Meal Plan

Meal planning is getting a little bit difficult with me as I love to BBQ when its hot outside to keep the house cooler. However living in NB doesn't always allow for great planning as one day its hot and the next week it isn't. So I just have on hand some quick BBQ recipes and ingredients in case the weather warms and I decide not to use the stove.

When planning a menu its good to make sure your plate is balanced. That means enjoying foods from each of the four food groups. Being sure that your family is receiving foods from each of the food groups is important as our body's need different foods to function properly. Following the plate guidelines may help you bring balance to your meals.

The plate guidelines are as follows. Half of your plate should be filled with vegetables. All vegetables are good but Canada's Food Guide recommends selecting dark green and bringht orange vegetables more often. And lets not forget that potatoes are a vegetable and do go into this category. Then a quarter of your plate should be filled with a grain product and choosing whole grains more often is a better choice as these keep you fuller longer. The last quarter of your plate is reserved for your meat. Meat is not bad for us...its the amount we eat that is causing all the problems. You want your portion of meat to be about the size of your fist or the size of a deck of cards. You don't always have to have meat with your meals; even though my husband disagrees, it is good to have lentils and beans often. Also including fish into your weekly menu is a great idea as it contains lots of beneficial Omega 3 fatty acids that are great for your health and the healthy development of your children's brains. To ensure you are getting all the food groups enjoy a cold glass of milk with your meal and some fruit for dessert. Frozen fruit when its hot outside is a wonderful topper to any meal.

With that said here is my menu. All meals are served with at least two kinds of vegetables. This time of year is great because salad ingredients are usually so cheap. We enjoy our vegetables either cooked or cut up raw.

Monday- Curried pork chops over rice

Tuesday- Nachos (with fried black beans and lots of yummy veggies)

Wednesday- Seafood chowder and biscuits

Thursday- Pork Taco's

Friday- Pizza night (or Hamburgers if the weather is nice)

Saturday- probably leftovers


For more great ideas check out Organized Junkie