As I mentioned in part one of the dinner process, meal planning makes all the difference. So in this entry I will share with you how I build My Meal Plans.Building Meal Plans takes time up front but saves time,money and frustration.
I take a number of things into consideration each week when I build my Meal Plan:
1.)Scheduling
My work schedule , Bobs work schedule and what we have for planned events.
Friday : Movie Night/Date Night
Friday night is movie night,after I get home from shopping we watch a DVD together.
So that we can start and end our movie at a reasonable time , I do not cook a big meal or use allot of dishes on movie night.Movie night is a quick meal, a sandwich or burger...
Sunday: Big Meal Day and Meal Prep for week (more on this later)
On Sunday I cook a Big Meal, even if it is just the two of us.
Monday :I work late so it is crock pot
Tuesday: Obedience Class Quick meal before we go out
Currently this is the schedule we are planning our meals around,it is subject to change with life on a farm.
2.)Weather
The weather comes into play as far as how much I plan to use the oven VS the grill and our appetite.
3.)Seasons
The seasons effect the menu, as well as the weather.Products in season taste better and cost less.
4.)Budget
I do not buy based on what is on sale however I do work around a sale if it is a product we like. Value is as much about quality as quantity.
Once I have considered these four things, I start to come up with what fits our needs.
I write the days of the week (starting with Friday)on my pad. Then I fill in meal idea's.I look for at least one crock pot meal and one stretcher (something I can serve more than one way). In part 3 I'll post a menu sample and , some prep.
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