Menu Plan Monday ~ Feb. 15

I'm on strike, people! Yep.

But don't worry. It's not a melodramatic, "mom's on the edge" kind of strike. I'm just feeling a bit weary of accommodating picky eaters and responding to less-than-stellar attitudes.

So on the days when we're home this week (of which there are relatively few), I'm planning to cook for myself and let the hubby and the kiddo fend for themselves.

While my guys dine on frozen pizza and other commercially prepared cheese-and-carb concoctions, I will be enjoying some of my favorite meals (and non-chicken proteins) — lovingly prepared for one.

The list below only includes my dinner plans. My breakfasts and lunches remain pretty static from week to week. And no links this time. I don't tend to follow recipes for basic pan-fried/braised/sautéed protein meals.

Hope you have a great week in food! I know I will!

Sunday: Kid-friendly taco night with hubby's family for Valentine's Day

Monday: Creamy chicken* and potato soup (left over from making a batch for hubby's aunt, who recently had surgery); French bread

Tuesday: Eating out

Wednesday: Sautéed shrimp with angel hair pasta and vegetables

Thursday: Braised pork chop with apples

Friday: Pan-fried steak with a simple red wine/mushroom/shallot sauce

Saturday: Dinner out and bowling for my dad's birthday

*Note that this is the only chicken dish on the menu for this week. I grow so tired of chicken!

Menu Plan Monday ~ Feb. 8

Another Monday*, another menu plan! Last week went really well. I only had to make one mid-week stop at the grocery store for milk and yogurt. Not bad! And the leftovers fed us for even longer than I anticipated. As a result, we didn't make the curry or picatta last week.

Our only food-related frustration was Kiddo's picky eating. Remember the night he ate popcorn for dinner? So before I get into this week's menu plan, here is an excerpt of our new picky eater plan (courtesy of Ellyn Satter). I guess it's not a plan as much as a reminder of what I am and — perhaps more importantly — am not responsible for when it comes to my child's eating.

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Ellyn Satter's Division of Responsibility For Toddlers Through Adolescents:

• The parent is responsible for what, when, where
• The child is responsible for how much and whether

Parents' Feeding Jobs:

• Choose and prepare the food
• Provide regular meals and snacks
• Make eating times pleasant
• Show children what they have to learn about food and mealtime behavior
• Not let children graze for food or beverages between meal and snack times
• Let children grow up to get bodies that are right for them

Fundamental to parents’ jobs is trusting children to decide how much and whether to eat.

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The bottom line: it's time to lay off! I will provide a variety of healthy foods at every meal. Dessert, which is usually fruit anyway, will not be a secret temptation reserved for those who clean their plates. All of our mealtime options will be presented at once. And kiddo can choose whether to eat and how much.

Will it work? Stay tuned...

Sunday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s); Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Leftovers from dinner on Saturday
• Dinner: Turkey tacos with beans, cheese and lettuce; guacamole; salsa; chips

Monday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s); Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Leftovers from Sunday dinner; fruit
• Dinner: Natural frozen pizza and fruit for the boys; dinner out with friends for me

Tuesday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s); Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Yogurt with apples and dried mango; whole grain crackers with smoked salmon and cheese
• Dinner: Pasta with homemade chicken meatballs and simple tomato sauce**; vegetable

Wednesday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s); Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Leftovers from Tuesday dinner; fruit
• Dinner: Chipotle day!
  

Thursday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s); Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Yogurt with apples and dried mango; whole grain crackers with smoked salmon and cheese
• Dinner: Chicken picatta (from Joy of Cooking: All About Chicken); pasta; vegetable

Friday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; yogurt with apples and dried mango; Ezekiel 4:9 toast
• Lunch: Leftovers from Thursday dinner
• Dinner: Kyle's homemade waffles with fruit and family movie night
  

Saturday

• TBD: Not sure whether we'll be away from home, or having company over, or what.

*Notice that my menu plan doesn't actually begin on Monday? That's because I work all day on Mondays! A Sunday grocery shopping/planning session works much better for my schedule.

**My family LOVED this tomato sauce last week!

Menu Plan Monday - Feb. 1

Gosh, I'm just an organizing fool lately! First, I totally decluttered my spare bedroom. And now, I'm writing menu plans! Well...I've written just this one menu plan, but it's a start, right?

I've been struggling to get better about meal planning and grocery lists for some time now. I'm a girl who likes options, so nailing down exactly what I plan to eat on Thursday runs counter to my nature. But I've found that "options" really means multiple grocery store trips and too much eating out. So I'm giving Menu Plan Monday a try.

Each Monday, I'll report on how the previous week went and post a new plan for the week.* I can't promise that every list will be this detailed, but we'll see...

Wish me luck!

Sunday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; nitrate-free bacon; slice of homemade apple tart
• Lunch: Lunch out with the fam while running errands/grocery shopping
• Dinner: Chicken in milk; mashed potatoes; vegetable

Monday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s), Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Leftovers from Sunday dinner; fruit
• Dinner: Chicken curry with potatoes and vegetables (adapted from recipe on Thai Kitchen red curry paste jar); brown rice

Tuesday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s); Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Leftovers from Monday dinner; fruit
• Dinner: Pasta with homemade chicken meatballs and simple tomato sauce; vegetable

Wednesday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s); Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Leftovers from Tuesday dinner; fruit
• Dinner: Chipotle day!

Thursday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; egg(s); Ezekiel 4:9 toast; fruit
• Lunch: Yogurt with apples and dried mango; whole grain crackers with smoked salmon and cheese
• Dinner: Chicken piccata (from Joy of Cooking: All About Chicken); pasta; vegetable

Friday

• Breakfast: Toddy latte; yogurt with apples and dried mango; Ezekiel 4:9 toast
• Lunch: Leftovers from Thursday dinner
• Dinner: Natural frozen pizza and family movie night

Saturday

• TBD: Possible date day with the hubby!

*Notice that my menu plan doesn't actually begin on Monday? That's because I work all day on Mondays! A Sunday grocery shopping/planning session works much better for my schedule.