Monthly Meal Planning

I don't like to cook. No, let me rephrase that. I do like to cook. I love to create food, and I love the warm fuzzy feeling I get when I see empty plates and bellies full of something somewhat healthy. I like it when my man comes home at the end of a hard day of work and I can hand him a plate full of lovingly made sustenance before 10:00pm. To be able to do this spells success for me as a mom and wife. Of course a clean house, well educated, happy children and actually shaving my legs periodically are also factors, but getting a meal on the table is foundational. In this phase of my life, however, I am usually short on time, short on energy, or just have about 5,234 things I would rather do than spend my entire day cooking. Or grocery shopping for that matter. Who wants to go to a store with kids in tow every 7 days, randomly grabbing items off the shelf, so that every night at about 7:30 you stare into your refrigerator and think, "What on earth am I going to make for dinner? Nothing has been defrosted. It all takes too long. Where are the hot dogs? How can I be out of hot dogs?!"

So, here's my plan of attack. A meal plan that involves a once-a-month major shopping trip. It means that every day I know what I'm going to cook, and I am always successful at getting it on the table. Of course weekly shopping trips are still required for simple things like bread, milk and fruit, and of course that obligatory item you forgot from your monthly list, but this is child's play in comparison.

Step 1. Make a master meal plan.
Do NOT over-think this. Come up with a variety of simple meals to start with. Build on it each time you think of a meal that you either like to make or is easy. In my mind, as long as I have 7 items, we won't be eating the same thing twice in a week and that is a GREAT start. I used to add a "try a new dish" day, but I failed every time. If you think this is something you'd enjoy however, go for it.

MASTER MEAL PLAN
	Beef	Pork	Poultry	Fish
30 mins or less	Spaghetti	Breakfast	Chicken Tenders	Salmon Patties
	Hot Dogs	Pork Chops	Whole Chicken (CP)
	Chilli (Crockpot)
	Beef Roast (CP)
	Pizza
	Tacos
	Burgers
30-45 mins			Chicken Breasts	Shrimp
over 45 mins	Roast Beef	Roast Pork	Roast Chicken	Salmon
		Country Ribs	Roast Turkey	White Fish

I have separated the columns into meat types so that I can avoid having the same type two days in a row. I also separated the meals into how long it takes to prepare the meal, since we are frequently out for the girls' various activities until 6 or 7pm. Simplicity and speed are my main concerns. As the kids get older, I can get more creative and complex, but for now, it's just about getting it done.

Step 2. Plan main dishes for the month.
Disclaimer: This isn't a fancy menu. This isn't gourmet food. These meal won't impress anyone. But they are what my family likes to eat, and they are real food. I try to buy the best quality I can (all natural, organic) and I read labels constantly. I figure hotdogs and pizza are perfectly acceptable as long as they are all beef, nitrate/nitrite free and are served with a side of raw carrots, spinach leaves and apple.

Now comes the fun part. You put the day and date on the left column. I like knowing the days of the week, because then I can plan a meal accordingly. On the days we get home late from activities, I will either put something in the crockpot earlier that day or I will use something quick and easy. The things we like the best, we often have every week.

Also, things like "breakfast" can be a variety of whatever I feel like making, such as waffles, pancakes, toast, hash browns, eggs different ways, sausage, bacon, etc. I can mix it up so it's not exactly the same every week. The important thing is to have a plan, and have the items in your kitchen to complete that plan.

Oh, and I don't cook anything complicated at all on Sunday afternoons. And it will be served on paper plates. It's my Sabbath thing.

Day	Date	Main Dish	Side 1	Side 2	Take Out of freezer
	APRIL
Tue	1	Hamburgers
Wed	2	Chicken Tenders
Thu	3	Breakfast
Fri	4	Pork Roast
Sat	5	Spaghetti
Sun	6	Hot dogs
Mon	7	Salmon
Tue	8	Chicken (CP)
Wed	9	Pork Chops
Thu	10	Breakfast
Fri	11	Shrimp
Sat	12	Turkey
Sun	13	Leftover Turkey
Mon	14	Spaghetti
Tue	15	Beef Roast (CP)
Wed	16	Pork Chops
Thu	17	Chilli
Fri	18	Chilli Dogs
Sat	19	Salmon Patties
Sun	20	Pizza
Mon	21	Burgers
Tue	22	Pre-cooked Turkey
Wed	23	Pork Chops
Thu	24	Chicken Thighs
Fri	25	Salmon
Sat	26	Anniversary - eat out
Sun	27	Hot dogs
Mon	28	Cod
Tue	29	Spaghetti
Wed	30	Pork Chops

Step 2. Add the sides.
We aren't a family that requires huge variety, so this part is extremely easy for me.

Day	Date	Main Dish	Side 1	Side 2	Take Out of freezer
	APRIL
Tue	1	Hamburgers	Fries	Fruit
Wed	2	Chicken Tenders	Rice	Peas
Thu	3	Breakfast
Fri	4	Pork Roast	Baked Potatoes	Lima Beans
Sat	5	Spaghetti	Bread	Salad
Sun	6	Hot dogs	Fries	Fruit
Mon	7	Salmon	Rice	Broccoli
Tue	8	Chicken (CP)	Mac & Cheese	Peas
Wed	9	Pork Chops	Potatoes	Corn
Thu	10	Breakfast
Fri	11	Shrimp	Rice	Broccoli
Sat	12	Turkey	Potatoes	Peas
Sun	13	Leftover Turkey	"	Lima Beans
Mon	14	Spaghetti	Bread	Salad

Step 3. Daily defrost plan.
Now you want to work backwards, filling out the "take out of freezer" column. For a whole chicken, I'll need to take it out 2-3 days before I plan to cook it, where as pork chops are usually fine to take out the day before. I have found this step absolutely essential for success.

Day	Date	Main Dish	Side 1	Side 2	Take Out of freezer
	APRIL
Tue	1	Hamburgers	Fries	Fruit	Chicken tenders
Wed	2	Chicken Tenders	Rice	Peas	Sausage, pork roast
Thu	3	Breakfast
Fri	4	Pork Roast	Baked Potatoes	Lima Beans	Ground beef
Sat	5	Spaghetti	Bread	Salad
Sun	6	Hot dogs	Fries	Fruit	Whole chicken
Mon	7	Salmon	Rice	Broccoli
Tue	8	Chicken (CP)	Mac & Cheese	Peas	Pork chops
Wed	9	Pork Chops	Potatoes	Corn	Bacon, Turkey
Thu	10	Breakfast
Fri	11	Shrimp	Rice	Broccoli
Sat	12	Turkey	Potatoes	Peas
Sun	13	Leftover Turkey	"	Lima Beans	Ground beef, beef roast
Mon	14	Spaghetti	Bread	Salad
Tue	15	Beef Roast (CP)	Potatoes
Wed	16	Pork Chops	Pasta		Ground beef

Step 4. Make your shopping list.
If you can type up a standard list to print and write your quantities on each month, it will help greatly. You will just want to go through your plan and count how many of each thing you need and enter that on your shopping list.

Ground beef (lbs)	8
Beef roast	1
Turkey	1
Salmon	1
Pork Chops	4
Pork Roast	1
Whole chicken	2
Chicken Breasts	2
Sausage	3
Bacon	3
Pasta options	6
Potatoes	7
Rice options	8
Bread	5

Then shop, fill your freezer and you're good to go.

Of course you will have to account for breakfast, lunch, snack and household items in addition to this, but at least the hardest meal of the day will be there.

 I am in the process of formulating a monthly "fill out and go" shopping list for myself, which will be organized by the departments of my favorite grocery store. This whole system saves a ton of money and food spoilage, not to mention my frazzled nerves.

I'd love to hear from you if this system helps you, or if you have additional ideas to implement. Happy homemaking!