Meal Planning & Julia and Julie

Hubby and I went to see "Julia and Julie" yesterday and really enjoyed it. I only have vague memories of Julia Child being on TV and at that time, I never really watched. I had no idea she put Paula Dean to shame in her use of butter! The movie did, however, make me want to go buy "Mastering the Art of French Cooking."
Watching Julie try all those recipes made me want to go home and begin cooking so you'd think meal planning for this week would be a snap. Not so. When we're busy, I hate meal planning (and of course meal planning is all the more essential during busy times). Every Sunday we hold a family "calendar meeting." During this meeting we all look at the coming week and indicate our activities, especially those impacting others in the family. These meetings are also a time to bring up future events or topics needing family discussion. Asking me on a Wednesday about going to a party 3 weeks from now will get a non-committal response. Bring it up at calendar meeting and put it on the calendar, and you've got a good chance of going.
After this meeting, I plan the menu for the week's dinners. I take into account the activities. Thursdays I tend to be gone most of the day, so it's a great day for a crock pot dinner or leftovers. Tuesdays, Hubby and I have Bible Study, so an easy clean-up meal is preferred. After making the menu, I make a grocery list and other family members know anything they want at the store better be put on this list. Monday mornings, I'm off to the grocery store. If it's not on the list...you'll do without for a week (or at least 'till Thursday when I go for a milk run).
This week is a mess: back-to-school meetings, beginning of choir potluck for the Imp, the Singer going back to school, the beginning of crew practice, our monthly marriage enrichment meeting and an all-day Saturday crop for me. I really don't want to cook at all! But I'd sure like some of my great home-cooked meals. So here it is Monday morning, I really need to go to the store, but I haven't made a menu plan yet. Ugh. So I guess I'll be falling back to some old favorites like spaghetti, baked chicken, and such. Especially since I'll be baking some chocolate treats Tuesday for the Singer to take to college with her on Wednesday. Better go. We really do need milk.