What the Princess is Having for Dinner This Week

too bad the Princess doesn't have a cook. :)

Steps to Building a Menu Plan
1) Evaluate fridge contents and pantry
2) Research: look through cookbooks, blogs, All Recipes to get new ideas as well as study the sales ads to see what is on sale
3) Make A Decision
4) Write It Down: I have a form that I write down what every breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks that I have planned out for the week; I don’t always use all of the categories, but I always write down dinner plans
5) Make a list of what I need from the store. I have a spreadsheet with the most commonly bought items by Wal Mart aisles and I just check them off or add to it what I need.

6) Enjoy my week of well-thought out menus

This process has helped my family so much. It helps in at least three areas: no running back and forth to the store throughout the week, it helps stay focused on the budget by using things that we already have, and it helps me not to panic when the family asks, “What’s for Dinner.”

Monday – Sesame Chicken and Rice
Tuesday – chili/cheese/fritos (using frozen tomatoes from the garden this past summer.)
Wednesday – Pancakes/bacon/frosty pineapple salad
Thursday – Tacos with Black Bean Salsa
Friday – Chicken Pot Pie
Saturday – Fred’s Fish House (gift certificate from Christmas)
Sunday – Taco Salad

Update: rotel is tomatoes and green chilis as shown below: I forget that rotel is a southern thang!