Meal Planning with M

Like many of you, I am on the go Monday through Friday, which leaves me with very little time to think about what to make for dinner.  The days that I don't plan for I end up eating something unhealthy, eating out, or not eating at all. None of these are great options. One thing I have learned is that meal planning is definitely the way to go. It saves time, money, stress, and unhealthy temptations. This trick of the trade is something I learned from my mom years ago. She would always ask what we wanted to eat, look at our schedules, and make a grocery list from there. Growing up, I was always used to going to the grocery store with a list of items to check off. During college I tried to adopt this routine, but it was definitely something I struggled to maintain on a regular basis. Fast forward to #adulting. A month ago I moved out of my parents house, and I've been forced to learn how to meal plan and eat on a budget.  Todd and I have adopted this routine and it has been a huge help.

On Thursdays I usually sit down to inventory what's in our fridge and cabinets, checkout our schedules for the upcoming week, preview the weather (because yes it determines what we want to eat), and get some food inspiration. This all sounds like a lot, but it ends up being a fun process for me. It's no secret that I'm a foodie, so I genuinely enjoy planning out meals and finding new recipes to try. When it comes to recipe seeking, I consult Pinterest, cook books, Instagram, and recommendations from my fellow foodies.

The next step is to plan out the meals and make a grocery list. I like to build in leftover days because these ensure that we eat everything we are cooking and it gives us a buffer. When planning, I usually include work day lunches, work week dinners, and a couple of make anytime meals. These anytime meals are for when we forget to defrost protein or change our minds about what we want. As for lunches, I like to select one meal prep option and make four portions of it. I'm sure you're wondering why four and not five. I refuse to eat the same thing day after day, so Wednesdays or Fridays I break up my lunch choice with leftovers or something else. For breakfast I usually eat oatmeal or yogurt with fruit and granola.  In year two of teaching, I've done a much better job at eating breakfast on the daily. Last year I did an awful job at this, which definitely impacted my energy levels.

So the next step is to go grocery shopping now that the list has been created. Our new home gives us lots of great food shopping opportunities- Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and Wegmans. Wegmans is great because they have an app that tells you exactly what aisle the items are in and how much they cost. It's been super helpful for us since we are #ballingonabudget.

Some things that have helped me find time to meal plan and prep include using a crock pot, spending some time on Sundays prepping lunches, preparing certain meals ahead of time (think those that require more chopping), and sharing the cooking nights with Todd.

This week's recipes:
Lunch: Orzo with butternut squash, spinach, and blue cheese
Monday: Kale and Kielbasa Soup
Tuesday: Chicken Tortilla Soup
Wednesday:Pork Chops with wild rice and green beans
Thursday:leftovers
Friday: Pizza and salad
Weekend options: Quiche, fried rice, Sweedish Meatballs, or macaroni and cheese

What's your strategy to eat healthy?

XOXO