Meal Planning?

 

Meal Planning.  I have seen many Pinterest posts about meal planning and have heard so many positive things about it...how it saves not only time, but money too and also helps you eat healthier.  Sounds like a no brainer but I always think to myself...who has time for that?  To sit down and meal plan?  When I have a moment to sit down, I like to sit down and do something mindless.  Something like this:

 

A glass of red and a handful of white chocolate peppermint M&M's...(seriously...totally worth the cheat)!  Anyways, sometimes I feel I barely have time or desire to plan that evenings dinner...so to think about meal planning way in advance seems like a lot of work!  But then it occurred to me...How it WILL save time and energy by planning all at once and can probably save money in the mean time because I can plan according to what I buy...how did this light bulb in my head not go off sooner?  I can even plan lunches based on leftovers (I personally don't eat leftovers, but the three other people in my house do) and hopefully not throw out food that goes bad because I haven't gotten around to preparing it.  (It definitely happens).  I also think it will be beneficial as I try to transition to the paleo diet because I am still learning what to eat/not to eat, so I am always researching!  So....my next endeavor it is!  Here are a few meals for this week I decided on (while drinking the red and eating the M&M's...not so stressful).

Tuesday:
Pork Tenderloin
Roasted sweet potatoes
Carrots
Salad

Wednesday:
Hubby is in charge of Wednesdays because I work.  We usually have a little family dinner outing ;)

Thursday:
Thanksgiving x 2!  (My parents house then Grandparent-in-laws)
Making:
Mashed Cauliflower
Peas
Pumpkin Cheesecake x 2! (non paleo!)

Friday:
Hopefully...leftovers!

Well...that was an easy first week!  HA! Ok...so it's a start!  I think what will make it beneficial will be to plan it BEFORE grocery shopping for the week so I only buy what I will be making. Any meal planners out there? Is that the key here?

Also...anyone hear of places to buy grass fed chickens? cows? I am on the hunt!

Thanks for any input in advance.  And recommendations for next weeks meal planning are welcome and appreciated! :)  It won't be quite as simple as the rest of this week was!

~Erin Leigh