Seven Day Meal Planning for Crazy Busy Families

When your week is super busy and you still have to feed the family go- to your Crazy Busy Plan? Don’t have one, well this is your lucky day!  Seven Day Meal Planning for Crazy Busy Families is your lifeline to sanity plan for busy weeks. Today I am going to give you the five simple steps to create your own plan!

Seven Day Meal Planning for Crazy Busy Families

Family life is one crazy moment after another. As we ride the wave of chaos, we always make pit stops into the real world of “stuff we gotta do”.  You know laundry, bills, cleaning, and cooking.  Most of the time we all manage. We are used to the busy and make sure our coffee mugs are full and our eye-concealer aplenty on the exhausting days.

Friends, I have been there. Parenting has been a part of my life for more years than I care to count. And I still have one kid in school, so it ain’t stopping soon.

I have learned there are lots of things in life I cannot control and a few things I can. Cooking is one of those things.

We Can Make Healthy Meals

We can make healthy meals for our family. Meals that do not break the bank and suck up all our free time. This is important on the CRAZY BUSY WEEKS life throws our way.

I know it sounds like a tall order. But yes, we can learn to create a plan to use in the hard weeks.

You know the ones. The weeks when we squeeze in dentists appointments right before soccer games and do homework in laps on the way to and from both! All the while texting our spouses reminding them to remember to buy milk and cereal and asked if they picked up your youngest kid from ballet ninja class.

Friends, that is crazy busy. And we all know what it feels like. But we still have to eat. We still need to nourish all those little ones, especially during a topsy turvy week!

That is why I am sharing Seven Day Meal Planning for Crazy Busy Families Having a Seven Day Meal Plan in place will save your sanity!

Let’s Learn Seven Day Meal Planning for Crazy Busy Families!

Step One – Gather Menu Ideas

Keep a running list of food items your family loves to eat. Busy weeks are not the weeks to teach your toddler to each spinach pancakes. Toddlers have a sixth sense when their parents are in a rush. They will throw a food fit just to see if they can break you.

Choose at the minimum 14 menu ideas to keep for your plan.

Sample:

• Pizza ( Yes, pizza, I am a realist)
• Hamburgers or Hotdogs with Baked Fries
• Turkey Sandwiches with Melon Slices and Carrots
• Spaghetti with Toast and Salad
• Macaroni and Cheese, green beans,  with Apples and Grapes
• Chicken Fingers and Tater Tots
• Steak and Mashed Potatoes
• Pork cutlets, Rice and Apple Sauce
• Chicken Legs with Watermelon and a green vegetable.
• Soup and PB&J Sandwiches

 

Step Two – Gather Recipes

Gather recipes for soups, meaty spaghetti sauce, chili, chicken legs, chicken breasts and anything else you can make ahead or cook in a slow cooker.  YES, I am on team slow cooker and not the Instant Pot for busy school nights. You do not have to babysit the slow cooker when you get home, he is already there waiting with the meal cooking and most likely ready to eat!

Step Three – Plan

Plan your meals with your calendar in hand. Will you have time to get the slow cooker ready in the morning? Do you need to buy a few things on the weekend to make dinners simple through the week? What healthy versions of the family favorites can you find?

Examples:

• Organic Tater Tots – Bake them in the oven while you are going the backpacks. Then heat nitrate free hotdogs and serve it with a cut up apple.
• Organic Mac and Cheese is easy to find these days, they even sell it at Target! Serve this with fresh vegetables and fruit or green peas from a can, if your kids will eat them.
• Got 30 minutes: Turn the oven on the second you walk in the door. This makes cooking simple meats easy, thawed chicken legs. Kids love them, they have a built-in handle!
• Slow Cooker Heaven – Once you find three tried and true slow cooker meals your family will eat, your life will simplify. Our family favorite is Corn Potato Chowder with tons of bacon and cheese to top it.

Step Four – Check Your Stock

Create your plan for the week. Then make sure you have all the items ready for the quick meals. Make a second list for items needed and shop for them on your least busy day.

Check your meal schedule daily to take out meats and anything else from the freezer you might need for the next day’s meals.

Step Five – Post Your Menu For The Family To See

Send a copy of your meal plan to your spouse and older kids so they can chip in with preparing meals as needed.  Your family will enjoy meals more when everyone participates in prep and clean up. I know it sounds crazy, and at first, they may complain. But kids love order, and they also love burgers and fries, so it all works out in the end!

I hope these steps will help! Seven Day Meal Planning for Crazy Busy Families is not just for families it is for everyone!

Our Crazy Busy Meal Plan For the Week

• Monday – Spicy Turkey Chili ( From The Freezer) with Skillet Cornbread (made the night before)
• Tuesday – Missippi Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Mashed Potatoes
• Wednesday – Nitrate Free Turkey Dogs with Organic Tater Tots and Sliced Cucumbers
• Thursday – Sriracha Chicken Legs with Rice ( made the night before)  and Green Peas ( from a can!)
• Friday – Tuna Salad With Extra Veggies ( new recipe), watermelon and strawberries.
• Saturday –  30 Minute Whole Roasted Chicken in the Microwave ( game changer), Salad, and Fresh Fruit
• Sunday – Steaks on the grill, Oven Roasted Corn on the Cob, and Cucumber Tomato Salad

 

What do you think about this menu plan? Have questions? Comment below! Don’t forget to like us on Facebook, follow us on Pinterest and connect with us on Instagram and tag your @mommacan  recipes with #mommacan, while you’re at it…I  love to see your pics! 

Need more Menu Planning Ideas?  Check out our many yummy meal planning ideas here!  What’s For Supper? Menu Planning for Busy Families