Do you plan your meals OR just go with the flow??

I'm curious if most folks plan their meals for the day in advance (as in at least by supper time the night before you know what you're having for your meals the next day)??? OR, do you just keep an assortment of stuff on hand and pull out whatever appeals to you at the time?? Now I am not saying that it doesn't count as planning in advance when you change your mind and don't do it after all! But, before you go to bed tonight, do you know what you're doing for breakfast, lunch and dinner tomorrow?? Or, will your breakfast tomorrow depend on how much time you have, how hungry you are, and what's left in the fridge???? We've started really thoroughly planning out a week's worth of dinners and doing detailed shopping lists for those meals so that we don't end up needing one last thing that we don't have and can't drive 25 miles (to the closest grocery store) to get! It has saved me money on both groceries and gas as well as resulted in better dinners for the last 3 weeks running. BUT, for my breakfast and lunch on school days when it is just me at home, I have to admit that I don't plan in advance, but rather go to the kitchen, check out the leftovers and such and decide from there what I'll have. I don't normally do any between meal snacking unless I had a really low protein item for breakfast and then I'll get a bit of protein in somewhere between breakfast and lunch, even if it is some nuts or a dish of beans... The fiber in the beans is a plus as well! SO, are you a planner OR do you just grab something when the time comes to eat???

I just grab something when the time comes to eat since my husband is never home

I plan each night's dinner for a week at a time and do a solid grocery shopping trip for that on the weekend. For lunch each day, I usually pick from whatever is leftover from our last few dinners. Today's lunch was leftover chicken paella (I uploaded this recipe to the Recipe forum). I always make sure to cover the dish with plastic wrap when I'm microwaving to reheat as I have trouble with stuff that is too dry or meat that gets tough when reheated. My breakfasts are pretty much same-o, same-o day in and day out. I have had egg beaters wtih cheese and some green pepper most days for the last two weeks. The only other days I have had anything different, it has been sausage balls... I never was a breakfast eater, so I have to force myself to eat that meal even though I know how important it is to get your metabolism fired up in the AM. Since I don't enjoy the meal anyway, I hardly ever think about trying to improve what I am eating! LOL Plus, my kitty cat loves his eggs every morning! LOL SO, other than the occasional snacks I eat, my meals are pretty much planned days ahead of time. I intentionally make more of a dinner meal that I know will make me a good lunch for a couple of days that week. Lea

Early post op I planned everything. Now I go more with the flow since I can eat alot more variety now. I never eat leftovers they always come back to haunt me.

I pretty much go with the flow to a point....Since I drive truck I am limited....I buy alot of lean cuisine, healthy choice and smart ones.....so I choose from one of those I have on hand. I have salad everyday sometimes with lunch and dinner. I pretty much have a protien drink (100 cal. no sugar) 17 grms. and a 60 calorie yogurt for breakfast. I choke that down because I am not a breakfast lover either but I know I need to have it. When I am at home I cook. I have found ways to make sugar free fat free cakes and I make a mock potatoe salad with cauliflower and low fat mayo instead of potatoes and it is great!! and if you like pumpkin pie make it useing splenda and egg beaters and fat free canned milk. I make it in a spring form pan and that way there is no fatty pie crust. If I snack it is usually fruit an apple or pear or grapefruit.