Keeping Meals Healthy & Easy

I've had some requests to detail what I do on a weekly basis to organize our dinner menus, so here it is!

First, a confession.  I am not wonder woman.  I probably do this every other week, since we sometimes go out to eat on a whim, or I may be too tired to cook ...  I tend to overshop, too, so my freezer is full of meats, fish, and leftover stews and soups.  But that's a good thing, right?

Okay, so first step.  I search through the recipes I have saved on my computer, the ones I've printed and organized into binders, and the latest Wegmans magazine.  Oh, and anything that caught my eye on Facebook.  (They always pop up when I'm hungriest!)  I choose the main dish for each night and pick some sides.  

Step 2 - Put the meals onto my weekly menu planner.  Sometimes I wait to do this until I get back from shopping, as expiration dates might guide when to have certain meals.  But lately I've been buying organic chicken, which has a longer shelf life, and wild-caught frozen fish, so the days I assign to each meal depends more on who is eating on any particular night.  (My son works a few nights during dinner, so we don't plan for him on those nights.)

Step 3 - Make the shopping list.  I shop at Wegmans and LOVE their website and the shopping app.  I get on the computer and make the list and when I get to the store, I use my smartphone to access the list.  It allows you to check off each item as you get it.  You tell it which store you are shopping at and the products are in the correct order for that store.  So convenient!  And then, as you put it into your cart, you can check it off.  So easy!

Step 4 - Get the groceries in the house and sort.  I like to get help with the first part since I always tell the cashier to pack 'em full and heavy!

Matt loves Honey Crisp apples for a snack! 

I stopped by the Farmers' Market before
heading to Wegmans this morning.

Step 5 - Put the ingredients for each menu in the appropriate box.  These are shoebox sized plastic boxes I bought at Walmart.  We have a second refrigerator, so it's easy to store everything there until we need it.

Sometimes the boxes close, sometimes they don't.










Post the menu on the refrigerator in hopes that someone else might make dinner one night ... (LOL)



What else?  I usually plan something easy for Sunday night dinner, since I've spent so much time planning, shopping, and prepping already.  Today was a crockpot chicken I threw together.  I'll make some pasta later and since there was still fresh corn at the store, we're having what might be our last corn-on-the-cob for the season.  I don't think the corn really goes with what we're having, but my husbands says, "Nonsense.  Corn goes with everything!"  He LOVES his corn!

Snack & lunch prep:  This week I didn't do any lunch or breakfast prep because I'll be leaving on Tuesday night to go see my mom, so I just did a snack prep.  Snack prep is quick and easy and is designed to help us make healthier choices in between meals.  They can also be used as quick sides for meals, too, in a pinch.

I cut up some broccoli, carrots, and celery today to refill the boxes.  (Love my Sistema boxes!)  I made a batch of hard boiled eggs, and restocked the cheese sticks.  Finally, I washed the fruit and put that in containers.

Upstairs Refrigerator

Downstairs Refrigerator (main)

Whew!  Done!  Well, if I get a second wind I'm going to make some banana bread with the leftover bananas from last week.

The big test this week is, "Will my husband follow the plan?"  He'll be in charge of dinner - with Matt responsible for one night.  I'll probably be eating out from Tuesday on ...  hopefully making healthy choices!

Post your questions and comments below so I know you're here!   Happy October, All!