I’m still here. Very busy with swim lessons and planning parties (Josiah, Mark, Ace all in the span of a month…not to mention Ge, Granddaddy and cousin J…along with Papa & Grandmere’s anniversary and cousins N & TJ…but those I don’t have to plan parties for) and getting geared up for VBS.

So, while I gather my wits about me, I’ll do a quick blog on meal planning.

I started menu planning before kids. It kept my brain organized and kept us poor college student and social worker from eating out too much. It also helped to keep us on budget. So, I’ll break down how we plan.

Breakfast: We used to do just cereal but recently I noticed that my big ol’ boys are downing a bag of generic cheerios in less than a week, so it was getting pretty expensive. Besides, aside from needing buttermilk, I can make biscuits pretty quickly. I always have flour on hand since we make our own, so it wasn’t that big of a switch to hot meals. The kids enjoy them too. So, for now, I get up in the morning and make what I feel like or have on hand…to include oatmeal, biscuits, eggs, toast. Don’t think I’m superwoman…really, biscuits are quick and cook fast. And I usually make eggs while the biscuits are cooking.

Lunch: Sandwiches, short, plan and quick. About once a week, I throw in hot dogs (kosher, because they’re just plain healthier than those others) or chicken nuggets (did you know Tyson makes all natural, no antibiotics, no hormones chicken nuggest?? Yummy and quick)

Supper (or in the south, Dinner): Now here’s where the major planning comes in. Each year I make out three meal lists of ten meals each. I then put those in a folder with the recipes. I have the notebooks labeled by month (four months per notebook). Each month I pull out the corresponding notebook and a calendar that I keep posted in the kitchen. I mark out days I know we’ll be out or out of town and then proceed to fill in using my menu lists for suppers. I typically do not cook on Sundays and Fridays are pizza days (which of late means take out or frozen but hopefull as soon as little miss’s schedule rounds out we’ll be doing more homemade…and as soon as I fine a good homemade pizza dough recipe…any help??).

I use Advantage Cooking software to plug in the recipes I’m using (and any special recipes) and it puts together my shopping list. I also print out a recipe inventory. I love that program. I’ll also say, though, that recipezaar.com and others will allow you to keep a “recipe box” which will help you print out shopping lists as well.

Now, a word about freezer cooking! Love it!! Because I did some freezer cooking, I was able to put back almost two months worth of meals before Ceili Rain was born. Way back when I had just two children, I would cook once a month and freeze the meals then pull them out. I haven’t been able to do that lately, but hopefully will get back in the routine before we start back to school…which will allow more time for instruction and less for cooking. For more information about freezer cooking you can go to 30 Day Gourmet. That was the best resource and book that helped me get started. And, I do not cook casseroles all the time. We’ll have steak or grilled chicken or baked chicken or stir fry, all from the freezer. Not to mention, enchiladas or some kind of tacos.

Menu planning is a great way to stick to your budget or help you create one. I’ll work on getting a post done about shopping.