Let's see...where to start?

Ok, I want to lower all of your expectations right away.  I don't really have it all figured out, but I am figuring out what's working for us.  What works for me, may not work for you.  But I'm a firm believer that you can pick and choose from other's experiences and maybe come up with your own way of doing things and this is a great case of that.  Some of you are stay-at-home mommies, so you will be able to do some of your prep work during nap time.  Some of you work full time like me, but have very different schedules than I do.  You get the point.  We're all different, but take what you want from my suggestions and, BY ALL MEANS, let me know if you think of something I don't.  Always open for suggestions.

I've been doing this for about 18 months now.  It really kicked into high gear when I went back to work after my baby, Cole, was born.  I was really struggling with how to manage meal time, especially since I get home pretty much after dinner time should be getting under way.  Coming home to grumpy boys is not the way to end an already long day, right?!  My mom introduced me to a local cook, Lisa, who was teaching a cooking class titled "meals in a week".  I went in hopes of finding some answers and really it changed my life.  I'm forever grateful to Lisa and her teachings.  It changed the way I looked at my week.

Ok, let's get to it.  Here's the jist of what we do (I'll get in to more details, of course!):

• Saturdays - I plan for what we want to eat for the week and do the grocery shopping (I hate that part)
• Sundays - prep / cooking day - this has turned in to a great time to plan to be home and be with the family
• I usually plan 2-3 real entrees for the week, taking leftovers into account and shaking it up throughout the week

Now the next part is key...delegate, delegate, delegate.  I'm just the planner.  I have a team to help execute.  This is where it may be different for you.  It's virtually impossible for me to be at home when dinner should be getting under way, so for us this is how the team thing works:

• I do the planning / shopping / some prep work
• Holly (THE MOST AMAZING NANNY EVERY) will do a couple things for us as instructed / needed.  She will tell you she's not even a cook, but she is a life saver!
• Daddy will put it in the oven or start the dinner before I get home

For example:  If we have tacos (easy, right?) - I'll do the shopping and cooking the meat, Holly will do the chopping so ingredients are fresh, and daddy will assemble.  That's a very simple example, but you get the idea.

I'll be sharing with all of you my actual menus and what should be prepped, frozen, etc.  I hope you find it useful.  More to come!