 The other day, I asked on Instagram (I'm obsessed with IG stories), "What would you like to see on the blog?" I got some great feedback and, to be honest, I am pretty excited to write some posts this month. Up first? On-the-go meals that don't break the bank! I'm talking perfect for working moms, those back-to-school lunches, parents who feel like they're running a taxi service out of their car, university students with crazy schedules, and anyone else who has to take lunch and snacks to go. Are you thinking what I'm thinking, friends? Let's round up these recipes, shall we?!
1 Comment
 I used to be on the ball about sharing my meal plans and I decided to get back into it. I have linked the recipes below so that you can try some (or all) of these meals too!
 What’s a light, refreshing meal that’s not a salad? No one wants to spend hours in the kitchen over a hot stove, and there are only so many greens you can eat before your taste buds start demanding more action. The answer: marinated veggies with chicken sausage.
In this flavour-rich dish, colourful summer veggies like zucchini, squash, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and green beans soak in a tart marinade; chicken sausage adds a boost of protein.  I'll be honest, I'm a big fan of blogs that don't make me scroll through their entire life story just to get to the recipe I want to try. So, just let me say this.
 Now, I don't want to post recipes with paragraphs and paragraphs to scroll through before you get to the goods (in this case, these incredible, healthy, little peppermint bites). This recipe has quickly become my favourite and, when I need a pick-me-up mid-afternoon, grabbing one of these little cups is literal perfection. So, without further ado, ladies and gentleman... the recipe.  Meal planning ain't just for bodybuilders and people trying to lose weight. Meal planning is the secret weapon of busy mamas everywhere, who know that avoiding the "What the heck is for dinner" struggle will save their sanity and that heading to the store with a plan will save their budget. Staying healthy is just another benefit, my friends.  1. Make a Master ListMake a master list of 10-20 meals that you and your family love. When you sit down to do your weekly plan, you can use this list to help figure out what will work for your week. Keep the recipes together in a convenient place - we have a family cookbook that we write our favourite recipes in! I also recommend categorizing these lists so that you can easily plug in a meal from each category (Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday, Free-for-All Fridays, etc.) 2. Plan When You'll PlanChoose a day when you plan to sit down and actually make your plan! For me, that's Sunday afternoon. I search for new recipes, look at our calendar for the week, and plug meals in for when they'll make sense with what are family has going on. Plus, I plan my grocery shopping day (Monday), knowing I'll have my plan together by then! 3. Plan Your Whole DayWhen I first started meal planning, I thought breakfast and lunch would be easy and I just decided our dinners ahead of time. However, you'll save yourself time, stress, and trips to the drive-thru if you figure out all 3 meals (and snacks!) for each day. 4. Know what You've got on HandPlan your menu around what you already have on hand. Keep inventory on what you have in your pantry, fridge, and freezer and build meals around the things you have. 5. Overlap IngredientsIf you need half a head of cauliflower for your dinner on Monday, look for other recipes that require cauliflower for later in the week. 6. Be realisticI used to plan to cook dinner 7 days a week. Um, really, Sarra? Nope, never going to happen! Now, I always schedule a leftovers day. I also look at our calendar and what's going on for the week and determine the best days for slow cooker meals and when we might need to eat out! 7. start with dinnerDinner is the meal I share the most with my family; so, it's always where I start my plan. Then, I plug in breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Usually, I plan to eat the same breakfasts, alternate a couple of salads for lunches, and stick to the same snacks every day (although I might not always eat them all). This strategy helps me save money AND keeps things simple when I've got a busy day (which, let's be honest, is every day). 8. Find a Strategy and stick to itUse a digital meal plan if that works for you. Write out your weekly meals if that's your thing. Just find what fits your family and stick to it. Don't waste time searching Pinterest for the best meal planning template; it doesn't exist. Want my free meal plan template?Want access to free meal plan templates, recipe resources, and my weekly meal plan (updated every Sunday)?
|
Categories
All
Archives
September 2018
|
RSS Feed