How This is All Came About

Well, as many of us, with a New Year comes new resolutions and goals.  About a year and half ago, I decided to stay home with Ladybug (that is what I'll call my daughter...she's now almost 19 months...time really does fly!).  And, as part of my job as a SAHM, I feel I'm responsible for making sure that we stay within a grocery budget every month.  Last year, I discovered a few meal planning sites and I loved the idea of planning your meals for an entire month, prepping/cooking the meals in one or two days and then NOT having to worry about what was for dinner each night.  And, also with a one-year old running around and getting fussy right around the time you want to get dinner ready was a not fun! 

Reasons I love to Cook Once and Eat For a Month:

1. Reduce the amount of trips to the grocery---this is really important to me because I live about 40 minutes away from a decent grocery store...so I save time and gas! And I've only made two trips to the store this month (and the second time was to get more fruit) and I don't plan on going until next week to get all the groceries for February.  I used to go every week, so that's 4 round trips at 60 miles total and lots of gas! 
2. I can prep a lot of the meals in a day or two (meaning during Ladybug's naps and in the evening after she's been put to bed)
3. It saves money---yes, you have to rotate the 7 or 8 meals over the course of the month but I don't mind and neither does my husband BUT you then only prep/cook 7 or 8 LARGE meals for the entire month.  And don't you always end up throwing wilted lettuce, rotten tomatoes or slimy green beans that were shoved way back in the veggie drawer??? I know I hate throwing away food and being wasteful.  This has truly helped me and I hardly ever throw out food now.
4. I get to spend more time with my husband and Ladybug in the late afternoon.
5. I don't worry about having to come up with a dinner idea every night or stressing about defrosting the chicken daily.

I'm putting the finishing touches on February's menu and I should have it up this coming weekend.  And, hopefully, you'll join me on this new adventure!

Have a blessed week! :)