I saw that Chelsey posted her June meal plan yesterday, and while I was making mine on our calendar tonight, I realized the benefit of writing it down on something other than a dry-erase board. I forgot half the things I made this month and had trouble filling in certain days for next month. So this time, I’m blogging my month’s menu, and making it easier for myself to find for July.
I have never planned meals before I actually got hungry until I got married. Now I have a lot more reminders and a greater sense of responsibility. And, as I’ve noticed as a new budgeter, it’s really easy to save money if you actually realize what you’re spending your money on. So, planning my meals for the month helps to cut waste as well as give me peace of mind when my husband asks after work, “What’s for dinner?”
I don’t plan for Sundays because we usually just make sandwiches or pancakes. Something quick and easy. Last month, I made Wednesday ground beef night, so I continued that this month, and added two other designated nights that don’t include meat. Gus gave me thebook Miserly Moms for my birthday last week, and one of the money-saving suggestions was to make a soup and bread night once a week, so Tuesday is now soup night. I figured we might as well make Thursday rice and beans night to save some more money there, too. This will be interesting since I like neither soup nor beans. So we’ll see how it goes. Maybe I’ll end up making myself some chicken at the end of the night, but we’re flexible.
I’m only including the main course, and for the most part, these dinners will include vegetables, bread, fruit, and an ice cream cone.
Mon. June 1: Salad with chicken
Tues. June 2: Vegetarian chili (New Cook Book Bridal Edition page 505)
Wed. June 3: Hamburgers
Thurs. June 4: Black beans & rice
Fri. June 5: Steak (We’ve had steaks frozen for awhile. Hopefully they’re still good.)
Sat. June 6: Crock-pot roast (enough for entertaining a few friends)
Mon. June 8: Stir-fry chicken
Tues. June 9: Vegetable soup (Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen page 48)
Wed. June 10: Spaghetti with meat sauce
Thurs. June 11: Black beans & rice enchiladas
Fri. June 12: Grilled chicken
Sat. June 13: Chicken, broccoli, rice, cheese mixture (We call this “Old Favorite”)
Mon. June 15: Salad with chicken
Tues. June 16: Broccoli soup (New Cook Book Bridal Edition page 503)
Wed. June 17: Tacos
Thurs. June 18: Amy’s spicy beans and rice
Fri. June 19: Chicken marsala (New Cook Book Bridal Edition page 425)
Sat. June 20: Cubed steak
Mon. June 22: Stir-fry chicken
Tues. June 23: Six-Can Slow Cooker Chili (Pillsbury’s The Home Cooking Library page 33)
Wed. June 24: Meat loaf
Thurs. June 25: Cheesy beans and rice
Fri. June 26: Grilled chicken
Sat. June 27: Fettuccine alfredo
Mon. June 1: Old Favorite
Tues. June 2: Garbanzo bean stew (Pillsbury page 38)
This is awesome – now I have ideas for July. Also, your “Old Favorite” sounds eerily familiar…
Let me know how the beans and rice dishes go – they don’t necessarily sound good to me, but you can be the guinea pig.
Do you honely eat this stuff? “Black beans and rice enchiladas.” I find that haaaaaaaard to believe
Emily, I used to to cooking ahead where I took one day to make enough meals for about 3 weeks. I have a lot of good recipes I’d love to share with you. Tell me what you guys like (or don’t like)…I’m not a gormet cook–I like using normal things that I have in my pantry. I’m all for easy and nutritious. Something you might try for your beans and rice nights is making quesadillas on a griddle. We usually make them with (George Foreman) grilled chicken, and you can add just about anything you want. Cheese helps “glue” them together:) … anyway you are definitely on the right track by planning ahead. Ellie also has lots of really good recipes!