Easy meal planning ideas for families

Easy meal planning ideas for families

Meal planning is really great investment of time and into your sanity!

Using the other techniques we’ve discussed in previous posts, buying meat to get prepped in advance is going to be a game changer.

Last step in the big prep  (Today is beef, but read how I used chicken by clicking here).  I was able to buy ground turkey at Costco for 2.29 a lb. and I bought about 8 lbs.

We made taco meat, sloppy joes, and meatballs. Taco meat can be pulled out for the obvious, tacos, but also for salads, quesadillas, and nachos.

How do I plan weekly meals for my family?

Prep work and a written out plan helps keep things running smoothly.

The meat yielded two-quart size bags of the taco mixture, then we made two bags of sloppy joe mix.

The rest we made into meatballs, and they are so easy (and fast). If you need a recipe, check this out and you’ll find a good one.

We mixed the ingredients in my Kitchenaid, used a small cookie scoop to form the balls, baked on tinfoil-lined cookie sheets, and let cool.

This small effort produced 5-quart size bags of frozen meatballs, now ready for Swedish Meatballs, Subs, Teriyaki, BBQ, and one extra.

Well worth the effort. On those nights we get home later, or life happens, one more thing ready for a fast dinner.

I was pleasantly surprised to see there was no fat surrounding the meatballs on the sheet after cooking, unlike when I use beef. Every step reduces the last-minute panic of nothing to eat– running to fast food.

Here is the menu I promised…remember this is just a general guideline for meal planning, not a taskmaster. This should only help us, friends, not enslave us.

I won’t make them all, those might get pushed to next month. BUT, I will not stand here at night and wonder what is for dinner! Can you say, part-e-yy???

Family meal plan for a month

Easy meal planning takes SO much pressure off a mama’s mind! Here are some basic meals on a budget for our family…

1. IHOP pancakes/sausage/fruit
2. Burgers/ranch pasta salad/grilled asparagus
3. Cinnamon chicken salad in pita pockets/fruit
4. Tacos/quinoa, black bean, tomato salad
5. Fried crispy chicken/mashed potatoes/broccoli     Dessert: Lemon Polenta Cake
6. Mini dill meatloaf cups/homemade fries/green
   beans
7. Black beans/quesadillas/fruit
8. Swedish meatballs/noodles/peas and carrots
9. Black bean and rice salad/ fish
10. BBQ hot dogs/macaroni salad/baked beans
11. Beef, bean and pasta salad
12. Tuna casserole/ salad     Dessert: Mama’s sweet saltines
13. Shish kabob/ corn muffins
14. Tortellini and sausage soup/bread sticks
15. BBQ meatballs/rice/pineapple
16. Black bean and corn quesadillas/fruit
17. Sloppy joes/ broccoli
18. Stir fry/ rice/glazed carrots
19. Burgers/ German potato salad       Dessert: Homemade donuts
20. White BBQ chicken/corn on the cob
21. Birthday dinner: Tacos/Salad/Rice/ White cake
    with chocolate frosting
22. Meatball subs/ warm corn salad
23. Baked potatoes with chili and cheese
24. Spaghetti/ mixed veggies
25. Quiche/ broccoli
26. Pot pie/ cranberry crumble
27. ?
28. Fish sticks/ tater tots/ green beans
29. Teriyaki meatballs/ rice/ veggies
30. Apple pancakes/ sausage
31. Chicken and Kielbasa with curried rice/ sugar
    snap peas

Meal planning resources you might enjoy:

• Cook Once, Eat All Week: 26 Weeks of Gluten-Free, Affordable Meal Prep to Preserve Your Time & Sanity
• Weekly Meal Planner – Grocery List Magnetic Notepads
• Seriously Good Freezer Meals: 150 Easy Recipes to Save Your Time, Money and Sanity 
• Stress-Free Family Meal Planning: Easy, Healthy Recipes for Busy Homes 
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