A few meal ideas.

So often I see posts about people needing meal ideas. I plan for four to five meals each week by using one of my cookbooks or magazines. I do this while making my grocery list for the week.

I write my grocery list on one side of an envelope and the meals on the other side. I do this for a few reasons: it recycles some mail; it holds any coupons I need at the grocery store and I have it all in one place for the week so I have an easy go-to for the meal ideas.

I then grab my cookbook/magazine and just start flipping through it. This week, I took one of my Southern Living annuals and went from month to month looking at the "Healthy Living" recipes (we rather over-indulged on vacation, so some healthier fare is in order this week). I write the meal idea with the page number(s) on the back of the envelope and then add any items I will need from the grocery store to make it on the other side. It is really rather simple and about as organized as I can be. I do not really stick to a certain meal for what day. Instead, I just plan to have the ingredients on hand so when it is time to cook I am prepared. I also only plan for four or five because inevitably, we will have left-overs, Grant will have a last-minute dinner meeting, the kids only want mac and cheese or the lure of kids eat free at Earth Fare gets the best of me. In reality, I do not really have to cook seven days a week.

With a holiday weekend ahead, I know I will have to hit the grocery store again as we prepare for it. I just prefer to do that later in the week.

If you need some meal ideas, here is what I came up with this week:

Grilled Salmon over a white beans. Greek salad.

Oven-fried chicken with mashed potatoes and broccoli salad.

Roast beef sandwiches with horseradish cream cheese, avocado and lettuce. Sweet potato fries and cantaloup (I have concluded that I just cannot home-bake good sweet potato fries, so I buy them now. Tonight we had sweet potato tots - very yummy! And...the melon came from a road side stand on our way home Saturday for only a buck! Local and cheap.)

Grilled chicken with a zucchini and tomato tart and cornmeal biscuits. 

I hope this helps! I know that sometimes I feel like I am totally blank when it comes to feeding our family. I just have to remind myself that it does not always have to be fancy and that sometimes less is more when offering the kids new foods.

Happy Cooking!