Monday, January 3, 2011

Dinner Time

Honestly speaking I do not cook much. I wish I did, I used to cook more but really I find myself exhausted when I get home from work. The last thing I want to do is cook (read: dirty a kitchen) and then clean up the kitchen (plus I would rather bake than cook). I would rather spend time with my boys. Also our nights are often full. I recently started going to our women's bible study on Tuesday nights. A while back I had chosen to not attend the women's study; I felt that I worked full time and don't spend enough time with E as it is. But God has been urging me to go and so this school year I started going and I have been blessed by going. On Wednesday nights we have youth worship practice and then youth group and every other Friday we have the young/college age bible study we have been going to for a long time. I know those are all excuses but honestly lots of nights it just didn't feel like we had time for a home cooked meal. So often we chose convenience type meals, I try to make them as healthy as we can, but you can only make a convenience meal so healthy.

This has been something that has bothered me for sometime. Over the last two years I have tried different options one of which is those prep kitchens where you go and prepare a bunch of meals to take home and freeze. We did that once and I was over it. The recipes they used and had us make were bland tasting and it was just as expensive as eating out, actually it was slight more than eating out. Not the solution I wanted. Periodically, but not consistently, I have made weekly meal plans and gone on a big shopping trip. It works and it last about a week and then we fall back into old habits.

So this past weekend I sat down and made a meal plan. Yes I realize we have not followed through with this before, but I am hoping if I sit down and write it on the blog there will be some accountability and maybe even a bit of advice and some easy meal recipes that come from my very few blog readers. But back to this weekend, well Thursday really (remember I was just off work for two weeks) Chris and I sat down and made a meal plan for about a week and a half. I wrote out the grocery list to include all the ingredients we will need for all the meals. Friday we went to Costco and Sunday we went to the grocery store to get the remainder of the ingredients that I could not get at Costco (I do not like the grocery store, especially when pregnant; there is just too many conflicting smells). And Sunday night I set out to make some meals.

For dinner on Sunday we had fajitas and while making the fajitas, I also made tortilla soup that we will eat on Tuesday before I go to bible study. It was pretty to easy to make both those at the same time. I was excited. I also made a double batch of fajitas so we will have leftover fajitas on Wednesday before youth worship practice/youth group. I was pretty proud of myself, three meals in the time to make one! Then tonight we had Kielbasa (I'm part German and love some good sausage, not too healthy but better than a $5 pizza), broccoli and fettuchini. Thursday I will make pesto Chicken with a light dusting of mozzarella and Friday is Taco Casserole, aka. Spanish Delight, before our bible study.

Whew I think we will get through the whole week and I have a plan for next week too. It felt really good to take the time out of my break to sit down and organize my family's eating. It is something that always bugs me, but I just haven't felt like I have the time to devote to fixing it; but I think I am on a solid track to getting us to eat right and at home more! If any of you all have any easy recipes that would be conducive to making and freezing or frigerating for a couple days feel free to share. My goal is to make at least two or three meals on the weekend to get us through the busy week nights. I hope it works. I'll keep you posted.

6 comments:

Priscilla said...

i think preparing 3 meals on the weekend for the week ahead is a great idea! do you like crockpot meals? let me know!

amanda said...

I do like crockpot meals and am always look for a good one. Do share? :)

AML said...

I have an easy lasagna recipe that never disappoints. No boiling noodles required. You prepare it the night before and then refrigerate over night then just pop it in the over the next day. Easy-peasy. I'll send it to you. Great job by the way. You inspire me. And yes, crock pot meals are great. You could even do the prep the night before (ie. dice celery, etc.) that way you can just throw it in the pot before work the nexy morning. Good luck. You are on a roll. And now that you have blogged about it you know we will be keeping you accountable. ;)

susan said...

a friend of mind just gave me a great crock pot recipe. pork shoulder roast, some barbeque sauce, and a coke. pour it all in on low, in the morning and by dinner it is ready. serve with those hawaiian rolls as mini sandwiches.

amanda said...

Love the lasagna and shredded pork recipe ideas! Thank you girls. I knew you would all help me stay on track and accountable. :)
Chris will really like the pork. He just made me by Phil's BBQ sauce. It is his favorite BBQ joint down here and they sell the sauce at Costco now. He will be excited!

J and C Smith said...

Check out kraft.com and sign up for their magazine. it's like $8.00 for a year (4 magazines) and it always has easy and healthy options for dinners. I have used them since being married and it has really helped over the years.