Kelly Hancock
About the Author

Kelly Hancock is a wife and mommy...full time. Foodie, coffee addict, amateur photographer...part time. Savvy saver...big time. Kelly left her job as a successful sales rep for a Fortune 500 company when her daughter was born. Because her family (and her mortgage) had depended on two incomes, this exile from...

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. My meal plan for tonight is tacos but I wish we were having anything in a restaurant where I don’t have to cook. (Actually I’m happy that I actually planned this week’s meals and tacos are good because the kids won’t fight me about eating it!)

  2. My meal plan for tonight is whatever my husband cooks because I work until 6pm but I wish we were having eggplant parmigiana!!! Yummy 🙂

  3. years ago my aunt taught me the value of meal planning
    my husband and i go to the grocery store now and make it a game to see who comes the closest the the low (sometimes not as low as i want with” mr i have to have this” me

    so, tonight we will have some delicious grilled chicken breasts with steamed rice and a large salad…..i would rather be having a grilled tbone with mashed potatoes and a huge salad…t-bones were not in the budget.

  4. My meal plan for tonight is turkey meatloaf, but I wish we were having mahi mahi Mediterranean.

  5. I usually always meal-plan as I find it’s easier and less stressful. Tonight, my husband and I are having fried rice, grilled chicken, and steamed vegetables. If I could pick absolutely anything to eat tonight, I would probably go with Macaroni Grill’s chicken marsala…it is delicious!

  6. Tonight we are having whatever I bought on sale this week….
    but I wish we were having sushi.

  7. My meal plan for tonight is Pasta with meat sauce but I wish we were having an evening at Carrabas as a family!

  8. My meal plan for tonight is still to be determined but I wish we were having Jet’s pizza! mmm!

  9. My meal plan for tonight is sushi from Wegmans because I’ll be grocery shopping, but I wish I was having a nice dinner date with my man!

  10. My meal plan tonight is the Basil Chicken that was supposed to be last night (we had left-overs to use up), but I wish we were having the Calzones that are really on the plan for tonight because we haven’t had those in a long while! 🙂

  11. My meal plan for tonight is homemade tomato soup, but I wish we were having chinese take out!

  12. My menu plan for tonight is tacos but I wish we were having Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup…it’s raining, cold, and foggy. 🙂

  13. My meal plan for tonight is a crockpot chicken recipe from e-mealz, but I wish we were having lobster!

  14. Kelly, before my husband and I retired, he did most of the cooking. He did not however like planning what to cook. I would plan meals by the month – two reasons . . . he would cook and it certainly saved money.

  15. My plan is to make italian chicken stew (crock pot!) and it’s already cooking now! I kinda wish we were going out though… chili’s always sounds good… 🙂
    and… this week is the first week i’ve actually meal planned. i sat down with my family saturday morning, asked everyone for their imput on what to have this week. We put together a plan, and then I shopped Saturday afternoon. I was able to buy everything we needed this week. And i’ve felt wonderful ever since. It was actually not an issue last night at all when i thought about dinner! WHoo hoo!

  16. Tonight we are having turkey noodle soup with leftover turkey broth and leftover turkey that I’ve had in the freezer since Thanksgiving. I’ll also dice up a little carrots, onions and garlic and possibly some leftover corn from Sunday to go in it too. I wish we were having pizza! I love to have pizza delivered, but we have a seasonal business, so we only have deliveries in the summer. ( :o)

  17. My meal plan for tonight is sweet and sour chicken, rice and edamame, but I wish we were having a night out! We’ve done well thus far with our goal to use what we already have in our pantry and eat more at home. 🙂

  18. Tonight we’re having either meatball stew or meatballs with mashed potatoes and gravy. But I WISH we were having roast beef and yorkshire pudding! YUM!

  19. Tonight we are having chili, but I wish we were going out for Chinese . . . I’ve been craving Chinese since before Christmas!!!!!!!

  20. Tonight we are having quiche, but I wish we were having anything from Lulu’s restaurant in Gulf Shores!

  21. My menu plan for tonight is chicken and noodles and mashed potatoes, but I would rather be having pizza!

  22. Well, I’m so impressed with all these women who plan! With kids out of the house and part time work, I don’t find meal time stressful. I have noticed that we’ve collected quite a stash of food in the pantry and freezer that needs to be cooked. We could probably eat for a month and not grocery shop, except for perishables. I need to do some serious meal planning! Thanks for the planning calendar. It’s printing out now!

  23. My meal plan for tonight is Lemongrass chicken and jasmin rice, but I wish we were having Sushi.
    I love meal planning- it’s the only way I can make sense out of shopping. If I didn’t plan, I would be overwhelmed.

  24. My meal plan for tonight is roasted vegetables with brown rice but I wish we were having seafood!!

  25. “My meal plan for tonight is leftovers, but I wish we were having Veal Parmesan!” We are getting ready to go away and I am trying to clean out my refrigerator before we go. We actually love leftovers. It’s only the two of us so I usually make enough for two meals and either freeze one portion or we have it a second night during the week.

  26. My meal plan tonight is pork chops, but I wish we were having dinner out at the Japanese steakhouse that we LOVE!

  27. bean and cheese burritos {maybe turned fajitas} depending on my level of excitement. but i wish {i am not going to lie} we could just go out to eat {my biggest problem area}.

  28. My meal plan for tonight is Shepherd’s pie but I wish we were having Pizza. We will not be home until about 8 pm tonight so I just wish for something quick, easy and healthy for the family.

  29. My meal plan for tonight is chicken, broccoli & ziti but I wish we were having filet migon! 🙂

  30. My meal plan for tonight is crock pot baked ziti, and I’m glad we’re having that! I planned ahead this week because I knew it was going to be a crazy one!

  31. “My meal plan for tonight is from a restaurant but I wish we were having nothing else tonight is date night!” I have been doing meal planning for over a year now and it has made a huge difference in our budget and the healthiness of our food.

  32. My meal plan for tonight is probably stir fry tofu with assorted greens. I’m a vegetarian. The only one in my household. It costs a LOT less to feed me than it does the rest of everyone. I use some coupons but I refuse to buy the chemical garbage (Kraft macaroni and cheese, for instance) no matter how cheap it is. I buy assorted grains, like quinoa and millet, at Sprouts Market in the bulk department. I buy most of my vegetables at the local farmers market and spend way less. I can feed myself on $15 a week from there. I can feed everyone else from the veggies at the market for about $20-25 (that’s including me). So while they are having meat tonight, I wish they would want to eat healthier. (Note: I live with my son who is 37 and his fiance and my granddaughter.) I would love to go out tonight to a Chinese restaurant but I don’t have the $$. 🙁

  33. My meal plan for tonight is chinese chicken salad, but I wish we were having pizza, and not just any pizza, “saggio’s” pizza!”

    cooperkelly4@yahoo dot com

  34. My meal plan for tonight is smoked venison brats (as I will not be able to join the rest of the family for dinner) but I wish we were having chicken and vegetable stir fry with brown rice and lots of fruit (I wish that every night but the rest of the family doesn’t eat it).

  35. “My meal plan for tonight is Green Chili Burrito Bake, but I wish we were having Salmon and cheese grits!”

  36. My meal plan for tonight is cheese tortellini with a red vodka sauce, but I wish we were having a huge brat with kraut! Love that stuff, unfortunately I am the only one in my family that does.

  37. A healthy Lean Cuisine bag meal for him with cottage cheese, a few nibbles of cheddar cheese & a bag meal also for me. It saves on clean-up time.

    We both work, so cooking is not an option during the week, especially since I don’t get home before 5. If we exercise some, shower then meal time before a little down time on tv or computers then bed.

    I cook some on weekends or if I’m off. I stick to a strict budget on groceries & eating out. I allow just sooo much & then that’s it.

    One idea people could try that we did for a short while was COD. We put every category in an envelope with that amount of money in it. For instance housekeeping $50; eat-out $120 for month. Once the money in envelope is gone that was it. Could not spend any more.

    Thanks again for a great post!

  38. My meal plan for tonight is probably chicken tacos, but I wish we were having chicken parmesan! I was even at the store yesterday and if I’d had a plan, I could have purchased everything to easily do chicken parm.

  39. My meal plan for tonight is Matzo Ball soup because my hubby’s fighting off a sinus infection, but I wish we were having the Indian buffet at Taj Palace!” Thanks so much for the post, it’s very encouraging.

  40. My meal plan for tonight is roast chicken with brussels sprouts and brown rice, but I wish we were having Italian beef sammies and onion rings! Not as healthy though…

  41. My meal plan for tonight is Taco Stew, but I wish we were having a steak and baked potato. A girl can dream, can’t she? I would love, love, love to win Saving Savvy!

  42. I am on a shake diet where I only get one meal per week 🙁 Consequently, there are A LOT of things I’d rather be having! I got an amazing deal on frozen shrimp at the grocery ($10 for a 2 pound bag – normally $20!!), so I’m going to be making them a shrimp and veggie stir-fry with potstickers. Oh… I can’t even think about it anymore…

    I have to suggest http://www.grocerysmarts.com for this. A friend told me about it. It’s absolutely free and matches up the sales at your local grocery store with what coupons are online or by which date they came out (just save the pack and no clipping ’til you know you absolutely need it!) Stars indicate whether that item is the lowest it’s going to get so you know if it’s worth stocking up.

    I also use http://www.e-mealz.com, which gives me a meal plan based on the sales at my local stores (for those of you lucky enough to have a Wal-Mart with groceries — unlike California — you can probably REALLY save big.) Between the two sites, I’ve really cut my grocery bill! E-mealz is a pay service, but I don’t think it’s that expensive.

    Great post. I plan to follow this blog now!

  43. Tonight we are having green olive spaghetti and cheese bread with a salad. I wish I was having a sushi date night with my sweet hubby while he’s on travel!

  44. My meal plan for tonight is pot roast from the crock pot, but I wish we were having chow mein!

    So excited about your posts this week. My heart is wanting to be home with my kids too but our budget currently requires me to work outside the home. Loving all the ideas you are sharing on how to change that!

  45. My meal plan for tonight is Taco Soup for the family and a frozen diet meal for me, but I wish I was eating their Taco Soup! Or fetticine alfredo…or mexican food with lots of tortilla chips…or, ok, enough of that.

  46. My meal plan for tonight is a pre-made salad with chicken and berries between work and Bible Study, but I wish I was having a romantic dinner at home. Oh well, at least it’s planned and not something I have to buy at a drive-through!

  47. My meal plan is going out for supper with a friend, my husband is on his own because he has meetings tonight and my kids will be eating supper at Grandpa and Grandma’s house. I wish we were having supper together and we were eating chicken and stuffing casserole! Yum! But it will be nice to get out with a friend too!

  48. My meal plan tonight is brinner (breakfast for dinner), but I wish I was going out for Mexican! :o)

  49. My meal plan for tonight is husband-made meatloaf, but I wish we were having tortilla chicken soup.

  50. “My meal plan for tonight is spaghetti pie, but I wish we were having pasta with shrimp, yummy salad and brushetta!”

  51. I love your printable tool i like to plan menus but follow through is my downfall tonight we are havinf beef stew left overs wish we were having salmon and salad
    God bless!

  52. I have never menu planned in my whole marriage, I want to, but I’m lazy I guess. We just seem to eat the same things. Tonight we will be eating spaghetti, but I wish we were eating steak and potatoes and green beans. Thx!

  53. I have never menu planned in my whole marriage, I want to, but I’m lazy I guess. We just seem to eat the same things. Tonight we will be eating spaghetti, but I wish we were eating steak and potatoes and green beans. Thx!

  54. My Meal Plan for tonight is a delicious pasta recipe that has asparagus and boursin cheese in it and I don’t wish I was having anything else!

  55. I am new to meal planning and I am excited to see the change in our budget and my love for cooking grow! Looking forward to reading more of your posts and tips cause I need them!!
    So in a reverse way to answer, my meal plan for tonight is most likely something I’ll bring home right from my grocery trip tonight, but I wish we were having a home cooked meal I had better planned for – so I will learn to save money and cook more at home from now on!

  56. My meal plan for tonight is Baked Potatoes topped w/ Chili & Baked Zucchini on the side… but I wish it was summer and we were grilling out – Mushroom Burgers & Corn on the Cob!

  57. My meal plan for tonight is to cook something from our freezer! But I wish we were having something planned and already cooking in the crock pot. I like slow cooked meals in the winter, how the aroma fills the house and everyone wants to know what’s cooking! Thanks for a chance to win! LOVE the calendar!!!

  58. My meal plan tonight is whatever is in the cafeteria because I am at work but I wish it were homemade chicken and dumplings!

  59. Our meal plan for tonight is a ham, carrot and potato stew served with cornbread…I wish we were having beef tips done up in the crockpot-BUT I forgot to put them in early this a.m. and they are frozen solid in the freezer. Boy, could I use a copy of this book ! 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway!

  60. Our meal plan for tonight is whatever my husband had planned. He’s been taking the lead in the last few months since he typically gets home from work before I do. The weeks we plan out our meals go a lot smoother than the weeks that we don’t. I wish we were having … I can’t complain about what we’re having at all (I just wish I could remember).

  61. My meal plan for tonight is Crock pot barbecue for sandwiches and beans. I wish we were having a plate of summer vegetables!

  62. My meal plan for tonight is my dad taking us all out to Red Lobster and all I can wish is that he could take us out every night! I’ve had it on my planner for a couple of days and looking forward to tonight made last night’s Black Beans & Rice dinner all the more enjoyable.
    I’m new to meal planning but can already see a huge savings on our grocery bill and improvement on my sanity level. I really need to focus now on planning for lunch and snacks too…not just dinner!

  63. I don’t have a meal plan. But I know we have stuff for spagetti so that’s probably what it will be. I wish we were having an easy crock pot meal.

  64. My meal plan for tonight was Fish Fillets, Mac & Cheese and Broccoli but I switched yesterdays and todays around so we are having Lemon Chicken, Rice Pilaf, Green Beans and Garlic Bread. I would rather just have a salad but that wouldn’t go over well with my 92 year old mother-in-law since salads are her least favorite food.

  65. My meal plan for tonight is spaghetti, salad and toast, but I wish we were having steak and shrimp and cheese cake! Thanks for the chance, this sounds like a book that I can definitely benefit from!

  66. My meal plan tonight is to have braised beef roast with root vegetables but I wish we would be haveing grilled chicken with cheese on a cabatta bun:)

  67. My meal plan is whatever is in the cafeteria because I am at work, but I wish it was homemade chicken and dumplings.

  68. My meal plan for tonight is egg salad sandwiches! But, I wish I was having…egg salad sandwiches! 🙂 It sounds pretty good to this pregnant momma! 🙂

  69. My meal plan for tonight is homemade pizza, but I wish we were having Chipolte take-away with their amazing homemade guac and chips! Yum. Sara.

  70. My meal plan for tonight (I actually have one!!!) is Overnight Casserole but I really wish we were eating out so I didn’t have to cook! lol

  71. my meal plan tonight was Spagetti Bolognaise (burnt as it happened…) but I WISH we were having FAHITAS to bring smiles to my teenagers faces…

  72. My meal plan for tonight is pork chops with cinnamon apples but I wish I was going out to dinner with my husband!

  73. My meal plan tonight is: beef tenderloin, rice, brussel sprouts and salad; but I wish we were having: reservations! Ha!

  74. meal plan is leftover chili, but wish we were having steak (that I didn’t have to cook!)
    Thanks for your planning helps!

  75. My menu plan for tonight is chicken enchiladas but I sure my husband and I were eating them together…instead of our respective schools! Late teacher nights seem to be our lives. Menu planning is a great help!

  76. I am making mini Hawaiian pizzas, which is exactly what I have been been craving. a lot cheaper than ordering pizza as well 🙂

  77. We’re having leftover MacHamburger Bake but I wish we were having my hubby’s homemade chicken parmigiana with pasta and sauce.

  78. Pork BBQ and homemade applesauce. Actually enjoying homemade comfort food tonight. Downside husband just called and is running late.

  79. so I already meal plan for a month at a time, but I am not always saving money, I feel, because I plan too in advance and not always in time with sales. But on tonight’s meal plan is stir-fry chicken over noodles from the simple mom website, but I would rather be having a steak with anything else!!!

  80. my husband and i are having left over spaghetti tonight, (again!!!), but, i wish we were grilling steaks!! but, way too cold!!!

  81. My meal plan for tonight is bacon, sausage and pancakes, but I wish it was enchiladas with all the trimmings and dessert too.

  82. My meal plan tonight is baked chicken nuggets, but I wished it were sushi! The baked chicken will keep us both healthy, and the sushi would cost us money to dine out. So I’m happy!

  83. My meal plan for tonight is chicken fried rice…which is a combo of frozen veggies and frozen chicken cubes I found in my freezer when I did an inventory. As for the rice, I cooked it all up on Sunday night and thought I would decide what to do with it later in the week (which turned out to be a really big time saver!). It was good, it was healthy, but I can’t lie when I say…I really wish it was HuHot!

  84. “My meal plan for tonight is something from the freezer that hasn’t expired yet, but I wish we were having farm fresh vegatables in a light olive oil lemon sauce over angel hair pasta!” I am sooo missing the summer farmer’s market!

  85. My mealplan for tonight is my Medifast diet food but I wish I were having taco’s.

  86. Tonight we had chicken penne pasta but I wish we could’ve gone out to eat for some Mexican, but eating out is NOT in our budget.

  87. “My meal plan for tonight is Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup sprinkled with green Onions with crusty bread and salad but I wish we were having Spaghetti with crusty garlic bread and salad!”

    Subscribed to your site! Love it!

  88. My meal plan for tonight is Costco’s Orange Chicken with broccoli, but I wish we were having homemade pasta and sauce with crusty bread

  89. Peppercorn burgers with pepper jack & sweet potato fries; I actually planned that, but I wish we were having more vegetables. Hubby ate lots of onions.

  90. we had oven baked pork chops, baked beans, sweet potatoes and homemade rolls (rolled into interesting shapes by the children). let’s see, i wish we were having baked shrimp with feta cheese and a salad ~ but one of the littles is not a shrimp fan.

  91. Having lasagna but wish we were having tacos (husband can’t stand them right now…they weren’t good during his deployment!)

  92. Our meal plan tonight was creamy chicken enchiladas and spanish rice but I wish we had creamy chicken Alfredo. Gotta love Italian but my husband always prefers Mexican. 🙂

  93. My meal plan tonight is hot dogs and french fries but I wish it was a nice unhurried meal with something nutritious with my family.

  94. my meal plan tonight is unknown at this time but I wish it was on a meal plan calendar. LOL Just started your newsletter and website info. Definitely something I need to do. Hubby and I have food allergies (just uncovered by a nutritionist/kinesiologist, so I am having to learn a whole new way of eating and preparing food. Believe the meal planning would help tremendously.

  95. I would love to start meal planning – but I am so intimidated by it. I would LOVE a copy of Kelly’s book!!!!

  96. Cup of Soup but I wish I was having a sit down pasta and salad instead of running from here to there!

  97. Well, since I am not a planner, more of a fly by the seat of my pants, person, I do not have a clue what we are having; thus, the reason i am reading this blog. I am ready to be a lot more organized with my grocery spending/shopping this year! Meal planning is something I must get in the habit of doing.

  98. My meal plan for tonight is whatever I can creatively think to cook with frozen chicken breasts, but I wish we were having enchiladas and avacados!

  99. My meal plan for tonight is meatball sammies, french fries and veggies, but I wish we were having steak and lobster!

  100. My meal plan for tonight is __________, but I wish we were having ___________!
    corndogs (because it’s my sons bday or I wouldn’t even have a plan until 5pm)
    steak and garlic mashed potatoes