Menu Plan 12/13/10: An obvious tip

Here's a seemingly obvious tip for meal planning - but one I completely forgot last week:

Check your calendar before planning your meals!

I had completely forgotten to do this last week when I planned our meals, ignoring the fact that we would be out of the house Friday evening, and thus didn't need a meal that night.  Oops.

Other things you might want to consider before meal planning:  How much time will you have to prepare the meals?  This week, we'll be making up some afterschool activities that we missed while the whole family was sick, so we'll be out and about several afternoons this week.  So, the meals that day either will have to be made earlier in the day (cutting into my blogging time) and then reheated, or just be quick meals to make and get on the table. 

This week, there will be meat on my table, since I went to the kosher butcher.  Yay!  But I am hoping to make the meat last for several weeks, so there won't be all that much meat.  Instead, I'll make it in less-meat dishes, with lots of veggies and whole grains.

And here's what's for dinner this week:

Monday - tabbouleh with cooked chicken

Tuesday - fajitas, brown rice with salsa and veggies

Wednesday - pepper pizza on  whole wheat pizza dough, fruit

Thursday - ground beef in tomato sauce over whole wheat pasta

Friday - baked chicken, kasha varnishkes, chicken soup with matzo balls, challah

Saturday - cheese ravioli, salad

Sunday - takeout!

If you're a frugal food blogger, please come and link up with Frugal Food Thursdays, a new feature here at Frugal Follies.  And check out all of my frugal recipes!

Check out Menu Plan Monday for more menu plans!