Meal Plan for March

So I have been doing my meal plan for 2 weeks at a time, so for every pay check. Which worked great, but I decided that I wanted to try for a month! Without repeating a dinner! That was the hard part! I have a picky eater, who doesn't like anything with tomatoes, except ketchup. Yeah, it is hard. But I don't cater to her, she has learned, along with everyone else, that you eat 2 taster bites, then you can eat the other things you like, I try to have sides that she likes for the meals she doesn't.

I am still working on putting all my recipes and shopping list per meal together in a binder like I found on Pinterest here:

My goal is to have more than 30. And since my life has kind of calmed down a little, I have a little more time to try new recipes. And my food budget isn't so tight, so I can afford to buy a few new things we don't normally have on hand for these new recipes. Some are a hit, others not so much. But I have learned that if I make it once and it is just ok, to make it again with a few changes, that my culinary husband suggests would be good with it. ((Yes he is a better cook than me! He is not afraid to try new things and change recipes, me I am a little more hesitant. It doesn't hurt that he has master taste and smell buds that can eat something somewhere, say what was in it, and recreate it at home, often better than the restaurants!))

Anyway... I am working on finding a calendar that works for me, until then I have my trusty notebook and pencil :)

I know, it is hard to read, sorry! Basically this is it:

Left column

Fri. 27th Oatmeal

Nachos

Breaded Chicken

Sat. 28th cereal

Frozen Pizzas

Enchiladas

Sun 1st crepes

sandwiches

roast

Mon 2nd eggs

Cheese, pep, crackers

tacos

You get the idea. Breakfast, lunch (mainly for my picky daughter who takes lunch), and dinner. 

I need to be better about planning lunches for us at home and sides for dinner, plus snacks. Getting there, baby steps! I also mark the pay days so I know when I will be going to the stores and can plan my grocery list accordingly. 

I made a master list on Excel the other day, done by isle for the grocery stores, by memory. It was ok, and nice to have it by isle, but I am still working on the perfect list!

Here is a link to free printable lists I found on Pinterest. This is my Meal Plan board. Lots of different styles. Find what works for you. Or just write it out! 

https://www.pinterest.com/eleanor_rolfe/meal-planning/

Then I look and see what I need and mark it on my list, only getting what is needed for my menu, Plus snack things we normally always have, like yogurt, nutella...

Stay tuned for recipes! And a master list of my 30+ meals!