One of my new years resolutions was to try and get more organised ( freeing up time to be more ‘present’) and a big time sucker in this family comes down to meals and their planning or lack of ( think having to run to the supermarket on the way home desperately trying to find something for dinner for seven of us taking all fickleness into account)!

Every few days I do an online shopping order and when I ask “What would you like for dinner?” am met with the usual rounds of “I don’t know” ‘whatever’ or  worse “I don’t care” ( and this includes my husband) although when it comes down to it they all have many opinions once the meal is served and it turns out it wasn’t what they wanted or expected!

So for January we have started this weekly prompt to help us meal plan quicker ( me) and them to understand what might be coming up and reduce complaints!It has actually worked pretty well so far…when I say it is vegetarian etc and they start to groan I say ‘Well it is meat free Monday” as if it is the law so it’s not really my fault and they just accept it!

MEAT FREE MONDAY – With two vegetarians in the house I am well aware of the affect that over animal produce is having on the environment and am keen to take part in the movement ( if I had a chef who cooked meals for me I would definitely turn vegetarian myself but unfortunately my plant based cooking skills leave alot to be desired).

TACO TUESDAY – Ok so this is actually Travel Tuesday but I prefer the sound of Taco tuesday.  So this means international food night, we might do a Greek, Chinese, Japanese or Indian theme etc. and try and go for a full three courses!

WHATEVER WEDNESDAY – Wednesday my oldest two have dinner with their grandparents so I can feed the kids a little earlier and hopefully do bedtime a little quicker) so whatever means easy wash up options such as beans on toast, cheesy pasta, scrambled egg, bagels ( or it has been known a bowl of cereal)!

THIN THURSDAY – read healthy thursday but I couldn’t handle the lack of alliteration. Jacket potatoes, fish, plenty of vegetables and fruit after dinner.

FUN FRIDAY – So the kids unsurprising favourite day of the week, it could be burgers or hot dogs, fish fingers and scampi, mash or chips.

SPAGHETTI SATURDAY  Not solely spaghetti but more of an Italian theme going on a Saturday. All of them love all things Italian so Saturday we go all out with garlic bread, spaghetti dishes or cooking a pizza together ( with gelato for after of course)!

SUPER SUNDAY – Think roast, casserole and dumplings and big hearty meals or if it’s been a particularly stressful week then the even more super idea of eating out and having no washing up after wards!

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