Menu Planning: A week of simplicity!

One thing I've learned over the last few years is that my weeks go MUCH better when I take 10 minutes on Sunday and plan the menu out for the work week. The weekends are usually are a combination of eating out and elaborate, more involved meals from scratch so I can wing those. However, the weekdays are a bit more rushed and dinner is complete chaos when I walk in the door at 5:30 with hungry children and absolutley no plan! So, we're sharing our weekly menu with you ... we hope it helps you as much as it helps us!

MONDAY: Ease into your week with this very simple, no hassle Spinach Fettuccine Alfredo & Chicken. The pre-cooked chicken strips allow you to walk in the door at 5:30, decompress for 10 minutes and still have dinner on the table before 6pm. [However, if you've got a little more time on your hands then you can certainly prepare this with fresh chicken.] What a scrumptious way to kick off the week ... hello Monday!



TUESDAY: As you know, we like to celebrate Veggie Tuesday to encourage ourselves to live a little healthier and take it easy on the environment when we can. In the spirit of that, why not try the Clean-out-the-fridge Veggie Soup? It's unbelievably simple, yummy and helps clear the fridge of all the veggies you didn't finish last week!!

WEDNESDAY: Throw together this no-fuss crockpot meal - Chicken Spaghetti - in the morning and voila! dinner is ready when you get home. The leftovers are a perfect lunch or dinner on the run later in the week, too.

THURSDAY: As you're getting ready for the weekend, add a little spice to your Thursday evening with this Shrimp Jambalaya. Zatarain's spice and SeaPak's smooth flavor combine perfectly in this dish - you won't be disappointed!

FRIDAY: HOORAY!! The weekend is here! Give yourself a break from your crazy week and enjoy a Margartia Spritzer and a slice of "Homemade" Pizza. This pizza is great because you 'cheat' with the base, but then everyone in the family can add whatever they like to their section of the pizza.

Now go tackle your week and worry about the big stuff ... not the cooking.

We hope this helps make your week a little simpler and stress-free! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the dishes - were they yummy? Were they easy? We're also interested in hearing your stories about how planning helps you avert a crisis (like a 3-year old hunger meltdown!)

NOTE: You can find these meal plans under "Menu Time" on our blog.