Welcome back meal planners! The end of the year is quickly approaching, and with busy holiday schedules, it's more important than ever to stay organized and on top of your meal plan. The last thing you need is a relaxing night at home, with no food in the house. So with three simple steps, you can stay on top of meal planning for the next six weeks and straight through New Year's.
The first step is to look at your calendar and figure out what nights you will be home for dinner and need a meal. Holiday concert at school may mean a quick and early meal for the kids, and the grown-ups are on their own. But knowing that ahead of time, can prevent you from buying (and wasting) food for that night. Plan according to your schedule.
The second step is to use up stuff you have in your freezer and pantry. This time of the year, our homes become filled with extra food. Party and entering leftovers, holiday treats and food gifts can really start to add up. Make room (and save money) by using what you have on-hand. For instance, I froze half of my big batch of Chili on Halloween, and am planning to defrost it for dinner on Monday night. Not only is that an easy and effortless dinner, but it makes more room in my freezer as well.
The third step is to give yourself some slack. This isn't the time of year to try out new recipes and stress yourself out. The new year and new goals are right around the corner, so let yourself make comforting and typical meals that your family enjoys. If you have a college kid coming home, you may want to whip up some of their favorite home-cooked meals.
With those three steps to easy end of year meal planning in mind, here's what we have planned for this week:
Monday - Chili (frozen from Halloween Night!)
Tuesday - Fettuccine with Meatballs and Garlic Bread
Wednesday - Pork Cutlets, Green Beans and Rice Pilaf
Thursday - THANKSGIVING - Traditional Dinner with all the fixings.
Friday - Leftovers - of course! I may try to make some Thanksgiving Leftover hand pies I saw.
Saturday - Family Dinner out
Sunday -YOYO (You're On Your Own)
What do you have planned for dinner this week? Share your ideas here in the comments, or join us over on Facebook, to talk all things meal planning!
For more weekly meal plan ideas check out:
Meal Planning 2016 - Week 46
Meal Planning 2016 - Week 45
Meal Planning 2016 - Week 44
catch you soon -
This post is linked up to I'm An Organizing Junkie - be sure to check it out for even more meal planning ideas and inspiration.
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