Meal Planning 101: Week CATCH UP (38-ish)

I'm back! I think. I hope. Gotta get back into the rhythm of posting, but I'm pretty sure I'm back! Or that I want to be at least. Brief little update of what you missed since I've been gone: 1 plus month of CRAZY (called RD training, RA training, move in day, and the first couple of weeks of school), a back injury (resulting in a shot, three medicines, and a couple weeks of physical therapy, still not totally recovered but know what stupid careless things not to do now), and now I'm sick! Full blown cold, icky, feel like I have been hit by a truck kind of cold. Is it just me or do colds feel worse the older you get? Oh and I got two new tattoos. Oh and I got obsessed with a book series, Divergent. I'd totes be in Amity with their bright colors, but I'd be a rule breaker and set on falling in love with a tattooed dauntless boy with a bad boy exterior and gentlemen huggable interior. Just saying. It's true. Well now that you're all caught up.

Guess what's back?! PUMPKIN! By September 1st I had already used three cans of pumpkin and had three pumpkin spiced lattes. All in one week. It's still ridiculously scorching hot, so it's putting a damper on my fall mood, but I'm clinging to the pumpkin! Pumpkin love will bring on the fall. And until it gets cool enough, I'll just have my pumpkin coffees iced!

Now to the meal plan! I will admit meal planning has a been a struggle lately! I made a deal with myself that I wouldn't say no to friends wanting to hang out with me even if it interrupted my meal plan and/or tv watching schedule. YES! I actually had to make that deal with myself. I'm a shy routine loving extrovert (get energy from being with people, drained by too much alone tome). So I need people, but I avoid chaos at all cost and therefore love my routines. But, while living in peopleless routines, I'm not as happy! I've happily said yes to a few weekly things, which is great! But just means less of a meal plan. BUT thankfully the way people connect is over food, so most of these things are potluck situations. Therefore, I think I'll still be able to work up a meal plan for us (for my sanity and your enjoyment - meal plan posts steal continue to be my most viewed). 

Monday: 

Kale Bleu Chopped Salad (Pizza was planned too, but my sickness only wanted salad!) 

Tuesday:

OWLs (Older Wiser Ladies) Dinner Party - Bringing individual Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifles. 

Wednesday: 

Dinner at Missional Community - Bringing Iced Sugar Cookies (tea party themed). 

Thursday: 

Cheesy Bacon Waffles, Cheese Grits, Fancy Scrambled Eggs, and Sauteed Pears

Friday: 

Leftovers

Saturday:

Tailgate Snacks - Bringing Iced Sugar Cookies (football themed). 

Sunday:

Fried Chicken and Waffle Sandwich and Roasted Rosemary Brussel Sprouts

Some other meals I made while away: 

Chicken Tortilla Soup and Southwest Chopped Salad

Pumpkin Pancakes and Maple Bacon

Lunches: 

I have a happy/sad update about lunches... The university I work for decided to give the RDs (my job) another benefit... A meal plan! At first it stressed me out. I like cooking! I wanted to be able to take advantage of the benefit in some way to allow it to help my budget without missing out on cooking (And blogging! If I don't cook, what will I blog?!). My favorite part of my job is getting to meet one on one with RAs. I meet with each of them every other week, so half one week and half the next. I used to do these meetings in the late afternoon/early evening, but decided a good practical compromise was meeting with them over lunch. So the happy news is... budget saved! With only purchasing stuff for my planned meals and breakfast (which is mostly 10 for $10 yogurts), so far the last two grocery bills have been $50-$70 less! The sand news is that meals I can't give you take to work lunch ideas! One day, when I have a job without this benefit, lunch ideas will return. But for now, I'm going to attempt to use this as an accountability tool to make healthy lunch choices in an "out" to eat setting and possibly post pictures. We'll see how it goes! 

Did I mention it's pumpkin season?? This as one of my pumpkin creations, a pumpkin cake with cinnamon pumpkin butter cream for a friend's birthday. Also made two pumpkin bread puddings with caramel sauce.

What are you eating this week? Post your weekly meal plan in the comment section below! You can also link your meal plan up over at Organizing Junkie and see even more people who are meal planning.