Welcome to the start of a new week! Sadly, the weekend is wrapping up but I’m doing my best to balance relaxing and being productive – how about you?
For the first time in a VERY long time, I am linking up with Jill Conyers and Laura of Mommy Runs Fast for the What’s for Dinner weekly link up for meal planning inspiration! It’s great to see what everyone is cooking for the week, I’d definitely recommend checking it out!
[bctt tweet=”Do you #mealplan? It’s time to check #whatsfordinner with @Jillconyers and @mommyrunfaster”]
Getting Back to Meal Planning:
I’ve wanted to get back to a meal planning routine for the longest time. I would always intend to do it, but then Sunday would come and I’d rather do anything else!
After seeing my dietitian earlier this month, I knew it was time to get serious about my food choices. Honestly, my weight has been creeping up since the summer and I know it’s because I need to eat healthier. Starting a new job in an office setting with a cafeteria downstairs and food trucks around the block has made me very, very lazy. Time to snap out of it!
I’ve shared the benefits of meal planning, and this time I plan to stick to it. I’m so glad that we participated in the Farm Share at work again because we’re getting some incredible ingredients that are dying to be made into creative meals! Last Friday, I made Twice-Baked Honey Nut Squash from Dishing up the Dirt and we loved it! I’ve really missed spending time in the kitchen.
Meals for the Week:
In the past when I have posted meal plans for the week, I would plan every single meal for every single day. I thought this would make things easier but honestly, I ended up getting overwhelmed to the point where I stopped planning altogether.
So now I’ll just post what I definitely know I’ll be having through the week to give myself more flexibility. Breakfasts and lunches will ideally be prepared in advance (Sundays!) so that they’re ready at the start of each work day. Bret has been regularly preparing dinner, but once in a while I’ll be inspired to cook – just like the squash! And of course the weekends are more free to eat what we want!
Breakfasts:
Quiche with spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions and peppers
Lemon poppy-seed muffins – it’s a box recipe, but pretty clean overall!
Lunches:
Tuna salad sandwiches
Quinoa and kale leftovers
Savory green smoothies from Simple Green Smoothies
Peanut butter and jelly – as a last resort!
Dinners:
Baked pork chops, cornbread and green beans
Skinny sloppy joes with sweet potato fries
Snacks:
Honey roasted peanuts – kept at work for my mid-morning snacks
Mountain Trail Mix from Wegmans
Luna bars
What will you be eating this week? Do you meal plan regularly?
Sounds great! I’m actually getting back into meal planning after taking a few months off. With the holidays coming, I really don’t want to gain any extra weight and I know meal planning will help!
Yes – now that the holidays are on the way, it’s best to get back to good habits as soon as possible, or at least to try!
Love the meal plan! I will be linking mine up shortly! I will try that squash soon- looks so good!
Thanks, Barrie! The squash itself was so tasty, I really had no idea! I need to make it more often for sure – definitely try this recipe!
So glad to have you linking up!! I agree that planning breakfast, lunch and dinner can be overwhelming- I like to leave space for me to check in with my body about what it really wants. 🙂
Yes, your link up is a life-saver and keeps me motivated! Hoping this new approach works better for us.
I used to be so much better at meal planning! I am so much more organized when I do and don’t have to run to the store everyday for something. Those squash look great! Have a wonderful week!
Sounds like a delicious week. That squash has me drooling!
It was really tasty, will have to make it again soon!
Meal planning is great, but I am awful at it. I try to get a jump on dinners, especially on nights when I have to work late, or we have activities for little man, but it’s also hard to tell what I’m going to be in the mood for when I go grocery shopping a week in advance (I refer to my mood, because the boys very rarely give me guidance on what they might want LOL).
It’s definitely tough, even more so when you have more mouths to feed with different tastes!
Ha ha great minds think alike. I wrote a food post today too. I find when I do my meal prep on Sundays, my week is just a little less chaotic. Mainly I like to prepare my lunches, if anything.
It’s great having it set up so that I can coast through the week!
I love to plan out my meals on Sundays. Well, “love” is a strong word 😉 But meal planning is such a time saver for me and it is also the best way to stay on track regarding our nutrition. But also, it helps financially too. I only buy what I’ll need for that week’s meal at the store and nothing more. It’s great that you’re getting back on it! I may steal some of your meal ideas 🙂
It saves time and money and you always can use more of both! Feel free to “steal” my ideas, I’m always doing the same looking for inspiration from others! 🙂
I don’t meal plan. I should because like tonight I am clueless on what to make as well as what I even feel like. Tonight is going to be something quick: Turkey Burger for the hubs I made last week and froze (yay me!) and a Veggie Burger for me. As for the rest of the week…Salmon one night, maybe two. I eat a lot of fish. A stir fry which is safe and even my kids will eat that! 🙂
Having meals that you can freeze and eat later is always a smart way to go! Salmon and stir fry sound tasty!
I love reading other people’s meal plans! It always gives me good ideas for what I might include in upcoming weeks. I do like meal planning and do most of my food prep on Sundays. Although I’ll admit I’m pretty boring – for the most part I eat almost the same thing for each meal all week. For example, oatmeal for breakfast, salad for lunch and chili for dinner 🙂
Hey, whatever works right?? If I can get to that point where I’m making consistent meals in advance, I’d really be accomplishing something!
WIth tail between legs, I confess I’ve never planned meals before. I know I should but it never happens. That squash looks great!
Oh, no need to put your tail between your legs! I have to meal plan to force myself to eat right!
I always admire people who are organized enough to get meal planning and prep done ahead of time. That is so not me. 🙂
It really takes a lot of effort on my end, but I’m hoping to really stick with it this time!
I often find that when I meal plan I’m really good about following the plan for the first part/half of the week, and then it falls apart towards the end of the week. I need to find a way to motivate myself to carry the motivation throughout the entire week.
I meal plan every week but we don’t eat veggie every night, so I don’t link up with Jill and Tina very often! I was so happy to do it today. Looks like we are all doing squash this week!
I am so terrible at meal planning. I get on a roll and do it for a while and then slack off and the next thing you know it’s 3 months later before I do it again. It makes a huge difference in food choices made at home!! Great job!
Thanks, Sue! I’ve struggled with staying consistent, but I’m hoping I can at least finish out the rest of the year!
It’s so easy to fall off the meal planning wagon! I need to get back into green smoothies, I used to love those every morning.
Can you share your recipe for the squash please?