It's 2 days before payday, and if you are a military spouse you know why I'm even mentioning that. Payday is a day that most of us fear and the rest love. I fear. Its absolute madness at the commissary (the grocery store on military bases). Yes we have H.E.B. and of course super walmart but those are just as bad, if not worse.
Personally, if I have to wait until payday to go to the commissary I go early in the morning. There's no rush and I can get in and out. Of course I have to have a plan. A list. A method. Here's my method for the grocery store, including a meal plan.
I start off by counting the number of days from payday to payday. This keeps it safe, as far as having meals on the table. Life in the army is all about planning and preparing. This month I counted 15 days. I write down our dinners first. I get my dinners from previous meals, pinterest and of course the blog world. A lot of times its inspiration. This works for me because then I can plan breakfast and lunch around it with the food prep I do on Sundays.
Starting with March 16th:
- "Tofurky sausage" baked ziti
- Corned beef and cabbage (Happy St. Paddy's day!!!!)
- Turkey burgers w/ corn on the cob
- Pizza
- Cilantro lime fish tacos with guacamole and cabbage and carrot slaw
- Whole wheat spaghetti with turkey meat sauce
- Seared Scallops with pineapple fried rice
- Turkey & bean stew
- Tamales
- Sweet shrimp with cauliflower and brown rice
- Chicken skillet dinner
- Quinoa & veggie stuffed "peppahs"
- Spicy rigatoni with peas
- Veggie Lasagna
- Black bean & corn tacos
I make my lunch and breakfast plan on Sunday food prep. Since I just started doing this, before I was just "winging" it. It worked out for us because I stay at home while my husband works and I can come up with what to eat. I understand this may be harder for those of you that work so I am strongly suggesting food prep!
Here's what my Sunday Food prep was like:
- Season to your liking 4 chicken breasts and bake int he oven on 375 for about 30 minutes
- Bake 4 sweet potatoes in the oven on 375 until soft (about 45 minutes)
- chop or dice all of you're veggies accordingly for dinners and salads ( I like to plan for at least 2 salads in the week, even if I use the veggies for something else, its always an option)
- cook about 2 cups of brown rice (also to use for lunches)
- cook 2 cups of quinoa
- separate all of you're prep into baggies or Tupperware (this is my favorite part!)
- Admire you're work, and then walk away. Seriously, walk away, take a break, you deserve it!
- go back in the kitchen and find that you're sweet husband has done all the dishes for you....right. just kidding. But in all honesty, it's dishes and it can wait and is totally worth doing because you now have fresh, healthy, clean means for the whole week!
- Sweet potato, avocado and poached eggs over toast
- chocolate, peanut butter quinoa
- blueberry, banana protein pancakes
- 4 ingredient peach pancakes (blog coming soon)
- scrambled egg whites with spinach, tomato and cheese
- egg white omelet with tomato & mozzarella
- banana protein muffins
- cleaned up french toast
Sample lunch ideas:
- leftover spaghetti with meat sauce
- spinach and romaine salad with beet, feta, mandarins and olive oil
- quinoa & kale pizza bites
- chicken, sweet potato and brown rice
- spinach & tuna wraps with olive oil
- Asian stir fry with whole wheat noodles, cabbage, carrots & sesame seeds
- hard boiled eggs with cucumber & spinach salad
- Cottage cheese and kale loaded sweet potato
I look at all the dinners, breakfasts, and lunches that I write down and start my list from there.
I then add basic necessities that we use every day like, Greek yogurt, fruits, eggs, milk, bread and granola, canned/ baking goods, frozen/ seafood, dairy, and finally non-food items. If you are just starting out you may need to add spices, oil, and marinade/dressings to you're list:
- olive oil
- low sodium soy sauce
- sea salt
- black pepper
- adobo
- balsamic vinegar
- cumin
- garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- basil
- oregano
The I do a final draft and organize by produce, canned/ dry goods, meat, dairy, and finally non food items.
This is what my final list looks like (keep in mind, this takes me about 2-3 days)
Sometimes I go to the commissary and HEB. and Sometimes I just do 1 or the other. If there are things I can't find at one store I of course have to go to the other store.
Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions. I am always interested in suggestions!
Enjoy, and have fun!
-D