The Nat-o-Planner

This is a lame post for some people. It's about Meal Planning. Lame right? I know, but I get a lot of questions about how I'm able to cook every day, and this is the only way I can, plus it's helped me stay steady in my weight. I'd say loss but lately we'll just say "steady".

I mentioned I'm very unorganized as a whole right? Well. I don't mean to brag. Okay I do, but just a little, but I have an awesome super organized system to my meal planning.

I call it......the Nat-o-planner. No just kidding, I don't call it that. In public.

The basic premise of the idea is simple. I buy groceries 2 times a month. I plan out all my meals prior, usually making 10 -12 per 1/2 month. I write out the days for the next 15 or so days. Then I cross out any days I know I won't be making dinner, or will be eatting leftovers. Because yes, we eat leftovers. I'd say we do this to be healthy but really I'm just super cheap. *Tip: Put leftovers in individual servings and you'll be more likely to just grab it quick in the morning.

Now, before I give myself too much credit let me explain why we did this. Basically, my body wants to be fat. Now I'm no toothpick over here, but even this lusciousness takes work. The only way for me to keep it off is to cook healthy during the week. I personally love me some weight watchers, I don't count points too much now but I kinda already know what I should be doing by when I did join it a while back. I have a million and a half recipes I got from online or books that are WW / lowfat recipes too. Check out the tab at top for a few of my fave recipes if you'd like also.

Oh and also? I do this because in general I love food. Let's face it. Food is worth the extra punch of organizational know how. Only if that means I get more food. And to fit into cuter clothes. Oh yeah, and to be "healthy" blah blah blah.

Easy peasy right?

No really, right. It's easy. I promise!

Here's it broken down in a nut shell (or pasta shell...mmm...pasta):

- Write down 10 of your fave recipes, or ones that appeal to you at the time. Be sure to mix up varieties (chicken, beef, turkey / mexican, pasta, grilling / casseroles, etc). Remember the more you look forward to recipes the more likely you'll be to stick to it. So no lame recipes please.

- I like to write down what I need for each recipe beside it (makes it easier to make a grocery list) and where to find said recipes if it's in a book (Title, page #, etc).

- I make my list off of the paper above. Obviously I add more of my everyday stuff and cross off anything I already have.

- Write out the days of the week for the next 15 days, one day per line. Cross off any I know I won't be cooking for (Saturdays are usually a given. Those are normally our splurge days, and I'm so not cooking on splurge day).

- Then write out which recipe goes on what days. Keep in mind the days you might be late from work so you need quicker recipes, or have all day to cook, what recipes will give you the most leftovers and spread them out so you always have lunches, etc.

- Go shopping and then ENJOY!

I'm super proud of my little system and it's saved tons of money and time over the years. It makes it where I know what to thaw out before hand and I know I have all the stuff to make it so I actually cook every day. You also don't have a huge amount of leftover junk, saving tons of money.

Try it! You'll like it! (It's really really neat, I tried, I liked it, It's really fun to eat! Sorry, random things make me break out in song.)

Maybe you can send me some of your favorite tips on Meal Planning or recipes, and I'll post them on my Recipes tab! Such an interactive little blog this is!