The Southern Mercantile
  • Home
  • Getting Acquainted
    • OUR STORY
    • MEET OUR MAKERS
  • blog
  • Shop
  • Recipe Archive
  • Events

Meal Planning like a Pro

2/14/2018

0 Comments

 
PictureTara
​While we're still in the spirit of a new year, join me in being a little more organized in the kitchen!  I have always tried to plan ahead when it comes to dinner, but nevertheless, I fall short a few ingredients each week.  Who wants to spend MORE time at the grocery store and LESS time at home? Not me!

Sunday is usually my day to plan.  I like to think through the week and what all we have going on.  Busy nights call for quick and simple dinners (or leftovers!) and slower nights produce some of our favorite home cooked meals.  Either way, I try to make a plan that fits our schedule and the time I have to prepare.  On some nights, I even try to prep what I can for the nights to come!  Chopping, grating, marinating...there's always something that can be done ahead!

Picture
Picture
Our local grocery store sends out a sale paper every Wednesday.  It's helpful in the planning process to know what's on sale, and it even helps me come up with dinner ideas as I flip through the pages!  We also have a wonderful local Meat Market that is always ready to help!  It is so nice to shop local and know that your food is fresh.  Phillip is good about helping me come up with dinner ideas--it is always refreshing to have requests, that makes my job a lot easier!  I also try to keep my pantry and freezer stocked with items to pull from, just in case something comes up!

​You may not know this about me, but I majored in Consumer Economics and minored in Consumer Foods.  For a whole semester I studied dietary needs and how to plan nutritious meals that fit the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  I absolutely loved my major/minor combination and it proved to be perfect training for what I do day-to-day!
Picture
My last day of school, in front of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences building!
I'm not going to get too nutritious on y'all, because Lord knows I am not the healthiest kid on the block!  I do, however, think it is important to think about the food pyramid when planning to make sure that your family is eating balanced meals!
Picture
Here's a breakdown of what the Food Pyramid recommends.  I have included an example or two to give you an idea of what a serving looks like!

Milk, Yogurt, Cheese, 2-3 Servings per day.
(1 cup of milk/yogurt or 2 ounces of cheese is 1 serving)

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs & Nuts, 2-3 Servings per day.
(1 chicken breast or 2 eggs is 1 serving)

Vegetable Group, 3-5 Servings per day
(1 cup raw leafy vegetables or 1/2 cup cooked vegetables is 1 serving) 

Fruit Group, 2-4 Servings per day
(1 apple, banana or orange is 1 serving)

Bread, Cereal, Rice & Pasta, 6-11 Servings per day
(1 slice of bread or 1/2 cup cooked pasta is 1 serving)

Here is a simple example of a balanced meal plan for one day.

Breakfast:  cereal, milk, banana or fruit juice
Lunch: turkey sandwich with lettuce and tomato and cheese, apple
Snack: popcorn
Dinner: spaghetti with meat sauce, spinach salad and garlic bread

Servings required per person may look a little different--so check out this Food Guide Pyramid booklet for more detailed information!
​*I DO NOT plan my meals like this*, but having a consumer foods background makes me aware of what I'm putting in my buggy and stocking on my shelves.  Every time I go to the grocery store, I make sure to purchase at least two types of fruit, since I don't typically include fruit in my dinner plans!  Unless we're having cobbler for dessert ;) just kidding! But really...

Try to be flexible during the week and don't stress when things don't go as planned.  Sitting down together every night is really the most important goal!
Picture
​If you are from the South, you should be familiar with the Meat'n'Three mentality--which in my opinion, helps you reach your food planning goals! (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, check out this article by Southern Living.)  I usually plan one meat, one to two vegetables, and one to three starches (grain).  Every meal is different, and some may lack in one area but I'll try to make up for that another night!

​Side note: Growing up, we ate at the Osceola Restaurant here in downtown Ocilla, but it's closed now. Two of my current favorite Meat'n'Three inspired restaurants are in Athens--Kelly's Jamaican Food and Weaver D's.  When I was in need of comfort food, you could find me at Kelly's eating a hefty serving of mac and cheese.
Picture
Picture

So, I hope all of my rambling has inspired you to sit down and do a little brainstorming!  Get in the groove of thinking about the week ahead and what you can do to make dinner run a little smoother.  In summary, here are a few tips to help you in the planning process!
  • consider weekly obligations/time management
  • plan for leftovers
  • keep canned vegetables, rice, frozen meat etc. stocked in the pantry
  • shop the sales
  • use the food guide pyramid to create balanced meals
  • ask the family for suggestions
  • be flexible!

If you're like me, having a fun notepad or planner makes planning things a little more bearable!  How cute is this new Everyday Meal Planner by Rifle Paper Co.?
Picture
This weekly planner has 52 pages to help you stay organized all year long, and comes complete with a perforated shopping list on the side!
Picture
I can't wait to start using this planner myself, and enjoy the planning process a little bit more!  I hope you'll join me in making dinners a little more fun and a little less stressful this year.  Enjoy dinner with your family.  Don't sweat the prep because, in my opinion, it's the most magical time of the day!
Shop Now!
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    @thesouthernmerc



    Categories

    All
    Alder Street Renovation
    Beauty
    Beech St. Bungalow
    Brick House On Beech Street
    By Jorjanne
    By Roxie
    By Tara
    Childhood
    Christmas
    Curated Collection
    Decorating
    Easter
    Events
    Faith And Community
    Fall
    Family
    Free
    Gardening
    Getting Crafty
    Get Togethers
    Gift Ideas
    Meet Our Makers
    Organization
    Printable
    Recipes
    Renovations
    Showers
    Southern Summer
    Spring
    Style
    Thanksgiving
    Traditions
    Travel
    Tutorial
    Valentines-day
    Video-tutorial
    Wedding
    Words From Fellow Southerners

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014

    Subscribe to our mailing list

    * indicates required



Home



About



Contact

Pinterest

instagram

Facebook

Picture
Copyright © 2015