Menu Planning

I've finally found what works for me! 

Menu planning has always been such a chore.  I knew it would help me.  It would help me not flip out, complain about, or whine at 5:00pm wondering what on earth I was going to do for dinner.  I knew it would help to save money on groceries.  And I knew it would help cut back even more on eating out.  But nine times out of ten I couldn't get myself to do it. I would even be prepared having my list of foods we like to eat and a calendar out and ready. Still...I just couldn't do it.

Why you ask?  I have now discovered that I'm afraid of the blank calendar.  I do not do well trying to figure out what to have on what day without repeating too often or having chicken 4 days in a row or feeling like we are eating the same thing all the time(even though sometimes we do).

So what works you may be asking. A list.  A plain and simple list.  I just list what we'll have for dinner in the coming week...doesn't matter what day we eat what just so long as I pick one.  I cannot explain why this is less stressful for me, but it is so I'm going with it.  I took it a step further and made lists of what we like to eat for breakfast and lunch as well and picked 3 or 4 of those things this week to make sure I had on hand for those meals. 

Here is what I have listed for this week:

Dinner listed in no particular order:
BLT's and cucumber/carrot sticks
Whole lemon chicken roasted/baked with rice and asparagus or green beans
Chicken quesadillas and tomato slices(using chicken from roasted chicken)
Wild Alaskan Salmon(probably fried), rice and broccoli
Beans and rice
Chef Salad
Hamburgers
Hamburger soup

Lunch:(I typically add fruit and/or veggies to all lunches)
Quesadillas
Tomato soup/grilled cheese
Hot dogs(nitrate free)
Leftovers
Tuna salad with crackers
Sandwiches from leftover chicken

Breakfast:
Cottage Cheese
Eggs(though the pilot is not a fan)
Millet with coconut and craisins
Toast and fruit or smoothie
Yogurt and fruit
Cereal

Let me know if you'd like a recipe for anything.  And maybe you'll find that this works for you as well.