Meal Planning Part 2

I have yet to plan for a monthly menu but I have been weekly menu planning. Monthly meal planning seems like something I might do once I get a freezer.(Here is a great resource for once a month cooking ) Until then here is what I have learned that has helped me with weekly meal planning.

1. Go through your pantry and fridge to judge what foods you have that need to be used up. Plan your meals to include these items.
2. Often I will google things I have to see what recipes pop up. Then I plan a modified version of that recipe based on what I have.
3. Make a list of items you need based on your weekly grocery budget. I limit my need list to 40 dollars per week leaving 20 dollars to set aside for sales and buying in bulk. (Say I want to buy a gallon of coconut oil. I save the 20 dollars for two weeks in order to buy it.)
4. In the beginning to make it easier plan a daily theme such as Crock pot Monday, Pasta Tuesdays, Stir Fry Wednesdays, Soup Thursdays, Salad Fridays, Sandwich Saturdays and Whatever is easy Sundays.

This weeks meal plan was written on the plane on the way home from Palm Desert, CA. It relied mostly on what I remembered was in my pantry and what I knew I would be getting delivered from Klesick Family Farms. I only meal planned dinner's since lunches are usually salad or leftovers for both the accountant and I. Here is what I had for this week:

Monday- Black Bean Chili with ground beef, brown rice. Plan freeze the left overs for lunches for the accountant

Tuesday- Spaghetti with red meat sauce and peas

Wednesday- Chicken Stir Fry with ginger sauce and rice noodles

Thursday- Beef Enchiladas with rice and beans

Friday- Pot Roast with carrots and potatos

Saturday-Breakfast for dinner (Eggs, pancakes and bacon)

Sunday- Beef Quesadillas