Monday, February 22, 2010

A Word About Menus...


A word about menus....it may seem a little stuffy and uptight to plan your meals a week ahead of time but if you use it right it makes life even more flexible. I look at the menu as a foundation, not really knowing what the week might bring, it is there to be changed if needed but I always know I have the ingredients for 7 healthy meals that week. I would guess we stick to the planned meal only 80% of the time (which is why you may have noticed so many repeats in my menus).

Sometimes we have scheduling issues or just want something different. Example; last week my husband asked for spaghetti one night, I didn't have this on the menu but it was easy to postpone another meal and make the one he wanted. I now have a meal from last week we didn't eat that I can use this week. Another example is that we have been trying to take a weekend trip for 3 weeks and the trip kept getting postponed. I had the meals planned so that if we didn't I was ready to keep on cooking dinners, if we did go I would use those meals as soon as we got back (and not have to run to the store). This method works for me and my family's sometimes chaotic schedule, I never know for sure how the day will go. Give it a try, even planning 3 meals in advance and shopping for them is a time saver. It is nice to know what is for dinner instead of the frantic 5:00 rush of trying to find something for dinner.

Here is a menu planner from Nourishing Days, I really like that she has room for preparation reminders. Print one out and take it with you, fill it in during your spare moments today and get in the menu habit!

2 comments:

  1. this may sound silly to you, but is it a must to begin at stage one with the intro phase when a person has no cramping, diarrhea, etc...? Can you just begin by eating the foods on the list?

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  2. Oh Melissa, I just read your last post and am feeling so much for your son. I lived till almost 40 not understanding the depression, anger, etc. that was tied to my diet. How freeing it is to just be myself. Anyway, you can definitely start the diet in stage 2 or later. I was GFCF just like your son and only spent a day or two on stage one and frankly I didn't see that it made much of a difference. I had already removed much of the starch just by being gfcf. Have you started making your own yogurt? I no longer take any probiotics, just the yogurt and cream and am feeling so good. Please contact me if you have any more questions and good luck to you and your son!

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