the weight loss papers

On the menu this week:

Note that during the week, the kids will either have cereal or oatmeal for breakfast and I will have a protein shake so I’m only listing lunch, dinner and snacks.

Monday:
AM Snack - Nectarines
Lunch - Tuna on homemade oatmeal bread, spinach salad w/raspberry vinaigrette
PM Snack - Avocado slices
Dinner - Grilled salmon filets, roasted baby red potatoes w/asparagus, spinach salad w/Asian sesame dressing

Tuesday:
AM Snack - Bananas
Lunch - Lentil soup w/homemade oatmeal bread (toasted), spinach salad w/diced tomatoes, garlic, green beans and roasted red pepper and tomato vinaigrette
PM Snack - Whole wheat Ritz crackers w/homemade red pepper and garlic hummus
Dinner - Crockpot chicken, steamed carrots and peas, wild rice

Wednesday:
AM Snack - Applesauce
Lunch - Ham and cheese sandwiches on whole wheat bread w/mustard, raw baby carrots
PM Snack - Peanut butter and celery
Dinner - Tacos w/beans, extra lean ground beef, onions, diced tomatoes, cheese

Thursday:
AM Snack - Peaches and Pears
Lunch - Individual pizzas w/sauce, onions, garlic, sun dried tomatoes and feta cheese
PM Snack - Graham crackers
Dinner - Grilled pork steaks w/applesauce, steamed broccoli and mashed potatoes

Friday:
AM Snack - Strawberries
Lunch - Split Pea soup w/sourdough bread, spinach salad w/roasted red pepper and tomato vinaigrette
PM Snack - Popcorn
Dinner - Stir fry chicken w/carrots, broccoli, pea pods, celery, slivered almonds, and cauliflower

Saturday:
Breakfast - Crockpot hashbrown casserole, homemade oatmeal bread w/strawberry jam
AM Snack - Apple slices
Lunch - Macaroni and cheese
PM Snack - Plums
Dinner - Pot stickers w/wild and brown rice

Sunday:
Breakfast - Frittata w/broccoli, onions, peppers
AM Snack - Oranges
Lunch - Turkey meatball sandwiches on rolls w/vegetarian potato salad
PM Snack - Popsicles
Dinner - Grilled chicken tenderloins w/herb seasoned penne pasta, squash, spinach salad

Yum! It’s going to be a delicious week. I’ll also be baking bread several times throughout the week including oatmeal bread, sandwich bread and whole wheat. I may even try to make some sun dried tomato and basil french bread.

Is there value in meal planning? Should one plan meals weekly? Is meal planning really all that helpful? Does it work for people who are losing weight?

And the answer is . . . absolutely!

I’ve never been much of a meal planner even though friends and family have been telling me for years that I should give it a try. Well, sure I tried it a few times and didn’t stick with it for long. Something always hijacked my good intentions.
But back in January I began doing it again. Mostly for the kids because they were always asking what we were having for dinner or lunch or whatever. Or if they could have a snack. So, I created a menu template for the week broken down into breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks and it’s really working well. Not only do I not get the nagging of what’s for dinner, but the kids know exactly what they can eat and when. It’s helping cut down on our grocery bills too which is a huge plus with 6 people in the house!

It’s also a great thing for my husband who is not always that good at deciding what (and how!) to cook. On days that I have homework and need the extra study time, he can now go into the kitchen, whip out whatever is on the menu and make dinner. Of course, I’m still stuck with lunch and what-not since I’m home with the kids during the day but it’s so much easier. It’s taking a lot less time to fix meals and it’s easy to shop, too. I find I don’t buy things that aren’t on my list anymore. That’s a bonus for more reason than one.

So, try creating a weekly menu plan. I will be uploading a PDF copy of my sample menu that you’re free to use if you like. I’ll try to do that by Wednesday this week.

It’s off to bed now, though, because I’m extremely tired already.

~ Annie

UPDATE - Here’s the template - Weekly Menu Template

It’s in PDF format so you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open the file. It’s probably already on your computer but if not, you can get it from Adobe.com . Enjoy!