Happy Anniversary to my love!

Today I am thankful to be celebrating 20 years of love with my hubby. We have seen each other through different stages of growth. There have been good days and times of great joy. We've also had trying times but together by the grace of God we've weathered the storms. It's amazing how twenty years later we still find ourselves joking around and making each other laugh. He's older than me by 5 months and we often reminisce about things that happened back in the day when we were growing up. We have some things in common in our backgrounds and remember stuff that was going on in the world during our childhood years. No, we didn't grow up together. We never knew each other. He lived in another state and we didn't meet until our college days. Being the same age (he'll be 40 in a few weeks) we're getting a kick out of our changing bodies as we get older.  Oh my how time flies by. It feels great to be able to just be yourself with the one you love. I enjoy having days when we can sit, reminisce, laugh, and just have fun together. Happy Anniversary to my love. I hope you get to read this. May we live to glorify God together and let His love flow through us to one another in the next 20+ years to come.

Menu Planning My Way

Five years ago I ventured off into the world of freezer/batch cooking. It took lots of trial and error but I have a plan in place that suits me well. Since those early days I see the benefits of my menu planning. It takes the stress out of wondering "what's for dinner?" at the last minute. As of writing this post I have two weeks worth of meals already prepped, bagged, frozen and ready to thaw overnight and throw in the crockpot the next day. I've created a list of meals we usually end up having so I can quickly come up with ideas for menu plans to put on the bi-weekly/monthly calendar. I prepared my list in Word. I copied the list here to share with you.

Breakfast & Brinner Meal Ideas

Breads		BF Desserts	One Dish	Sandwiches	Sides	Drinks
Bagel w/cream cheese Bacon or Sausage Eggs Fruit		BF Cake	Farmer’s Casserole Grits Fruit	BLT & Scrambled Eggs	Eggs- Boiled, scrambled, or over easy	Coffee or Iced Coffee
Biscuits- Drop or Toast Bacon or Sausage Eggs Fruit		BF Cookies	Hash Bacon or Sausage Eggs Fruit	BF Burritos Hash Browns	Oatmeal	Cappuccino
Crepes w/fruit or French Toast Bacon or Sausage Eggs Oatmeal		Fruit Cobbler	Omelet Hash Browns or Grits Fruit	Sausage & Biscuit w/scrambled eggs	Grits	100% Fruit Juice or Orange Julius
Pancakes or Waffles Bacon or Sausage Eggs Fruit		Fruit- sliced w/whipped cream	Quiche Grits or Hash Browns Fruit	Bagel, egg, sausage/bacon/ham & cheese	Hash browns	Tea (Herbal)
Muffins or Sweet Bread Bacon or Sausage Eggs Fruit		Coffee Cake	Egg (in meat) Cups Grits or Hash Browns Fruit	Egg in a Basket or Eggs Benedict		Smoothies

 
These are meals I often fix for breakfast or breakfast for dinner. Lots of things can be mixed and matched for a whole different meal.

Snack Ideas

Baked or Pan Fried Apples

Boiled Eggs

Fresh or canned fruit (in 100% juice)

Fruit & Cheese Cubes

Fruit & Nut Mix

Fruit Sale Sorbet

Fruit Slushy

Granola Bars (Homemade)

Graham Crackers & Cheese

Graham Crackers & Peanut Butter or Nutella

Ice Cream (small bowl)

Jell-O

Meat and cheese cubes

Nutella & Peanut Butter on Graham Crackers

Popcorn (Air popped)

Pudding

Rice Krispies Treats (Homemade)

Smores

Trail Mix (Homemade)

Veggies (raw) w/Dip

Lunch Menu Ideas

Salads	Sandwiches/ Wraps	Skillets	Soups	Stir Fry
Big Garden Salad Crackers Fresh Fruit	Peanut Butter n Jelly Pretzels Sliced Apples or Applesauce	Beef Brats w/onions, peppers, garlic Sauerkraut Brown/Cauliflower Rice	Beef n Vegetable Soup Homemade Bread	Beef n veggies w/rice or noodles
BLT Salad Crackers Fresh Fruit	BLT or Cold Cuts sandwich/Wrap Veggies w/dip or hummus Fresh Fruit	Kielbasa Sausage w/onions, peppers, garlic Sauerkraut Brown Rice or Cabbage	Chicken n Noodle/Rice Soup Homemade Bread	Chicken n veggies w/rice or noodles
Chicken Salad Crackers Oranges	Chicken Salad Sandwich or Wraps Veggies w/hummus	Italian Sausage w/onions, peppers, garlic Sauerkraut Brown/Cauliflower Rice	Ham n vegetable Soup Homemade Bread	Pork n veggies w/rice or noodles
Steak Salad Crackers Grapes	Philly Steak n Cheese Sandwich/Wrap Fresh Fruit	Turkey Brats w/onions, peppers, garlic Sauerkraut Brown/Cauliflower Rice	Turkey n Noodle/Rice Soup Homemade Bread	Turkey n veggies w/rice
Tuna (or Salmon) Salad Crackers Fresh Fruit	Tuna Salad Sandwiches Veggies w/hummus Fresh Fruit		Ramen Noodle Soup w/boiled egg
Taco Salad Fresh Fruit	Burritos Cheese, salsa, & sour cream Fresh Fruit	Taco Rice Bowls w/cheese, salsa, & sour cream Tortilla Chips
	Egg Salad Sandwich Tomato & Cucumber salad Fresh Fruit

These are meals I like to plan for our weekly lunch. This is not the only option for lunch. If we have leftovers from dinner the night before, I either reheat that for lunch or send it to work with hubby to eat for his lunch. This is cheaper and healthier than takeout and food doesn't go to waste by getting thrown in the trash because we forgot about it.

Dinner Meal Ideas

Beef	Chicken	Fish	Pork	Turkey	Soup/Stews
Beef Taco (or any taco flavored meat) loaded Baked Potatoes Tossed Salad	Chicken, Broccoli n Cheese loaded baked potatoes Tossed Salad	Crockpot Citrus Salmon Brown/ Wild Rice Steamed mix veg.	Pulled Pork (or any BBQ meat) Baked Potatoes Green Salad	Turkey loaded Baked Potato Tossed Salad	Hamburger, Chicken (Turkey) n Rice/Noodle Soup Homemade bread Salad
Beef Tacos Black/Refried Beans Spanish Rice Mexican Corn	Chicken Tacos Black Refried Beans Spanish Rice Mexican Corn	Fish Tacos Spanish Rice Mexican Corn	Pork Tacos Black/Refried Beans Spanish Rice Mexican Corn	Turkey Tacos Black Refried Beans Spanish Rice Mexican Corn	Taco or Chicken Tortilla Soup w/salsa, cheese, sour cream Tortilla Chips
Philly Steak n Cheese Quesadillas Salad	Chicken Fajita Quesadillas Salad	Tuna Melts Taco Rice Salad	Pulled Pork Quesadillas Salad	Turkey Quesadillas Salad	Chili (All Meat, Chicken Black/White Bean) Corn bread/cakes
Beef or Barbacoa Fajitas Mexican corn Cuban Black Beans Spanish or Cilantro lime Rice	Chicken (Chipotle) Fajitas Mexican Corn Cuban Black Beans Spanish or Cilantro lime Rice	Tilapia (baked) Oven Roasted Carrots Sautéed Brussels Sprouts Fruit Salad	Carnitas Mexican Corn Pinto/Cuban Black Beans Spanish or Cilantro lime Rice	Turkey Fajitas Mexican Corn Cuban Black Beans Spanish or Cilantro lime Rice	Beef or Pork Stew Homemade Bread
Beef Enchilada Casserole (w/rice and black beans) Green Salad	Chicken Enchilada Casserole (w/corn and black beans) Green Salad	Pollock (baked) Oven Roasted Carrots Sautéed Brussels Sprouts Fruit Salad	Pork Enchilada Casserole (w/rice and Chipotle pinto beans) Green Salad	Turkey Enchilada Casserole (w/corn and black beans) Green Salad	Black/Pinto Bean & Beef Soup w/tomatoes Homemade/Corn Bread Tossed or Fruit Salad
Sloppy Joes Oven Roasted Carrots Steamed Sweet Peas	Salsa Chicken w/Rice, lettuce, sour cream Tortillas/Chips	Fried Fish Slaw Green Beans Leftover Spaghetti	BBQ Pulled Pork Corn (or boiled) Slaw &/or Pasta Salad	Turkey Sloppy Joes Oven Roasted Carrots Steam Sweet Peas	Chicken, Corn, or Clam Chowder Homemade Bread Salad
Cowboy Foil Packets w/ vegetables (potatoes, carrots, ect.) Brown or White Rice	Chicken Foil Packets w/vegetables (peppers, onion, mushrooms, ect.) Brown or White Rice	Fish Foil Packets w/ vegetables (Spinach, onion, garlic, artichoke, tomato, ect.) Wild or Yellow Rice	Pork Loin Chops Foil Packets w/vegetables (mushrooms, onion, garlic, wine, ect.) Brown or Wild Rice		Ham n Bean (pinto or white) Soup Corn Bread Squash Patties
Lasagna or Spaghetti (Squash) Homemade Bread w/dipping oil Tossed/Green Salad	Chicken & Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo Homemade Bread California Blend veg. Fruit Salad	Tuna Spaghetti Homemade Bread Steamed Broccoli & Carrots Fruit Salad	Country Style BBQ Ribs Potato Salad/ Slaw  Corn on Cob or Tom., onion, & Cucumber Salad	Spaghetti Bake Homemade Bread w/dipping oil Green Beans or Tossed Salad	Ravioli Lasagna Homemade Bread w/dipping oil Tossed/Green Salad
Shepherd’s Pie Sautéed green (collard, turnip, kale, spinach) Corn Bread	Chicken Cacciatore w/Rice or Noodles Green Beans or Steamed Broccoli	Salmon Croquettes Mashed Sweet Potatoes Sweet Peas or Steamed Broccoli	Marinated (Dump) Pork Chops Mashed Sweet Pot. Steamed Sweet Peas	Beef n Turkey Meatloaf (or minis) Mashed Potatoes Steamed Sweet Peas & Carrots	Italian Sausage & Beans Soup or Black Beans & Sausage Soup Homemade Bread Salad
Brisket Mashed Potatoes Steamed Broccoli	Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts Quinoa, Wild/ Brown Rice Calif. Blend veg.	Shrimp Boil w/corn, potatoes, Polish sausage, crab, chicken wings	Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin Mash Potatoes, Wild/ Brown Rice Green Salad		Cabbage (& Polish Sausage) Soup Homemade Bread Fruit Salad
Roast Beef w/celery, onion, pot. & carrots Homemade Bread Green Beans	Cream of Mushroom Chicken & Rice Bake Rolls Green Salad	Crockpot Salmon w/carrots & onions Brown/ Wild Rice Brussels Sprouts or Asparagus	Pork w/celery, onion, garlic, carrots Homemade Bread Sweet Peas	Sliced Turkey Breasts w/gravy Rice or Quinoa Steamed Broccoli Fruit Salad	Lentil Soup Homemade Bread Tossed Salad
Cheese Burgers Fries or Baked Beans Cole Slaw	Sticky Chicken Potatoes or corn Steamed Broccoli	Sesame Teriyaki Salmon, brown rice Cali. Blend veg.	Marinated (Dump) Pork Loin, Salad, Baked Sweet Pot.	Sticky Turkey Legs Potatoes or Corn Steamed Broccoli
Beef or Meatloaf Stuffed Bell Peppers Mashed Potatoes	Pulled Chicken Stuffed Bell Peppers Oven Roasted Carrots	Haddock	Pulled Pork Stuffed Bell Peppers Steamed Cauliflwr.	Ground Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers Steamed Broccoli
Marinated Steak Baked Russet/ Sweet Potatoes Oven roasted veg. Salad & Rolls	Blackened Chicken Breasts Corn/ Brown Rice Oven roasted Asparagus	Blackened Fish Rice/Pasta Salad Oven roasted Brussels Sprouts	Baked Pork Steaks Corn or potatoes Oven roasted Asparagus or Brussels Sprouts
Salisbury Steak & Gravy Mashed Potatoes Sweet Peas & Carrots	Italian (or Saucey Italian) Chicken Brown Rice Green Salad	Crockpot Sweet & Spicy Salmon Brown Rice Steamed mix veg.		Ground Turkey Salisbury Steak & Tom. Gravy Brown Rice Green Beans
Swiss Steak n Gravy Mashed Potatoes Green Beans	Marinated (Dump) Chicken Brown Rice Tossed Salad		Cubed Steak n Gravy Mashed Potatoes Green Beans
Grilled Steaks Pasta Salad Corn Green Beans	BBQ Chicken Corn Baked Beans Tossed Salad	BBQ Baked Salmon Quinoa or Rice Steamed Broccoli & Carrots	BBQ Pork Steaks Cole Slaw Baked Beans Corn on Cob	Balsamic Turkey (or Chicken) Rice (yellow) Pilaf Oven Roasted veg.
Beef Cabbage Roll Casserole Steamed Peas & Carrots Corn Bread	Oven Fried Chicken Corn or Potatoes Steamed Peas & Carrots		Stuffed Pork Chops Steamed California Blend vegetables Corn on Cob	Turkey Cabbage Roll Casserole Steamed Peas & Carrots Corn Bread

Here is where I was playing around with ideas of different things to serve for dinner. Lots of things can be mixed and matched to create different meals when there is leftovers for another night. Another thing I do is use certain things (like meats) to create an entirely new dish so it doesn't always seem like leftovers. I keep these lists hung on my pantry door for easy access.

Well, I hope this helps someone if they are trying to come up with meal ideas or figure out how to go about menu planning like I was in the past :-)