Menu planning was a foreign concept to me until a year or so ago. I went to the grocery store and I bought different processed meals that we liked to eat and then when we got home from work we looked in the fridge or pantry to see what our options were and made dinner. We generally recycled the same boring meals. Now that I am at home with the boys I am taking the time to try to plan our meals and the grocery trips. As a result we are eating healthier and spending less money!
There are two resources that have helped me most when it comes to feeding my boys.
First, Giada at Home. I love this show. I have my DVR set to record it everyday and when I’m folding clothes, or now breastfeeding, I will sit down and watch it. One of my favorite aspects of this show is that she explains why she is using the ingredients. This has allowed me the freedom, at times, to look in my pantry and just make a dinner with no recipe. I just need a protein, a starch, and some vegetables and I’m ready to go! No need to follow expensive, time consuming recipes that call for tons of ingredients. As long as I keep my kitchen stocked with essentials we always will have something to eat!
Related Post: Meal Planning Made Easier
Second, Eat At Home, a website that I found through Pinterest. It is wonderful! One of the main things the site offers is planned menus. If you sign up for their email updates, each week you will receive an email with a weekly menu and a grocery list. Each menu includes 6 dinners and 1 dessert. How easy is that! And the recipes are pretty basic. Their goal is to provide easy, fast options for families. I haven’t used the weekly menu yet, but mainly because I’m not cooking a lot right now. Once I start getting some sleep though, I will definitely be trying it out.
Related Post: Need dinner ideas? Try these Easy Rotisserie Chicken Recipes!
Also, I wanted to share this blog that I follow. Mannly Mama She has an entire section of her blog dedicated to toddler dinners. You should definitely check it out!
So, how do you feed your family?? What are your resources?