https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:16:10 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1602442 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 13:10:13 +0000 mrs.shinerbock 1602442@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I buy 2-3 proteins and a bunch of veggies each week and make things up as we go. I usually cook the protein with a bag of frozen veggies and serve with pasta or over rice. Having to have meals ready for LO is going to be a challenge once we move past a few slices of avocado. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1602264 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 12:35:56 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 1602264@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We eat mostly vegetarian, so I have to have some forethought in terms of soaking beans or lentils. If I don't have anything in mind I just stare into the fridge/freezer/pantry until I come up with something. Backup plan is pasta. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1602218 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 12:26:45 +0000 photojane 1602218@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just look in the fridge like an hour before dinner. I'm so not a planner. I usually thaw our protein in a bowl of hot water, because I never remember to do it in the morning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1602195 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 12:19:45 +0000 cheert16 1602195@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't meal plan- but on Mondays I go into work late- so I put together at least 3 days of meals on Monday (cook everything a portion it individually) so there is stuff for dinner and lunches for at least a few days. The other days I just grab a protein outta the freezer (sometimes in advance... sometimes not) and either cook it right away or defrost in the micro and then cook it! I am not home for dinner on M,T,W,TH because I work nights so if I don't make something LO and DH eat cereal or something similar for dinner. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1602169 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 12:11:47 +0000 Alivoo01 1602169@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We try to think about it the night before and take out meat from the freezer to thaw out. Otherwise, we eat out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1602158 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 12:08:32 +0000 swurlygurl 1602158@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're down to the same 3-4 meals on constant rotation. Soooo boring. Before kids I used to meal plan around weekly sales and seasonal produce - I miss having that kind of time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1602152 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 12:06:59 +0000 ShootingStar 1602152@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't exactly meal plan, but we try to go grocery shopping every Sunday. While we're at the store I grab things for approximately a week's worth of meals. This week I got stuff for chicken alfredo, tacos, a rotisserie chicken, homemade pizza and pork chops. Then each night on our way home DH and I decide what to eat (we talk on the phone on our commute). If we buy something like fish I try to eat that first, but otherwise I have a set amount of meals to choose from. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1601871 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 10:53:04 +0000 gingerbebe 1601871@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I used to do more elaborate meal planning before I was pregnant but since then its been hit or miss. Nowadays, I really only prep meals for DH's benefit because I'm so finicky. </p> <p>Right now, we're in a pattern of picking 2 carbs and 2 meats each week. For veg, I use a 5lb. bag of frozen organic mixed veggies (corn, edamame, green beans, and carrots) or frozen green beans (DH's favorite) from Costco. Usually on Sunday afternoons, I cook the 2 meats, bake a few sweet potatoes, and make a pot of rice in the rice cooker. That, plus a heap of steamed veggies on the side basically comprises lunches and dinners for the majority of DH's week. We eat out or pick up takeout about twice a week (usually pho and pizza) and we have a potluck Bible study on Fridays that usually yields a meal or 2 worth of leftovers too. </p> <p>Breakfasts are cereal or Costco muffins for DH and I keep a pile of granola bars, Nutrigrain bars, baby carrots, and fruit for him to snack on during the day (he works from home half time and has a super long commute the other half of the time). </p> <p>Lame. Boring. Whatever, it works! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1601862 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 10:51:26 +0000 dc yoga bee 1601862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Pull up to chick fil a or whatever food place of choice, insert debit card, take food home and eat! Sooo much $$$$ on eating out unfortunately </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1601856 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 10:49:55 +0000 hilsy85 1601856@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a SAHM so I shop almost every day for our dinner that night (grocery store is around the corner). Or we do take out! </p> <p>Going grocery shopping is sometimes the motivation to get out of the house :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1601855 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 10:49:40 +0000 keiki_mama 1601855@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My bus drops me off in front of a vegetable stand after work. I usually cruise around and grab whatever is fresh before going to pick up LO from daycare. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1601853 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 10:49:11 +0000 mrs. tictactoe 1601853@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We figure it out when my husband is on his way home (he has an hour commute). We usually grocery shop on the weekends and figure out the exact meals right before we cook them. Once in a while we have to plan it out ahead of time, but usually we don't. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1601850 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 10:46:50 +0000 Espion 1601850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If we don't meal plan (which we don't, ever...something I need to fix) we usually end up eating chips and salsa for dinner. Or popcorn. Seriously, the thought of making real meals for E when he gets older gives us freaked out hives. And the crazy part is we both like to cook, but have so little motivation to do it at the end of the day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1601819 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 10:41:51 +0000 autumnlove 1601819@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Some weeks are more planned out but I wing it a lot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1601816 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 10:41:22 +0000 looch 1601816@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If I don't meal plan, we eat pasta. Tonight we're having carbonara because I didn't take anything out of the freezer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1601805 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 10:40:09 +0000 Adira 1601805@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We usually figure it out in the evening, haha. Although we'll take out meat to thaw and then we know what we're having a certain day (like I took out chicken Monday night, so we're having that tonight, but last night it was still frozen, so I just figure out what we'd have on the fly). We do do takeout a lot on the weekends though... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1601800 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 10:38:40 +0000 Mamaof2 1601800@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We eat the same things over and over so usually I ask my 5 yr old what he wants and make that :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1601797 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 10:37:09 +0000 snowjewelz 1601797@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH goes food shopping at least once a week and he comes up with what we're going to eat. We usually have a few staples for times when we don't have much in the fridge. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1601791 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 10:36:26 +0000 MaryM 1601791@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Exactly what you said. Or when all else fails, and egg sandwich with cheese and ham (if we have lunchmeat). </p> <p>DH cooks most of the time so on the nights he works, it's usually a "what on earth is in the freezer" kind of meal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-dont-meal-plan#post-1601767 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 10:31:52 +0000 mrsjyw 1601767@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How do you usually go about making dinner? Do you figure it out in the morning? </p> <p>Most of my meals at home take less than 30 min to cook, so it's usually just on the fly w whatever protein + veggies we have and maybe a salad, rice, or pasta as a side/complimentary dish. If I'm feeling extra productive, I'll remember to grab the protein out of the freezer in the AM so that it's ready to cook by five.</p> <p>Or if I'm lazy we'll do take-out whatever we're feeling like~ </p>