How I Plan Our Weekly Menu

Happy Monday friends! This weekend flew by and I’m feeling like I need a rewind! My in-laws were visiting with us, so we kept things pretty low key and just hung out.  I had some down time, so I went through all 46 pages of the women’s Nordstrom Anniversary Sale catalog online and narrowed down the “must haves” from each category so you don’t have to feel like you missed something- there’s too much!

Then, after going through everything, I had to place another order- shhh, don’t tell Jimmy!!  for things I didn’t see in my store and wanted to try out.  I’ll share them with you on Friday when the sale opens to everyone! In the meantime, if you find a field of money trees, send directions!!

On Sunday, I got to visit a very special friend in the hospital and I wanted to ask for your prayers for this precious little girl named Savannah.  She’s just two days older than Jordan and has already undergone her second open heart surgery.  On Sunday, she was doing well and in great spirits, smiling and scooting around her hospital room floor in her Minnie Mouse pajamas, showing me her toys and handing me books to read to her.  She’s already been in the hospital for 3 weeks this time and so ready to go home.  I don’t even know how her mom is holding up, but she says any mom would do the same.  She’s asking for all the prayers she can get that the surgery was successful (she won’t know for 3-6 months) and if you leave your well wishes in the comments or on my Instastories, I’ll forward them onto her.  Thank you so much!

prayers for Savannah

I couldn’t think of anyone who would appreciate a warm, cozy circle cardi more than a mama staying with her baby in the hospital, and she loved it!  I picked up 4 more for Christmas gifts too. 😉

Today, I’m answering two of the most frequently asked questions around here- what do I eat in a day and how do I plan my weekly menu??  Although my bikini contest prep days are in the past, I still try to eat healthy most of the time with protein at each meal and 4-5 meals each day.  I’m hungry that often, so it’s no problem for me to eat that often and I never skip breakfast! I would chew my arm off!

I do indulge in sweets though- it’s my weakness! I workout 4 times a week and still prefer a strong, athletic build, and even though I’m still working on my ab separation, I have seen an improvement with consistent workouts and more ab-focused exercises.

Zella high waist crop leggings

Similar Sports Bra â‹… High Waist Leggings â‹… Tank â‹… Shoes â‹… No Show Socks

HOW I PLAN OUR MENU

I’m not the biggest fan of grocery shopping just because it usually takes so long and it’s harder to complete with kids in tow, so I sometimes order groceries online for pickup at Kroger or my husband goes.  Usually on Saturday morning, I take stock of what we have left in the refrigerator (not much), throw out the bad leftovers, and spend a good 30 minutes browsing my cookbooks or Pinterest boards for healthy meal inspiration.

I have to think about including Jordan in these meals now since she’s a good eater who eats a lot and thankfully, everything!  James is still super picky and eats his same food without much branching out.  I’ll usually pick 4 recipes to cook and plan for leftovers, along with a couple things to eat for lunch and snacks to have on hand.

How to menu plan

Using this Grocery List magnetic pad helps me organize things because I can write on the left side what we’ll be eating and put the groceries we need on the right.  I think it’s out of stock now and I might cry because it’s the pad I like the most!

Below is an example of the meals we ate this week, so you can get an idea of the kinds of meals I eat each day.

THE KINDS OF MEALS I EAT WHEN NOT ON BIKINI PREP

Since I now wake up early to workout and can’t workout on an empty stomach, I drink a cup of Muscle Egg (flavored egg whites) before hitting the gym.  It’s convenient and fast and not a big meal to try to force down first thing in the morning.  The chocolate is the best flavor I’ve tried and I buy them as four 1/2 gallons because once you thaw and open them (they arrive frozen), you have to drink it within a month before it goes bad and a 1/2 gallon lasts me right about that time.  The downside is it’s expensive, but you can make them at home if you wanted with egg whites, skim milk and sugar free chocolate syrup.

After the gym, my breakfast is usually a protein pancake, so that’s what I have most mornings, but sometimes I’ll change it up with oatmeal or, on a rare occasion, a bowl of cereal.

protein pancake

This Kodiac Cakes protein pancake mix is so good!  I make it with 1/3 cup mix, 1/3 cup All Whites, 1/3 cup water, and a splash of flaxseed for added fiber.

To make: Spray your small pan with cooking spray, then pour in the mixed batter.  When it’s almost cooked through and looks mostly dry on top, then you can flip it. After it’s cooked through, I put it on a cooling rack for a few minutes so the steam can release or else I find it gets soggy.  I eat mine with a bit of sugar free syrup and sometimes also peanut butter.  It’s a filling breakfast, high in protein and Jordan loves them too!  The way I make them makes 1 big pancake.

protein pancake

Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef

A slow cooker meal is always a lifesaver and this beef and broccoli recipe is so yummy! I got the recipe on the lovely Le Creme de la Crumb blog.

slow cooker beef with broccoli

Burger with Mushrooms & Onions on Spinach

Here’s an example of a quick lunch this week.  I used a pound of lean ground beef to make 4 burgers and once I cook them, I can quickly reheat them in the microwave for another meal.  Topping them with sauteed mushrooms and onions and a burger spread makes them extra tasty! Sometimes I put my burger in a butter lettuce ‘bun’ but my store has been out of that lately, so I just ate it with spinach drizzled with olive oil and salt and pepper.

burger with onions and mushrooms

Spinach & Mushroom Omelet with Center Cut Bacon

This was another lunch and so easy to make.  Sometimes my husband likes bacon and eggs for dinner too, so we’ll all have breakfast for dinner.

spinach mushroom omelet

Honey Garlic Shrimp

We probably eat shrimp once a week.  I buy the bags of large, peeled and deveined shrimp in the frozen section and it doesn’t take long to thaw them or cook them, so they are an easy healthy choice.

honey garlic shrimp

– 1/3 cup honey
– 1/4 reduced sodium soy sauce
– 1 tblsp minced garlic
– optional: 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
– 1 pound medium uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined (*I used frozen, precooked shrimp and let thaw before marinating.)
– 2 tsp olive oil
– optional: chopped green onion for garnish (*I garnished with sesame seeds and added Sriracha to the marinate)
MARINADE:
Whisk the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger (if using) together in a medium bowl.
Place shrimp in large zip-lock plastic bag and marinate in fridge for 15 minutes up to 8-12 hours.
I shook off excess sauce and broiled the shrimp under the broiler for about 5 minutes. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve with rice and veggies.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Jordan really likes spaghetti, so we’ve started eating that more too.  I add lean beef for protein and just use a jarred sauce.  Dinner done in 15 minutes!

spaghetti

I just cut Jordan’s pieces very small – and take her shirt off because it’s so messy!

Apples with Peanut Butter

I get lots of questions about what snacks I eat, and my most frequent is greek yogurt or an apple dipped in peanut butter.  I buy those little natural snack size peanut butter and even James likes this snack.

apples and peanut butter

After we grocery shop, I’ll usually put a note on the fridge of what we plan to eat that week and follow it loosely.  It’s more just a reminder for me so I remember what I planned on the weekend, when I’ve already forgotten mid-week!

Rug (included in the Nordstrom sale!) â‹… Gear Magnets 

I hope this helps! I’ll start photographing more of our meals so I can give you more food inspiration in the future!  And thank you again so much for praying for sweet little Savannah!

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Meet Megan

Hi! I’m Megan, mom to a thoughtful teenager and spunky young girl. We call Houston home and recently moved into our dream home. I traded my lawyer hat to become a full-time blogger in 2010. I love sharing my passion for affordable fashion, home decor, organization, & fitness to help inspire you to take care of you!

33 Comments

  1. Yes, the Muscle Milk is expensive! I’m curious if you’ve ever made your own and how it compared in taste? Love your blog!

    1. Hi Allison, I haven’t made my own- I’m hooked on the taste and convenience of the pre-made. Thank you for the compliment!

  2. Thinking about sweet Savannah and her family. My baby girl is about the same age, so wishing them all the best for a speedy recovery!

  3. Have you ever tried Instacart? It’s a grocery delivery service where you order on the app and have them delivered. There is a coupon code for first time customers that gives you $40 off of $75 or more and the first delivery is free. Coupon code family40.

  4. Sending prayers and loving thoughts to sweet Savannah and her mama!?✨ Also, loved reading the recipes- I’m always on the hunt for new ideas. These look delicious!

  5. Have your tried spaghetti with zucchini noodles instead of pasta? It is really good and very heathy!!!

    1. I’ve heard of that but never tried it- would make it healthier for sure! Do you buy zucchini noodles in the store or make them?

  6. Sending prayers to that sweet little girl and her family! You may have mentioned this before, but what kinds of things do you make for your son? My son tends to be picky too, and I find it difficult to make 2 different meals :/ Thanks for the recipe ideas!

    1. It’s a pain! James eats for lunch and dinner a peanut butter sandwich, fruit, yogurt, gogurt and milk. Everyday. He’ll eat cheese pizza and a spaghetti carbonara I make, but that’s about it.

  7. Great post! Meal planning is something that I’ve gotten away from and I really…really…need to get back to. Thank you for the inspiration and the great ideas!

  8. From one Mom of a little heart warrior, to another… Lots of prayers are being sent for Savannah, her family , and her team of caregivers – as well as continued improvement and a successful procedure! Hospitals can be a very lonely place. So glad to hear you were able to visit your friend and Savannah was in good spirits! {And I was excited to see in your Instastories they were able to go home!}

    1. Oh thank you Jill! Only moms like you can really know what Savannah’s mom is going through. Yes! Such good news that they got to go home! I saw the video of Savannah arriving home and the smile and look in her eyes was priceless!

  9. Sending lots of prayers to Little Savannah and her family! Breaks my heart to hear of such stories.

    I love those kodiak cakes and so needed some dinner ideas so this was a timely post. Feel like I am stuck in a food rut….

  10. Hi Megan, thank you for this post and I hope your friends daughter recovers well.

    Quick question, what is in a burger spread? Looks good!

  11. Prayers and well wishes for your friend. My daughter is also that age and that makes me even more sad for them.

    A few quick meal tips… one I’ve been doing allllll the time is I make a 3 lb package of bacon in the oven (cover a cookie sheet with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 20ish minutes, longer or shorter depending on preference and or thickness) and I usually do it in shifts to get through the whole package. Then I freeze all the cooked pieces and to eat i reheat in a frying pan where the smell is minimal and the grease is just enough to quickly scramble some eggs in. I also season my eggs with California pepper from penzeys spices and it’s a great quick dinner, and one I eat several times a week when it’s just me and the kids!

    The other thing I do is keep all my recipes in an app called paprika where you can choose the meals and add the ingredients to a grocery list that’s on your phone. Or if you’re at the store and want to know what goes in something, it’s quick to look. That’s a huge helper, and easy to ask your husband to stop on his way home because it will sync to his phone too!

    1. Oh wow, I didn’t realize you could freeze bacon and reheat it! It does make a mess in the pan each time I cook it! I need to check out that app- sounds like a lifesaver!

    1. Hi Leslie! My “go-to’s” are Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa), Gwenneth Paltrow’s It’s All Good, Food 52 and Cook’s Illustrated – that last one is my favorite because they have recipes for everything and give the best, detailed instructions!

  12. Megan,
    I have been following your blog over a year now and just love reading all your posts. You mentioned your son is picky eater. I have a 7 year old who is super picky as well. Will you please do a blog on what sorts of meals you make for your son and what you pack for his lunch. I would love to get some ideas.

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