I wake up thinking about food.
Not in a “what should I grab quick” kind of way… but in a full-on:
what are we having for dinner this week, what’s in the freezer, what can I make with that salmon kind of way.
It’s just how my brain works.
📝 My Weekly Meal Planning Routine
At the start of the week – usually Sunday or Monday morning – I try to get myself organized.
Coffee in hand (always), I start thinking about the week ahead.
- What do I already have in the fridge?
- What’s in the freezer… including the basement freezer that I sometimes forget to check 😄
- What needs to be used up?
I keep everything in Evernote (thank you, Lou) – it’s where I save recipes, organize ideas, and keep track of what I want to make next. I have hundreds of recipes in there… some favorites, and plenty I still haven’t tried yet.
From there, I start building out a rough plan for the week.
And I say rough… because it almost always changes.
🔄 Plans Change (And That’s Okay)
I might have a full plan written out…
…and then real life happens.
Some days I’ll ask Lou: “What are you in the mood for?”
And just like that, everything shifts.
Other nights?
We just want:
- Chinese food
- Pizza
- Something easy
And honestly… that’s part of it too.
But having a plan – even a flexible one – helps:
- keep me organized
- stay on budget
- avoid that 5:00 “what are we eating??” panic (we ALL know this panic, right?)
🐟 A Real-Life Example (Because This Is Exactly How It Happens)
Last Friday, so no meat.
I knew I had salmon in the freezer, so that was the starting point.
But…
I had just made chicken pot pie soup the day before. So Lou said: “What about a seafood pot pie?”
And that’s how it starts.
Lou and I start tossing ideas back and forth. We look through:
- my saved recipes
- things online
- past meals we’ve loved
And suddenly, we landed on a Cajun seafood pot pie that looked incredible.
Next thing I know, I’m at our favorite local fish market picking up shrimp and crabmeat…
…and dinner is officially happening.
💡 This Is My Favorite Part
That back-and-forth with Lou? I love it.
We’ll say things like:
- “Remember that dish we had at that restaurant?”
- “I bet we could make that at home”
- “What if we added this?”
It’s creative.
It’s fun.
And honestly… it’s part of how we connect.
We just really love food.
🤯 Yes… I Actually Taste It in My Head
This might sound a little crazy … but I can taste food while I’m thinking about it.
I’ll be planning a meal and thinking:
- that needs more garlic
- maybe a little lemon
- something creamy would balance that
And I can almost taste how it’s going to come together.
Sometimes it works perfectly.
Sometimes… we adjust 😄
💛 Why I Plan (Even When It Changes)
Do my plans always stick? Nope.
Do I sometimes change everything halfway through the week? Absolutely.
But having a plan gives me:
- a starting point
- structure
- a little peace of mind
And from there, I can be creative.
✨ Final Thoughts
Food is always on my mind. Not in a stressful way… but in a what can I make, what sounds good, what can we create kind of way.
Some people unwind by watching TV.
I unwind by thinking about dinner.
And honestly?
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
