Monthly Meal Planning: Menu #10

I felt like we had done an awful job on our October menu but then I realized that other than a few last minute dining out we actually did pretty well.  I am finding that planning a month of meals at one time works pretty well for us; not perfect but well.  


Of course I can't foresee things like power outages or last minute trips but since I plan meals for each night of the month eating out a time or two at the last minute isn't a huge financial or health strain. 

I have found that by the last week of the month I am left with a handful of meals that few of us actually want to eat-- while I do plan a meal for each night of the month we often eat them out of order and I am finding our least favorites get pushed to the end of the month and we are less motivated to make those meals.  I'm trying to focus on making the next two months worth of meals based on all our favorites; even if that means repeating a few meals in one month.  

1. Parmesan crusted salmon with Rice-a- Roni and salad.

2. We had take out pizza in the afternoon and we weren't all that hungry at dinnertime so I left everyone to fend for themselves. 

3. Italian herb marinated chicken, squash casserole, steamed broccoli, and baked potatoes. 


4. I had pizza pork chops in the crock pot when we lost power unexpectedly for most of the day so we ended up with take out from The Black Dog.

5. Pizza pork chops with sauce, pasta, roasted broccoli, & garlic bread. (I had thrown the crock pot into the fridge when we lost power so I plugged it back in around noon-- the time we lost power the day before).


6. Steak, green beans, and roasted sweet potatoes. 

7. Turkey/ apple meatballs (a new recipe we tried!) in the crock pot with BBQ sauce, rice, and peas.


8. Crock pot turkey breast with smashed potatoes, and roasted butternut squash with diced apples. 


9. Pumpkin mac & cheese (recipe coming soon!) with salad.


10. Leftover turkey pie


11. Meatball grinders with homemade French fries and salad. (I had a veggie grinder)


12. Shrimp stir-fry over rice (I had my shrimp and veggies over riced cauliflower and cooked up chicken for the younger boys in place of shrimp).


13. Turkey lasagna with salad. 


14. Chicken, broccoli, and rice casserole.


15. My husband and I got food on our way to New Hampshire while the boys got take out.

16. My husband and I were in New Hampshire and my mother in law took the boys out to dinner.

17. The boys had tacos and my husband and I just ate a bowl of fruit after stopping for a big lunch and groceries on our way home from New Hampshire.

18. Pork tenderloin, baked potatoes, and roasted vegetables with salad.

19.  Pesto Caprese chicken with pasta, sauce, and salad.


20. Chili and macaroni bowls; I made my favorite turkey/pumpkin chili and served it over plain whole grain pasta for a 1 point meal for me!  Alec whipped up a pesto chicken & pasta dish for himself and Evan who don't eat chili.


21. Homemade pizzas with salad using the Skinny Biz pizza dough recipe. 


22. Ian brought home some leftover pizzas from his work that the boys ate while Ben and I had leftovers.

23. We had a belated birthday party for Evan and he picked his favorite meal: Spaghetti with meat sauce, garlic bread, salad, raspberry chocolate cake and ice cream. 

24. Roast beef pot pie


25. Tuscan chicken pasta with salad


26. Unsloppy joes with butternut squash fries (frozen fries for the boys)


27. Pork chops with roasted acorn squash & potatoes

28. Shrimp carbonara (chicken and pasta for the younger boys)


29. Burgers and hot dogs with salad and fruit salad.

30. Chicken/ orzo one dish meal


31. Beef stew with biscuits


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Comments

  1. It sounds like your meal plan went well. You have a great selection of meals. I love the sound of the pizza pork chops, shame the power went off though. I am feeling hungry after reading this post x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The pizza pork chops were a huge hit and so easy... other than the loss of power!

      Delete
  2. What a glorious selection of meals! Yummm!

    Happy Tuesday, Joanne.

    ReplyDelete
  3. My mouth is watering- so much deliciousness in one month!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Since there are only 2 of us, I will make something and it lasts almost all week. Luckily my husband is okay with that, and it makes meal planning so much easier for me.
    XOOX
    Jodie
    www.jtouchofstyle.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We rarely have leftovers of any kind and if we do they are usually eaten by my boys the next morning for breakfast!

      Delete
  5. I only plan my meals for half the week! How can you manage to do that for a month! With a family?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We usually plan together; one night at the end of the previous month we sit down during dinner and fill in the calendar with menu ideas. That way each person is guaranteed to have a few meals they really enjoy each month.

      Delete

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