The more our family grew, the more I began to appreciate scheduled meals. Not one who loves to cook, I learned early on that it was much easier to get the task done when all of the ingredients were in the house instead of having to run out to get one or two of them. Once we moved more than 20 minutes away from a grocery store, I knew it was imperative that I made sure all of my meals were planned.
I really can't stress enough how important it is to have a clue about what you're going to fix for dinner BEFORE it is time to fix dinner. Not only does it save you time and money (less trips to the store definitely save you money!!), making a schedule for your dinners alleviates having to answer the age old question, "What's for dinner?" My kids know that dinner is posted on the refrigerator, all they have to do is look and they can answer the question themselves.
There have been seasons (like right now during Lent) that I have even scheduled breakfast and lunch. As much as I hate to think about food all at one time, it helps during a busy time to know exactly what is going on the table three times a day.
This chapter doesn't have any worksheets for you to fill out, but it helps you to think about and organize your whole eating strategy. From the grocery list to the meal plan, we go step by step to get your meals down to something that resembles order.
If you need help in this area, I would encourage you to spend some time this week thinking and praying about your meal plan. It really does help to make your day run smoother when you don't have to stress out about what to eat.
