Menu Planning Part 1

What are your "Meal Planning Rules"?

Rules? What do you mean by "rules?' Well maybe not rules but guidelines.

Here are some of my rules:

What nights do I need to use the crock pot or have a REALLY REALLY quick supper?
I work 1 evening a week during the supper hour. I prefer to have supper ready when I leave for work so my family can eat when they get home (which is before I get home). This is a good night for the crock pot or casserole dishes.

What meals do I need to have leftovers for lunch?
My husband eats leftovers every day for lunch, except Friday when he usually eats out with people from work. So I need meals that have something for him to eat Sunday through Wednesday evenings. Thursday is when I plan meals, such as fish, that do not lend themselves to be good leftover.

How can I plan meals so we eat out less?
I plan no more than 2 meals per weekend eating out. If we have delivery pizza for supper that counts as 1 meal eating out for the weekend. (We have pizza night almost every Friday night.)

I also plan at least 1 lunch for the weekend so that we have a plan for that meal before its mealtime. This has made a HUGE difference with eating out on weekends. I often have a "plan B" for weekend meals, too.

Coming next time...Ways to help with meal planning.