It's not that my family bombards me with the question. It's just that it's the question that I HATE, and it comes up EVERY DAY!!! I'm not the greatest cook; I hate spending time on a meal that I don't like; I don't plan ahead; I never have what I need; about half of the week it's just me and the girls for dinner.....And so that question that I eventually must ask myself everyday grates on my last nerve!
I'm embarrassed to admit it, but here's what our week looked like around dinnertime each night:
Friday (before Spring Fling at school) - frozen burritos
Saturday - Pizza Hut
Sunday (after church) - cereal for dinner
Monday - french bread pizzas with mac 'n cheese
Tuesday (before an evening soccer game) - scrambled eggs, grits & toast for dinner
Wednesday (before church) - Sonic
Thursday (my good night--Dan was home) - Macaroni-Grill-in-a-box Chicken Marsala
The good news is, we're not eating out that much, but how terrible is that for our nutrition???
Then my friend, Amy, told me about the online program she and her family have been enjoying, e-mealz! For just $15, you get a 3-month subscription to a weekly meal plan and grocery list. You can choose your grocery store (we LOVE WalMart) and your meal plan (we chose the Low Fat family plan since Dan has high cholesterol--another issue that complicates my cooking handicap). They have several stores to choose from, as well as your basic meal plan or specialized ones, like low-fat, low-carb, or point systems. The best part is they tailor the meal plans to incorporate items that are on sale at your store! It's even recommended by Dave Ramsay (LOVE him!!), so it's gotta be good for the pocketbook!
I went shopping today, and spent $71.13 on the items on the grocery list that I printed out from the website (another BONUS-they give you a grocery list!). There were a couple of the items that I already had in my pantry, as well as most of the staples they listed as needed. Here's what all I got:
These groceries are enough to make 6 meals. I omitted one because it had shrimp, and the girls and I don't like seafood. If I actually make 6 meals this next week, that will be a huge accomplishment!
Meal 1 (30 min meal)- Tortellini & Sausage Soup w/Breadsticks
Meal 2 (Crock Pot)- Savory Turkey Breast w/Baked Sweet Potatoes & Buttered Broccoli
Meal 3 - Taco Cornbread Bake w/Tossed Salad
Meal 4 (30 min meal) - Saucy Picante Chicken Over Rice w/Sauteed Green Beans & Dinner Rolls
Meal 5 - skipped
Meal 6 (on-the-go) - Baked Swiss Club w/Grapes & Chips
Meal 7 - Turkey Divan w/Steamed Rice & Cantaloupe
The meals sound pretty good. I'll have to let you know what the verdict from the family is on how good they are!
2 comments:
Atta girl!! That menu looks fabulous, and the price is great too!! I'm a pretty decent cook, but the menu planning and shopping as well as finding the motivation at the end of a busy day are what get me. I might need to look into that!
Bon appetit! :)
Good for you, Amy. I would say it's in the genes since Mema and I both would rather do ANYTHING rather than prepare a meal. However, Sharon, Wade, and Lynn are excellent cooks! I'm glad that you've found a resource to help you. Wish I had set a better example for you! I'm working on getting Ken (Papa) to become so excited about an outdoor "kitchen" that we can forget the other!
Mimi
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