Meal planners. Do you do them?

My attempts at meeting the 'Yummy Mummy' criteria I've set in my head tend to rely on getting the basics right.  You know, like getting enough sleep for instance.  Like smiling a lot as you are so organised and calm you have nothing to frown about.

Unfortunately I'm not the sort of person who can avoid frowning.  In fact my lips, unfortunately, sit at a naturally downturned angle even when I'm doing the screensaver face.  You know the one.  When you are sat staring at the TV or laptop and your face goes into it's screensaver mode; it's default setting.  Just be careful that it's not one with mouth slightly open.  I've found myself watching TV with mouth open before.  It's not a great look.

So; chocolates, beer & banoffee pie for tea!

My frowning would be dramatically reduced if I didn't create things to get stressed about.  Meal times for example.  If I planned out my meals for the week, or even month, knowing who would be in for tea and how much preparation and cooking time I'd have each day.  If I shopped accordingly and followed the plan, then meal times would be stress free occasions where the entire family received a balanced nutritious and tasty meal without fuss.

What do you think actually happens in our house?

Yep.  Unorganised last minute chaos because I don't plan meals.

What does happen is that Hubby goes off at the weekend to do the grocery shopping with the girls leaving me time to get the chores done.  If there are offers on, then great, he buys things with the intention of freezing them thinking we're getting a great deal.  He buys a few bits and pieces for sandwiches (Bread, cucumber, cooked ham - you know the sort of thing).  And we'll probably get a roast, with potatoes and vegetables to go with it.

So that covers maybe three days, realistically.  Because for the rest of the week, though we have cupboards full of tins and packets and a freezer full to bursting, we don't have the fresh food we need to cook with.  So there's me, not even thinking about tea time until I've picked up the girls from school and nursery on my way home from work, arriving home at 4pm and not having a clue what to make for dinner.

Any meat we have is in the freezer and don't even get me started on using a microwave for that!  I don't trust it for defrosting.  Never have. So, as a consequence of this, and the fact that I don't think to take any meat out of the freezer to defrost naturally overnight, then food has a tendency to go to our freezer to die.

What do the girls end up with for tea? Beans on Toast, Sandwiches or Fish fingers, steamed (frozen) vegetables and rice.  It's not inspiring, but I don't worry much on the days they've been to school and nursery as they have hot dinners there, so it's only really a light tea I need to give them.  This is what I tell myself to feel better.  Funnily enough it doesn't work.

It's my husband I feel most sorry for.  He's not exactly getting a lovingly made pie on his return from work at 8pm.  In fact often I've eaten sandwiches with the girls and he is left to fend for himself.  I am such a poor wife when it comes to feeding my man!  And on the basis that I'm home, with the time to cook it, I feel I should be doing so.

Recipe Junkie shared her monthly meal planner on her blog the other day.  I was astounded.  I didn't realise people actually planned meals like that.  It looks fabulous.  There are meals on there I can't even pronounce.

And so she inspired me to have a go.  I am going to set a plan for the next month.  The only tricky thing is; I don't actually know how to cook much!?  Help!  If you have any ideas for quick and easy nutritious meals, feel free to share your recipes. Please!

Stay tuned for the meal planner big reveal next time.