Secret Formulas

Mwah-ha-ha!  I have a secret formula!

Planning is the key ingredient to good meals all week long.

This formula is my guide for weekly menu planning.
2 fish/seafood
1 vegetarian
1 chicken
1 pasta
1 soup
1 beef or pork

This week:
Sunday - Pork Ribs and potatoes
Monday - Smoked Salmon Tortellini & Aspargus Alfredo
Tuesday - Shrimp & Vegetable Stirfry with pork gyoza (trader joes) and rice
Wednesday - Lentil Vegetable Soup + Cheese Quesadillas
Thursday - Spaghetti & Turkey Meatballs, Salad
Friday - Bean & Cheese Burritos Wet w/Steamed Veggies
Saturday - Chicken + Root Vegetables

A lot of overlap.  My soup this week could also be my vegetarian meal; the smoked salmon tortellini could be my pasta but I counted it as a fish.
 
Sunday and Monday my kids loved each meal, asparagus included.  Tuesday, my youngest ate the gyoza and rice but wouldn't touch the stirfry.  Everyone else loved the stirfry...including all of its 9 veggies!  Even the photo looks delicious! Tonight, I pureed the lentil soup on a recommendation from a friend and the kids loved it!  7 vegetables!  Woo!  I usually make cornbread with lentil soup but I was pressed for time and quesadillas a quick fix for the kids who dipped their quesadillas in their soup!  Whatever works! I accomodate my kids with each meal.  I don't force my kids to clear their plates but they are required to try everything. I think it is important that they experience food beyond "kid food".

Using my formula, I prefer to plan a month at a time.  I don't have a fancy meal calendar, I grab a blank sheet of paper, write the days of the week on top, make a calendar grid and start filling it in.  If I get the idea from a magazine or cookbook, I list the source and page number.  I start with whatever I have in the freezer or on hand, then I make my grocery list.  This way I don't over buy, things don't sit on the shelf or in the freezer for months on end and I manage to my food budget. 

I make most everything homemade, from scratch.  That isn't to say my freezer isn't full of corn dogs, pizza rolls, pizzas, dinosaur chicken and other things delicious that fill in when it's date night or girls night out and dad is in charge.

Plan ahead and make the food you love.  Enjoy!