It’s hard to believe we are already planning for February meals. This month starts the craziness that is birthday frenzy in our family. From now until August, we have birthdays every couple weeks and in one month, 3 in 3 weeks! After the holiday highs, I always feel a little down in January until our birthday frenzy starts!
I also love being able to plan out meals ahead of time and watch for produce and meat to go on sale, so we get the most bang for our buck. And with six, healthy, hungry and growing kids – saving money where we can is a must! Meal planning has saved us on more than one account over the past 14 years.
One thing that most people don’t understand about meal planning, is that it really can be flexible. You can move meals around to fit sales, tastes and even moods. We have picky eaters in our house, so it’s not unusual to move meals to another day of the week so it works better for everyone.
Most moms don’t have much time to prepare elaborate meals during the day. That’s what I love about these meals that can be made in 30-minutes or less. They are perfect for quick-fix lunches or even a tasty dinner!
Special Day Meals
This month, there are some significant special days that might require some extra meal prep on your part. Not so much the preparations, but the planning. The first Sunday of the month is a double-whammy for special days. In the morning you can watch as Puxatawney Phil comes out of his hole to check for a shadow. There are some cute snacks you can make to celebrate if you wish.
If you’re a family that loves watching the Super Bowl together, check out these football-shaped recipes for your party! And, of course, the weather can still be quite cold in February, so don’t forget about a good chili. If you need a quick and easy meal, chili is a great option!
And who could forget Valentine’s Day. The day of Love. Many couples try to spend the evening out together, but there are still many that don’t or even can’t. Check out these Instant Pot recipes for Valentine’s Day so you don’t miss out on a nice meal with your spouse.
Choose from Two Meal Plans
The regular meal plan includes slow cooker meals on Sundays and Wednesdays, for a break in the kitchen or those busy days. There are a variety of soups to get you through those chilly nights as we welcome in some seasonal salads to break it up just a bit.
There is a variety of meats (fish, chicken, beef, pork) as well as soups and salads (on both plans) to keep the whole family happy. My hope each month is that you will find some new favorites to add to your own must-have rotation.
Or choose the Instant Pot Meal Plan. On this plan, I have included some delicious winter and festive meals with a variety of meats (fish, chicken, pork, beef), plus a few salads. Plus, the suggestions for breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and desserts at the bottom are all Instant Pot recipes!
As always, feel free to move any of the recipes around as needed to fit your family’s schedule. However, you can combine the two for more variety. And if you’d like to switch up some of the Slow Cooker Meals to an Instant Pot recipe, check out this Instant Pot beginners post for a great link to help!
You can download each meal plan by clicking on the corresponding images below.
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Annette has been married to her husband and best friend since 2003. Together they are raising their six children to follow the Lord’s will, no matter what. Annette longs for the day when she will meet her angel babies who have entered heaven before her. She enjoys creating UNIT STUDIES and FREE PRINTABLES for homeschool families. You can follow her crazy life at In All You Do where she blogs about homeschooling, homemaking and marriage while trying to maintain her sanity. She is also the owner of Thrifty Homeschoolers where she shares her tips on homeschooling without breaking the bank.
