A Lazy Mom's Meal Planning Guide

For many years my day job has been a stay-at-home mom, so you'd think I'd have developed some superlative housewifery skills over time. Not so. I adore my kids, hubby and home, but I have no affection for many of my job requirements. Cleaning, ugh. Gardening, why? Sewing - oh, come on! But the unavoidable task that makes me break out in hives each day at 4 p.m. is preparing the evening meal.

"What's for dinner?" asks my ravenous swimmer, the moment I pick him up from practice.

"It's a surprise!" I chirp brightly, covering up the fact that I don't have a freaking clue.

A lot of my mom friends stress out over what to make for dinner too. Feeding offspring is THE #1  responsibility of motherhood, right? But with our crazy schedules, it isn't easy to have a hot, nutritious, tasty meal ready to go during the few precious minutes all my family members are actually present.

When I talked with professional organizer Colleen Collins Josellis, I asked her how she handled meal planning for her family.

"I always say I'd be great mom if I didn't have to make dinner," she laughs. But of course she's on top of it. Here are her secrets.

1) Use a limited repertoire of meals.
Unless cooking is your passion, forget experimenting with new recipes. Busy moms should rely on a rotating menu of meals that are easy to prepare, easy to shop for, and that the kids will eat. "90% of the battle is knowing what to make," says Colleen. "I've narrowed it down to about 10-12 meals."

2) Plan dinners for the entire week.
Put the menu on your calendar and post it in your kitchen. Then everyone knows what to expect at mealtime and might even be willing to help cook it! And don't worry about your kids getting bored of eating the same foods. According to Colleen, "Kids don't require as much variety as you might think. They love routine and knowing Tuesday is taco night."

3) Minimize shopping trips.
I'm always running to the Jewel at the last minute - a habit Colleen says is a big time waster. By planning ahead and making a single list, you can be much more efficient when you hit the grocery store.  She allocates time for one big grocery shop and one visit to a specialty store (i.e Costco, Trader Joe's, etc) per week.

I'm trying to implement Colleen's system. I asked Nick and Emma to make a list of their favorite dinner entrees, then I edited their list based on ease of preparation. My repertoire now contains seven basic meals (hey, we eat out a couple nights a week) and the menus are all stored in one convenient place - my head!

Here's what I'll be making for dinner over the next month. If your family has some favorites that are simple and delish, please share them and I'll consider them for next month. But keep them under 5-6 ingredients - my memory is limited!

Killeen Rotating Dinner Menu

 (serve with veggie of choice )

1. Grilled Flank Steak -marinate 6-8 hours in equal parts olive oil, soy and lemon juice. Add garlic & seasonings. (We like oregano and pepper!)

2. California Turkey Burgers - top with jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion & avacado.

3. Oven Baked Salmon topped one of two ways: 1) mayonnaise and dill (kids like this best), or 2) chopped onion, tomato, lemon and capers.

5. One Pot Pasta Primavera - Cook pasta as directed, then throw in a few cups of cut up veggies (we like broccoli, zucchini, & tomatoes) midway through the boil. Drain, stir in olive oil and cottage cheese. Top with herbs & Parmesan. Only one dish to clean!

4. Barbeque Pulled Pork on buns -  put 2 pork tenderloins in a crock pot and cover with a bottle of BBQ sauce and a bottle of chili sauce. Cook on low all day until it falls apart.


6. Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup - my personal favorite, no recipe required.

7. Chicken Pasta Caesar Salad - If you're a slacker like me, buy the prepared salad kit then toss in cooked chicken, rotini and tomatoes. (We're having this tonight.)

Me on Marriage

Sometimes I can't believe I've been married for 18 years - and all of them to the same guy, even.

A long-lasting marriage isn't something I grew up taking for granted. My parents divorced when I was eight and my brother was six. Other than my grandparents, there weren't any models of enduring unions in my family. My father is an only child and my mother's two sisters went through divorces too.

We lived with my mother, but my dad lived nearby and we saw him often. From my perspective, my parents got along fine. To be honest, I didn't think divorce was such a terrible thing. It - along with step-parents, step-siblings, and split holidays - was just the way it was.

Both my parents remarried and have been with their current partners for over 30 years. But when I was a kid, even when I was in college, those relationships were still pretty new. I'd seen my mom get dressed up for dinner dates and played Monopoly with my dad's pretty girlfriends, but I had no idea what an 18-year marriage looked like. Now I'm in one.

I've ended up in a surprisingly stable state and it's uncharted territory. I love my Liam, and I'm really happy we're married. But our relationship has definitely evolved over the years. We're parents now, we've settled down, we've grown up. We've got goals and plans and dreams and some of them have nothing to do with each other. We have fun, we have history, we have slumps. Is this the way things are supposed to be?

I have no friggin' clue.

That's why, among other subjects, I'll continue to explore the ups and downs of marriage and divorce here on Forty Fabulous. Whether it's someone famous like Tiger Woods or my own beloved Posse chicks, their unique stories help me understand my relationship. Whatever your marital status - happily married, divorced or somewhere in between - I hope they shed a little light on yours, too!