Menu {Meal} Planning: A Parody

Quite often I see some of my favorite bloggers {and posts on link up blog hops} featuring their menu/meal plans for the week...sometimes the month!

Usually these said meal plans are adorably crafted, incredibly organized and well thought out...in a pretty frame.  Sometimes I'm a bit envious of them...the organization and the cuteness of it all.

I thought I would share my meal plan with you.  I am calling this a "parody" because...well, you'll see...

Yup...that's what mine looks like {when I even do it}.  It is...Not pretty.  Not fancy.  Not cute.  Not special.

I've never kept my dislike for the kitchen {cooking, baking, doing dishes, and the like} a secret.  Surprise, surprise, meal planning and grocery shopping would fall into the above dislikes.

Once or twice I tried to plan out our meals {dinner} for the week...let's just say it didn't go so well.  I tried to plan each day out and we didn't follow it at all {cravings and not being in the mood to eat the planned meal of the day took over}.  What do you do if you're not in the mood for the planned dinner that day?

So how do we plan or decide what we are going to eat each day {for dinner}?

It goes something like this...

I keep a list of the main food that the kids/whole family will actually eat...I don't include sides because we always do salad, fresh veggies, or fresh fruit with every meal and always have them on hand.  It's a pretty "kids" looking list {I'm not about to make a separate meal for my hubby and I though}.

To make things a little easier, I usually sometimes try to keep this list...it's what we have on hand...and that's what we choose from, or the hubby stops at the grocery store on the way home.

I'm sure many people would tell me that I'm wasting time and money by not planning out meals, but oh well...guess what, I don't coupon either {I tried it, it lasted about a day..it took too much time}.

I'm also not ashamed to share the fact that I really, really don't enjoy the grocery store either.  I mean I really don't like it...
I don't like it with my four kids in tow, I don't like it when I'm there "solo".
I don't like it for a cart full of groceries, I don't like it to run in for one item.
It's just such a miserable place for me! I can tolerate the fresh produce area, but usually I've lost all interest once I've gathered all my fresh fruits and veggies.

Here's a glimpse of my shopping list...

Maybe someday something magical will happen and either a) I will suddenly gain interest in "cooking" and planning, or b) my dreams will come true and I will be able to hire someone to do it all for me!

Am I the only one out there with no interest in meal planning and grocery shopping?  I'd love to hear your story.