Let's Make Plans

As y'all probably know by now - I'm a list maker.  I love a list and I make them for, well... pretty much everything!

One of those lists happens to be a weekly meal plan. It's a handy little tool which I highly recommend!  It assists me with everything from making my grocery list to staying on track when I'm trying to eat healthier.  I also try to post the meal plan on the fridge to help reduce the endless question "Mom, what's for dinner?"

Every week, I sit down on the day before grocery shopping day and make my plan.  Here's a sample (this week's actual plan)

Sunday:

Breakfast: 2 whole grain waffles, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1 sliced nectarine
Lunch: 

Dinner:  Eat out

Monday:

Breakfast:  2 eggs, whole grain toast

Lunch: Deli style tuna sandwich

Dinner: Spinach Lasagna

Snack: 2 graham crackers w/ 1 tbsp nut butter

Tuesday:

Breakfast:  Whole grain English muffin w/ 2 tbsp nut butter, banana, 1 cup almond milk

Lunch:  Turkey taco salad

Dinner: Sirloin Tacos

Snack:  1/4 cup homemade trail mix

Wednesday:

Breakfast:  Chia seed pumpkin muffin, 1 cup grapefruit, 1 cup almond milk
Lunch:  Chinese chicken salad
Dinner: seared tuna, steamed broccoli, brown rice

Thursday:

Breakfast:  breakfast burrito

Lunch: Minestrone soup, 1 whole grain pita

Dinner: Spaghetti squash w/ tomato sauce and ground turkey

Snack: 2 oatmeal raisin cookies, 1 cup almond milk

Friday:

Breakfast:  Strawberry, banana, cocoa smoothie

Lunch: Leftovers

Dinner:  Veggie burger with whole grain bun, sweet potato "fries"

Snack: 1 orange, 1 oz dark chocolate

I then make my shopping list based on the meals I have planned.  It certainly helps keep me focused when I'm shopping so I don't fill up the cart with junk food! 

 Until recently my meal plans only included dinners.  But I have found that by including lunches and dinners I do a much better job of  making good choices about lunches and snacks instead of just grabbing what's quick or whatever junk I'm craving.

Do you make a meal plan?