My Menu Plan for the week of 8/16/10

I have discovered that menu planning makes my week flow so much smoother. I've been a bit lax this summer and haven't made up weekly menu plans regularly and I have seen the ugly results ... we've resorted to eating out way too often, which messes with our (hubby's) budget. And our meals made at home have been haphazard and thrown together at the last minute.

So when I realized that I have to work next week, I figured a menu plan was in order. I've spent the last few weeks cooking ahead for when I officially go back to work in September and I ended up with a few extra meals so I am going to use them this coming up week to make my transition back to work a bit easier.

Here's what we will be eating:

Monday
Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

Tuesday
Spaghetti, Salad, Garlic Bread
(Using pre-cooked ground beef in the freezer)

Wednesday
Rotisserie Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Ranch Beans

Thursday
Chicken w/Salsa and Cheese, Pasta w/Garlic Sauce, Broccoli
(Such an easy way to make chicken, top chicken breasts with 2 tablespoons of salsa and a sprinkling of cheese and bake - Yum!)

Friday
Mexican Penne, Salad, Rolls

Saturday
I'm thinking a big salad w/tomatoes, cucumbers, and leftover chicken from Wednesday

Sunday
We will either eat out or have leftovers

All of the main dishes are already prepped and in my freezer as I write this, which is a real relief knowing how easy my meals will be to prepare. And my grocery bill for this week will be really small as I only have to buy the veggies and a few other things like milk and fruit.

I will be linking this to Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday. Check out her post to find tons of great menu ideas from all the different people who link to her blog.