We my hubby and I first got married, I couldn't cook for the life of me. Most of our dinners revolved around a box of Mac and Cheese. (We throw back to that every now and then though, don't get me wrong!). Because of finances and my love of good food, I came to love learning new dishes and techniques. I have an extensive library of cookbooks and pin boards to prove it!
Along the way through 8 years of marriage and a baby, I've cracked the code on a good weekly menu. I used to pour though my food magazines and cookbooks and pick out tasty options as if I was ordering at a fancy restaurant. I would go to the grocery store, pick up all the ingredients and then "it" would happen... That's right, life would happen. Work would happen, projects, laundry... you know, life. As it happens, no one feels like whipping up crazy "Martha Stewart level" dinners EVERY night. So, for me, this method works. Here's the plan:
6 dinners a week
One night a week, usually Friday, we get a pizza or takeout as a treat. If that's not in your budget you can use that night for a frozen pizza, sandwiches or leftovers.
1 night for a new or difficult recipe
I use one night to try something new or to do a difficult recipe. Just one a week. Play it by ear as the week happens if you need to to see what night works best. Maybe that is your Friday or Saturday. Usually that is Tuesday for me, oddly enough!
I always make sure I use my crock pot at least once per week. It allows me to be lazy or it helps me out when my day is busy! I am planning on doing a post later on my top go to crock pot meals that I use over and over. I LOVE my crock pot. I have 2. :)
This REALLY helps with the grocery bill. It also helps with the waistline! There are a ton of reasons to go meat free at least once a week. More than that if you like. I have a lot of meat free meals that we do over and over. Most are pasta, but we also have stews and chili or loaded potatoes.
I really try and limit our pasta nights. I won't go over 2, I try and keep it to 1. This is because I LOVE pasta and would eat it every night if I could get away with it. It's also typically an easy dinner night. Especially if you do tortellini or ravioli. I love Buitoni, but if you are trying to save money the deli usually has fresh options or check the freezer section. If you buy frozen, it's a great meal to skip and sandbag if a dinner plan pops up!
Mexican night!
We LOVE Mexican food. It can be inexpensive and easy to fix. I've got some great crock pot recipes for shredded pork and chicken. Then you just need some beans, rice and tortillas! If Mexican's not your thing, you could do Cajun red beans and rice or Greek chicken with pitas! Pick a region!
For the 6th meal, I just see how the week is going. If it's busy we may do Sloppy Joes or Chicken Philly sandwiches with oven fries. If it's slow, I may try another new recipe or a "more involved" favorite or let my man loose on the grill (weather permitting!).
Hope this helps inspire you to find a weekly equation that works best for you!
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