Meal Plan Monday

After a lovely weekend of sickness we are back, and almost better then ever. Now to figure out some way to guarantee that no one else gets sick!

When I look at this blank menu, at times, it makes my headache. What a pain, it really is a hassle sometimes. I know its worth it and helps to budget but it seriously feels overwhelming when its empty.

A friend suggested last week to do more crockpot meals, and she right. I used to do more and drifted out of the habit but I do have some ol' faithfuls that I will start incorporating. Especially for Fridays since that is big sassy's gymnastics day. Due to the timing of it all we never seem to get dinner started and end up with pizza or drive thru dinner which is a huge budget blower since it wasn't planned for.

Nice spring days like this make me want to JUMP,JUMP!
Monday
B-Fried egg
L-Toast and leftovers (I am still recovering so gentle foods!)
D-Leftover boiled dinner (nom nom nom)
Tuesday
B-Squash and apples with bacon
L-Clean the Fridge
D-Ham and Potato soup
Wednesday
B-Coconut Flour Pancakes (gluten free)
L-Soup and Salad
D-Roasted BBQ Chicken (bone in skin on), Roasted Broccoli
Thursday
B-Ham and Egg cups
L-Chicken and Salad
D-Primal Pizza (gluten free)
Friday
B-Leftover Coconut pancakes (reheat in toaster)
L-Chicken and Salad
D-Crockpot Pulled Pork, crunchy apple slaw (with honey not sugar)
Saturday
B-Crispy Potatoes and Eggs
L-Leftover Pulled Pork
D-Having company so not sure
Sunday
B-Kids request day
L-Leftovers
D-Mr.Sassy makes dinner

Mr.Sassy has been requesting pre made breakfast so I guess I should really step up my game with the whole Mason Jar Meals. Also I know I need to get more seafood in our diet but with sensitive tummies this week it ain't happening. Really struggling with ideas in that sense. It seems most people get their kids to eat them in "stick" version but since we are not eating grains that makes this hard.

Sicky Sassy Baby Weekly Meal Plan

I have a feeling its going to be a long week since baby sassy is already sick and knowing our luck, big sas will soon follow. Thankfully knowing this I can plan simple meals that can be made while holding baby sassy or while she is sleeping. Or even when big sassy is whining, quick and simple are the keys here. We are also planning for company this weekend so I am trying to figure out some ideas that are a little more fancy then normal. I like spending time with my company though so I will probably find something simple that comes out amazing. 

On a side note all of the Mason Jar Meals (inspiration and original aha moment from Robin at Big Red Kitchen.) were mind blowing. Mr. Sassy loved them, they stayed fresh even on Monday after making them late Thursday night. I would 100% recommend making these on a Sunday night for a work week. There are some fantastic ideas on Robin's blog for a million things NOT salads! Ingenious. I will be trying a ton of these in the coming weeks for big sassy and Mr.Sassy. Chicken cordon blue, Kids Quiche, Peanut Butter Pie, and some Sliders.

Mr. Sassy's song pick for this meal plan, Chickenfoot . Yeah they do rock.
Monday
B- Oatmeal with dried fruit (we do old fashioned oats, put the dry fruit in while the water is boiling so its nice and soft by the time the oatmeal is cooked.)
L-Salads with mixed greens, craisins, nuts, oranges, peppers, frozen blueberries and balsamic vinegar
D-Chicken Legs and Thighs in oven with BBQ, Crash Hot sweet potatoes, frozen veggies
Tuesday
B-Scrambled eggs and cheese
L-Leftovers
D-Shepard's pie with cauliflower "top" instead of mashed potatoes
Wednesday
B-Eggs and Sausage
L-Leftover shepherd's pie
D-Chicken soup
Thursday
B-Eggs scrambled with ham, veggies and cheese
L-Soup and Salad
D-Ground beef tacos
Friday
B-Scrambled eggs with veggies, ham and cheese
L-Taco salad
D-Chili, salad
Saturday
B-Crispy Potatoes and Eggs (this is so good, we tried it for the first time last week very much a skillet.)
L- Leftovers, salad
D-Steaks on the grill, carrots and broccoli on the grill, grilled potatoes
Sunday
B-Big breakfast, eggs, bacon, potatoes,
L-Salad, leftovers
D-Mr.Sassy's choice, he wins the cook for the night award.

There you have it, a voyeuristic sneak peak into what the Sassy Family is eating this week. Remember a meal plan does not have to be complicated. Plan one day, or maybe plan one meal a day, it doesn't have to be crazy. The key to a good meal plan is to be honest and to make food you love and your sassy kids love. If that means you plan Kraft mac and cheese and hamburger helper then so be it. If that's what you eat, be honest with yourself and write it down, the ingredients you need and plan it. Some times I mix it up, I make Mondays meals on Thursday cause I don't want what I planned. But its OK, since I already did the shopping and have the ingredients I can do that, if I don't make a meal one day I can make it next week.

Sunday (getting ready for Monday) Meal Plan

Sunday's are usually my day to hang around being so happy my little sassies wake up at 6am, every day, especially on the weekends. Someday I will figure out how to make that stop, for now I don't have any energy for any kind of planning but meal planning.

I usually plan a weekly menu on Sunday so I can do my shopping with only one little sweet sassy thing Monday while big sas is in school. This week is vacation, so I have the joyful experience of bringing two energy laden Sassy Sisters into the stores. People here love me.

Meal planning is annoying sometimes, but since it helps to keep our weekly budget around $80-$120 I will do it. I usually spend around $90 initally and then spend a little more later on in the week. If we have company the weeks budget usually looks like $140. I am trying to come up with some good ideas, I am sick of the "old faithfuls" and we are re challenging ourselves to eat more primal/paleo. 

So the menu for this week is pretty choppy since we are gone Friday, Saturday and Sunday to go visiting the inlaws. Also Big Sas is home this week so I will be trying to make meals that make good amounts of leftovers so that she will have enough to eat with little sas and me for leftover lunch. School lunches for her are different since she has this thing about hot food and cold food.

Mr.Sassy thinks we need some "Billie Jean" to get us through this so rock out and read on.

Monday

B-Baked egg ham cup usually takes 15-20 min depending on how long the oven takes to heat.
L-Salad bar from the grocery store (ending our shopping trip with this is the sassies fav treat)
D-Man Chili and salad will post this recipe when we make it.
Tuesday
B-Eggs scrambled with veggies and ham.
L-Leftover Man Chili, salad.
D-Pulled Pork, Roasted Broccoli, acorn squash and coleslaw (a must for all good pulled pork)

Wednesday

B-Crispy Potatoes and Eggs. Adding in zucchini and pepper and bacon.(always bacon.)

L-Leftover Pulled Pork and veg.

D-Roast Chicken, Baked Sweet Potatoes,

Thursday
B-Banana Crepes and Sausage
L-Leftovers, Salad
D-Primal Shepard's Pie (hopefully using leftover chicken, otherwise ground beef) use cauliflower instead of potatoes.

I do not plan snacks each day, I generally buy enough to be 1x a day for little sassy. Big sassy takes a Stoneyfield yogurt tube or Cheese string to school for her snack, then she has a snack with little sas after school. This week will be mangoes, grapes, frozen berries, slice of chunky cheese (from a block, yes we call it chunky cheese), pears, and yogurt dip. Plus I'm sure we will see something truly awesome and awe inspiring in the store that the sasters HAVE TO HAVE. Hopefully it will be so phenomenol it bring a stunned silence in its wake.

And then because I am a lovely, amazing Wifey, I will be leaving Mr. Sassy these mason jar meals. He is working otherwise he would be coming with.  Don't tell him though, he gets all excited about this kind of thing and will bug me and bug me and annoy the shit out of me until he knows all the details. And then talks me out of doing it. He will love it though so better to surprise the man. Also I am using alot of items in these that will be leftover from our weekly menu plan! Score 2 for planning. Find HERE.
Two will be the following (layer from bottom to top) Chicken salad
Dressing, chicken, coleslaw (plain), dry cherries, almonds, Mandarin oranges.
one other will be this
Vinaigrette, chicken, hard boil egg, bacon, tomatoes, mixed greens.
one will be
Vinaigrette, roasted green beans, olives, potatoes, egg, tomato, ham.

All of these recipes are from Big Red Kitchen the last two did not have recipe links but if you click HERE it will take you to the directions, straight from Robins mouth.
Each will be put with a cheese string, a yogurt (plain yogurt, spoonful of maple syrup, cinnamon, nuts sprinkled on top) and a layered awesome looking mason jar fruit. (bottom shelf of picture in the link) with whatever fruit looks best and isn't a fortune! Also going to make some homemade Lara bars this week for a nice treat.