Menu Planning Makes Family Dinners Easier
I actually enjoy cooking, but I just hate deciding what to make. It’s not that I’m not an adventurous cook; I just don’t have the knack for it. I’m not the type of cook who can throw some ingredients together (without a recipe) and have it taste great. I’m also not the type of cook who can look at a recipe in a cookbook and think “yummm, that sounds good.” So for me, trying to decide what to make for dinner can often be a difficult decision. My solution? Menu-planning!
I know, I know…menu planning isn’t exactly a new concept, but it’s worked for me and maybe it will work for you too. I have six weeks of dinners, with no repeats, planned. Every six weeks, I just repeat the cycle. This way I can just keep the meals on a continual rotation without having to put much brain power into it. I don’t plan a meal for every night… I need a little room to account for leftovers, frozen stuff, trying a new recipe, going out, etc…so really and truly when you break it down, I plan four meals per week for a grand total of 24 different meals. Totally do-able, right?! Just think of all the headaches I’m saving myself. I don’t have to decide what to make, I just know! Not to mention that grocery shopping is pretty much a breeze now.
So what’s my secret? All 24 different meals are dinners that my family and I love! I’m an over achiever… I don’t want just “okay” meals. I want great meals. When I ask my hubby how he liked dinner, I don’t want to hear “hmm, it was good.» I want to hear “Wow! That was great. When do we get to have it again?”
Really and truly – menu planning has been my salvation. Knowing what I’m making for dinner, without having to think about it, and knowing that it’s something we love to eat is truly an amazing feeling.
Ready to get plan your own menu? Here’s one of my family’s favorites – it’s quick (30 minutes or less), super easy and pretty dang cheap.
Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 1 can (15-oz.) pinto beans, undrained
- 1 can (15-oz.) black beans, undrained
- 2 cans corn, undrained
- 1 can tomatoes & chilies (mild or regular), undrained
- 1 large can diced tomatoes
- 1 pkg. taco seasoning
- 1 pkg. dry ranch dressing mix
- 1 c. grated cheese (optional)
- 1 bag tortilla chips (optional)
- 1 med. avocado (optional)
- sour cream (optional)
Directions
Brown ground beef and chopped onions together, draining off any excess fat. Add the onion, diced tomatoes, pinto beans, black beans, corn, tomatoes, taco seasoning and ranch dressing mix. Simmer 30 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve with grated cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream and avocados on top.
Kelly Lewis is a crushed ice loving, world-traveling, bike riding, apron wearing, snowboarding, fabric obsessed, marathon training, Disneyland loving, sparkle skirt wearing, surprisingly shy triathlete, REAL Orange County housewife and mama of three, with ADD crafting tendencies and an MBA degree.