Menu Planning Monday on Tuesday

I have to be honest.  Sometimes, even when the menu is done, I want to write about something else.  Yesterday, the story of my morning with Elizabeth felt far more important than what we were planning to eat.  So, if you are following the meal planning, please be patient.  It is coming... but I want to be sensitive to first things first.  

And lest you think all is wonderful here after our Sunday morning discipline, let me say once again that my home is much like yours.  We walk together, stumble together and sometimes get it right.  And sometimes not.  Oh how my sweet girlie is struggling with putting aside what she wants most in order to be obedient.  Last night, the struggle continued and I worked very hard to be patient as I retaught the lesson we had learned the day before.  Even when we are intentional... even when we are loving... even when we are consistent... sometimes our children miss what we are teaching them.  After a frustrating afternoon, and likely too much conversation, EB was off and laughing and playing again.  I am glad we can work through these difficult patches but I am eager to see her remember the lesson.  Watching our children learn to choose well can be agonizing but I am trying (trying!) to focus on how amazing it will be when she realizes that working for what she wants is the best way to get that thing...

And, I am straying from the topic at hand!  Menu planning continues to work well for us and I am finding that if I do not post the menu on Sunday night, nearly everyone will come to me wondering what we are doing.  In this way, I think it may be helping us to organize our meals and plan ahead.

I am continuing to create the menu based on what I am finding on sale.  This week, whole chickens were on sale so I bought two.  Both are on the stove boiling right now (the house smells amazing!) and the meat will be used in many upcoming recipes.

Here are our dinners for the week:

Monday:  We ordered pizza.  A local restaurant offers half-off pizza on Mondays so we spent only $9.00 to feed us all.  I love that!  (As an aside, Monday morning, we tried a new breakfast... pumpkin oatmeal.  I loved it.  Some of the kids liked it.  It got mixed reviews.  I think we will try it again... healthy, fast, filling... worth another shot!)

Tuesday:  It is nearly 60 degrees in Chicago today... bizarrely warm for January.  To make the most of this spring-like weather, we will be grilling Italian sausage with veggies tonight!  Yum!

Wednesday:  In an effort to broaden the foods my kids will eat, we are going to try Peanut Noodles with chicken and veggies.  One of my kiddos will not eat peanut butter so I may be setting myself up for a fail here... though the same child does eat Scotcheroos.  :)  So... we will see how this meal goes.

Thursday:  My family is not big on salads though I have had good luck with Taco Salad.  With less fat and calories than traditional tacos, I feel good about making this meal.

Friday:  We are going to try letting the kids choose this meal.  I have no idea what will sound good to them!  Tonight, we take a vote!  Keeping meal planning fun has been working for us, so far.

Saturday:  For lunch, I making chicken soup using the broth and chicken I am cooking today.  I will serve fresh bread with this which always makes a meal so cozy.  For dinner, we will make chicken quesadillas... a recipe so easy I can throw it together in minutes.

Sunday:  While I normally make a huge meal for lunch, this week is the Super Bowl!  :)  We will eat lighter in the afternoon and then have a great time with snacks during the game.  I will be choosing our snacks from the following list (most of which I found on Pinterest!):

-apples and dip
-garlic chicken crescent rolls
-coconut chicken strips
-chips and cheese
-veggies and dip
-pizza muffins
-ham and cheese sliders
-buffalo chicken balls
-buffalo chicken tacos
-vanilla cupcakes

No, I will not be making all of these things... though I would love to!  I am excited though to find a couple of new favorites to add to our Sunday snack list.

So, there ya go!  A brand new menu for a brand new(ish) week!  What about you?  What are you looking forward to eating this week?

Blessings on your day!