• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

Planning Dinner Like A Pro

April 9, 2010 by aliciarockmore Leave a Comment

Don’t think you have time to plan dinner tonight? Think again! People who are successful at meal planning have a set day and time for the planning. You can even do it while you’re waiting for your kids in the carpool line. Seriously, follow these tips and you’ll never have to answer your husband’s “What’s for dinner” with an “I don’t know what do you want” again.

Do what you are good at

If you have a small list of meals that your family likes and enjoys, include them in your plan first, then try to stretch your capabilities. Look for recipes from friends that you and your family liked and try those first – after all they were well greeted when your friend made them. Next look to the cookbooks, internet cooking sites and brand label websites for recipes.

Plot your family favorites

Create a “month” page and plot in your family favorites; then plot in recipes from friends; then add sales recipes and cooking expert recipes. When you plan your month, look at things going on in your household on a regular basis – such as kid’s practices and games, ballet lessons, etc. If you all get home late on Wed’s don’t plan on making a pot roast that will take hours – plan on sloppy Joe’s or pizza. Post your “month” menu on your frig or carry in your day planner for easy reference. Look at your month during your scheduled day/time and see if you want to add or change anything. Nothing is written in stone – your plan needs to be flexible to fit with your lifestyle and your family.

Delegate

Give your spouse and kids a night to choose and cook a full meal. If you all like it – add it to your meal list for a regular family meal. No reason you are in this alone! And you’ll have one planned night off from cooking.

Look for sales

Look at the weekly grocery flyer and look for sales — plan a meal around those items before you go shopping. Look at your pantry and frig before you go shopping too to see what you already have and what you need to fill in. If the sale items aren’t on your month menu, freeze them for the next month.

Coupons

Once you know what you are cooking, and once you know the ingredients, visit coupon sites to download brand name coupons for the items you will need – save money on the items you will purchase anyway because now you know what you will need for the month.

Comments

comments

Filed Under: At Home

About aliciarockmore

Co-Founder, Buttoned Up (www.getbuttonedup.com) Organizational Maniac, mom, entrepreneur,CPA, MBA, wife and lover of uncomplicated organizational solutions. Embrace imperfection! Alicia Rockmore
www.getbuttonedup.com
alicia@getbuttonedup.com

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

What To Expect When You Are No Longer Expecting

The world is full of advice for pregnant and … [Read More...] about What To Expect When You Are No Longer Expecting

Must Have

winter

Pre-Holiday Must-Haves

"It's beginning to look  a lot like Christmas..." The … [Read More...] about Pre-Holiday Must-Haves

Did you know?

Mild Cramping During Early Stages of Pregnancy

Early Signs of Pregnancy While on Birth Control

Early Signs of Pregnancy While on Birth Control

How to Ask a Guy You Are Seeing Where You Stand

How to Ask a Guy You Are Seeing Where You Stand

When to Take a Toddler to the Emergency Room With a Fever

When to Take a Toddler to the Emergency Room With a Fever

How Long Can Cupcakes Be Stored After Baking

How Long Can Cupcakes Be Stored After Baking?

How to Bake Thin Sliced Turkey Cutlets

tricks to get pen stains out of light clothes

Tricks to Get Pen Stains Out of Light Clothes

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2021 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.