Kiss the Cook

I have a confession to make...

I don't know about you but I'm not much of a cook. I mean, I know how to cook and can make some really good dishes, I just don't enjoy cooking. Now baking...that's something I do enjoy doing. Especially baking desserts. Which isn't the best thing for a diabetic to do but I do try to make most things sugar-free.

Anyways, back to cooking...

When I spend an hour or two getting ready to make dinner then actually making it, it gets eaten in one minute flat...by my husband (of course it takes longer for Hudson and Brayden to eat). I mean, did Tommy even taste the food! He inhales it like air! Why go through all that trouble? At least kiss the cook to show your gratitude! ;)

Also, the boys can't eat everything I make for dinner (i.e. steak). Sometimes they won't even touch what I make, so I end up making a few different dishes to make everyone happy. See why I don't enjoy cooking?!

Well, I'm trying to make it easier on myself. I read an article in Real Simple magazine about how to make a weekday meal plan and shopping list. One of my problems each day is that I don't have enough ingredients to make a full meal. Tommy calls me everyday when he leaves work to ask if he needs to stop by the grocery store for anything. Nine times out of ten he does have to stop and pick up something for dinner.

So, in order to stop going to the grocery store almost everyday I thought I would try out this meal plan thingy. The article had a tear-out chart to use. Here's how Real Simple explains how you use the chart:
 
1. Decide on your weekday dinners and write them in the menu column. Try to slot dishes that rely on more perishable groceries at the start of the week and sturdier foods at the end.

2. Write down the ingredients you'll need to buy for each dinner in the appropriate columns to the right, which correspond to the aisles of most supermarkets.

3. Grab your list and head to the store. Shop down each column and you're good to for the week.

That's it! Sounds easy enough so I'm going to give it a try. Here is a link for a printable version of the planner if you also need help planning dinner each week. Good luck!

If you have any good meal planning tips do tell! I'm all about sharing these days since that's what I'm trying to teach my kids to do. ;)