So, I think at this point, we all know that I like planning things.

Meal planning is always something that I just sort of informally did.  Like when I’m standing in the check out line going over what is in my cart, saying, “yeah, that’s good for breakfast…..lunch is there….I guess I’ll eat that for dinner….”, etc.

It’s been getting annoying the past couple weeks when I’m finding myself having to stop in the morning to pick up lunch or going down to our cafeteria to grab a wrap.  It gets expensive and probably not the best idea for me considering all my tummy issues that I’m trying to resolve.  Planning out my meals also usually means that I will eat healthier and not just grab random snacks that are around me; again likely better for my gut.

So yesterday, I sat down with a small notebook, perused my pantry, fridge and freezer, then sat down with my Pinterest to get some ideas for what needed to be filled in. I get bored with the same things over and over, especially at lunch, which is part of where my need to buy lunch some mornings comes from.

I went through all my food boards (and purged some things; like all my avocado recipes…..I found out I’m mildly allergic to avocado awhile ago, so much sadness for that) and got some ideas.  Then I sat down to actually meal plan.  This is what I came up with:

Breakfasts

• Special K
• Activia/Yogurt
• Bananas
• Evol Breakfast Sandwiches

Lunches

• Spinach wrap
  • turkey, cheese
• 2 Smart Ones Meals
• Lunch at MSCA on Friday

Dinners

• Leftovers x2
• Rice/Veggies
• Birds Eye Voila!
• Subway/Take Out Night
• Pork Chops (Sunday)
• Pasta Salad

Sides/Snacks

• Hummus
• Sunchips
• Boom Chicka Pop
• Cucumber slices
• Red Pepper Sticks
• Baby Carrots
• Applesauce cups
• Hard-Boiled Eggs

I have a tendency to munch, so my snack list is a bit….ambitious.

Knowing this, made my shopping list nice and short because I only bought what I didn’t already have on hand:

• Red peppers (2)
• Garlic Hummus
• Turkey
• Cucumber
• Mozz Cheese
• Activia
• Bananas
• Wraps
• Sunchips
• Boom Chicka Pop
• Baby Carrots

Of course had I not gone to the store on a Sunday, I would have been in and out of the store in 20 minutes.  It also made me not buy a bunch of other things in the thought that maybe I’ll eat it one night this week or for lunch.  The only things outside of that list I picked up was dried basil, butter sticks, and a small angel food cake for my co-counselor’s birthday tomorrow.

When I came home, I even prepped all of my lunches and veggie snacks for the week.   This way I don’t have to use the excuse that I don’t feel like getting stuff ready in the morning before I go to work, or even the night before.

For lunch I made little mini wraps/rollups with turkey and a slice of mozzarella cheese and wrapped them in foil.  They will stay nice and fresh and are sitting right in the fridge just waiting for me to grab one or two and throw them in my bag.

Then I also came home and sliced up, portioned out, and baggied up all of my veggies. Cucumbers, carrots, and red peppers are pretty much my favorite veggies to eat raw, so I grabbed all of them.  There are about 17 little snack bags there and all of that came from one small bag of baby carrots, two red peppers, and two medium sized cucumbers.  I put them all in a container in my vegetable bin this way I can grab a couple of those in the morning (or whenever I want a munchie) as well and throw them into my bag.  With the tub of hummus I’ll keep at work, I’ll have easy access to a healthy snack whenever I need one.  Plus it’ll be better than reaching for those cookies that always seem to pop up in the faculty room.

I’m already starting to think about what I want for dinner next weekend.  Hopefully this will keep me, my budget, and my gut in check.

What is everyone else making for meals this week?