MONTHLY MEAL PLAN

[Confessions of a Mama of 8]

Stress, frustration, tears, and woe: this was my frequent reality at dinner time because the food wasn’t ready, my people were crying from hungriness and low-blood sugar, and I was trying to fight through a new recipe. With meat that wasn’t thawed yet because I had forgotten to plan ahead.

If any of this rings a bell with you, read on!

I never used to meal plan until this past year. In fact, I’ve been trying to figure out a meal planning method that actually worked for my life (feeding 10 people daily, a wide range of cuisines we love, lots of littles, a couple of picky-eaters) that I could maintain.

It is with great joy I now share with you the successful method I have found, hoping you find some helpful ideas too! Adapt and modify it as you need for your own life. This is supposed to lessen your stress, not increase it.

1. Schedule about 30 minutes to meal plan for the first time (this is only because of the extra time making the Menu Guide List that you will use each time thereafter). After this first time, it should be relatively faster – more like 15 mins, or less!

2. Assess your current season of life. Be very honest. Do you have infants, young children, erratic schedules, late night commitments, or heavy workloads?

Do you deal with special food requirements due to allergies/sensitivities, or super picky people? Is it easy for you to get to the store/get groceries or will you be trying to use produce or food you raised or already have a lot of?

Is it cold outside (scheduling soups, stews, chilis, etc) or warm (planning salads, outdoor grilling, lighter fare)? What do you have on hand in your pantry/freezer?

3. Make your Menu Guide List, keeping your current season and what you already have on hand in mind. This means simplify and go for maximum efficiency over fancy or complicated meals.

Try to get at least 10-15 regular meals that you and your family eat and generally enjoy.  Ask your children for their suggestions and input, if you want (I do – it helps me remember meals I forget about, and also lets them feel involved and less likely to complain about what’s planned!)

Some friends I have use a smaller number of repeating meals. I tend to go bigger – often using up to 20 meals.  Make this list ideal for you, and keep it in a place you can reference often! 

*UPDATE your Menu Guide List as your life/schedule/the weather changes. Be honest about meals that just aren’t working well for you anymore, and need either updating or replacing.

An important category to include on your Menu Guide List is your Hero Meals! These are the 3-4 meals that you can make quickly or easily that are generally well-liked by a majority of your family, which you always have ingredients for, that you can make without stress. If it’s something that you find easy and enjoyable, put it on the list.  Try to get at least 3. And find a cape to wear when you make them – one of our favorites are these amazing baked hamburgers!

4. Find a calendar format you want to use (Google calendar, a paper calendar, a monthly planner, your phone, whatever you find works well for you), and note the days that already have appointments or commitments – anything that will impact your time to prepare an evening meal.

5. Begin putting in your Hero meals on the days that will contain the highest stress-level or the shortest available prep-time.

6. Fill in any days that are “Family Tradition” meal days – like Taco Tuesdays, or Pizza Fridays, or Leftover Mondays… whatever it is that you routinely make or eat on a specific day, write those in! Our Friday tradition is this amazing al fresco-style supper!

7. Plug in the meals from your Menu Guide List on the rest of the days, trying to keep a rational flow – For example, if you’re having a roast on one night and you know you’ll have leftovers, plan a basic stew or nachos with the leftover meat within a day or two afterwards.

CONGRATULATIONS! You did it! An entire month of meals planned and suddenly you’re feeling empowered and positive about the weeks to come because you know that you have a plan in place!

The post How to Make Your Meal Plan a Monthly Success! appeared first on Home Plain and Simple.

Post updated 07/08/2020

As a busy mom, life is hectic and I crave ways to make my days go easier! Menu planning is one of my favorite ways to simplify life. Anything I can do to make my days efficient and streamline tasks is a win. 

One task that I especially dread is the daily decision of what to make for supper. 

Having a menu plan saves you that decision, keeping you from having to use that energy and brainpower. This 30 day menu plan is to make your life easier- put the plan in motion and all you have to do is follow it! 

Save effort and brain power by using a 30 day menu plan

Menu planning isn’t too hard if you’re able to get the quiet time to do it. But the mom-life is busy, who has the time or brain power to do that thinking and planning? 

If you’re a mom who finds herself in survival mode, or struggles with what to make for supper this menu plan is for you.

We know it can be hard to get essential office day tasks done in general, much less taking the time to menu plan! That’s why we’ve done it for you.

(For tips on organizing your life and implementing Office Day, check out this how-to post!)

We made the 30 Day menu plan for you!

To save you time and hassle and to help you make your best days even better, we made this menu plan for moms like you!

We’ve planned 30 days of home style and comfort food suppers AND compiled all the recipes into one easy to use document. 

30 days of not having to decide what to make, and 30 days of not pulling out a recipe book. Does that sound dreamy or what? It does to this tired mama. 

About this Menu Plan

This menu plan contains 30 days of home style and comfort food recipes. Most of the recipes are naturally gluten and dairy free. All recipes however are written as if for a family with no allergies or special dietary needs. BUT they are easily adaptable to be gluten and/or dairy free if needed.

So yes, some of these recipes include gluten and dairy ingredients.

You Can Alter Recipes

I and my sister both have dairy allergies, so when we were growing up mom (Kim) had to learn to modify recipes for us. For many recipes in this meal plan, it would simply mean using your favorite dairy alternative or leaving off the cheese/sour cream etc. to serve on the side.

To adapt a recipe to be gluten free simply use your favorite gluten free flour alternative in place of regular flour, or gluten free pasta alternative for recipes that contain pasta.

There are about 2-3 pasta recipes in this plan where dairy products would not easily be substituted (lasagna being one of them). If you are dairy free, plan on either making a different recipe (a simple spaghetti would work as an easy swap) or getting really creative.

As with most tactics that we share, this is a great life simplifying tool! However you may find it necessary to adapt it to fit your family’s specific needs. You are the mom, you know what is best for YOUR family. Take this plan and make it what you need it to be!

What You Can Expect

• Meat & Veggies
• Italian Pastas
• Mexican Foods
• Pizza Night
• Grilled Meats
• Crock Pot Recipes
• And More!

Get Your Menu Plan Here

Our priority is you

Our goal is to help you make even your best days better. To help you simplify and organize your life so you can move past survival mode and truly thrive. 

I hope and pray that this menu plan will bless your life, and that all content we post here will inspire or encourage you in some way. 

Please, check out this menu plan and let us know what you think. I look forward to hearing your feedback- drop us a note with any questions, comments, or ideas! 

For More Home Management Hacks:

Get the book! Home Management Plain and Simple is a book written for any homemaker who is looking for tips and hacks to simplify daily life. Get it here available on Kindle or Paperback.

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The mental load of deciding what to make for each meal can be exhausting. Especially if you’ve been caught unprepared! Moms have enough to think about and do, so taking anything extra off your plate can be extremely satisfying.

Mealtimes can be an exhausting part of the day. Especially when you have young children. In fact, my most dreaded household chores is the daily task of deciding what to have for each meal. Hence, my love of meal plans!

I. Love. Meal. Plans. 

You mean someone took the guesswork out of it and is telling me what to make for meals?

YES PLEASE!

My mother (Kim Brenneman, author of Home Management Plain & Simple) has done just that- made us a 1 week lunch menu plan to take the guesswork out of our days! 

Some of these recipes can even be made by your children. If your child can use an oven/stove, they can make these recipes! What’s better than a menu plan? A menu plan that you can delegate to your children.

Does this menu plan sound appealing to you? Join me this week as I take a sigh of relief and enjoy this mental break. No deciding, no wondering “what should I make?” Just read along with these simple instructions and make lunch! 

Get your printable 1 Week Menu Plan HERE!

The post 1 Week Lunch Menu Plan appeared first on Home Plain and Simple.

This is a delicious and healthy breakfast menu plan for Large homeschool families,

And for small homeschool families,

Or families,

Or anyone who wants to have a breakfast menu plan.

I like to save my brain energy and decision making quota for more important things than what to make for breakfast.  This was especially true in the days when I had a lot of children at home: teenagers, preschoolers, toddlers, babies.  Late nights and early mornings… it was so much easier to just do what the breakfast menu plan told me to make.

Even though I have just a handful at home now, and they’re all quite independent, I still like to have a breakfast menu plan.

This is my menu plan that I found in archives of computer files from way back.  There is a printable in the Free Resource Library so you can simply print it out and put it in your Home Management Book so  you can have a healthy breakfast to feed your children.

Monday

Tuesday

While the Baked Oatmeal is baking, do the prep work for lunch and supper. Switch the laundry loads, check the children’s chores, etc. Then call the children to breakfast and read a Psalm and Proverb to them while they eat.

The leftovers are good for a cold snack.

Wednesday

Dutch Puff

This is a great way to get the family fed with protein that will last all morning long.  Don’t forget, eggs are brain food.

This is the standard recipe which will feed 6 nicely.  Double it for growing, hungry children or a bigger crowd.  If you have leftovers it makes a nice snack later in the day.

The mixture puffs up into a gorgeous souffle type creation. The hotter your oven is when you put the dish in, the higher it puffs. If the oven is not hot enough it will take longer than 20 minutes.

While it bakes, change the laundry loads, do lunch or supper prep, check up on the kids’ chores, “do the next thing”.

Take the completed  Dutch Puff to the table and ooh and aah over the beauty of the breakfast. As it cools it deflates. Serve on plates and pour maple syrup over it. Fresh berries are also delicious on the Dutch Puff. Another variation is to put sliced apples in the batter before baking.

Dairy Free version: I have two girls that are allergic to cow’s milk so I make a half recipe with goat milk (mixing that in the blender before the cow milk version) and use coconut oil in the pan instead of butter.

I have seen a similar recipe putting the batter into greased muffin tins which would be really cute, but too much work for a fast breakfast.

Thursday

Oatmeal

This is a large recipe, enough for ten people.  If it is too large for your family, reduce the oats and water.  The ratio is 1 cup of rolled oats to 2 cups of water.

Leftover oatmeal can be made into Oatmeal Cakes!  Yummy!

Instructions:

• Mix cold oatmeal with eggs.  Approximately 1 egg to ½ cup of cold oatmeal.
• Heat butter in a skillet.  
• Scoop patty sized spoonfulls of oatmeal and egg mixture into the hot butter and fry until crispy.  Flip and fry on the other side.
• Serve with maple syrup.

Friday

Hashbrown Bake

This is filling for hungry children and serves 6 to 8.

Saturday or Sunday

Breakfast Casserole

To print your Breakfast Menu Plan

For an easily printable version of this menu plan, check out the Free Resource Library.

The post The Large Family Breakfast Menu Plan appeared first on Home Plain and Simple.

Freezer meals are a great resource to have on hand, no question.  There will always be days in life when the unexpected happens, or life gets too busy for cooking.  I especially liked to stock up on meals before having a baby. Creating a freezer meal plan is also great for when you have a big project to do and want to reduce time spent in the kitchen.

In my postpartum weeks, I just wanted to rest and enjoy that special time.  I tried to plan life to allow for a healthy and pleasant time to enjoy the new baby, rest, and get my strength back.  I learned with the first few of my babies that I needed to take better care of myself if I were to do a good job of taking care of my children.  Our culture can do better at taking care of new mothers.  You can help yourself out by preparing ahead, so you have less to do at the end of pregnancy and in the first weeks after baby.

Freezer meals are a great idea because they save time, save money, and are more intentionally healthy.

My special challenge with freezer meals was that I had children with a dairy allergy. Having to plan around that obstacle eliminated the option of any cheesy casserole-type meals.  I created other strategies to stock up on freezer food that worked for my family’s specific needs.

Meat for a multitude of meals

The first and simplest thing to do is to cook meat ahead of time, and put it in freezer bags that are appropriately sized for your family.  Meat is an excellent source of protein, which is essential for growing babies and children. Add one or two of these cook-ahead projects each week to build up your freezer stash. Doing this a little at a time will be easier on your finances and energy.  

Ideas:

• Brown and drain bulk amounts of ground beef. Scoop the browned ground beef into freezer bags then label and freeze.
• Make batches of your favorite meatball recipe in bulk, cook.  Then fill freezer bags, label and freeze. Alternatively, make meatloaf and put it in a disposable pan; then label and freeze.
• Buy chicken breasts in bulk and cook in the slow cooker all day; then cut or shred the chicken. Fill freezer bags then label and freeze.
• Brown stew meat in bulk.  Fill freezer bags, label and freeze.
• Cook pork roasts in the slow cooker all day, and shred.  Next, fill freezer bags- label and freeze.
• Buy beef roasts and cook in the slow cooker all day, slice or shred. Then fill freezer bags, label and freeze.

Do 1-2 of these ideas per week

• Get a turkey and roast it according to number of pounds. De-bone it and fill freezer bags, label and freeze.
• Buy a couple of whole chickens. Place in a large pot; adding celery, carrots, onions, and garlic. Then cover with water and cook until the meat pulls off of the bones.  Let it cool, then pull the chickens out of the pot. De-bone the chickens and put the meat into freezer bags. Put the pot of liquid, bones and vegetables back on the stove and let simmer for several hours. Let it cool and then strain; put the broth into freezer containers. Next, discard the bones and vegetables. If you’re interested in learning how to make the most nourishing broth, get this book.  A good broth is an excellent strategy for better healing.
• Grill chicken and steak. Slice or leave whole, then label and freeze.

With lots of prepared meat in the freezer, I had options for throwing together other meals even if it was a simple as build-your-own tacos or BBQ pork sandwiches.  

Start with your family favorites and keep the ingredients in your pantry. Before having a baby, I planned a trip to Sam’s Club and stocked up on every pantry item I needed for our family favorite recipes.

Tips and Tricks to Freezer Meals

• Nearly all meals can be prepared ahead and frozen.  One way to easily stock up on freezer meals is to double the amount of every dish you make, and freeze half of it.  This saves you time and effort.
• Save your strength and don’t do too much freezer cooking in one day.  
• Make your grocery list and be sure that you have all items for your freezer cooking project.
• If you see meat on sale, buy it in bulk.  Meat will be the base of your freezer meals, so keep an eye on sales.
• Make a list of the meal options you have stored in your freezer and tape it to your fridge or inside a cupboard door.
• Freeze bags flat. Then stand them up like books.
• Get together with your sisters, mom, or friends to have a big day of freezer cooking.  There are many tried and true freezer recipes on Pinterest.

Don’t:

• Do not cook noodles ahead and freeze, they will be mushy.
• Do not cook your vegetables ahead.  It’s already simple to toss a bag of frozen vegetables into a big bowl, drizzle olive oil over and toss, sprinkle with salt and pepper and either roast in a hot oven or sauté on the stove.
• Don’t buy cheap freezer bags, they are prone to leak.

Food Ideas to get you Started:

Start with your family favorites.  Don’t create stress for yourself with elaborate freezer meals that your family may not appreciate!  Focus on comfort food.

• Make egg and bacon muffins or breakfast burritos; label and freeze.
• Take a day to make baked goods such as muffins, cookies, bread, pancakes, waffles. Put in freezer bags, label and freeze.  Or- each time that you make baked goods, double the recipe and freeze half.
• Squash such as butternut, spaghetti, or acorn can be cooked ahead and put in freezer bags. Heat and serve with butter, salt and pepper.  Use the spaghetti squash in lieu of pasta.
• Double the amount of rice or potatoes that you make for a meal and freeze the leftovers. Saves you time an effort.

For more inspiration, peruse the freezer section of your grocery store to get ideas of food that you can make ahead and freeze.  It is much more affordable to create freezer meals yourself than to buy them already made.

Vacation, Stay-cation, Project Week

When we have planned a trip to a place where there was a kitchen, I saved time and money by planning and preparing every meal ahead, freezing them, packing them in a large cooler for the drive and heating them at our vacation spot.  I made a mix of family favorite and more exotic new dishes for fun.

I’ve done the same thing when we have a Project Week planned, such as painting and redecorating a room or a week of sewing projects.

Are Freezer Meals a Part of Your Home Management Strategy?

By following these simple tips, you can get started using freezer meals as a part of your home management strategy! If you’re already a freezer meal pro- I hope you were able to pick up some new ideas and tips today. Feel free to drop a comment below with your own awesome freezer meal tips!

For more home management solutions, get the book! Home Management: Plain and Simple is a book written just for busy wives and mothers like you. In it, find awesome strategies, tips, and hacks. Get it here!

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