Healthy meal plans. Or not.

[Stringy]

What are your plans this week to eat better? Or if you DGAF- what are you eating anyway?

[Stringy]

I went to Trader Joe's yesterday. Why do I always forget about them? It's right in my town- though small and crowded. So my freezer is full- which is really the way to go for us.

This weeks menu:
Veggie burgers with caramelized onions (left from this weekends steak)- side of sweet pot fries

Tomato mozzarella and basil sandwiches. With zucchini fries (a new TJs find).

Eggplant parm using frozen breaded eggplant. With salad.

Homemade pizza Fridays. Which is gonna be my new thing.

Dingdingding

[DGM]

We went to Costco yesterday so full freezer here too!

- Spinach and mozarella ravioli
- Rice, chicken and stir fry veggies
- Veggie pasta (thank you, Barilla) and turkey meatballs
- BBQ pork with corn
- Leftovers

ETA it won't be a dinner bc MH doesn't like it, but I also got frozen quiches. It's the first thing I've ever bought at Costco thinking it might be overpriced but oh well. I heart quiche.

[rugger]

I'm going to Aldi so I suppose I should think of a meal plan, huh?
Wed is hubby's birthday, so I need to make something good.

[ovenrack]

May 1, 2017 6:33:49 GMT -5 rugger said:

I'm going to Aldi so I suppose I should think of a meal plan, huh?
Wed is hubby's birthday, so I need to make something good.

I also need to do a birthday dinner. A's birthday was yesterday but since we worked on the chicken coop all day, I didn't plan time to cook ,so we had hot dogs, boxed mac&cheese, and canned baked beans. I'm not even kidding.

Plus cake.

Everyone in my family loved it. Sigh.

I still want to make a real dinner for him later this week.

[ovenrack]

I haven't been meal planning and it's dumb. I need to plan at least Mon-Tues-Wed. I'm going to the big grocery store this morning so I need to meal plan, like, now.

[DGM]

May 1, 2017 6:33:49 GMT -5 rugger said:

I'm going to Aldi so I suppose I should think of a meal plan, huh?
Wed is hubby's birthday, so I need to make something good.

Maybe one of these meals?
newleafwellness.biz/2014/11/03/six-crockpot-freezer-meals-aldi-40-minutes/

[ovenrack]

Tonight will be mozz/basil sandwiches and tomato soup.

Tomorrow will crock pot bean supper.

Wednesday will be some meat (whatever's cheapest at the grocery) with Swiss chard and bacon. Al's favorite is greens cooked with bacon.

[Crisco Salad]

Sunday - Lasagna, salad and garlic bread
Monday - Roasted chicken with carrots and broccoli
Tuesday - Grilled burgers and corn
Wednesday - Crockpot chicken fajitas
Thursday - Grilled brats and green beans
Friday - Takeout or leftovers
Saturday - no plans yet, that's grocery day

[sarenu]

Sunday was roasted cabbage, potatoes and sausage with mustard vinaigrette.

Tonight is salmon.

Tomorrow need stir fry.

Maybe fried rice on Wed or thursday.

[ovenrack]

I think Friday is gonna be veggie burgers and chips, and cauliflower buffalo bites.

[brandiewine11]

Saturday was grilled chicken sandwiches with baked beans and salad.

Sunday was smoked pork (from the freezer) with mashed sweet potatoes and asparagus from the garden.

Today- possibly risotto with asparagus?

Tomorrow- smoked pork tacos

No idea after that.

Last week we made that chicken schawarma salad that was posted and it was delicious. We used the naan as a flatbread to make it a sandwich. It was a hit and pretty healthy.

[sarenu]

May 1, 2017 6:01:46 GMT -5 Stringy said:

I went to Trader Joe's yesterday. Why do I always forget about them? It's right in my town- though small and crowded. So my freezer is full- which is really the way to go for us.

This weeks menu:
Veggie burgers with caramelized onions (left from this weekends steak)- side of sweet pot fries

Tomato mozzarella and basil sandwiches. With zucchini fries (a new TJs find).

Eggplant parm using frozen breaded eggplant. With salad.

Homemade pizza Fridays. Which is gonna be my new thing.

Dingdingding

Let me know how the veggie burgers are. And the zucchini fries.

[piccyami]

Sunday: chicken topped with panko & parmesan with broccoli and parmesan garlic couscous.
Monday: "ragu over couscous" - re-creating a hello fresh meal. No idea why they named it that way.
Tuesday: Chicken topped with walnuts & panko with broccoli & something.
Wednesday: Orzo + sausage + veggies
Thursday: Chicken topped with panko & parmesan with green beans & something.
Friday: Homemade pizza night at my mom's

We're re-creating a lot of hello fresh meals this week. I really miss them meal planning for me.

[MapleMomma]

IDGAF really but I do sorta have a plan.

Tonight will be chicken marinated. Left over corn and green beans before they go to waste and baked potatoes.

Tommorow is quesadillas with left over chx.

Wednesday likely a beef roast and roasted veggies.

Thursday venison stroganoff with mushrooms and noodles

Friday- homemade pizza, that's standard.

Andi basically refuse to cook on the weekends because it's the only time we get to spend time with MY. So I don't waste time cooking, cleaning or picking up in general.

[Stringy]

May 1, 2017 7:35:20 GMT -5 sarenu said:

May 1, 2017 6:01:46 GMT -5 Stringy said:

I went to Trader Joe's yesterday. Why do I always forget about them? It's right in my town- though small and crowded. So my freezer is full- which is really the way to go for us.

This weeks menu:
Veggie burgers with caramelized onions (left from this weekends steak)- side of sweet pot fries

Tomato mozzarella and basil sandwiches. With zucchini fries (a new TJs find).

Eggplant parm using frozen breaded eggplant. With salad.

Homemade pizza Fridays. Which is gonna be my new thing.

Dingdingding

Let me know how the veggie burgers are. And the zucchini fries.

They have many kinds of veggie burgers. Usually we get dr Praegers which are great but they were out so I grabbed something random!

[linewifekat]

I've got to make do with what we have until payday on Thursday. I'm going to try out some of the meals on the app TJ suggested.

[MapleMe]

We made a really awesome lentil curry last night. We've discovered this great "curry framework" that allows us to change into many, many different meals. Last night's was ever so slightly spicy, so M had some leftover pasta, but C went to town on it (interspersed with apple sauce every time she started to stick out her tongue a bunch). She's was extra fussy this morning though, so I wonder if she had spicy butt.

Tonight we're attempting fried rice with our leftover rice (we've had mixed fried rice success in the past). And then yesterday we also made a huge batch of sloppy joes that we're going to make into burritos on Tuesday and pasta later in the week.

[critter015]

Mine is more not.

DH is taking Grandpa, O, and E on a trip so it will just be C and I most of the week and we'll likely eat easy things.

Tonight is Salmon patties with mashed potatoes, stuffing, and corn.

Tomorrow will probably be Poppyseed chicken.

[dramaphile]

@milano I made that chicken shawarma salad last night and it was sooooo good! I just made a vinagrette instead of the tahini dressing since I forgot to get tahini. J loved it, too, and Nugget liked the hummus pita and the chicken and avocado. Definitely will put it in the rotation in the spring/summer while we can grill.

[Stringy]

So my goals besides just planning real food meals is to eat more fruits and veggies.

I want to track that like we are doing water (i'm using my fit bit app) - anyone know a fun way (like it makes a little graph for me)?

Or anyone else want to do it? I seriously have like one serving of each most days. No bueno.

[sarenu]

www.budgetbytes.com/2017/04/one-pan-roasted-kielbasa-cabbage-dinner/

This was a really good mustard vinaigrette. I'm thinking of making a large batch of roasted veggies next weekend and topping with this. (cabbage, potato, carrot, broccoli). And using as a side for some week day lunches.

[rugger]

Last night ended up being leftovers.
Tonight is either Cobb salads or tilapia and steamed veggies.
Tomorrow is S's bday and he requested German food, so being the awesome wife I am, I drove 40 min each way to a German market and I got house-made brats, pretzel rolls, spätzel, red cabbage, and German deli goodies.

Thursday will be the other option from tonight that we didn't make.

Friday is family dinner,I guess

[DGM]

May 2, 2017 11:30:23 GMT -5 Stringy said:

So my goals besides just planning real food meals is to eat more fruits and veggies.

I want to track that like we are doing water (i'm using my fit bit app) - anyone know a fun way (like it makes a little graph for me)?

Or anyone else want to do it? I seriously have like one serving of each most days. No bueno.

I don't have a fitbut but could you pre-prep on the weekends a container of x amount of servings of fruits and veggies (like carrots, snap peas, cut up bell pepper, grapes, berries that won't spoil) to snack on each day?
ETA a container for each day of the week that you'd feel bad putting back in the fridge at the end of the day because it should've been eaten. Also, add in like a Bolthouse fruit and veggie smoothie if you're not into making your own?

[Stringy]

How's everyone doing? We've succeeded in 3 for 3 bring lunch to work for both of us and have dinner at night (aka not take out or cereal).

We don't have a decision on dinner tonight but I'm pretty confident theres something in there to eat!

This morning I made a fried egg with tomato and avocado for breakfast with some hot sauce and DROOOOOOOOOL. omg so good.

[sarenu]

May 4, 2017 9:30:13 GMT -5 Stringy said:

How's everyone doing? We've succeeded in 3 for 3 bring lunch to work for both of us and have dinner at night (aka not take out or cereal).

We don't have a decision on dinner tonight but I'm pretty confident theres something in there to eat!

This morning I made a fried egg with tomato and avocado for breakfast with some hot sauce and DROOOOOOOOOL. omg so good.

This sounds awesome.  I may need to do that tomorrow (working from home).

So far we've been good.  Monday I was home with C (sick on Sunday).  Tues and Wed I brought snacks, breakfast, made coffee, and lunch.  

Monday we did Salmon, Tuesday left over sloppy joes, Wednesday soup from the freezer.  Tonight I'm going to make some teriyaki chicken with stir fry veggies.

I'm tempted to get a rice cooker.  I really want to make a large batch of rice for the week to make meals, dinner, and fried rice later in the week.  I never seem to make enough in one batch.  Anyone have any ideas for this?

[Stringy]

May 4, 2017 9:42:43 GMT -5 sarenu said:

May 4, 2017 9:30:13 GMT -5 Stringy said:

How's everyone doing? We've succeeded in 3 for 3 bring lunch to work for both of us and have dinner at night (aka not take out or cereal).

We don't have a decision on dinner tonight but I'm pretty confident theres something in there to eat!

This morning I made a fried egg with tomato and avocado for breakfast with some hot sauce and DROOOOOOOOOL. omg so good.

This sounds awesome.  I may need to do that tomorrow (working from home).

So far we've been good.  Monday I was home with C (sick on Sunday).  Tues and Wed I brought snacks, breakfast, made coffee, and lunch.  

Monday we did Salmon, Tuesday left over sloppy joes, Wednesday soup from the freezer.  Tonight I'm going to make some teriyaki chicken with stir fry veggies.

I'm tempted to get a rice cooker.  I really want to make a large batch of rice for the week to make meals, dinner, and fried rice later in the week.  I never seem to make enough in one batch.  Anyone have any ideas for this?

every time I use it - I love my rice cooker. I should use it more. And they are pretty cheap.  I wouldn't say it would make enough for 4 people for many meals though - I'm sure they come bigger...

[DGM]

sarenu, here's the rice cooker I have, and it can make a boatload of rice. The steam tray is invaluable, and it's good as a smaller crockpot too!
ETA Target link
www.target.com/p/aroma-20-cup-digital-rice-cooker-stainless-steel/-/A-13374757?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Appliances+Shopping&adgroup=SC_Appliances&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=m&location=1013771&gclid=CJO3_-Tv2NMCFYGUfgodhZkBqw&gclsrc=aw.ds

[DGM]

Oh and I've started cooking 1/3 brown rice and 2/3 white rice per batch. That way I get some of the brown rice benefit without having the extra cooking time.

[sarenu]

Thanks for the review. I think that's the one I was looking at.

Anyone planning meals today? I need some ideas.

I think we might grill brats this weekend.