Menu Plan Monday: This Week's Menu (and a note on Menu Plans)

My Menu Plan Board

Okay, I know some out there are rolling their eyes and going, "Really?  Another menu plan blog?" because it seems that a LOT of blogs out there stress the importance of a menu plan.  And yes, I'm going to add my voice to the choir.  But, not for the reasons you might think.

See, some people stress the importance of shopping the sales and then figuring out your menu plan from that.  I'm not one of those people...well unless there's a fresh ingredient I get at the store on sale and need to use up (like prepare for some strawberry love this week as I have strawberries I got on sale at Carrs last week that will NOT go to waste).  Nor am I going to be one of those people who start showing you menu plans of lots of fresh produce and such and tell you how cheap it all is (I live in Alaska...yeah, produce is NOT cheap up here).  So, be prepared for pretty simple menu plans from me (not that I won't do new things every once in a while to "shake it up" as it were).

The main reason I do a menu plan?  Well, the honest to goodness reason?  Is because I got tired of me asking my husband, "What do you want for dinner tonight?" and him replying, "I don't know, what do you want?"  Fast forward fifteen minutes into the future and I'm going to the kitchen to make some mediocre fare and call it good before I throttle something.

So now, when my husband asks what is for dinner, I look over at the menu plan for the week and say, "We're having..." and voila!  No more indecisive nights.  Which also will lead to less eating out.  Which in turn saves money too.  Trust me, I know from experience.

So, here's our menu plan for this week.  Nothing too exciting, but I'm down to chicken (lots and LOTS of chicken) and hamburger in the freezer pretty much.  It's the countdown till tax refund comes in around here, so until then dinner excitement is in my court to make the mundane new again.

Menu plan for week 2/2/15

• Monday:  Chicken Alfredo (I threw in a handful of frozen vegetable medley I had in the freezer too that was slightly freezer burned, so double bonus on that one!)
• Tuesday:  Baked Fish (some slightly freezer burned pollock I found in the bottom of the freezer) in a some heavy type of sauce (to cover freezer burn), rice, salad (big things of salad were on sale 2 for 5.00 on Friday at Carrs, so I'm trying to use up the salad before it goes slimy)
• Wednesday:  Fried Chicken (to appease the daughter unit), mashed potatoes, baked beans.  Note:  Strain and save oil.
• Thursday:  Cheesburger Soup (tweaked to fit our needs, but it looks good)
• Friday:  Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad
• Saturday:  Chicken Fried "Steak" (recipe coming soon if it turns out good).  Use strained oil from fried chicken.
• Sunday:  Meatloaf (use leftover gravy from night before), leftover mashed potatoes (from Wednesday), some type of veggie.

Breakfast foods (non usual):

• Gingerbread/Victory Pudding (recipe coming soon)

Desserts:

• Strawberry something or other (imagination will be used)