Some people think it’s odd that I do an entire month of meal planning at once. To me, it makes sense. I’ve always been a planner. I’d like to plan months in advance if I could, but that might be a bit excessive….a bit.
Though I’m new to it, I’m loving meal planning! It gives me an opportunity to try all the recipes I’ve ripped from magazines, pinned on Pinterest, highlighted in cook books. It also gives me a global perspective on what my family is eating. I’m trying to be more conscientious about using leftovers to make other meals, or to plan for the fiance’s lunches. If I make a chicken during the week, it will give me a enough leftovers to make a casserole or a salad. Casseroles and chilis give me enough leftovers for the fiance to take to work for the week. Etc, etc. It’s one of my many new attempts at frugal living (which I am terrible at).
In addition to managing the food I buy and use, I’m trying to be more aware of the amount of meat we’re eating. We’re largely sticking to the Meatless Monday philosophy, which seeks to cut down carbon footprints as well as cutting calories and cholesterol. It’s really not that hard to stick in a couple of vegetarian recipes during the week, especially when you’re using the filling combo of pasta and cheese (sorry Kosher readers).
The last thing I’m attempting in my monthly meal plannings in mixing it up. When I was just planning per week, I’d grab whatever was in the store to fit my recipes. Now that we’re getting twice monthly CSA boxes from the local Tanaka farms, filled with delicious, seasonal fruits and vegetables, I’m trying to fit my recipes to the produce. And things I wouldn’t necessarily have purchased in the grocery store are becoming some of my favorite items. Sautéed kale= delicious! Corn and radish salad= crunchy and spice! Stir fried green beans= how did I live without these!?! In other cases it’s not so much try something new, as looking at the same old things in a new way. Instead of having baked potatoes, we’ll have parmesan baked tomatoes. Instead of bagged lettuce mix, I’m making my own mixes (and actually eating more salad than ever before).
So here’s a look at my meal plan for September. Below are recipes for any of the meals that I found through various sources. Any that are my own won’t be linked, but let me know and I’ll write on a separate post.
Enjoy! This took me freaking forever to link, so use it!
Sat. Sept 1:Zucchini pecan muffins; Slow cooker Peking Chicken w/ green beans
Sun. Sept. 2: OUT
Monday Sept 3: Pizza
Tue. Sept. 4: Roast Chicken w/herb sauce & sautéed kale
Wed. Sept. 5: DATE NIGHT
Thurs. Sept. 6: Apple cinnamon muffins; Enchilada pie, black beans, corn & radish salad
Fri. Sept. 7: OUT–Engagement Dinner
Sat. Sept. 8: Leftovers
Sun. Sept. 9: French Toast; Indian Summer Turkey Chili
Mon. Sept 10: Zucchini & Ricotta Tart, w/ herb biscuits
Tues. Sept. 11: Mushroom marsala w/polenta; green salad
Wed. Sept. 12: Carrot muffins; DATE NIGHT
Thurs. Sept. 13: Pupusas & cabbage salad (w/radish & carrots)
Fri. Sept. 14: BBQ with In-laws: bring BLT salad, guacamole, and cheese bread
Sat. Sept. 15: Blackberry biscuits; BIRTHDAY PARTY; Late night Brinner—breakfast burritos & tater tots
Sun. Sept. 16: Braised Chicken w/summer tomatoes & roasted carrots
Mon. Sept. 17: Egg & bacon meltaway muffins; Leftovers
Tues. Sept. 18: Crockpot Chicken teriyaki, brown rice & stir fry green beans
Wed. Sept. 19: Dad’s birthday DATE NIGHT Birthday Dinner?
Thurs. Sept. 20: Zucchini & Penne w/hot pepper pesto & baked tomatoes
Fri. Sept. 21: Orange Rolls; Take out
Sat. Sept. 22: DINNER WITH FRIENDS
Sun. Sept. 23: Slow cooker BBQ chicken & pasta salad
Mon. Sept. 24: Spicy Tomato w/Ricotta Penne Pasta, green salad
Tues. Sept 25: Blueberry MuffinsGrilled Caesar salad & lamb kabobs
Wed. Sept. 26: DATE NIGHT
Thurs. Sept 27: Grill Cheese night
Fri. Sept. 28: MY Birthday! Dinner with Family
Sat. Sept. 29: Eat everything in the house!!! LEFTOVERS!
Sun. Sept 30: VACATION in GRENADA
Here’s the PDF if you need a visual layout, like I do: September Monthly Dinner Plans
A Three Hat Day 