Meal Plan and My Monthly Menu Planning

Happy Monday! So, in looking at my list of 21 meals this week, and looking at my meal plan for the month, I decided that it really doesn’t work for me to make a meal plan for the whole month.  It’s just easier for me to sit down at the beginning of the week and look at my schedule for that week and plan out meals.

I think if I tried to make the meal plan a whole month in advance that I would end up not really following it, and making up a new meal plan anyway.  But, armed with my list of 21+ meals, and breaking them down by category, as well as planning a theme for each day, really helps me to quickly and easily fill in meals and make my plan for the week.

Here’s my list of 21+ Meals:

Meatless:

• Spaghetti
• Mac ‘n Cheese
• Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas
• Quiche
• Baked Oatmeal/Scrambled Eggs
• Breakfast for dinner

Crockpot:

• Pulled Pork Sandwiches
• Cream Cheese Chicken with Egg Noodles
• Pinto Beans and Rice (meatless)
• Southwestern Bean Medley and Rice (meatless)
• French Dip Sandwiches

Favorites:

• Chili
• Ground Beef Curry
• Tilapia (Broiled or Grilled)
• Pan Fried Pork Chops
• Steak Stir-Fry
• Green Chilis
• Tacos
• Thai Lettuce Wraps

Other:

• Mexican Chicken Pasta Skillet
• Baked Potatoes
• Thai Chicken and Rice
• Meatloaf
• Fettuccine Alfredo

Extras: (these are ones that take a little more time and effort to make, so they won’t be in the rotation as often, but we still really like them)

• Oven Fried Chicken Chimichangas
• Chicken Enchiladas
• Ribs

And here’s my themes for the meals each day:

• Monday – Meatless
• Tuesday – dinner with our home group – I rotate with two other ladies in the group making the main dish
• Wednesday – soup in the crock pot since I will be working right up until dinner time – I need to increase the number of crock pot soups on my list!
• Thursday – a favorite meal that’s still quick and easy
• Friday – another crock pot meal because I work in the afternoon
• Saturday – either Homemade Pizza or maybe a freezer meal, or one of the meals that takes longer to prepare if we’ll be at home and I have the extra time and help from hubs watching the kiddos
• Sunday – quick and easy after church, leftovers or sandwiches for dinner

Here’s this week’s menu:

Monday -Dinner at the Young Life Banquet

Tuesday – dinner with our home group – making Breakfast Bake (breakfast for dinner)

Wednesday – Baked Potato Soup in the Crock Pot

Thursday – Pan Fried Pork Chops

Friday – French Dip Sandwiches in the crock pot

Saturday – Pinto Beans and Rice (from the freezer)

Sunday – Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas

Have you made a list of 21 of your family’s favorite meals?  Or do you do monthly meals plans? How do you streamline your meal planning and make it quick and painless for you to do?

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For more great meal plans visit Organizing Junkie