Well hello 2022! I had a bit of a break from meal planning for the last few months of 2021, the less said about them the better, but now I feel like I’m able to get back to it.
Before I jump back into it, I wanted to answer a very simple question I get about meal planning.
Why bother?
Well, I’ve noticed over the last few months of not doing it that two things have happened.
- We eat better when I meal plan. More veg, more exploration of flavours and a cuisines and just overall… better. I found I was frequently totally out of food in the fridge and just had to grab the odd thing.
- It saves me money. Every time I would pop down to the shop to ‘grab the odd little thing’ I would find myself picking up food/stuff that was either unnecessary OR I would grab stuff and waste it, and I really hate waste. What I realised was that meal planning helped the fridge stay fuller and my budget lower.
If you want some more tips on how to meal plan and make it work for you, then you can find it in my book Mummin It.
So here we go…
Monday :: Chicken Stir Fry Noodles
This simple recipe from Don’t Go Bacon my Heart is always a good way to shove some veggies into all of us, as well as being quick and easy to make!
Tuesday :: Chicken Pot Pie
I love following Recipe Tin Eats on Instagram, so when I saw this the other week I knew it would be a great way to use up that leftover puff pastry I have.
Wednesday :: Chilli Con Carne
Easy peasy way to find some veg – I grate carrot and sometimes courgette. I also like to batch this kind of meal because it makes lunch for the kids later on in the week OR it’s an good way to have a meal ready for later on when I simply can’t be bothered. I think I’ll make this without meat too – I’ll use a substitute.
Thursday :: Vegetable Lasagne
The best kind of lasagne in my humble, this is from Family Style Food which is the absolute tastiest. Adam disagrees, so does Edith but the boys are firmly team veg… and if there is ever a month I try to use less meat, it’s Jan.
Friday :: Beans on Toast
A classic. Simple and easy.
Saturday :: Slow cooker Chicken tacos
Perfect weekend food if I do say so myself! This is a suggestion for if you’re busy over the weekend with whatever – bang the food in the slow cooker and it will be ready for when you get home! Recipe is from Savoury Nothings.
Sunday :: Sunday Roast
Edith really loved turkey sandwiches after Christmas, so I’m fairly confident that she will enjoy a post-Sunday roast chicken sandwich too!
