I'm trying to slowly ease back into cooking after taking the last few weeks off because we were blessed with so many delicious meals after the birth of Silas. (Can you believe our church friends and family brought us almost a month's worth of meals? How incredible is that?!)
However, as many of you know, I cooked up a bunch of food before Silas was born so our freezer is still rather stuffed with casseroles, breads, and so forth. I'm planning to use a few meals from the freezer each week over the next few weeks and then make some simple meals from scratch the rest of the days. By then, it should be about three months after Silas' birth and things should be pretty back to normal around here.
I can't even begin to express how much of a help the meals we were given were or how nice it is to know our freezer is still packed with meals! If you have the chance to cook up food for your freezer before a big event like the birth of a baby, definitely take the opportunity. You won't regret it! Not only has it saved us time to have food already made up, it has also saved us a lot of money since we're not tempted to order carryout or buy convenience foods.
I'm especially excited about our menu this week because our little container garden is finally starting to produce lettuce. I'm looking forward to lots of fresh tossed salad this week as a result. Hopefully, our tomatoes will start ripening soon as well. There's just nothing as good as a fresh-from-the-garden tomato, is there?!
Here's this week's menu plan:
Breakfasts
Cereal, juice
Granola over yogurt with peaches
Toast, scrambled eggs with hashbrowns and cheese, strawberries
Oatmeal with brown sugar and peaches
Strawberry smoothies, toast
Pumpkin waffles, peaches
Cranberry muffins, yogurt, strawberries
Lunches
PB&J, carrot sticks, cheese, fruit
Tossed salad with hard-boiled eggs, whole-wheat toast
Baked potatoes with steamed veggies and cheese
Crackers, cheese, fruit, carrot sticks
Homemade mac and cheese, steamed veggies
Leftovers x 2
Dinners
Grilled Salmon, baked potatoes, tossed salad, corn on the cob, homemade bread, strawberry shortcake
Turkey sub sandwiches, fruit salad, cucumber and tomato salad
Marinated steak, sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, homemade bread, fruit salad
Lasagna casserole, green beans, fruit salad, french bread
Beef hot dogs, corn on the cob, fruit salad, twice-baked potatoes
BBQ Chicken Pizza, fruit salad, tossed salad, ice cream
Dinner out
Snacks
Cereal
Fruit
Veggies
Muffins
Crackers/cheese
By the way, we spent $41 on groceries this week. You can see the groceries we purchased this week here, in case you missed it.
Check out more menu plans for this week over at Organizing Junkie.
sally says
That is so great that you had an entire freezer full of meals after the baby was born. We are expecting our second in September. I want to fill my freezer but i dont have many (proven) freezer friendly meals. Although i have followed your blog through all the baking days, i cant seem to find many of the meals you froze. Where do you find all of your freezer meals? What meals are your favorite for the freezer?
Thanks for your help.
Julie says
I wouldn’t mind having a free subscription to All You
Julie
Jacenta T says
We have always had shell’s and cheese tomato soup in the winter time. Its cheap and really tasty. You can even add in left over taco meat, or what ever kinda you like.
Rebecca Hosea says
I noticed that you were having mac and cheese one night. Have you ever tried mac & cheese soup? It is very good! Of course you can tweak it and make it even healthier, go here if you want the recipe http://swappinspoons.blogspot.com/2009/01/comfort-foods.html
Honey says
Lisa, I posted some more ideas on a blog I contribute to with some ladies from church. It is fun to get some fresh ideas! These are just some ideas for breakfasts and lunches keeping little ones in mind : http://www.easymealsformoms.com/search/label/Breakfast
(scroll down to the next to last entry onthe page linked above)
beth says
I’m scheduled to have my little baby next wednesday…so I need to get prepared to eat all that extra healthy food to keep up with the milk supply! Any suggestions? I’m pretty sure you mentioned you nurse. You eat such healthy meals(it seems!), so I appreciate the ideas!
Lisa says
Thanks for posting about your menu ideas. It helps to see what others are having for lunches ie; PB&J with carrot sticks. For some reason, I don’t seem to be able to think of lunch ideas.
Mindy says
Wow – your menu looks delicious! I’m off to menu plan for our week, but don’t think it will look so tasty.
Lisa says
I have 2 great recipes you can use for that deli turkey you bought.
http://mygroceryplan.blogspot.com/2009/06/turkey-bacon-wraps.html
http://mygroceryplan.blogspot.com/2009/06/turkey-club.html
Jami says
Oh, yea- garden tomatoes are the best. I only have the smallest green tomatoes still, despite my efforts at early tomatoes:
http://www.anoregoncottage.com/2009/05/pursuit-of-early-tomatoes.html
Hope you get to enjoy yours soon!
Christine says
Just send directions to your house and tell us what time dinner is ready and our family of four will join you! Seriously, I am glad you posted this healthy and delcious menu as I find it encouraging to know that someone saving so much money is also giving attention to quality and variety. You go, girl!