healthy snacks and meal planning

We arrived home on Monday night from vacation to a refrigerator and pantry full of nothing but diet coke, a few eggs, and beer. That would be fine if we were still a couple of DINKS, but the two little ones needed their juice, milk, and of course string cheese! ;-) I also made a resolution/goal this year to make healthier meals and actually meal plan weekly.

I had planned on going grocery shopping on Tuesday while Austin was at preschool. Well, you know how great that went with a 1 1/2 year old. All I could get in the cart was two gallons of milk, a couple packages of meat, and some bread before I had a runaway toddler. Kinley hates sitting in the cart! So, I went last night and spent a whole car payment on groceries! We are full and stocked now!!

 I made a big container full of my favorite, cucumber salad. I could eat this for every meal!

I used 4 cucumbers, 1/2 onion diced, 1/2 cup fresh salsa, 1 bell pepper, vinegar, water, olive oil (few tablespoons) salt, pepper, garlic. - really you can use whatever you like in it. Let it set in the refrigerator and serve.

 I also made 5 avocados worth of guacamole. My kids both love it, so do I. If there are healthy ready-made snacks in the refrigerator that is what we will eat. Otherwise, I'm in the pantry getting snack crackers, chips, BAD stuff for myself.

 My little sidekick was with me in the kitchen. We dropped Austin off at school, went to run a couple of errands and came home. While I was making the salad and guac she pulled every piece of tupperware out of the cabinet! ;-)

I have a few ideas in my head for my blog that I plan on starting next week. I want to start sharing my 'meal planning Monday' with you all. Not only to share my meals and what we're cooking, but to hold myself accountable! I usually do my meal planning on Sundays, so I thought Monday would be a good day to share on the blog.

I can't believe that today is already Thursday, it feels like a Tuesday to me. Yeah for tomorrow being Friday!!! :-) Enjoy your weekend! Doc and I have a whole front guest room full of Christmas that needs to be put in the attic. We have a lot of organizing to do this weekend. :-) (hear me, Doc??!!)