meal planning

Meal Planning Week 6, 7 and 8!

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 7 Comments

Since I never did a “How It Went” post for week 6 – here it is …. along with my Week 7 &  upcoming Week 8.

Week #6 Sunday: Eggs, bacon and toast! Monday: Mexican Bake.Tuesday: Chicken Parmesan and pasta.Wednesday: Olive Garden Soup  Thursday: Mini-Pizza’s Friday: Breakfast for dinner – pancakes and fruit. Saturday: Was Hilary’s family party so we ate there and snacked once we got home. The week was bang-on.

Week #7: I didn’t meal plan! Whoops! Now, this didn’t happen intentionally but I just didn’t do it and felt fine about not planning out the week. Sai was home so most nights he made his own meal and I took something out of the freezer! Yes, I STILL have food in there to it…way too much.

Week #8 (upcoming): 

Sunday: Salmon, mashed potatoes, carrots, peas and corn.

Monday: Grilled Cheese as per request by Lilly. I’m not feeling the Grilled Cheese so I’m going to have Russian Chicken (I gotta empty the freezer).

Tuesday (Christmas Eve): Vegan Waffles for the girls as they are going to eat early (5 pm) and then we can have them for breakfast Christmas morning! Sai and I are going to eat later 7:30 pm – maybe Chili from last week and some vegan appetizers.

Wednesday: Christmas Dinner – Turkey (something vegan for Sai), veggies galore and if we are lucky, pie for desert…I have no clue when I’m going to pull all this together but we’ll see!

Thursday: Leftovers!

Friday: Pork chops and Salad. Sounds boring…hummmmmm, maybe beans, rice, sweet potatoes in a wrap.

Saturday: unplanned and will go with the flow today 🙂

That’s my plan but I’m feeling this week I might change it up last-minute, we’ll see. The good things is that I have a plan and don’t have to come up with a meal.

Do you grocery shop with meals in mind or just what food you think you need?

What’s the best / worst day to do your grocery shopping? 

Do you bring your kids or go solo ? {It’s so much easier without my girls}

 

 

 

Meal Planning Week #5 ~ How It Really Went and Week #6

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 5 Comments

Last Monday I started back to work and boy was it a busy week. Between Hilary’s 1st Birthday, our family’s new Canadian citizen, Sai’s birthday and then me being on the road for two days, it was a week of eating meals from the freezer that I made.

Week #5 looked and went a little something like this:

Sunday: All Things Red Soup for Sai, Russian Chicken with Rice for everyone else.

Monday: On the road with family – Chicken, brocoli casserole – so good! Thanks Mom 🙂

Tuesday: Sweet Chili for Sai and I, Lilly had Grilled Cheese – keep it simple.

Wednesday: Chicken a-la-King with Rice for me and Mini Pizza’s for Lilly.

Thursday: Mexican Penne Bake (Not what was planned but everyone was happy).

Friday: Changed to Grilled Cheese and Veggies – I was exhausted after the week and traveling so I went simple and kept everyone happy.

Saturday: Philly Cheese Steak – so good! This might be my new favourite. Poor Lilly did not want to eat it however my quick thinking sister told her it was “fancy pizza”. So gobbled it up!

We were pretty bang on for the meals last week. Win for me! This week looks like this:

Week #6

Sunday: Eggs, bacon and toast! I’ve been wanting bacon for a few weeks now…and it was good but not awesome. Always buy bacon from your local meat market – you will never be disappointed.

Monday: Mexican Bake (left overs)

Tuesday: Chicken Parmesan and pasta.

Wednesday: Olive Garden Soup  So simple to make and freezes really well!

Thursday: Mini-Pizza’s. I’m on the road all day so something simple.

Friday: Breakfast for dinner – pancakes and fruit. This might change but at least I have an idea of what I could make.

Saturday: We are having a family birthday party for Hilary in Halifax since all of my family lives there. A fun weekend  with Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, a few cousins and friends. I’m sure cake will be on the menu…actually it is…as it’s the only thing I was asked to bring – besides the girls 😉

Any favourite eats this weekend?

Holiday baking? Yes or No?

Favourite last-minute meal?

30 Days Done in 30 Day Challenge

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 6 Comments

Well, it’s officially, the Fall into Fitness 30 Day Challenge is all done! It’s been a great 30 days of workouts, meal planning, lost a little weight and lots of blogging 🙂

The last set of 10 days I managed to:

Hours of workouts: 5 hours of workouts (walking, yoga, soccer, zumba)

Pounds lost: 0

Blog Posts: 13 (lots…wow!)

My goal: To workout four times a week this month and lose a weight (no specific goal on the weight)

  • Workout four times a week – yes.
  • Lose weight – yes.
Reasons:
1. I want to increase my fitness level to help with my running goals for 2014.
  • On my way.
2. I want to plan better meals for the whole week for my family, prepping for my return back to work from maternity leave.
And to meet / support the other bloggers in this challenge.
  • Sure did. I loved meeting other bloggers, learning about their goals, reading their posts. I’d have to say all the new blog’s I’ve been following I will continue to do so.

Now what?  

What’s on tap for December

  • Elf 4 Health Challenge – kinda failing at this one; I’ve done most of the challenges but I find myself slowly drifting away from the challenge. My elf is fun and we seem to be on the same page with the challenges. Not 100% sure if I’ll continue for round 2 as I just have too much going on with my return to work, the girls, my husband away and Christmas coming.
  • I have signed up for the Holly Jolly Challenge. Your probably thinking, Why? you can’t do the #elf4health one, why do another. Well, my goal is to work out 4 days a week for the remainder of the year and the Holly Jolly Challenge is to workout for 4 days of the week. I feel I can do this one and stick to it….I just have to remember to sign in and leave my comments.

No major races for me this December. It’s time to focus on returning to work (going well so far), the girls, maintaining the house, workout 4x week and get ready for Christmas….oh and blog of course 🙂 I’m looking forward to sitting down and focusing on my running plan for 2014; which races to run and when to train.

A BIG thanks to Katy from Happiness Through Health and Tori from Tone It With Tori for the Fall into Fitness 30 Day Challenge. It was fun and I’d totally do it again next year.

Have you finished any challenges?

Would you do them again next year?

Have you started thinking about your 2014 goals or resolutions ?

Meal Planning Week #5

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 3 Comments

Even though the Fall into Fitness Challenge is almost done, I am going to continue to meal plan for the remainder of the year. The big reason I wanted to start meal planning four weeks ago is because I return to work today! Yup, today’s the big day…back to work. Mixed feelings.

I chose my meals each week with plans of freezing a little of every meal so this week wouldn’t be a stressful week meal wise. Week #5 looks a little something like this:

Sunday: All Things Red Soup for Sai, Russian Chicken with Rice for everyone else. 

Monday: On the road with family….not eating out but at my parents.

Tuesday: Sweet Chili for everyone. (Make rice for Wed.)

Wednesday: Chicken a-la-King with Rice and veggies.

Thursday: Grilled Cheese and Veggies. (I’m traveling this day for work so I’m keeping it easy)

Friday: Mini Pizza’s.

Saturday: Home made Philly cheese Steak sandwiches. I have to get the recipe from my sister still…but I have a few days 🙂

Today’s my last day to get a workout in for the Fall into Fitness Challenge. So I packed my bag with all my running gear and plan/hope to get out for a 20-30 minute run at lunch time.

What are your meal plans for the week?

Do you ever freeze meals to have later?

Do you workout at lunch time when working?