Meal Planning for a Week

Life is so hectic!  You work 8-10 hours a day, then there is traffic.  At home you have laundry and dishes waiting on you, not to mention  homework and screaming hungry kids.  I can't help with getting the clothes folded (except suggest that you get your kids to do it) but I can help when it comes to knowing "What's for dinner, I'm hungry!"  No one seems to think they have time to prepare home cooked meals anymore, but you can, it just requires some planning on your part.  Planning is the key to success in anything.  As the old saying goes, those who fail to plan should plan to fail.  Planning saves you time, grocery money as well as money on your electric bills because if you plan ahead, you can cook multiple batches of the same recipe at once while oven is still hot.  Planning and cooking most of your meals at home saves you again from spending money on lunches during the week and you always know that you are getting a healthy meal that is pushing you toward your goal vs. the fast food meals that are taking you down the wrong path.

If you compare the effort required to the health benefits, it's really not that much work to cook and prepare meals for the next day for yourself and your family.  It will be a sacrifice, but the rewards are great!

Tips to Meal Planning

1. On the weekends, plan your menu for the week so you can plan your shopping trip.  If you have a list, you will spend less at the grocery store and not have to ask that dreaded question, "What am I going to cook tonight for dinner?" Start by looking at your menu and making a list of the foods that you will need. 
2. After you get back from grocery store, use this time to do prep work.  For me, this is a good time to make bread, waffles for the week and other breakfast foods.  You can also chop or process your veggies like shredding cauliflower for the next week's meals. 

Many people believe that you are limited in your meal planning when grains are excluded.  That is far from the truth.  I feel that I have been more creative since going 100% grain free and sugar free.  I never cooked chicken Alfredo before but now, it is a regular!  

Here is a sample week of menu's that I have prepared for my husband and myself.  Some are my recipes and some are from other websites and some are just so simple, no recipe is needed.  

Sunday: Big Prep Day

• Make 4-6 batches of  Ricotta Waffles & Blueberry Syrup or Dessert Waffles. Since I have the waffle iron hot and the bowl and beaters dirty, why not go ahead and knock out a week of breakfasts. These waffles freeze/refrigerate well so you can just pop them in the toaster in the morning.  
• I also make 3 or 4 loafs of The Easiest Bread or Sandwich Buns Loaf pans are not that expensive so I encourage you to go ahead and stick 3 loafs in at a time so you only have to heat the oven once.  Make one of them a dessert bread if you like to snack on.
• Make Granola/Cereal: Cereal/Granola.  Put this in the oven after bread and turn off oven.  You are just trying to dehydrate it slowly anyway.  
• Make the Breakfast Sausage Balls -  Go ahead and cook them up.  They re-heat in less than 60 seconds in microwave in mornings. 
• Prep Veggies:  Shred 2 heads (or more) of the cauliflower for the Pork Fried Rice Recipe and cut up another head of cauliflower for the Cajun Chicken Alfredo
• Make Meatballs: Go ahead and prepare meat mixture for Spaghetti and Meatballs with Marinara Sauce and shape into balls (remember to use small scoop to make your life easy and cleaner).
• Make  Sweet, Tangy & Spice BBQ Sauce
• Make  Almond Butter Spice Muffin Tops

Meal Planning for Week

Sunday

Breakfast: Bacon, eggs and Ricotta Waffles or Dessert Waffles- Easy!

Lunch: Something quick you can throw together in 20 minutes, Taco-less Taco Salad

Dinner: Steak with salad (romaine, tomato, cheese, balsamic vinaigrette) with "Potato" Salad

(Note- If steak is not in budget, cook what is.  Pork chops are a great choice, just cook plenty!)

Note: Make enough for lunches the next day!!

Monday

Breakfast:  Something real quick: Toasted  Almond-butter Spice Muffin Tops 

Lunch: Left over Steak, salad and "Potato" Salad

Dinner: Cajun Chicken Alfredo with Salad (You don't have to do salad but I like them)

Tuesday

Breakfast: Breakfast Sausage Balls

Lunch: Left over Cajun Chicken Alfredo

Dinner: Baked Chicken with Sweet, Tangy & Spicy BBQ Sauce with Green beans & Bacon

Wednesday

Breakfast: Use the Ricotta Waffles or Easiest Bread Ever to make a sandwich (Egg, grilled cheese, ham, etc)

Lunch: Left over Baked Chicken with Sweet, Tangy & Spicy BBQ Sauce

Dinner: Spaghetti and Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

Thursday

Breakfast: Grain-Free Cereal 

Lunch: Left over Spaghetti and Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

Dinner: Pork Fried Rice You could also do shrimp or chicken. 

Friday

Breakfast: Breakfast Sausage Balls,  

Lunch: Left over Pork Fried Rice

Dinner: We usually eat out.  I will usually get a steak or grilled pork-chop with a veggy skewer (zucchini), with Salad and broccoli with lots of butter. 

**If we don't eat out I may do something like (Margarita Meatza Pizza)

Saturday

Breakfast: Breakfast Sausage Balls, or Cereal, or Ricotta Waffles, or Bacon & Eggs

Lunch: Leftovers from week

Dinner: Grilled/baked/Rotisserie chicken with Sweet, Tangy and Spicy BBQ Sauce, veggy

And don't forget about Desserts:
5 minute ice-cream
Chocolate Chips cookies
Chocolate Cupcakes, and if you really want something great: Tiramisu

Looking for more meal ideas?  Check out Satisfying Eats new Cookbook!!  Over 250 grain free and sugar free recipes to choose from!