{"id":7531,"date":"2012-01-12T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2012-01-12T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/togethercounts.com\/menu-planning-makes-family-dinners-easier\/"},"modified":"2012-01-12T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2012-01-12T00:00:00","slug":"menu-planning-makes-family-dinners-easier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/togethercounts.com\/es\/menu-planning-makes-family-dinners-easier\/","title":{"rendered":"Menu Planning Makes Family Dinners Easier"},"content":{"rendered":"

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I actually enjoy cooking, but I just hate deciding what to make. It\u2019s not that I\u2019m not an adventurous cook; I just don\u2019t have the knack for it. I\u2019m not the type of cook who can throw some ingredients together (without a recipe) and have it taste great. I\u2019m also not the type of cook who can look at a recipe in a cookbook and think \u201cyummm, that sounds good.\u201d So for me, trying to decide what<\/em> to make for dinner can often be a difficult decision. My solution? Menu-planning<\/a>!<\/p>\n

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\u2019t plan a meal for every night\u2026 I need a little room to account for leftovers, frozen stuff, trying a new recipe, going out, etc\u2026so 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?!\u00a0Just think of all the headaches I\u2019m saving myself. I don’t have to decide what to make, I just know! Not to mention that grocery shopping is pretty much a\u00a0breeze now.<\/p>\n

So what’s my secret? All 24 different meals are dinners that my family and I love! I\u2019m an over achiever\u2026 I don\u2019t want just \u201cokay\u201d meals. I want great meals. When I\u00a0ask my hubby how he liked dinner, I don\u2019t want to hear \u201chmm, it was good.\u00bb I want to hear \u201cWow! That was great. When do we get to have it again?\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Taco Soup<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Ingredients<\/em><\/p>\n