Meal planning for the week ahead

For the last couple of weeks I have managed to do all my food shopping in Aldi and I've avoided the big supermarkets altogether.  My freezer was almost empty, so I needed to do a complete re-stock of the meals I like to have ready and frozen - bolognese, chilli, casseroles etc.  I've also been making the most of my slow cooker of late, so that a tasty dinner can be ready on the table very quickly after getting in the door in the evening.

Here's the meal plan for this week:

Sunday: Homemade pizza and salad
Monday: Beef casserole, potatoes and vegetables
Tuesday: Veg chilli and rice
Wednesday: Pork loin steaks with mustard sauce, potatoes and vegetables
Thursday: Omelettes and baked beans
Friday: Spaghetti bolognese and garlic bread

I'll make a bit extra each evening so I have leftovers to take to work for lunch the following day.  On Monday I'll be making enough beef casserole to freeze half so we can have this next week.  The veg chilli is already made and in the freezer from a couple of weeks ago - full of different varieties of beans and very tasty and filling!  On Wednesday we'll have two pork loin steaks between us - I cut a piece off each steak once cooked and this is enough for Lizzie.  I'll make extra boiled potatoes that night so there will be leftovers for the omelettes on Thursday - anything else lying around the fridge by this point will end up in the omelette too, probably a slice or two of ham and some spring onions.  Friday's bolognese is already made up and in the freezer, left over from last week - so that will be a quick dinner to prepare as well.  I'll have the garlic bread ready the night before so that just needs to be popped into the oven when I get home.

I like to put a bit of thought and effort into planning for the week ahead so there's one less thing to think about when I get in the door in the evening - I stick the list up in the kitchen so everyone can see what we're having.  Sometimes my husband will make a start on tea if he makes it in the door before me - it's straightforward for him if everything is ready in the fridge and he knows what the plan is.

Whilst I'm making the dinner I prepare the lunches for the following day and also get anything else ready for the following night's tea, such as peeling potatoes or taking something out of the freezer to defrost.  Being organised like this is my routine now and it makes things so much easier - especially in the mornings when everyone is rushing out of the door!

Do you have any time-saving, meal-planning tips?

Best Wishes
Debbie