MVP #GenerationGo: Meal Planning (& A $50 Visa Gift Card Giveaway)

Several weeks ago, I was asked to join the MVP Generation Go Ambassador Program to share a multitude of subjects ranging from community exploration, favorite recipes to time management and back-to-school tips.  Along with sharing these topics, Kids Fun Plaza are generous enough to give away a $50 Visa Gift Card each week to one of my readers, which has been a very popular giveaway here.

Who can say no to free money? I know I can’t! {You can enter below}

What is MVP Generation Go?

The MVP Generation Go Program was established by MVP Health Care to help parents and children live a healthy lifestyle by getting families to get up, go outdoors and stay active.  It’s a way to live well.  They believe all children have the power to make healthy choices and that is the main reason they started the MVP Generation Go Program.

Since I joined the program a bit late, I missed a few weekly topics.  This week I’ll be talking about Meal Planning.

PlannerMy take on Meal Planning

Allow me to start off by saying I don’t do any meal planning, per se. I don’t write down any meals for the week on a calendar like some people do.  My kind of meal planning is looking through the weekly supermarket circular and buying what’s on sale for that week.  It makes it easier to figure out what meals I will make for my family while saving money.  It also leaves time for me to do other things, such as watching our favorite TV shows together.

It doesn’t always work out that way. There are times where I am going crazy figuring out dinner because I didn’t pre-plan dinner ideas earlier so I am confronted by my kids with the unpleasant question, “What’s for dinner, Mom?”

You have no idea how I despise when my kids say that. By the time 5pm comes around, I know for a fact one of them will come to me with that question.

When worse comes to worse, we call for delivery.  It’s usually pizza or Chinese food.  Where we live,  those are the choices we have when it comes to delivery.

As you can tell, my meal planning isn’t very efficient. So I would love for you to share your secrets, tips and/or tricks for planning your meals.

______________________________

 

GIVEAWAY

MANDATORY ENTRY: Tell me in a comment your best secret, tip or tricks to get your meals on the table.

FOR ADDITIONAL ENTRIES

1) Like the MVP GenerationGo Fan page and add your tip on the best way to plan your daily/weekly meal.

2) Tweet your “Tips” comment with these hashtags: #GenerationGo & #MealPlan.

3) Follow New York Chica and Tweet this (Once a day):

Have a #MealPlan tip? Share it for a chance 2 win a $50 GC from @NewYorkChica Ends Sept 10th. http://bit.ly/r0gEXL #GenerationGo #Giveaway

4) Like this post (button is below this post).

5) “Like” New York Chica on Facebook. If you liked New York Chica already (thanks!), just say so in the comment. ;)

6) Subscribe by email for free updates. If you’re already a confirmed email subscriber (thanks!), just state it in the comment.

**For official giveaway rules, please click here.**

ALSO, please note, if you don’t see your comment right away, it’s not because it didn’t go thru – it simply means your comment went to the SPAM folder and I have to approve it.  Thank you 😉

Disclosure: I am an MVP Generation Go ambassador. MVP Has provided me with compensation for this post. My participation is voluntary and my opinions expressed here are always my own.

Comments

  1. Kyl Neusch says:

    make them in bulk

  2. Kyl Neusch says:

    Like” New York Chica on Facebook

  3. Janice Cooper says:

    I try to plan in advance our meals for the week which help make things easier.

  4. Janice Cooper says:

    I “like” this post. FB name Jan Peoples

  5. Janice Cooper says:

    I “like” New York Chica on Facebook. FB name Jan Peoples

  6. Janice Cooper says:

    I follow New York Chica on twitter @disneyfan40 and tweeted
    https://twitter.com/#!/disneyfan40/status/110907854038384640

  7. Janice Cooper says:

    I “like” the MVP GenerationGo Fan page and left my tip. FB name Jan Peoples
    http://www.facebook.com/MVPGenerationGo/posts/276291719047509

  8. Janice Cooper says:
  9. Janice Cooper says:

    Email subscriber

  10. Instead of thinking of meat as the main course, consider it a flavoring, instead- build your menu based on Quinoa, or beans and rice, or a high protein Quinoa pasta. Add only a little meat and an ample amount of stirfried or roasted veggies.The price of your meal with drop by at least half.

  11. I follow New York Chica and I Tweeted:
    http://twitter.com/#!/foodhistorian/status/110987715134234624

  12. One of my ways to make it easier, is to make extra when I am preparing food (such as two casseroles instead of one) and freeze the second one. This way I have days where I can just pull out a meal and heat.

  13. Chase Taylor says:

    I turn off the TV and focus on what I’m doing. Getting the food cooked and to the table is easy with no distractions.

  14. Michelle Boylan says:

    If I know it’s going to be a busy night then I either put something in the Crock Pot the night before and have it cooking on low or I get up in the morning and put something together while my daughter is getting ready for school and then stick it in the fridge so I can put it in the oven later. It’s so much easier to do the prep work earlier.

    boylaneely(at)hotmail(dot)com

  15. Venetia Brown says:

    There is just two of us in my household. I never plan a menu, simply because you never really want what is planned!

  16. Venetia Brown says:

    When it comes to meal planning, it is never followed. There are only myself and an adult son. We both have some different taste in meals.

  17. Mary Beth Elderton says:
  18. Randy Bailey says:

    I like to make one-dish type meals, serve with a salad & a roll..that’s the easiest way for me to get dinner on the table..saves alot of time!

  19. Randy Bailey says:

    Like MVP Generation Go on FB [Pat Kay Johnson Bailey] & wrote on their wall

    https://www.facebook.com/MVPGenerationGo/posts/276724219004259

  20. Randy Bailey says:

    Follow U on twitter [pkbailey01] & tweeted:

    http://twitter.com/#!/pkbailey01/status/111224790341255168

  21. We make extra each meal and then have a leftover night every third night. It cleans out the fridge and I have at least 2 meals a week I don’t have to prepare.

  22. Mary Brown says:

    I have to admit, I plan dinner exactly the way you do! I buy what’s on sale and if there is nothing to make by Friday evening, we eat out or go to the store for a frozen pizza! 🙂

  23. Randy Bailey says:
  24. plan out meals before we go shopping for the week
    cindy0462@gmail.com

  25. like ny chica on fb
    cindy windy
    cindy0462@gmail.com

  26. Marcia Goss says:
  27. amy pugmire says:

    I actually like to make a weeks worth of frozen meals ahead of time. so when I am super busy and don’t have time to cook there is always something available.

  28. amy pugmire says:

    fb fan of mvp. amy bolda pugmire

  29. amy pugmire says:
  30. amy pugmire says:

    fb fan of yours. amy bolda pugmire.

  31. amy pugmire says:

    I liked this post on fb. amy bolda pugmire.

  32. amy pugmire says:

    email subscriber.

  33. Mary Beth Elderton says:
  34. I use a crockpot!