Do you ever wish you could just go back to a simpler time?
One where things weren't so busy and complicated by schedules and technology? I
do. I long for a more simple life with my family and have been trying to find
different ways to achieve this.
Lately, I have been giving a lot of thought to the role time
of “Dinner Time” in our little family and to be honest it is lacking in so many
ways. Dinner Time is usually so hectic for our family, as I am sure it is for
most families.
My husband and I are usually so tired when we get home that
it is so much easier to stop at a drive thru after work and pick up dinner (if
that’s what you call it) and then plop down in front of the TV and just veg
out. Or if we are eating at home, I usually have no idea what I am going to
make, until I finally have to force myself to make a decision, and then it’s
usually one filled with processed foods.
Neither of these examples actually benefits my family in the long haul. And after all, if it doesn't benefit my
family, why don’t we make a change?
So, that’s what I needed….CHANGE. In order to slow our
family down and get us out of our little convenience rut, I had to make a
conscious effort to change. I had to identify the major issue that needed fixed
first and the rest would fall into place with time and planning. The biggest
hurtle we had to overcome was the Dinner Table. That’s right…Dinner Table. It
is the one piece of furniture in our house that rarely gets used for the
purpose it was intended for and that was about to change. From now on all
eating is to be done at the table, not in the living room, bedrooms or car, but
the dinner table.
Now that we had that decided, I could move onto what it was
that we were going to eat. I have heard
others talk about meal planning before, but I had never actually made myself
sit down and make out a list, that is until this past week. Now you have heard me say it before and I
will say it again…I am a list making fool. BUT, for some reason I wasn't using
my list making skills in the Kitchen.
I find it’s much easier to make a list if you have a pretty
way to organize it, so I used this cute free printable from The Project Girl. I
know in my heart that we have to stop eating so much processed food, so I kept
that in mind and tried to leave as much processed food as possible and the
processed food that we did use I vowed to find the healthy options.
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You might be asking, “What’s on the menu for this
week?”…Well here you go. J
Monday- Egg Tagliatelle Pasta with Ham and Peas (Rachael
Ray)
Tuesday- Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Crack Broccoli
(both
recipes found on Good Ol’ Pinterest)
Wednesday- Taco Salad with Cilantro Lime Grilled Corn
Thursday- Homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza
Friday- Tilapia with Yukon Gold Potatoes and side Salad
Also, I knew it was important that I stuck to a budget, so I
talked to my husband and agreed that we should try not to go over $80. With
such a tight budget, I knew we had to pull out the big guns, so…..we took a
trip to Aldi’s. In case you have never been to an Aldi’s before, it can be a
tough shopping experience if you aren't prepared. To me there are three things
you should know, before you go.
- Bring a quarter, so you can “rent” a cart. (You will get your quarter back when you return the chart, or you can always make someone’s day, but giving them your cart when you have finished.
- Aldi’s usually only has store brands. Rarely will you
find any name brands. This can be pretty traumatic for some people.
- Make sure and bring your own reusable bags, or be prepared to buy some. Aldi’s does not give our complementary grocery bags with your purchase like normal grocery stores do, but hey that’s ok
So, Friday night the Hubs and I headed to Aldi’s with my
Menu Plan and Grocery List and I am happy to say that we came in with a total
of $80.07.
I could hardly believe it! I wanted to do a happy dance right then
and there, but I refrained. We were able to purchase all the items that we need
for each of the meals I listed above, as well as purchase lots of fresh fruits,
breakfast and lunch items for the work week.
I am sure there will be some bumps and missteps with our new
plan, but I am happy to say, I think I have found a way for us to simplify
dinner time.
Warmly,
Rachel
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