trying to keep it all down.  Gah.

In addition to Thanksgiving festivities, rumor has it that in the first week of December, someone is turning 30 (eek!) so we're also going to be celebrating my plunge into my next decade while we're there.

Due to all this travel, some exciting social engagements for the month, and inevitable turkey-leftover-eating, November was actually a VERY simple month to meal plan for, and this month (unlike October where I really failed on the preparations), I had quite a few recipes bookmarked to try.  I'll be trying out a few new recipes this month, so make sure you're checking back because I'll review new recipes on the blog a couple of times this month.

So, let's get started shall we?

{November 2013}

Friday, November 1 - This was a really high-stress week for me, so by the time Friday rolled around, I was in no mood for cooking.  We checked out a new Mexican restaurant that recently opened down the road and were pleasantly surprised to find a new favorite place to dine out.

Saturday, November 2 - We went and had dinner in the city at a Chicago original - Pizzeria Uno.  Let me tell you, it was worth every minute of the 45 minute wait!

Sunday, November 3 - No meal plan.

Monday, November 4 - No meal plan.

Tuesday, November 5 - No meal plan.  (See!  I told you.  Easy peasy.)

Wednesday, November 6 - Easy Lemon Chicken*; Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Cous Cous (Didn't get to this meal last month, so I'm excited to throw it back onto the menu!)  {Click here for recipe review!}

Thursday, November 7 - Mexican Casserole*; Guacamole (I pinned this awhile ago and forgot about it, but a co-worker tried it and said it was awesome!  Very excited when someone reminds me of a good recipe I have at my disposal!) {Click here for recipe review!}

Friday, November 8 - Buffalo Chicken Wraps; Tator Tots (This is an easy recipe for buffalo chicken we make in the crock pot and then serve up with cheese & shredded lettuce in whole wheat tortillas.  The only change I make is that at the end, I add just a couple of tablespoons of cream cheese and stir it in to take down the heat a bit.)

Saturday, November 9 - Spicy Sausage Pasta; Salad  (LOVED this recipe.  So we had to have it again.  Of course.)

Sunday, November 10 - Pot Roast; Noodles in Beef Broth; Roasted Vegetables (My husband's favorite meal growing up was pot roast.  My mom's pot roast was also the very definition of comfort food for me.  When we got married, we started doing a blending of the two recipes and sort of made it our own.  I've noticed there are kits you can get that come with a good cut of meat [we like chuck roast the best, it has the most flavor and comes out so tender!] and all of the vegetables you need.  But, I've also provided a link to an easy pot roast recipe you can make in the crock pot.  However you decide to do it,  it's always a good night when it's pot roast night!)

Monday, November 11 - Pesto Cavatappi with Chicken*; Bagged Salad (I'll probably just grill up some boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of using a whole chicken.) {Click here for recipe review!}

Tuesday, November 12 - Taco Stuffed Shells* {Click here for recipe review!}

Wednesday, November 13 - Ranch Pork Chops; Brown Rice; Steamed Asparagus

Thursday, November 14 - Grilled Chicken with Avocado Lime Sauce; Quinoa with Corn/Scallions (Another yummy meal I didn't get to again last month.)

Friday, November 15 - Taco Salads  (Nothing fancy, just some taco meat on a bed of lettuce.  I may look up a yummy dressing to make to go alongside it.)

Saturday, November 16 - No meal plan as we'll be celebrating my niece's upcoming FIRST birthday!

Sunday, November 17 - Chicken Tetrazzini; Salad (We used to make a recipe for this all of the time.  I can't seem to find it on the internet right now.  YIKES.  I found one that is somewhat similar, but we might have to do most of it from memory.  I use a rotisserie chicken to make things a bit easier and have adapted the recipe a bit to fit our tastes - for instance, we add some sliced red pepper and use whole wheat spaghetti.  This is a great recipe to have in your arsenal if you're ever wanting to bring a casserole to someone who is sick or if they just had a baby.  OMNOMNOM.)

Monday, November 18 - Chicken Tortilla Bake*; Guacamole (I had a recipe similar to this at a potluck once and I have been looking for a similar recipe ever since.  Fingers crossed that this is the one!)

Tuesday, November 19 - Buffalo Pork Chops* (assuming this is going to be a husband pleasing meal); Fettucini; Broccoli

Wednesday, November 20 - Crock Pot Lemon Chicken*; Sauteed Zucchini; Pasta

Thursday, November 21 - Chipotle Grilled Steak with Lime Butter* (Another husband pleaser since I'm not a big steak eater); Baked Potato; Bagged Salad

Friday, November 22 - Pizza & Salad

Saturday, November 23 - No meal plan as we will be heading over to Medieval Times Chicago to check out the show and have a great dinner.  Jealous?  Check back soon as I'll be giving away FOUR passes to see the show here in Chicago!  SO EXCITING!  (And, if you're following me on Instagram, you'll get an insta-sneak peek on this day!)

Sunday, November 24 - Cheese Bacon Beer Soup* (YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT, OMG); Bread

Monday, November 25 - Grilled Marinated Chicken with Corn/Barley Salad (We had this one time before and all LOVED it.  It's a little bit labor intensive, but WELL worth the effort.)

Tuesday, November 26 - No meal plan.

Wednesday, November 27 - No meal plan.

Thursday, November 28 -  THANKSGIVING!  WHOO HOO!  In years past, I have always made this delicious Corn Casserole recipe. (Ignore the fact that it's a Paula Deen recipe.) My husband and I both love it and I've been requested to make it at other events as well.  I'm not sure if my grandmother will want me to bring this or if she'll need something else.   No matter what, I'm really looking forward to enjoying some of my old favorites at my grandparent's house. (Even though I'm really going to miss my mother-in-law's feast...it's pretty stellar.  Wonder if leftovers would ship well?)  I also made this Rosemary & Cranberry Spread as an appetizer last year and it was a big hit.  I probably ate well over half of it myself :)

Friday, November 29 - My 30th Birthday Celebration!  EEK.  (In addition to celebrating my 30th with some dear friends, this is also the THIRD bloggiversary for NMOTB.  I don't really have anything special planned for that...but at least one glass of champagne will be raised that night to 3 years of blogging fun.)

Saturday, November 30 - No meal plan, but I'll bet there will be some leftover turkey in my future!

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How is meal planning going for you?  Anyone have something awesome they would like to share this month?  I'd love some ideas to start my December menu ahead of time!  I have to admit that last month I tried a simple substitution on a recipe I've made about three billion times and it totally screwed it up.  We ended up having to order some Jimmy John's (but, no complaints here from me about that.)  Literally in our entire 5 years of marriage, that has never happened to me.  Not bad, but still I'm baffled about how such a small change could mess up such a good thing!   Oh well.  Happy cooking, everyone!

Oops, I did it again...

A couple of times a month I will be sharing my reviews of the new recipes we have been trying as part of our meal plan.  In an unprecedented event in the history of meal plans, ALL of these recipes were not only successfully executed - they also all tasted great!  Lots of winners to share with you.  I'll be back doing the same with a few more recipes at the end of the month, so keep checking back!  I also repin the pins for all of the recipes I try through Pinterest on my board "I Made This" so make sure you are following!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup - I have been searching for a good broccoli cheddar recipe that didn't use fake cheese or a Cream of Whatever soup as a base.  It's actually really hard.  Especially if you search specifically for a Bread Co. copycat recipe which appear to always feature a lot of processed ingredients (and something tells me Bread Co. isn't using Velveeta...maybe I'm wrong.)  So, when I saw this recipe, I vowed to make it immediately.  It looked super easy and super yummy.  I was right!  The only change I made to recipe was that I didn't notice that it called for whole milk, so instead I just used the 1% we had at home.  Didn't really seem to affect the recipe much, I probably just had to simmer it a little bit longer before it thickened.  I knew that we weren't really the puree types (plus, though I love to use it, I despite cleaning out my food processor) so I just mashed up the broccoli a bit after the soup was done and the broccoli was all soft and delicious.  Definitely a winner.  I think it was maybe just a bit bland, so perhaps next time I'll add a bit of garlic or even a little bit more onion.  I was also impressed by how quickly it all came together.  The perfect weeknight meal!  Who knew?

Cilantro Lime Pasta Salad with Chicken - Oh.  My. WOW.  My cousin posted this recipe saying she had fed it to her family and that they really enjoyed it.  As an afterthought, I went and pinned it thinking it would make a nice summer recipe and then promptly forgot about it.  BIG MISTAKE.  If I would have known, we would have eaten this every.single.night.  WOW.  Besides having a lot prep work (my mise en place took FOREVER), it is quite possibly the best recipe ever.  We made only two changes to fit our tastes: subbed another avocado for the mango (not big on mixing the sweet and the savory) and we added a bit more seasoning to the chicken (it only calls for salt and pepper).  My husband grilled it up outside (while I was busy cutting up ALL THE THINGS).  Everything about this recipe made us so happy.  I had two huge servings and I'm not even sorry.  (It's actually pretty low on calories and packs a TON yummy nutrients, so WIN WIN.  I should have had THREE servings.)  I also feel this recipe could be amazingly adaptable.  Throw in more veggies or different ones than you see here.  Omit the meat if you're so inclined.  I was a bit concerned about the spicy factor with both cayenne pepper and jalapeno, but it actually was the perfect level of heat, but you could probably let go of one or the other to take out a little more spicy just in case.  (I would leave one otherwise I could see this going from amazing to bland in about 30 seconds.)

Baked Artichoke Chicken - This was a surprisingly easy meal to put together and make for as sophisticated as it looks (and tastes!)  We're still trying to figure out our oven in this house so sometimes our cook times are a little longer than we expect.  This chicken took longer in the oven than stated on the recipe at 350 (and then boosted to 375 when I realized halfway through that it was still pretty much raw.)  I also used boneless/skinless chicken thighs for mine and I would really like to try it sometime with a whole chicken (I just get a little skeeved when cleaning them, so it isn't worth the battle on a week night.)  I wouldn't say it is something I will necessarily be jonesing for again any time soon, but it was definitely a success.  I found the flavor profile to be really interesting and we both really enjoyed the briny-ness of the artichoke paired with the richness of the chicken.  I omitted the tarragon simply because I had none, but I'm not sure I'd even know it if it was in there.  We served this with cous cous and steamed asparagus.

Pizza Soup - Sigh.  As predicted this was hugely popular with my husband although for me it was just okay.  I mean, I actually spent most of my life only tolerating pizza to begin with, so I don't know why I thought I would like it in soup form.  Oh well...  I did all of my chopping for my vegetables and browned the sausage the night before we were serving it and stored it all in the refrigerator so that I could just throw it together in the morning.  That will help you a lot since this really is a meal that can be thrown in the crock pot in the morning and will be ready when you get home. (I just want to HUG the people who come up with recipes like that.)  We also added one bay leaf to the crock pot, it is our favorite ingredient when making any sort of red sauce.  It makes an otherwise boring sauce have SUCH an interesting flavor profile.  Definitely check that out.  I would also recommend that if you are using pork sausage that you skim the grease off the top of the soup before serving it.  Oh, and tempting as it may be - take it easy on the mozzarella.  Though it adds to the overall pizza-ness of the dish, it gets all clumped up and doesn't really work the way it is supposed to if you get too much.  (Learned that the hard way.)  A little sprinkle is enough.

Cacio e pepe - I've been looking for awhile for a nice, simple, AUTHENTIC cacio e pepe recipe.  For those who do not speak Italian (myself included), "cacio e pepe" means "cheese and pepper" which is all this side dish really consists of: spaghetti noodles (we used whole wheat), freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and freshly ground pepper (and maybe a tiny bit of salt.)  That's.  It.  Unfortunately, you'll find lots of recipes for it that involve more than these simple ingredients and they're RUINING IT.  What makes cacio e pepe so great is that it is so so so simple.  This is the perfect recipe for that.  Creating the correct cacio e pepe recipe is an art (one that I have far from mastered), but if you follow the link above, they give a lot of great tips for how to make a nice creamy sauce.  The recipe (which gives its measurements in metric - how's THAT for authentic) calls for about 14 ounces of spaghetti and 8 ounces of cheese (thank you conversion calculator.)  I just cut it in half to feed my family of 3 (and my husband had seconds and we still had plenty of leftovers.)

Grilled Street Corn Salad with Cilantro Butter Shrimp - Oops.  So, here's the thing (and the inspiration for the title of this post.)  When I wrote about making meal plans, I mentioned that flexibility was at the utmost importance.  Evidently, being realistic is of equal importance.  Because when I looked at my meal plan for the week of September 8-14, I was like "Who does this chick think she is?"  We had a lot of complicated meal planned for one week PLUS some of them (such as this one which features FOUR different components) was planned for a weeknight and I just don't see that happening.  (I tend to do this sometimes.  I have so many yummy recipes I want to try that I overextend myself without really realizing it until it is too late.)  Instead, I made this recipe for Shrimp and Guacamole Tostadas that we have had a million times and LOVE.  They were delicious (as always.)

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Did anyone try any new recipes this month?  Let me know how they turned out.  I am ALWAYS looking for new things to try - look at how well it has been going for us!

Messing with the flavor...

Can anyone else believe it is September already?  I thought my summer break just started!

The great thing about September is that you can serve up some delicious meals in the crock pot which give you a nice taste of fall, but it is still warm enough outside that you're able to cook on the grill.  My husband is our grill chef, so I'm usually okay with sending him outside no matter what it is like outside, but you may not be so lucky! :)

I've been asked by countless friends to share my meal plans for every month.  Please keep in mind that although I do attempt to make our meal lists balanced and budgeted, that there will always be tweaks along the way both for my family and for yours to make it successful.  I'm sharing recipes (both old and new) that I'm using this month and I will make sure to do a round-up at the end of the month on how I felt some of the new recipes turned out.  I'll also do at least one tutorial a month on a recipe that we've developed ourselves (or one that we have tweaked from a Pinterest recipe to fit our needs.)

Keep in mind that some days I won't be cooking, so there I've usually just listed "No meal plan."  We end up eating leftovers, making sandwiches, grabbing a bite out to eat, or eating at someone else's house on those nights.  If we bring a dish to someone's house, I will share that recipe as well.  You can never have enough of those, can you?

So, here is September.  Click on the links for recipes (or pictures where appropriate!)  If a recipe isn't available, I will likely be sharing it on the blog soon.  Please let me know if you see any broken/dead links.  I will do my best to fix them ASAP.  New recipes are denoted with a star (*)!

{September 2013}

Sunday, September 1 - Hamburger Soup; French Bread with Honey Butter

Monday, September 2 - Chipotle Bowls 

Tuesday, September 3 - Homemade Pizza (We just make crust using the recipe on the back of the pizza yeast package, throw together a quick marinara, and top it with our favorites.  Don't be afraid to just go Boboli - love that stuff - or make one of those awesome looking Cauliflower Pizza Crusts.  It's all yummy in the world of pizza.

Wednesday, September 4 - Pulled Pork Tenderloin, Oven Roasted Corn, Tator Tots (Who doesn't love a good tot?)

Oven Roasted Corn

Thursday, September 5 - Broccoli Cheddar Soup*, Fresh Bread (probably grab some from Bread Co.), Bagged Salad (So easy, our favorite brand is the Marketside from Walmart - what's yours?) {Click here for recipe review.}

Friday, September 6 - Cilantro Lime Pasta Salad with Chicken* (The key to this being a "Friday meal" is that it's one simple dish.  You don't want a meal with a ton of components to make clean up in the kitchen easy so you can start the weekend out right!  We also love to utilize our grill as much as possible to relegate the mess to out of the house!) {Click here for recipe review.}

Saturday, September 7 - Bruschetta Chicken Bake, Bagged Salad (Not going to lie, there is a lot of processed food in this recipe, but it is a family favorite and is SO easy.  We only have this a few times a year to avoid the high sodium.  Then again, I did just wax poetic on the concept of Tator Tots.)

Sunday, September 8 - Braised Short Ribs, Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Broccoli (The short ribs recipe is actually my husband's and even I don't know how to make it entirely.  I asked him to share it with me and he literally said, "Wait, why?"  I said, "Oh, I want to post the recipe for my blog readers" and he said, "Ohhhh, no no no no.  No. Way."  So, I linked to one I found on Pinterest and hope that some day I will be lucky enough to know how to make the blessed recipe.  Good thing he still lets me eat it!  It really is the best thing ever.)

Monday, September 9 - Baked Artichoke Chicken*, Steamed Asparagus, Brown Rice {Click here for recipe review.}

Tuesday, September 10 - Pizza Soup*, French Bread, Bagged Caesar Salad {Click here for recipe review.}

Wednesday, September 11 - Grilled Pork Chops, Garlic Roasted Zucchini, Whole Wheat Spaghetti Cacio e pepe {Click here for recipe review.}

Cacio e pepe

Thursday, September 12 - Grilled Street Corn Salad with Cilantro Butter Shrimp* {We ended up subbing with this recipe because I overestimated my ability to make this on a week night.}

Friday, September 13 - Sloppy Joes, Chips, Cole Slaw (Our Sloppy Joes are a family recipe, so we do not make them from a can. I'll share it here if I can get permission. You can make your family's favorite recipe.)

Saturday, September 14 - Game Night (No meal plan.)

Sunday, September 15 - Smoked Sausage Pasta* {Click here for recipe review.}

Monday, September 16 - Leftovers! (No meal plan.)

Tuesday, September 17 - Chicken Quesadillas, Amanda's Famous Guacamole (I couldn't share this recipe even if I wanted to.  I know it like the back of my hand and base my measurements on a feeling more than an actual recipe.  It's intense.), Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

Wednesday, September 18 - Crock Pot "Fried" Rice*, Bagged Asian Salad {Click here for recipe review.}

Thursday, September 19 - Shake N Bake Pork Chops, Roasted Acorn Squash (Recipe to come!), Bagged Salad

Friday, September 20 - Hamburgers (In order to share this recipe, I would have to also share my husband who is a wizard on the grill and you can't have him because he makes the best hamburgers. in. the. world!) Potato Wedges, Cole Slaw

Potato Wedges

Saturday, September 21 - Lemon Chicken Bruschetta Pasta*; Bagged Caesar Salad; French Bread {Click here for recipe review.}

Sunday, September 22 - Chili (Make your own recipe and serve it with all of the fun fixings - cheese, onion, Fritos, elbow macaroni, etc!)

Monday, September 23 - Leftovers (No meal plan.)

Tuesday, September 24 - Pizzadillas; Bagged Caesar Salad

Pizzadilla

Wednesday, September 25 - Chicken Caesar Sandwiches on Ciabatta, Chips

Thursday, September 26 - World's Best Chicken; Sauteed Green Beans, Smashed Potatoes*

Friday, September 27 - No meal plan.

Saturday, September 28 - No meal plan.

Sunday, September 29 - No meal plan.

Monday, September 30 - Chicken Stroganov, Whole Wheat Egg Noodles, Oven Roasted Broccoli

Food, glorious food...

Prepare yourselves for my most requested post and a recurring one, at that.

MY MEAL PLANS.

When we moved here, I started planning out a monthly menu for our dinners.  Everyone who has ever attempted to do this knows that it must be done with a modicum of flexibility as you never know when you won't feel like cooking, or you'll forget a vital ingredient, or when you'll be invited over for dinner instead.  But, having a plan helps.

You can look on Pinterest for lots of ideas for meal plans and budget friendly ideas.  For me, having a plan to begin with can (and will) shrink your grocery bill and help you utilize the items sitting around in your cabinet more than ever.

I'll be sharing my meal plans starting in September, take what you need from it.  Leave the rest.  Your family not big on pork?  Don't eat it.  Need to make something low carb, gluten free, or vegetarian?  Go for it. (Unfortunately, you can't ask my advice on any of that - I like my meat mostly wrapped in carbs and gluten.) Have an even better recipe that you want to swap in there?  Please do...and share!  Happy to hear your meal and recipe ideas.

Here's what I do.

1.  I always start with a list of meals that we enjoy or haven't had in awhile.  I call this our "On Deck" list and it sits in a central place on the counter for anyone to add to as necessary.

2.  When I'm ready to make my initial plan, I grab a sheet of paper and write out all of the days that we will need dinners for the month.  Given travel schedules, social engagements, and get togethers we are invited to, I usually don't have to plan dinner for every single night of the month.  When I share my meal plans, you'll notice some holes.  That's because we aren't eating dinner at home.  (We also plan on eating out at least once a month - we are trying to eat at a different restaurant in town every time so that we get to know our favorite local spots - but I don't always list a specific night that this will happen.)

3.  I also take note of the specific day of the week some meals are being planned.  On Wednesdays, I try to do something in the crock pot because I have choir practice.  On Fridays, we try to make meals with little to no clean up in the kitchen so we can enjoy our night.  (This is a popular take out night for us.  I'm still learning what exactly constitutes a "Friday Night Meal" - I'm sure I'll get it.)  Sundays we eat a bit of a heavier meal because we usually have more time for cooking and clean up - so a meal with more components is always possible.

4.  Once I have a good list of meals, I just start filling in the blanks.  I try to make one day a week meat free.  This is new to us so a lot of times we do end up having fish instead of being totally vegetarian.  I don't really have any reason for doing this other than that it makes me think of new meals, come up with creative ideas to balance our nutrition, and increase our produce intake.  We're Catholic so this is a practice that isn't necessarily new to us.  Take it or leave it.

5.  I put all of this on a dry erase calendar (ultimate flexibility!) and try plan things in such a way that we end up with a nice variety.  Not too many Italian meals at once or too much red meat in one week.  I also try to spread out meals cooked in the slow cooker so that I have time to let it soak after we use it.  (Anyone else HATE cleaning their crock pot?  I need to invest in those liners!)

6.  I make my grocery lists one week at a time and usually do all of my shopping on Saturday mornings.  If I need some meat from the butcher or fresh produce, I will sometimes purchase things on my way home from work to cook them the evening of the meal.  Otherwise it is always my goal to not have to go back to the store more than once.  (Every time I enter the grocery store, you can almost always guarantee I will buy more than what is on my list.  Better to keep it to just one day.)

7.  I also make my grocery list while looking at all of the things I have in my pantry/refrigerator/spice cabinet.  Eventually I'd also love to plan stuff around what we have in a produce delivery, what we find at the farmer's market, or what we grow in our own garden.  (This will likely happen next year when I actually have time to plan a garden.)  All of this helps keep me under budget so I don't overbuy things.

8.  We all eat lunches on our own.  TIH eats at school and both my husband and I eat at work.  I can usually be counted on for bringing some sort of leftovers at least once a week, but for the most part I basically brown bag it.  I do not plan those meals.

9.  The same goes for breakfast.  Sometimes on weekends, my husband will cook up a big breakfast and we'll talk about that ahead of time so that I can get the necessary accouterments, otherwise we are all pretty content with bowls of cereal, breakfast smoothies, or oatmeal.  And coffee.  Of course, coffee.

10.  I do not coupon.  When I tried to do it, I spent way more money than I ever saved by buying things we didn't need, didn't use, or already had.  (The exception is for toiletries.  I don't have to worry about those going bad before we need them.)  If you have the patience for couponing - go you.  This will make meal planning a little bit less flexible, but will work all the same.   In case you were wondering, I say "koo-pon" rather than "q-pon."  Both pronunciations are listed in the dictionary - so we all win.  If you're good at looking for meat/produce sales at your local grocer that will work wonders for you as well.  Fortunately, everyone says "sale" the same way.



Finally, be flexible.  I planned a full meal around some stuff I saw in the store only to find they discontinued one of the key components.  Because I wasn't flexible, I literally stood in the store for 15 minutes until I finally picked up a frozen pizza.  Have a back up plan or two in place.  You can also move meals around in the month if necessary.  When we have to cancel a meal because we get invited out last minute, I'll use those ingredients for a similar meal later in the week or in place of another meal. More flexibility.  Stay tuned in September when I share our meal plan as well as some new recipes I plan to try.  I promise to come back with full reviews on how they worked out for us.  I'd love to hear what you're all doing for your meals and meal planning.  I would love to recipe swap!