All Systems Go {A Series}: So What's For Dinner?

If you missed Part I of the series, click here. If you want to know about the nonsense that started this whole series, click here.

This is Part 2 of the series in which I tell you how to be an underachiever. I'm kidding. But it does sort of feel like that.

Oh, the systems I have tried {and abandoned} regarding grocery-shopping and meal-planning. There are many brilliant and frugal meal-planning gurus out there. As much as I love being inspired by new and fresh ideas, I am a guru of real life. It's important to balance inspiration with reality.

I know that no matter how well you plan, there will be those nights when you hit the Wendy's 99-cents menu on the way home from soccer or pull out a frozen pizza and call it dinner. I have those nights. You probably have them too. We just don't like to admit it. I do try to avoid feeding my kids over-processed junk but sometimes, garbage happens. It's okay. Give yourself some credit for feeding your family.

Now that we've gotten that unpleasantry out of the way, let's move on.

Regarding meals, I like having some meals planned out. I have tried to plan them out a month at a time and that didn't work for us. Because sometimes I just didn't feel like what was planned or The Man would unknowingly eat all of the mozzarella cheese I needed for lasagna...and then I would resent him and his cheese-loving ways for crashing my whole system.

So, here's my fancy way of doing things now.

Most of the time I make a short list of 5 meals, buy the stuff, and proceed accordingly. It's not on a pretty calendar or written in grids. It's on a post-it note and stuck to the side of my fridge, usually on the back-side of the grocery list.

If I'm out of meals and haven't gotten back to the store, I just survey the remnants of the pantry, fridge, and freezer and breathe a prayer for inspiration. Usually a meal finds its way out of the chaos.

And if those two options fail, it may be because the day has eaten me alive and I have a meal planned or even part of it prepared but am simply without the energy to make it happen. On those nights, we resort to cereal or the aforementioned frozen pizza. Or if we're feeling splurgey we call 1-800-PAPA-JOHN.

{I don't know if this is motivational how-to stuff or true confessions. It feels a little like both.}

So even though I've sworn off systems, I do have a couple of goals in mind for our busy fall. Since we'll be at the soccer field or tennis court 2 - 3 nights a week until October, I'm thinking that my crock-pot should be my best friend. I'm trying to use it more. I've become a big fan of making dinner right after breakfast.

I'm also thinking that on the occasion when I make a lasagna or casserole something or other, I should make two and freeze one. It's just as easy to make two while you're already cooking and messing up the kitchen.

So those are my two {very loose} goals. And because they are loose and doable, they are actually working quite well. Oh my, this is starting to sound like a system.

In light of those goals, I thought it may be fun to have a linky party next Monday, September 6th. I'm giving you time to prepare and maybe write a recipe post of your own so come back on Monday and we'll dish. {Get it?} If you don't have a blog, no worries. Just write your recipe in the comments when we meet back here next Monday.

I'll do a post between now and then to remind you.

Here's what I'm looking for: No Fool Back to School Meals.

What is your easy, family-friendly meal that you can always count on? {That meal that you possibly make too often and then get sick of but it always finds its way back into the rotation because you don't know what else to make.} I figure if enough of us link up then we can all find a few new favorites to put into our own rotation, thereby decreasing the repetition.

I know we all have different preferences, food aversions, and priorities with our meals. I'm sort of looking for those meals that are reasonably healthy {"real" ingredients, not overly processed}, reasonably affordable, reasonably well-balanced, and reasonably normal. Because while I totally love weird food and will eat ethnic anything, my husband and children will not.

And I will love you forever if it can be made in a crock-pot.

Wow, I am getting bossier by the sentence.

So those are the rules. Now go get yourself a cookbook and let's see what we can make! I can't wait to see what you all cook up for me when we have our party.

I'm curious. Do you have a "system" for planning meals?

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{What's for dinner tonight? Chalupas, pictured above, made in the crock pot. Recipe from Slow and Savory Suppers, a $3 e-book that you can purchase at www.thegroceryshrink.com. My family has enjoyed quite a few slow-cooked meals from this book.}