Oh the Joys of Meal Planning

Two things you should know:
First - I found this on line, free and made some changes.  I went here to find a template Vertex42.com: ExcelTemplates meal-planner
Second - I also found a very helpful blog and have used hers to help me. The Meal Planner

This week I have been working overtime, and I've walked once, and cleaned a bunch, but I have not done my regular exercise routine.   This week, I decided to focus on meal planning since I could work on that a bit during lunch.  I at first tried to decide a few staple meals and then use the weekends for fun dishes.
It would go something like this:
Sunday: family dinner - free (We are open to family dinners, going out, and whatever comes up.)
Monday: Meatless (Tex Mex Lasagna) some form of additional veggies
Tuesday: Grilled Chicken & Rice with Veggies
Wednesday: Left overs
Thursday: Spaghetti with a salad
Friday: Apricot Glazed Salmon, with seasonal veggies
Saturday: Pizza and a salad

But that was much to restricting.  So I instead opted for a less rigid structured approach.
Sunday: open for what every family plan, or going out has to offer.

Monday: Meatless meal
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Chinese
Thursday: Italian
Friday: Fish/Seafood
Saturday: Mexican

With these themes, I can use the ingredients I have, have different flavors throughout the week, and rotate different menus as needed.  of course these can be switched as needed, and of course if we feel like burgers one night, we can substitute things out.

Here is a look at the pretty copy:
weekly-meal-planner
Here is where I have been re-working things.
Beginning Stages of meal Planning


I have since found that the PCOS Diva sets up some delightful menu plans, although I don't always have the ingredients on hand. I also found a lovely site that plans meals on budgets as well as having coupons, and gardening tips. 5 Dollar Dinners.com: Monthly Meal Plan 2011


Budgets and things are something I dabble in a bit, but after I work with other people's financial information all day, I get tired to work on ours at home.  I have found a lovely little helper, Mint.com.  The best part is it is free.  If you can use it, then I'm glad.  It has helped us both see where the most of our money is going, and it seems that gas is the big winner there.  So, for a while my menu's will be having the adventure in the monthly bundle of veggies that I get to incorporate into our menu.  The rest will be all the fun things I can make by scratch with the staples that I have on hand. I have this week's menu plan all done, but I need to get some dishes done, and put together a thank you blog for an award I won!!! My sister's BFF is awesome!  I will post the menu plan and pictures of our meals soon.