Gotta Have a Plan

Hello one & all...been doing a lot of thinking (and let's face it, talking!) about menu planning. Cannot stress enough how much money, time and stress using a menu plan will save you. Different schools of thought on how to best approach a week or month of menus. I have always "shopped" from my freezer for protein and then added on from the store. I have a friend who is coming up with four weeks worth of menus based on her food budget and she plans to rotate these menus each month. (Variations will come based on sale items. For example: turkey breast on sale? Swap for a chicken recipe that week...or for several weeks if you stock up!) I am toying with combining the two. Wouldn't it be grand to simply shop from a master list that has been coupled with a weeks worth of menus? To know that your family enjoys them all and that you can purchase all items at one "discount store" and be done with it? Interested yet?



Not quite far enough in the planning stages to share yet, but I will when the time is right. I do have two weeks of menus for you, though. May give you some ideas...may not.



M- grilled Venison Tenderloin, zucchini sauteed with onions and Italian seasoning, cheesy rice and tomatoes, pickled red cabbage
T- Baked pork chops, stuffing, fried apples & onions, quartered new potatoes (from our garden!) and Parmesan baked tomatoes
W-Sausage, rice and corn, tomato salad, 90 minutes rolls
TH-Spaghetti, garlic bread (one leftover hot dog rolls) and tomatoes with ranch dressing
F-Chuck wagon Chili (see search for recipe), cornbread muffins and apple slices
S-Turkey Breast (in the crock pot), Old fashioned corn pudding (see last post), mashed potatoes and gravy
S-Ramen noodles tossed with turkey and peas (Really! The kiddos love it and the hubby does not mind it...a real winner!)
M-Turkey Barley Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
T-Spanish Rice Enchiladas (this was a crock pot Spanish rice recipe gone bad! Worked great for the enchiladas though...will make it again on purpose...) canned corn
W-Rita's Sausage, Potatoes and Peppers (Search for recipe) and carrots from the garden
TH-Bacon Burgers, FF, baked beans and cucumbers and sour cream dressing
F-Tuna casserole with peas on the side
S-Grilled chicken 1/4's, parsley chunk potatoes, broccoli and cut up tomatoes with ranch
S-Venison roast in the crock pot with mashed potatoes, gravy, peas and applesauce

Blessings, Eve