Meal Planning... Why? How?

I posted a few pictures on Instagram about my Meal Plan tactics!  I have had an overwhelming response to the pictures, questions... comments... ideas... so I thought I would write a post that both explains how I do it, and provides the tools for you to do it!  I actually sell these tools as a laminated set in my Etsy Shop, but I thought I would give my interested readers the opportunity to have them for free!!  This will be temporary.  I will pull the download links in the next 2 weeks.

The reason I meal plan is simple... it saves me money!  There are 2 rules I have created for myself when it comes to buying groceries.

1)  Never go to the grocery store hungry.
This is vital!  Eat before you shop, or you will purchase things that "sound good"!

2)  Never go to the grocery store without a list.
I don't care if my list has 4 things on it, and it is pouring down rain.  I will go back to the car and get the list!  If I do not, 2 things happen, I forget 1 item that was important enough for me to make the trip, and 2 I start "browsing"!  "Oh that is new, I should try that.  I bet Abbie would love this."

PROBLEM!

So, being that a list is vital, what do I put on the list?  AH HA... this is where meal planning is essential!  My system for meal planning seems a LOT more complicated than it actually is!  First I begin by filling out our family calendar for the month.  I need to know what day's Derik is home in the evening.  If he isn't home, I can fend for myself, and grab a can of soup!

This is my "Mommy Central"... it is where I keep all planning tools together!  They are in frames so that I can write on the glass with markers, and erase each week!  The top is a calendar, which needs to be replaced with 2012, but that hasn't been my top priority!  The left is our weekly event list, the right is our Eat Sheet where we list out the meal plan, and the bottom is our family calendar.  

The green stickers represent Derik's schedule.  When there is no sticker, he is off.  When there is a sticker with no numbers on it... he is early out.  I can glance at this calendar and know quickly when Derik is home! There are some other items on the calendar that effect dinner plans as well.  So, I take this down and bring it to the table with me while I plan...

I created a blank calendar in Microsoft Word, which you can download here.

I printed out 12 blank calendars and filled out the one for January.

I use a green marker to highlight pay days, and a blue marker to highlight shop days.

 This is my "Shop Folder".  I take this to the grocery store with me.  

Inside of it are all of my goodies, and I use the black clip to attach my grocery list.

These are all of the basic tools that I use to plan out my meals each month!

I shop twice a month, so for those who shop once monthly... you may need a larger grocery list.

I use a Pantry Inventory, which can be downloaded here.

A Grocery list, which can be downloaded here.

A Weekly meal list which can be downloaded here.

And a store map of my grocery store.  Most grocery stores have them.  Check with the Customer Service desk, and they should give you one for free!

With all of my handy planners, I begin work.  After I get the meals for the month chosen and wrtten onto my calendar, I begin working on the grocery list.  If you have your pantry inventory list written out, it makes life easier!  I go meal to meal, and I write on the grocery list what I need to make the meal.  If the inventory is filled out, I can remove what I already have before writing the grocery list.  If it isnt... I go to my pantry when I am finished, and I mark off what I have already.  

Once I am finished making my list, if I have the time... I rewrite it!  That's right!  On the back of my REUSABLE grocery list (I laminated my lists) I use my aisle guide to write my list out aisle by aisle.  

This allows for FAST grocery shopping!

I cut coupons when I have them.  Sometimes I print offline, but not often.

A list like this makes couponing easy!  I am not sorting through coupons in the store... I pull coupons when I make my list, and set them aside.  They are all ready to go when I get to the register.

I also use cloth grocery bags.  I have 6 cloth totes, a cooler tote, 6 produce bags, and a tote that I use specifically for the produce to all go into!  I also keep a cooler in my trunk.  The cooler is one that folds flat and it takes up almost no room!  But, when I get to the car... I can use it for anything cold!  I actually take the cooler into Costco.  Put it in the cart, and filler up!

I have also taken interest in Freezer Cooking.  I purchased several meals worth of ingredients with the intention of prepping meals that will be stored in the freezer until ready!

I hope this helps, and I hope that you will meal plan too!  It is such a wonderful thing to do!

 - Jessica

Fix-a-Chair

It has been a LONG time since I posted on this blog!  However, I did a simple project today, that I thought was worthy of a post here! 

A few months ago, I ordered a table and chair set from IKEA for my daughter's playroom!  It has been a great little table and chair set, the only issue with it is... it isn't really "adult friendly"!!  My husband and I were both aware of this, but one day a couple of weeks ago, he had a momentary lapse of memory and forgot this little detail!  The chair seat broke ( I chose not to take a picture, as it was a little embarrassing to him!!), and I thought I was going to throw out the chair.  While Abbie could still sit on the chair, there were parts of it that seemed a little "sharp", and I didn't want to risk a cut down the back of her leg!  So, I came up with an idea, that worked like a charm!

I took the chair apart, and pulled the "seat" out.  I had a memory foam mattress pad that we had cut into many pieces (my son's crib, the pack and play... LONG STORY!!!) and I had a few pieces left.  I cut the memory foam to fit on top of the seat, and used spray adhesive to set it in place. 

Then I took some extra fabric I had lying around, and cut a cover.  I wrapped the fabric around the seat, and pushed the seat back into place.  I put the chair back together and BAM... fix-a-chair!!!  Since the seat had to slide into slots cut for it... the fabric is held into place tightly!  I trimmed off the extra fabric below the chair, and I think they look adorable!

Table Set BEFORE

Table Set AFTER

COST OF THIS PROJECT - $0.00
I had everything needed in my craft stash!

 - Jessica

HE Washer + Cloth Diapers = GREEN!

Well, we are diving back into the cloth diaper world at full speed!  With 2 kids in diapers and 1 on formula, the baby budget is busting at the seams!  We decided that one of the most cost effective options for us would be cloth diapers!

A fabulous friend of mine loaned me 10 BumGenius All in One (One Size) diapers.  We will be using these on Abbie!  I ordered 12 Jungle Roo Diapers that I found on Zulilly for $9.99/each, 2 hanging wet bags, a diaper sprayer, and some hemp doublers!  We are ready to do this...

After a LOT of research online, and some experimenting with my washing machine, I found a GREAT way to wash the diapers in my HE machine.  About a year ago, we bought a LG HE Top Loading washing machine and the matching dryer.  I didn't want front loaders, because I like loading and unloading the washing machine from the top!  My washer came with a lot of options that I hadn't tried out until now!  Here is my washing routine...

I use the Special Option function to select RINSE+SPIN cycle on COLD, and I turn the SPIN OFF!

That cycle takes 11 min, and my machine beeps to tell me it's finished!

I then add the cloth diaper friendly detergent, right now we are using PLANET.

Then I choose the NORMAL load OPTION, with HOT/COLD & add and EXTRA RINSE!

FINISHED... Toss them into the dryer with 4 Wool Dryer Balls at 30 min & into the sun if needed!

The "diaper pail" option that I choose is a hanging wet bag.  I ordered the FuzziBunz bags and they simply hang on the door knob!  The best feature about them is the zipper on the bottom of the bag!  When the bag is full... I just unzip and let the diapers fall into the dryer!  I did order a diaper sprayer which is TOTALLY worth the $45 I spent on it!  I no longer have to deal with getting mess off the diaper!  Just spray it right into the potty!

The cloth diaper friendly diaper rash cream that we will be using is CJ's Butter.  If we need something stronger CJ's does make a stronger version... or we can test out some other products.  I love the smell options that CJ's offers!  My daughter is in the Mango, Sugar, & Mint Blend and my son is in the Blueberry Crumble scent!

For Wipes, we chose the BumGenius flannel wipes, but I found them on sale for $5/pack! Finally, when we travel, we chose the Kushies wet bags!  I love the prints, and the price includes 2 bags!

I am very excited about our new adventure, but more excited about the fact that we will no longer be buying diapers!

All together, to acquire all necessary cloth diaper items, I spent around $250.
That may sound like a lot of money, but do the math!  I spent about $80/month on diapers & wipes for 2 children!  That means in  less than 4 months time... I am no longer spending money on diapers or wipes!  And an added bonus, if we have another baby... we never pay for diapers!  You can sell used cloth diapers too... so when we decide we are done... I will market the entire set as a package deal!  Makes good sense to us :)

 - Jessica