Meal Plan Monday

I love to meal plan. I like to sit on my comfy couch in my sweatpants and moccasins with my little black dog (who seems to take up way more of the couch now than she used to...) with a cup of coffee and figure out what I'm going to eat. All. Week.

There's something about planning that I just love. Like, planning my wedding. I just LOVED it. I had such a great time making sure everything was in order.

Okay, that's a post for another day.

Meal planning is amazing. I had a professor in college who told us "Prior Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance." Professor Backer...you were so right. Meal planning prevents the "let's just order out" syndrome. It prevents grabbing a bagel and saying "I'll figure dinner out later." It just prevents unhealthy habits. 

So here's what we're eating this week. Chad and I are on opposite schedules until Friday, so I'll be cooking meals probably the night before or in the morning and portioning them out so that he and I can both eat.

Breakfasts:

Fiber One Bar, coffee, & tea (yes, AND tea! I love starting the day with coffee, but I love a cup of herbal tea, too!)

Toast, oatmeal, or a fruit smoothie with spinach.

Lunches: Leftovers from the night before usually...or salad with some protein! 

Snacks: Popcorn, apples, celery & carrots with fat free dip, and yogurt. 

Dinners:

Monday:

Dinner: Cheesy Pastitsio (from Eat Yourself Skinny)

Tuesday:

BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad (from Eat Yourself Skinny)

Wednesday:

Guilt-Free Chicken Taquitos (from Eat Yourself Skinny)

Thursday:

Beef Stew (from Eat Yourself Skinny)

Friday:

Southwest Flank Steak with Peach Salsa (from Eat Yourself Skinny)

If you can't tell yet, I've fallen in love with a blog called "Eat Yourself Skinny." The recipes she posts are just so healthy and EASY! I struggle sometimes with cooking because recipes I find are so involved. After working an eight or nine hour day, taking care of the pony, making sure Gracie gets a walk and trying to break a sweat myself, the last thing I want to do is spend a long time preparing dinner. These recipes are perfect for an on the go wife like me! I'd totally recommend her blog if you want to meal plan but just don't have the time to gourmet it up.  

Oh, and not to mention, her recipes are AFFORDABLE. I spent $78 at the grocery store this week. (I still have to get steak- but I wasn't going to get meat 6 days in advance- catch my drift?) And that was when I was hungry. And picking out some extras here and there. (I LOVE Biscoff. And Clear Choice carbonated waters. And husband loves Swedish fish...ok, I got some extras. See? Told you.) For five big meals with enough for leftovers for lunches the next day, I'd call $78 a big old WIN!) 

        So, that's what we're eating this week. I'm pretty excited about it :) Do you meal    plan? What is your favorite "go to" meal?