Weeknight Meal Planning

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser.  All opinions are mine alone. #FrozenRewards #CollectiveBias

With Valentine's Day around the corner, there are some people who are excited for the candy, flowers, and jewelry, while others who pretend this holiday "created by the card companies" doesn't exist.  I don't think that I really side with either camp, but I do like the idea of Valentine's Day, if only to restore the time my husband and I spend together.  We make sure that February 14th is just about the two of us, but more importantly, we remind ourselves that each and every day we should be making our time commitment to each other just as important.

We're both so busy, and sometimes it's hard to even carve out an hour or two at night to enjoy a nice meal together.  Well, I've found the best solution: our meal planning board.  Hanging in our kitchen, our board has each meal for the week clipped to the day that we'll be enjoying it.  For nights we know we'll be home early from work with all the time in the world, we plan elaborate meals or dinners out around town, while other days that we know we'll be busy with kickball or tennis, we think more practically and plan a quicker (and usually much less expensive option) like PF Chang's or Bertolli frozen meals.

All you need to create your own board is: a piece of canvas, some fabric, clothespins, card stock, a small basket (like an unused berry basket) and glue.

1. Cover the canvas with your fabric and glue it down.
2. Cut 7 small squares of card stock and write the days of the week on them.  Glue these to 7 clothespins.
3. Arrange the 7 clothespin by the day of the week, and glue them to the canvas.  Let all of this dry flat before hanging it on a wall.
4. Finally, brainstorm all of your favorite meals and write them on cut up strips of card stock.  Keep all of your meals handy by gluing the berry basket to the front.  We also keep blank strips of paper and a permanent marker in the basket in case we try new recipes and find new favorites, too!

Once your meals are set each Sunday, it's easy to shop and plan for the week!  Our favorite grocery store is definitely Publix.  Right now, they are having a fantastic deal when you buy ConAgra frozen foods (like Bertolli and PF Chang's) at your local store.

With each $30 purchase of participating foods, Publix shoppers will receive a $10 store gift card.  You can purchase up to $150 in products to receive $50 in gift cards.  Such an amazing value!  You could even win an additional gift card (up to $200 in value) by enrolling in Frozen Rewards Club by March 21st.  Click this link to head to the Frozen Rewards Club to register for the program.

With less time spent cooking, there is more time to talk about our day, play cards, and relax.

• What's your favorite easy weeknight meal?
• Have your tried any PF Chang's meals before?