Weekly Meal Planning

In this new year as I aim to transition my life from real messy to Real Simple, I've become pretty amused with meal planning. With a commute like mine that never has me arriving home at the same time, the only dinner I can do on the fly is call for pizza or Chinese, an option that is not-at-all a consistent way to operate for wallet or waiste. That's why I've been trying to plan ahead to avoid take-out temptations. Here are things that have been working very well, so far, for me: 

Have a Friend Sign You Up For a Weekly Meal Planning Service

Yes, this is kind of cheating...but so are Spanx + and your GPS system.  My friend Cassie suprised me a few weeks ago with a membership to The Six O'Clock Scramble.  Every Wednesday, I get an email with five dinners and the grocery list needed for cooking. Also, this website has a zillion recipes. I don't always use the full suggested menu the site sends, but I have added a couple dishes from it into my standard rotation, and I love that when I have no creativity for making my own menu, I can steal ideas from the Scramble. 

Use a Cute Grocery List - You'll Be More Inclined to Actually Keep Up With It

Clearly, the most clever meal planners wouldn't be caught in a grocery store without a solid list. The truth is, I'm famous for making lists, and then losing or leaving them in places I may not recall for 1 to 5 years. So, I printed out these pretties from The Project Girl and they are stuffed into junk drawers at both my home + office, and of course my purse - I can plan meals anywhere!

photo credits: The Project Girl

I'm also working towards a goal of only making two major grocery shopping trips each month. I'm a reckless grocery buyer.  I toss candles, magazines, and any box or bottle that says "limited edition" on it in my cart on a whim, and the money I'm spending at the Giant is getting out of hand. These grocery list/meal planning printables from The Project Girl have truly transformed the way I shop - I absolutely love them.  Also, my friend, Anne, swears by this list where one doesn't even have to fill in any items - just circle!

Cut One Episode of One Tree Hill That You've Already Seen From Your Sunday Viewing of "Breakfast in Bed with The SOAP Network"

I have recently started taking an hour or two on Sunday afternoons to prepare one or two meals for the week ahead. It has brought such peace + sanity to my weeknights, I cannot even tell you!!!! I thought I'd share with y'all the
make-ahead meal that is my current favorite: Easy Chicken Enchiladas + Mexican Rice.

I make Pioneer Woman's Good Ol' Basic Mexican Rice (using olive oil, instead of canola, and instead of cumin, this fajita seasoning I thought was so special and Food Network-ish because I bought it at an authentic Mexican grocery store....

only to learn that it is, in fact, made in the U.S.A. - which is fine, because when not shopping Mexican I'm big on buy America).  

PW's rice makes a TON, so it's perfect for feeding a big group. Or, if you live with a carbaterian like I do, and you serve lots of rice + potatoes, you'll find it's among the only rice dishes ever made that reheats to taste as good as it does when served orginially - I just add a dash of chicken broth, usually left over from the box I used for the recipe, to the skillet as I reheat it and voila - Yummy 2.0!


Now, for the main event: The enchiladas. I found the recipe in Eating Light magazine, and this dish is really good, really easy, and also still tastey when served for a second time.

Of course, on the week that I write a blog about planning meals in advance, I made this meal mid-week. I did this because I was busying bowling on Sunday, and because I'm sending it tonight to a friend who just had a baby....

I doubled the chicken recipe, and the rice makes SO much that I packed up a pan for my friends, served it for Mr. W + I to eat last night AND still put a huge amount in the fridge to accompany meals later this week.

I would love to hear your meal planning tips, and any recipes/dishes that are in the freezes beautifully section of your cook books!

Here's the recipe for the chicken enchiladas - for those of you who are Weight Watchers Points counters, 2 enchiladas - 11 points {new plan}.

Happy Planning!