It’s that time again…
Didn’t do much grocery shopping this weekend. No deals I was super excited about, and my pantry/freezer are pretty full and our neighbors continue to share garden-fresh produce. Oh, plus it’s the end of the month so I’m nearing the end of my $200/month budget. So, all I bought was some marked-down lean beef, milk, and a bit more produce. I spent $10.41.
Here is my dinner plan for this week:

Crockpot beef and gravy over noodles, biscuits, steamed veggies
Cranberry Meatballs over rice, 
Spaghetti, breadsticks, salad
Pita pizzas, salad
Hamburgers and hot dogs, …

One of the things I’m trying to do to get back into routine after a lazy summer is plan my meals better. Sure makes my days go easier when I already know what we are having for dinner before that awful hour-before-dinner hour.
My dinner plan this week:

Meatloaf, baked potatoes, peas, banana bread
Pasta salad with chicken, tomatoes (from the garden, yum), crescent rolls with homemade peach jam
Breakfast for dinner (french toast with peach syrup, scrambled eggs)
Chicken fajitas, spanish rice, (cheese, sour cream, shredded lettuce)
Dinner out
Leftovers

Download my FREE meal planner. (See how …

Love starting my week off with a meal plan, even though I don’t always stick to it. Always makes mealtimes go smoother though, especially when I’m thinking about beans and rice.
Breakfasts:

cereal, toast, frozen blackberries x2
oatmeal, bananas, x2
Sweet Potato Carrot muffins
eggs with sausage, toast
leftover waffles (in freezer)

Lunches:

cold pasta, lunchmeat rolls, cheese, veggies
spaghettios, fruit
cheese pizza
homemade “lunchables”
leftovers x3

Dinners:

BBQ Chicken Salad (BBQ chicken, tomatoes, black beans, corn, onion, cheese, ranch dressing) 
White Bean and Chicken Chili, tortilla chips
Chicken Enchilada Pasta, salad
Tuscan Calzones, fruit salad (inspired by this Rachael Ray recipe) –from last week’s plan
Bourbon Chicken, rice, peas
Dinner …

After a few weeks off from planning (and totally regretting it), it’s time for me to start the week off right with a meal plan. Always makes mealtimes go smoother, especially when I’m thinking about beans and rice.
Breakfasts:

oatmeal x3

cereal and toast x2
eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, fruit
Brown Rice and Honey Waffles

Lunches:

Mac and Cheese, hot dogs, fruit
Grilled cheese sandwiches, carrots, yogurt
Pasta Salad, fruit
leftover waffles (in freezer), eggs
leftovers x3

Dinners:
Most of these are dishes I have ideas for, so stay tuned for recipes.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice soup, rolls
Mexican Lasagna, cornbread
Sausage and Pepper Penne, garlic …

I finished out March with a quick trip to the store in preparation for Easter and a visit from my in-laws. Nothing super exciting about the trip, mostly basics–produce, milk, bread, ham, lots of eggs (for dying!!), orange juice, ice cream, plus free DiGiornio pizza, free Pillsbury biscuits, and cheap Velveeta shells and cheese (thanks to coupons). My total was $34.59.
After having company for the past few days our fridge was looking a little bare, but we mostly just needed produce and milk since we still have plenty of meat and cheese in the freezer. …

It’s ocean/beach week at our house, complete with some themey meals! Here is our menu for the week:
Breakfasts:

Oatmeal x3
Biscuits and gravy, sausage, eggs (WW smoothie and yogurt for me)
Eggs, toast, fruit
Pancakes, eggs and ham

Lunches: (leftovers and salads for hubby and me)

Tuna melts, goldfish crackers, pears (tuna mixed with bean puree per The Sneaky Chef‘s suggestion)
Octopus and seaweed, coral reef (cheetos), shrimp (mandarin oranges)
Grilled cheese (cut into fish shapes), baby carrots and dip (fishing poles and ocean water), blueberries
Seashells and sand (boxed shells and cheese with parmesan cheese “sand”), pears
fish sticks, leftover …

I’m so excited to use my meal planner this week! And doesn’t it look so cute hanging on the fridge? Much better than a torn-out piece of notebook paper. Go here to read how I made mine, and download the graphics for FREE!

Onto this week’s meals. My freezer is well-stocked with meat so I have lots of options this week.
Here’s what I’m tenatively thinking:
Breakfasts:

Banana Brownie Waffles
Green Eggs and Ham (going to try to get the kids to eat scrambled eggs with spinach–inspired by Dr. Seuss)
French Toast
Oatmeal x3
Breakfast Cookies and milk (trying …

A couple of weeks ago when I was at my Weight Watchers meeting our leader asked if anyone planned the meals in their day before they eat to help stay on track. A few people raised their hands. She asked if anyone planned out their week. I raised my hand. I was the ONLY one in a room of about 20 women, most of them twice my age and many of them double my weight. Now, I’m not saying this to be rude or to toot my horn, I just thought it …

Oh boy, I’m running behind this week. Yesterday (Monday) we spent most of the day shopping in the neighboring much larger town about an hour away. Luckily I had made my weekly meal plan earlier in the day before we left so I wasn’t too stressed about what I was going to make for dinner when I got home. I’m becoming converted to this meal planning thing.
Did you download my FREE meal planner yet? I sent off to have it printed and coil-bound, but I’m still waiting for it to come. I did get an e-mail …

Last week I didn’t make a plan and I found myself REALLY dragging in the meal department. We didn’t eat as healthily, I didn’t feel creative, and we didn’t have a lot of variety. So if I’m going to stick to this beans and rice thing (which I am!), I definitely need to plan ahead. 
And since I’m obsessed with things looking cute, I made myself a printable to hang on the fridge! YAY. Actually, I uploaded it to Artscow to have it printed as a coil-bound calendar, so it should be here …