Menu Plans = More Balance

In the past, Sister C has shared how she does menu plans, with certain "themes" for each day of the week.  I (Sister K) do things a little differently.  I work outside my home at least 45 hours each week, so if I don't plan my week out on the weekend, we tend not to get meals worth bragging about for the next week.  (Translation - if I don't get it planned on Sunday, we eat a lot of cereal for the next 5 days.)

I also like to try new things and I'm currently experimenting with a lot of meatless meals.  Here's what is on our menu for this week:

Monday = Chip Hotdish (aka Taco Casserole) with tortilla chips and corn
Tuesday = Wild Rice soup with bread sticks and salad
Wednesday = Cuban Black Beans & Rice (new recipe) with salad
Thursday = Hummus Bruschetta  with Mediterranean salad (new recipe)
Friday = Italian Zucchini (new recipe) with french bread and cucumbers
Sunday = Probably leftovers.......

It works best for me if I do most of my meal planning on Sundays.  I try to pick meals, especially main dishes, that I can make with what I have on hand or what I saw in the sale ads.  That way I can make sure I get the best price on all the ingredients. I usually have to add a few non- sale items to my grocery list, but this way I can limit my spending.  I also try to look at our family activities for the week so I can plan easier meals for busier days.

Do you make meal plans at your house?  I'd love to hear how all of you handle cooking at your house.