M. Suzanne Terry

Most Novembers, I participate in National Novel Writing Month.  This means that, most Octobers, I participate in NaNoPrep – adjusting my habits to make room for NaNoWriMo.

Today, we do Phase One – making the to-do list.

Most of my to-do list centers around meal planning, because that’s what tends to go out the window when the OMG-I-am-soooo-far-behind panic hits.  I don’t really outline when I write.  I’m a big ol’ Pantser.  There’s not a lot of need, therefore, for me to plan ahead with an outline.  I will usually write out my character’s names and a brief description, and I’ll update my account on the main site (I’m coffeesnob, if you want to be writing buddies). But most of my prep work is food-related. Since the general theme of this 31-day challenge so far seems to be “I need to plan better,” NaNoPrep fits right into this quest.

Confession:  the reason that I don’t meal-plan?  It’s more work in reality than I ever think it’s going to be.  The meal planning system that works for me is a four-step process.

The weekend before November (so…this upcoming weekend) is when I ready my kitchen for the neglect it might be feeling during the following month.  A little special time with the kitchen.  It makes the kitchen feel loved.

As I am familiar with me, I know that this much-needed preparation won’t occur unless I make a detailed plan.  I can’t just say, “I’m going to cook all the things!” and expect that to be what actually takes place.  That’s how frustration and a spontaneous Gilmore Girls marathon, complete with junk food and the mild guilt of avoidance/gluttony, happen.  That’s also how a November full of fast food happens, which is exactly what I want to avoid.

The to-do list:

Step 1:  Choose fifteen meals that can be made in bulk and be frozen (or prepped for the slow cooker) for a quick reheat.  Fifteen meals give me fifteen days of suppers and about 45 meals of leftovers (plus it always leaves me with extra, so that I can have people over and avoid hermit status), so that no food goes to waste.  I’ve starting this part already.  Some of the meals from Day Seventeen will make an appearance on this list. I will also include chili and various soups, as well as fast breakfast options (which are a good idea any time of the year).

Step 2: Make a grocery list that is based on the Final Fifteen.  The list also includes quick foods – sandwich fixin’s, cereal, etc. – because not every meal has to be a production.  The overall list will then be divided into weeks, because my freezer is small, so it’s unreasonable to think that everything for the month will fit there.  Every week’s list will, of course, include repeats of the perishable items that won’t last the whole month.

Step 3:  Make a schedule for the weekend.  My general plan:

Friday afternoon/evening – cleaning out the fridge and cleaning the kitchen

Saturday morning – going to the store(s)

Saturday afternoon/evening – bulk cooking a few meals

Sunday morning – making breakfasts

Sunday afternoon – brief outing to the Fort Worth Library book sale

Sunday evening – cleaning up catastrophic mess from a weekend of cooking

A more detailed schedule coming soon.

Then Step 5, of course, is the weekend.

Themes, Observations, and Lessons:

– Hey, this meal planning thing really works out every November.  Maybe I should do something like this every month.

– I’m super excited about this weekend.  I might call in help.  Friends make it festive.

I’m going 31 days without eating fast food.