Hello friends, and happy new week! I am getting my ducks in a row for the next 2-3 weeks, and trying to organize as much as possible for my household. We're officially in back-to-school mode with school starting the middle of next week. With orientations, doctor's appointments, organizing school supplies, and and getting ready to bring a new baby home in five weeks, the last thing I want to worry about is what we'll have for dinner every night.

I've mentioned before that I typically plan for dinners 2-3 weeks at a time. A month at a time seems too much, but I can stick with three weeks! By planning our meals ahead of time, we save so much time, and save a lot of money, as we're not scrambling to pick something up last minute and spending a quarter of our grocery budget to go out to eat.

I thought I would share our family dinner meal plan for the next two weeks to help you get motivated or inspired to add some of these meal ideas to your weekly dinner menu, or to even start a plan if you don't currently meal plan.

Week of August 1st

Sunday- Chicken cor don bleu, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli

Monday- Open for an optional night out

Tuesday- Grilled Italian chicken, corn on the cob, fresh fruit skewers

Wednesday- Chicken fajitas with grilled peppers and onions (cheese quesadillas for kids), Tortilla chips

Thursday- Kielbasa, pan potatoes, sauteed zucchini

Friday- Hamburgers, baked onion rings

Saturday- Ravioli, salad, garlic toast

Week of August 8th

Sunday- Grilled pork tenderloin cutlets, white rice, sauteed zucchini

Monday- Hamburger stroganoff, egg noodles, steamed broccoli

Tuesday- Homemade chicken nuggets, pan potatoes, steamed broccoli

Wednesday- Grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables

Thursday- Spaghetti and meatballs, Caesar salad, garlic bread

Friday- Beef and broccoli bowls with white rice

Saturday- Homemade pizza and salad

Some grocery items, such as the chicken cor don bleu, meatballs, raviloi, and garlic toast can be found in the frozen section at Aldi. They are time savers and can be used for multiple meals, which saves a good amount of money. Everything else, such as the stroganoff, pizza, beef and broccoli bowls, onion rings, burgers, nuggets, etc., we make from scratch with fresh ingredients. Does it take more time? Yes, of course- but with planning and meal prepping, it can be done quickly and easily with little clean-up. We do try to avoid boxed/pre-packaged meals most nights. There are a couple of nights a week that are extra busy, and we do take shortcuts sometimes.

We eat a lot of fresh veggies. My kids actually prefer them to anything frozen, but frozen veggies do work in a pinch! More than half of our weekly grocery budget is spent on fresh fruits and vegetables, and hardly any of it ever goes to waste, which makes me happy.

Most of the meals I shared above are really versatile, and they are quick to make! You could take these suggestions and change out the sides and veggies (my kids only like corn, broccoli, and zucchini) for other yummy veggies, or double veggies without the extra carbs.

Desserts? We try to save desserts for weekends and just enjoy popcorn or Goldfish crackers if a snack is needed before bed. Some of our favorite desserts are homemade cookie bars or brownies. Right now, fruit is a summertime favorite!

Are you someone who plans meals ahead of time? How far in advance do you plan your meals? What are some of your family's favorites?