Last week was my first 4-day rather than 5-day week, since deciding to work part-time and keep the Bean at home with me for one day. So this little chappy and I spent the day working out how to use a watering can.
HOWEVER. I suddenly realised it’s made me go ‘level-up’ in the meal-planning stakes.
Not only is there now an extra day a week when the Very Hungry and Impatient Toddler wants lunch, I also can’t count on having time to make dinner early that day. Refused-nap-calamity could strike...
So-hooo, I need to factor this in. I have heard of those American Moms who set aside one day a month to batch cook and freeze a month’s worth of meals. A MONTH. Not going to happen here: planning a week is eye-wateringly hard already, plus I have a freezer the size of a shoe box.
But I guess I could try a little harder to freeze an extra few portions of sauce here, make more than just one meal’s worth of chicken there. Which, if you recall, is what I initially planned on doing when I started meal planning, but, erm, yeah. It didn’t last.
Actually, it’s not my fault - I have a food-hoover in the house. I make more, M-Big eats more. And I get the feeling M-Little is going exactly the same way. Yes, blame them!
This week I’m going to try a little bit though. Just have to make sure I squirrel away the extra portions before anyone sees them…
Not only is there now an extra day a week when the Very Hungry and Impatient Toddler wants lunch, I also can’t count on having time to make dinner early that day. Refused-nap-calamity could strike...
So-hooo, I need to factor this in. I have heard of those American Moms who set aside one day a month to batch cook and freeze a month’s worth of meals. A MONTH. Not going to happen here: planning a week is eye-wateringly hard already, plus I have a freezer the size of a shoe box.
But I guess I could try a little harder to freeze an extra few portions of sauce here, make more than just one meal’s worth of chicken there. Which, if you recall, is what I initially planned on doing when I started meal planning, but, erm, yeah. It didn’t last.
Actually, it’s not my fault - I have a food-hoover in the house. I make more, M-Big eats more. And I get the feeling M-Little is going exactly the same way. Yes, blame them!
This week I’m going to try a little bit though. Just have to make sure I squirrel away the extra portions before anyone sees them…
fish fingers with peas & mash
pasta with lentil, red pepper & tomato sauce
roast salmon with broad bean, asparagus & mint salad (a little like this one)
salmon chowder
gnocchi with tomato & red pepper sauce
roast chicken with grilled asparagus salad & croquettes
pasta with lentil, red pepper & tomato sauce
roast salmon with broad bean, asparagus & mint salad (a little like this one)
salmon chowder
gnocchi with tomato & red pepper sauce
roast chicken with grilled asparagus salad & croquettes
Can you spot the clever double-ups? Oh and if we're sick of (lovely, lovely) asparagus by the end of this week, it doesn't matter - the season is coming to an end. *sniff*
