Friday, October 22, 2010

What's For Dinner?

Tale as old as time. True as it can be...

What Mom doesn't hear that same request most nights!?

And don't you LOVE it when your hubby says, "We're having Mexican? That's what I had for lunch!"

And then the kids chime in, "I hate tomatoes! Does that RED SAUCE have tomatoes in it??"

And then you start to say something about starving children in Africa and yelling something with the word INGRATES somewhere in the middle.

Sound familiar? Yes?

GUESS WHAT I DID?


I found a really cool idea for a dry-erase menu board. And then I called my Vinyl Lady. Yes, I have one, don't you?

TA-DA!

This is a 12 x 12 frame with scrapbook paper behind the glass (I got a few different seasonal sheets for about .59 each) and vinyl lettering on the top of the glass. Add a dry erase marker to add the menu selections on a weekly basis, and you're set!

Those are the ACTUAL meals we ate last week. It worked out really well. :)

I've always known that things go better with a plan, but now that I have this HANGING ON MY KITCHEN WALL....it's not as easy to let things slide in that dept. anymore. Which makes everyone happier, including my grocery bill because I am not making last minute trips to pick up 1 ingredient and walking out with 10 THINGS!

This was the night we had Chimichurri Salmon. I made a Savory Quinoa side with it. It was DELISH!

Another idea I had this week was to let each family member pick one night that is THEIR CHOICE. It gets them really excited about their day, and on the nights that they aren't so excited about the menu selection, I can remind them that we all have our night coming up!

This week Gunnar chose Pancakes and Cinnamon Apples. Savannah chose Veggie Spaghetti. Sydney chose Pizza Night!

Banana Button Pancakes (whole wheat) from last week...

Such as easy thing, yet so LOVED by my little ones. I think this will be on the menu all season!

Cinnamon Apples

3-5 apples, peeled, cored and sectioned
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp cinnamon
1tbsp sugar
dash of water

Melt butter in saute pan, dump in apples on high heat and stir to coat in butter. Saute 2-3 minutes and add water, sugar and cinnamon, stir another 2-3 minutes, lower heat, cover until soft. Serve hot.

Do you have a Dinnertime Secret Weapon?

3 comments:

  1. What a cute menu idea! I've just done the {post it} on the fridge, but this is so much cuter. (yeah!)
    I am all for planning some meals ahead before I shop. We usually have an idea for what we are going to have that week, but not strict about what night. I have two nights that each week that have to be a crockpot or "freezer to skillet" kind of meal since we run late those days.
    LOVE your idea of having everyone pick a dinner. That totally helps MOM out. Keep the tips coming. :)

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  2. I must say that I love that vinyl...;) but even more so--those APPLES look delish! Yummy! Must try...thanks for sharing!

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