Menu Planning Monday - February 1st

Well, it's been a while. I am trying to blog at least semi-regularly. Sorry readers. Let's start the week off with a menu. Here, in no particular order, are the meals I plan to serve at our evening meals this week.

• a meal from my freezer
• individual meatloaves (may do two "batches" that same day - one to eat, one to freeze)
• hash brown casserole (crockpot, maybe and one for the freezer)
• spaghetti with sauce (we don't do meat in our spaghetti, but I might do meatballs the same day as I do the meatloaf, since I'll be working with the ground meat anyway)
• creamy lemon chicken / pork (depends on what's on sale - both meat work with the sauce)
• baked bean casserole

I am discovering the benefits of having my freezers full of meals ready to pull out! I am loving it. And the best thing is that I haven't done the meals! A friend of mine had / has some time on her hands and has been making them and delivering them! I have given her some chicken now to help her out and she will be bringing me more this week! I can't wait. Now I am going to continue the trend. When I make a meal I know we like, I'm going to make two and put one in a freezer. This will require a little bit of planning - like having extra containers to bake and freeze in and a few extra ingredients.

The other thing I've been doing has been helping us not to waste as much food. Very often my leftovers go to waste because they rot in the fridge. I bought a bunch (and need to by more) three cup Glad snap lid containers. I have been dividing the leftovers into individual meals and freezing them. They will be great for lunches or for when Mommy really can't do much. I can say, supper is - pick a meal from the freezer tonight. Everyone can have whatever they want from the freezer.

The beginning of the pregnancy has been really hard on me; I've been very tired. I am so thankful for my church family who has stepped up (I would name all those that have helped but there are a lot of them! And they know who they are!!) and has been helping out. The pregnancy and the transition of J going back to work to a job that requires him to be away a lot (often a week at a time) has been rough on us all. We are starting to get into a routine now; well, two routines - one when he's here and one when he's gone.

Anyway, on to other things. I hope you enjoyed the menu ideas and other tips. For more great menu ideas, click on the picture above to go to Laura's blog. Laura hosts Menu Planning Monday on her blog - I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,