Good morning and welcome back to our first meal plan in over a month. I hope you had the most amazing Christmas and New Year period, even if you just spent time with the people that matter the most to you.
Last month life just got so busy that I think I pretty much burnt out towards the end of the month and by the time we broke up for Christmas, I just needed to do nothing and think about nothing. Hibernating with the family was the best thing we could have done as it has given us all time to reset and feel refreshed and ready to go (though none of us are ready for the return to work/school!).
Christmas was good for us, we are fortunate that we had pre-ordered our Musclefood delivery earlier in the year so it was already accounted for in the budget and the food is still going strong now. This year I was in two minds about whether to order their Christmas hamper as it is quite expensive in what was already a tough year financially but I am now pleased that I did now. The butterfly turkey feeds us all for lunch and dinner for 3 days, making a roast on the big day itself, a buffet on day two, and a delicious turkey pie on day 3! The beef that came with it is also going to do the same too I feel.
The hamper had more than that though, with steaks, burgers, stuffing, etc. It is something worth investing in if you can afford it, for the last 4 years or so we have ordered from them and will do it again this year.
I am going to try and get back on the meal planning this year and stick to it a bit better! With the rising costs of food, I really do not want to be wasting food, so making sure they get used up and leftovers are used to is the aim for this year.
Anyway, let’s get back to the meal plan this week.
Our weekly meal plan – 02/01/23
Monday –
Leftover beef curry – I am using up the beef from the roast yesterday, all served with rice and naan bread.
Tuesday –
Chicken and mixed veg hotpot – I am trying out this new recipe from Asda, though I forgot to get frozen veg so I will be using up some of the vegs in our fridge!
Wednesday –
Tuna pasta bake – First time in the new year and expect to see this quite a bit as I plan to do it at least once a week for a cheap and cheerful meal that I know all will eat!
Thursday –
Spaghetti bolognese – Planning to bulk cook this, with lots of mushrooms and vegetables to bulk it out and then freeze a portion.
Friday –
Burgers and chips – We don’t have any buns but I somehow have lots of odd packets of burgers that need to be used up in the freezer.
Saturday –
Vegetable chow mein – Not sure how this one will go down with fussy children but we are giving it a go and hope it becomes a winner.
Sunday –
Roast or stew – I am unsure as to what we will have yet but I will see what we fancy towards the end of the week and work from there. After a Christmas full of cooking, I may go for something in the slow cooker to give myself the day off!
This week is all about simple meals to make and try as we ease ourselves back into work and school. When life gets busy we always tend to look towards the takeaway and convenience and although there is nothing wrong with that, it is not the cheapest (or healthiest) option at times, especially when we have food in the house! We just need to look for alternatives closer to home and think of ways around it when the days are long!
If you are after some more inspiration you can check our previous weekly meal plan here. Alternatively, why not check out our Pinterest boards here for more inspiration If you have a family favourite, even the fussiest of eaters will eat, please share it in the comments below for a little inspiration for those reading this.
