Between you and me, after a summer where I planned our meals week by week, it feels good to be back to a monthly meal plan. It felt like after a while we were reverting back to tacos and spaghetti for the majority of our meals. Don’t be alarmed because there’s so many meals for the month of September. I was so ready to get back to a monthly meal plan that when I came up with this last week, I added in some meals for the last few days of August too. I just didn’t want to have to sit down a few days later and make yet another meal plan. Don’t forget, you can make your own monthly meal plan by following these 5 easy steps.
But before we get to September’s meal plan, here’s what I take into consideration when I plan out our meals.
We’re a family of 5. Hubs and I eat smaller adult portions, Bookworm {11} usually eats a slightly smaller portion than Hubs and I. Then there’s Monkey {7} and Lady Bug {4}. When you combine their portions, it’s about a portion size for Hubs or I.
I plan out dinner only. Unless it’s noted, sides consist of a fruit or veggie, possibly a grain, and is based on what I have in my fridge and pantry.
Breakfasts are usually oatmeal, cereal, toast and peanut butter with fruit, or yogurt with granola. It may seem limited and boring, but keeping breakfast choices simple makes it much easier on our hectic morning routine since Hubs is out the door at 6:30 and the boys are on the bus by 6:50.
Lunches are packed each day for Hubs and the boys, not bought. Lady Bug and I eat at home. Lunches are either sandwiches, salads, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, or leftovers as the main course. It’s served with a fruit/veg, yogurt or cheese, a drink and a “treat” {gummies, chips, etc}. Snacks, such as crackers and Nilla cookies, are also prepped at home and sent in to school.
We have one big meal each week. If I make a roast, we’ll use it for our big weekend meal, and then use the leftovers throughout the week, such as in soups. If there’s extras leftover, we’ll label them and stick them in the freezer to use at a later date. I try to plan one meal of leftovers throughout the week, sometimes more. It helps us clean out what’s in the fridge so we have less food going to waste.
I plan from what I have on hand in the freezer or pantry first, but I don’t specifically do stockpile shopping. After that, I buy items that we need for the week and combine with coupons when possible.
During the summer and fall, I freeze and can what I am able to grow and get cheap from local you-pick farms and farmer’s markets. It enables me to keep what we eat fresh and local, but also limit our preservative and additive intake.
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Cheesesteak Sandwiches
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Leftover Pot Roast
Hot Dogs & French Fries
Chicken Taco Bowls
Meatball Subs
Bagel Pizzas
Banana Pancakes
Meatloaf
Cheeseburgers
Chicken & Rice with Broccoli
Pierogies
Beef Stroganoff
Tuna Melts
BLTs
Lasagna
Leftover Lasagna
Tacos
Grilled Chicken Fettuccine
Cheddar Broccoli Soup
Leftover Cheddar Broccoli Soup
Spaghetti & Meat Sauce
Chicken BBQ Sandwiches
Leftover Chicken BBQ
Ravioli Bake
Leftover Ravioli Bake
Roast Beef Sandwiches
Chili
Leftover Chili
Swedish Meatballs
Roast Chicken
Sloppy Joes
Chicken Noodle Soup
Leftover Chicken Noodle Soup
Beef & Gravy with EggNoodles
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