Making A Fun Meal Plan Takes Talent & A Lazy Eye For Editing

For the entire time (minus a couple of lazy weeks here and there) since my sister moved in with us, she and I have made a monthly meal plan so we can keep track of who is cooking what and on which day. (Jim and J get dinner duty here and there, too.)

At first we started with a straight-up paper calendar that we hung on the refrigerator, but once I finally entered the 21st century and started using Google Calendar for my own scheduling purposes after Julesie had been suggesting it to me for eons, I realized that being able to see the meal plan on my phone–say, if I were at the GROCERY STORE, wondering what we were having for dinner–could be really helpful and we moved it to the computer.

Lately we’ve been inserting a little more pizazz into our meal plan, and I’m not talking about the recipes. Julesie is especially good at giving goofy nicknames to old favorites and making other adjustments to the names. She makes me laugh my head off.

The great thing is, it really doesn’t matter if anyone else knows what the heck our meal plan says, because we’re the ones doing the grocery shopping.

Some of the entries include:

PIZZA! PIZZA! PIZZA!
Queso Fundido (IT’S FUNDIDO!) & tacos
Fancy Schmancy Tuna Salad
Tilapia Somethin’ Something
Nacho Night! Nacho Night! Get Excited: it’s Nacho Night!
Garfield’s fave

and the more profane…
Farmer’s Chop Suey, Bitches!
Roasted Beet Yo’ A$$ Salad with Oranges & Queso Fresco

My contributions are, let’s say, a little more accidental. That’s why, when Jim asked me if I meant to type “Beef Smoked Squasage and Onions”, naturally I said, “Yes. You’re going to love it.”

And he did.

Smoked Squasage on the meal plan!

7 Comments

    • Melisa

      Your comment made me snort!
      I would be happy to copy you in on my calendar but it’s not as funny as my sister’s. (We each have a “meal plan” calendar even though we work together on it and post on different days. We should probably streamline…) Maybe if you come and make us some of those plum dumplings (Plum-py Dump-lees), we can talk her into sharing hers with you… haha!

  • Shannon

    Hi Melisa! I just found you while looking for fellow Chicago bloggers. Your post made me hungry. It also added to my list of reasons why I ache for a sister. Sounds like you really enjoy each other.

    • Melisa

      Hi Shannon! Nice to “meet” you! Thanks for stopping by! (Hope you come back! 🙂 )

      Chicago has a HUGE blogging community: if you’re on Facebook, search for “Chicago Social Media Moms”, “Greater Chicagoland Blogger Meetup”, “Chicago Area Blogger Connection”, and “Midwest Bloggers”. All of the groups overlap a little bit but it’s a great way to be a part of the community!

  • Dawndi

    Fun names for meals! I still make a menu even though during the week I’m just cooking for myself. It keeps me from eating fast food (and if I keep on doing so, my clothes won’t fit anymore.) Margie and I share meal ideas via email, so I *sort of* plan my meals with my sister too. Fun times! (oh, and this one night…at band camp…haha j/k…I called her and asked what was for dinner and she was cooking the same thing I was! :insert Twilight Zone music.:)