Meal Planning in action

This is my first week trying to really make this work. I took my dinner ideas list to the store when my husband and I stocked up at Costco so that I would be sure not to forget anything and have to get it elsewhere at a really inconvenient time.

Monday morning I had to sit down and actually plan. It was intimidating looking at all those blank spaces knowing that I was supposed to come up with what we are doing for dinner for each and every night and I was supposed to make that decision NOW. Ugh. I was not having an easy time deciding what to do for dinner THAT NIGHT let alone 4 more nights! But I pushed through and decided on our dinners for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I racked my brain and stared at my menu list and could not chose another meal, so I did something else. An hour or so passed and I suddenly realized that by Thursday we would most likely have enough leftovers in the fridge to make an a la carte meal. So I added a left over sticky note to my menu list and slapped it down on Thursday and then decided that Friday we could no loaded mashed potatoes. I stepped back and realized that I had planned 5 nights of meals. I felt great!

Yesterday I picked up a few small things from the store while I was out running errands-you know perishables that i don't want 10 lbs of or ingredients for meals that I may or may not include in my regular meal rotations. Now I feel almost relaxed. I always fought it because I didn't like having to stick to a plan...I felt trapped by the idea of HAVING to do something. Right now I look at my calendar and I feel at ease. I know what I am making. My husband knows what we are eating and I have all that I need to make those meals. Last nights dinner plans went well and this morning I am excited by the success of the past two dinners and I am feeling a bit lighter knowing what is for dinner tonight. I chose a crock pot meal for today so I have a pretty big window of time to prep the food and I can start it early and cook it on low or if I for some reason have to put it off I can always use the high setting.
I am only hoping I can keep this up and that it won't be something that I get sick of in a week or two!