How do you plan meals and stick to the plan?

[Mom_Rides]

We get paid bi-weekly so I do our major grocery shopping with our pays and then make a quick trip the other weeks to refresh bread, milk, lunch meats, etc. This coming Friday is a pay day for us. So this week I will start to plan. I start to get ideas going in my head of what we have going on, what my work schedule is, etc. I then make a list with the days of the week on it and make notes of what we have going on. For instance, Mondays are dance night and Fridays were football games. So I make that note so that I can have something incredibly easy on those nights (sloppy joes, hot dogs, tacos, etc). I get input from DH on what he wants on the menu as well. We rarely eat the same thing twice during the month.

As I'm making my menu, I take a look in the pantry and freezer and try to use up what we have in those as well to help suppliment and keep the grocery bill down. After I've made my menu, I make my grocery list based on what is on the menu. I would be totally lost now if I went to the grocery store and didn't have that plan and list in place.

I post my menu on the fridge and try REALLY hard to remember to take out whatever needs to be thawed for dinner when I'm getting my breakfast and lunch together in the morning. I don't always remember but if I forget, I try to pull something from the freezer that I can defrost easily in the microwave and move something around on the menu to accommodate.

Its taken some time to get to this point. We were eating out way too much. It was to the point where DD was asking where are we going for dinner instead of what are we having for dinner. And DH was getting tons of overtime and that got cut so our eating out budget pretty much went away. Now we're down to like two sit down dinners out during the month and maybe one or two fast food or pizza take outs. Give yourself some time to plan and start slow. After awhile it will just come naturally to you.

 

[Katy Belle]

I do a very loose meal plan. I do not assign certain meals to certain days, because it seems to drive me nuts and I just never stick to it

I basically buy meat on sale, and loosley plan sides to go with it.

I also try to buy some things to make quick meals, for the nights we have Boy Scouts, piano lessons, Tuba lessons all on the same night. Things like...chili dogs, tuna and noodles, soup and sandwiches, pork tenderloins, chicken breasts, mac n cheese.

I keep a list of quick meals on the fridge, to fight the temptation of going out to eat.

 

[Marionnette]

I just want to add that if you want to make meal prep more efficient in the evening, it's really important to have a well organized kitchen.

• Pots and pans that you use often should be within easy reach.
• You shouldn't have to root through your spices to find your chili powder or oregano. I actually keep all of mine in alphabetical order.
• Have your utensils in a crock near your stove, your potholders in a drawer close by and an oil dispenser on your countertop.
• Buy a second set of measuring cups and spoons at the dollar store so that you don't have to stop and wash them because you need them for more than one ingredient.
• Gather all of your ingredients and tools before you start. Read the directions for the recipe through completely before you do the first step.
• Fill your sink with hot soapy water to toss the dirty stuff in as you go along cooking.
• Keep a "garbage bowl" on the countertop to toss your vegetable peels, meat wrappers and egg shells into rather than walking each of those over to the trash can with each step.

 

[MomToOne]

I make two week meal plans - I'll switch around what we end up having on what day, but otherwise I stick to it pretty closely. My rule is that weekday meals have to be able to be prepared in no more than 30 minutes, but I actually shoot for less than 20 because that's all the time we have between work, home work, etc. That means weekday meals are not always the fanciest, but they aren't slop either. Weekend meals can take longer the prepare, so I get more elaborate there.

I keep the menu plan posted on the fridge, and as I go to get the milk out of it for breakfast, I've trained myself to check the menu and take whatever it is we are having out of the freezer and put it into the fridge then and there. This takes awhile to get the habit built up - but once you actually get your brain trained that way, it becomes second nature and cooking every night is a lot easier. The meat isn't always completely defrosted by the time for dinner, but it's usually defrosted enough that it can be finished up with just a few seconds in the microwave (no more than 20 seconds, otherwise it starts to cook and I hate microwaved meat!) Or, since I tend to cook a lot of meals where the meat is cut into smaller pieces (since it's faster to cook that way - think stir fry, stroganof, etc.), I just leave it partially frozen. It actually cuts much easier that way, and the meat just finishes defrosting in the hot pan.

While a lot of people say they don't like the idea of not being able to pick what's for dinner based on their mood that night, I actually find it's a huge stress relief to know that what I am going to cook is already decided. I'm much more likely to actually cook that way, instead of falling back on take out or restaurants.

 

[Juliah]

The thing that has helped me the most with menu planning is doing it on the computer. I use a program called MacGourmet to keep all my recipes, and it has a meal-planning feature. I can just drag the recipes onto the days of the week I want to make them. If something comes up (I'm out of a key ingredient or our schedule changes) I can drag that meal to a different day. It's so much easier than doing it by hand that I find I meal plan more than I used to. And the flexibility of being able to switch things around fits our life and my personality better than having everything on paper.

 

[debrapagliasotti]

I plan my grocery list for meals for the month. I rotate between 20 meals or so and we have a couple of the meals twice during the month. I get all the items on the list that wont spoil through the month, then when I have to go to the grocery store every week for milk and bread, I pick up any produce items (lettuce, tomatoes, peppers...etc) that I need for the week. I keep my meal list for the month on the fridge so we can always see what we want over the next few days and I can defrost whatever meats I need the day before.

 

[carebee21]

I try to make double the recipe for things that can freeze. If I'm making soup, I make enough for the night and enough of a portion to freeze. Same for enchiladas, spaghetti sauce, lasagna, pulled pork, chili, etc.

I also try to use the same theory for meat. If we're having steak one night, I buy and cook a big enough package that I can just reheat the extras the next day in a skillet with fajita seasoning, peppers and onions and have fajitas. Same for chicken breasts. One night plain chicken breasts with veggies and potatoes and the left over chicken breasts go for chicken tacos, chicken noodle soup, chicken cassorole, etc. For Thanksgiving & Christmas, buy a couple extra on sale turkeys and ham. They can be used for several meals each. The turkey can be used for a traditional turkey dinner, and then turkey sandwiches, the carcass can make a turkey broth, etc. And the ham has your traditional ham meal, ham sandwiches, split pea or bean soup with the ham bone, we freeze a little bit of ham to make ham and cheese omelets, ham & scalloped potatoes, cassoroles, etc.

Also, have a few go to recipes/items for quick and easy dinners when you don't feel like cooking or don't feel well. In our house, I buy pre-packaged and cut brocoli and carrot mix and then throw them in a skillet with chicken breasts for a super fast and easy chicken stir fry, frozen pizzas, canned soup with grilled cheese or canned tuna sandwiches, scrambled eggs with turkey bacon and turkey hot dogs & biscuits to make pigs in a blanket and mac & cheese. Now, I'm not saying all of these are all that healthy, but compared to McDonalds, they work and save money if you're in a pinch.

And lastly, try to budget at least one sit down, dine out night and two take out nights into your budget/per month. That way, you can reward yourself monthly for sticking to your budget with a nice, sit down meal. And if you have 2 take out nights, you won't feel bad if you just can't cook anything that night. Even having what we have on hand, we still have probably 1 night a month where I'm just not making ANYTHING to save my life. I'm tired, I don't feel well, we're having a bad day, DS's homework is taking a long time, etc. You won't feel bad if you have them budgeted. I tried to do the no take out meal budget, and when I just couldn't cook that night, I felt badly for not sticking to the budget, on top of already feeling badly, so I allow myself a couple of nights when/if I need them.

 

[luvmythree]

I'm a single working mother of 3 kids (2 teenage boys) so if I didn't plan ahead each week I'd be broke *or more broke than I already am* so my oldest is my daughter and she loves to help me plan and fix dinner.

We go to the grocery store either Friday night or Saturday morning. I plan my meals for the week before I go. Write the ingredients all out on my shopping list. DD and I head to the store, then either later that day or Sunday she and I do a cooking day where we make/assemble all the meals for the week. Then I label and freeze them. We get all the prep work done, meals assembled as best we can depending on what we are making, make sure the things that can be cut up are ready to go. In the last year it has saved me almost $950.00 doing it this way and that includes making some dishes in aluminum pans to avoid cleanup.

 

[Disflyer]

I also just want to add to the prep part of your question. First off for planning purposes we will have the meals set before we go to the store, this way like others have said, we know which nights need to be quick and which nights we can take our time. Sitting down to look at the calendar the week before helps with figuring out the best game plan.

We then make a list for the store based on the needs of the week, what is on sale, and what we should stock up on. Once the list is in hand staying on task at the store is the best way to keep from "stock-creep" or buying too many things we don't need.

Now onto the prep part. We buy a lot of fresh veggies or meats so what I typically do is take the 20 - 30 minutes after we get home from the store to organize the week. I will prep all items I can ahead of time once I get home, this includes washing all veggies, splitting them up to cover the meals we have planned. The same goes for meats too. If I buy the 5lbs of beef it gets broken into meal sizes, ocassionally pre season it so it can marinade (but not if I am going to freeze it).

Another short cut that some have mentioned is to buy prepaired items such as cheeses or microwave rice (works lovely!).

This way when everything is already prepped when I get home from work it is just grab and go. It cuts down a tremendous amount of time from washing and prepping while I cook.

Once you get the hang of how your work flows you will be amazed at how quickly you can cook a full meal of a meat, vegitable, and starch. I can do pretty much any meal on our menu in under 25 minutes. Of course this really depends on the meal but another tip I picked up when I used to work at a resturant is this, if I am making something that takes a lot of work is I will cook it about 80% the night before, then when I get home I just finish the cooking in the oven or on the stove in 10 - 15 minutes while I am cooking the veggies and other items.

 

[malibuconlee]

Sorry, I didn't read all the replies...however to me it sounds like you just need more than a meal plan, it needs to be based on your schedule as well.

Say Tuesdays you have to pick the kids up, do dinner, then be at an activity. Well, you aren't going to have time to make a huge meal that night. So, on Tuesdays you need to do a crock pot meal or plan to have sandwiches and fruit or veggies with dip, or leftovers from Sunday/Monday.

So on Saturday sit down and make a meal plan...Monday I can cook X, Tuesday I don't have time so I'll put Y into the crockpot before I go to work, Wednesday we'll have Z, and so on, then you make your grocery list and go from there.

I wish you luck!

 

[estherhead]

I am so guilty of not keeping it simple... but I want to be the mom/wife who does the super nice dinners! But y'all are so right, that's why I often end up putting the thawed meat back in the fridge b/c I've planned a meal that will take way too long to fix and clean up afterwards.

A few years ago I got sick of throwing away food. And finally made a pact with myself to stop buying for the family I wished we were and buy for the family we actually are.

If you don't prepare food at home, you'll just eat unhealthy at restaurants. So what's the difference? A lot of money. So I've lowered my standards a LOT. What's worse health wise? Boxed mashed potatoes and Tyson chicken? Or McDonald's happy meals? Health wise it's a wash. But pocket book wise it's half price. So sure, I actually make a KILLER low fat home made mashed potato. And my kids LOVE them. But it takes way more effort than boxed ones. And my family can survive an evening on Betty Crocker. They'll live.

For our family, this realization was a turning point. I throw away a lot less food and eat out less too.

And I've tried the monthly cooking. It's exhausting. What I like to do is Sunday cooking. I just do the prep work for that week's meals on Sundays. And if we have a super busy weekend where I can't, I know we'll rely on prepared food that week.

There's no shame in Frozen ravioli, canned sauce, and bagged lettuce. The shame is going into to debt to be a family you aren't.

 

[Suz D]

Crock Pot! That is my saving grace because when the time comes to cook and I've lost all enthusiasm (or time) it's ready to eat.

I also have several quick recipe books. "Desperation Dinners" is my favorite one (everything is 30 minutes or less). It talks you through it...run the chicken under water to thaw. While the pasta is cooking do x, y & z etc.

Simple and Delicious magazine also has some quick and easy recipes.

I second the fresh fruit, veggies comment. We get a veggie tray at Sam's pretty much every week (it's not as inexpensive as buying individually, but you get a nice variety and it's already cleaned and cut). We put that out for most meals and at the end of the week we stir fry whatever is left. I buy grapes, pre-cut apples, clementines, bananas, etc. and set those out in a bowl with our meal. It works for us.

 

[mjantz]

I think your schedule is very important in deciding what to cook. I know that on Mondays & Thursdays DD has to eat early because she has dance class. On these nights we do a lot of easy crockpot meals with a simple starchy side & veggie or a one pot soup (& I'm in Texas so I know about the too hot issue. It was really hard to cook this summer with it being over 100 for 70+ days) On Tuesdays & Wednesdays we have other activities but they're a bit later in the evening so I have time to, for example, cut up potatoes for fried potatoes or slice up chicken breasts for stir fry.
I don't do a hard & fast meal plan. Instead I write down 5-6 meals that would work for what we have on hand & decide the night before. So this week I wrote down the following:

-crockpot pork chops with mashed potatoes & peas
-Italian Wedding Soup (crockpot)
-Spaghetti & meatballs w/ garlic bread
-Taco Soup (crockpot)
-grilled chicken (I have a George Foreman so uber-easy) with pasta salad & fruit
-BBQ beef sandwiches & fries
-Crockpot roast with veggies

Now I know I won't use all of these this week but I know what I have on hand & what needs to be used up & I work off of that. I do have a few 'go-to' meals for the last minute. Spaghetti & meatballs is a big one. I keep frozen meatballs in the freezer & we always have a spare roll or few pieces of bread that can be made into garlic bread. Chicken strips with french fries & fruit is another big one.

 

[Plantlady]

I think most of my suggestions have been covered,
but I wanted to throw in, that I plan seven meals a week. No meal is assigned to a certain day. I grocery shop once a week. I have tried twice a month, but find that once a week works better for my family.

I look at our schedule, and on nights where we are super busy, I use the crock pot, or do sandwiches that we can carry with us. I also have frozen fish in the freezer, that can be baked, as my quick, go to meal, if I just have zero energy when I get home from work. I have about 14 meals, but am working on getting more variety. None of them take more than a half hours time to prepare.

I also don't serve a five course meal. They are simple. Sometimes, no sides. But, I do not have the time or energy to prepare a meal that takes hours. I gave up on that long ago.

eating out is not an option. We live miles from nowhere. I could pick up an overpriced pizza on my way home from work, but that is my only option in the small town I am in. Therefore, I have to have meals ready.

If something comes up though, cereal will work for dinner.

 

[peacelover]

I sit down on sunday morning with the paper and look at the sale ads for the upcoming week, and plan my meals based on what is on sale.
The last few weeks, fresh broccoli and baby carrots and butternut squash are pretty cheap, so I buy them, I keep a 10 or 20 lb bag of potatoes on hand, and then I look at the meat/fish sales. I always keep lemon, onion, garlic, spaghetti sauce on hand.
I take my protein out of the freezer to thaw in the fridge the night before.
Its pretty easy. Today I was gone all day, we had steamed broccoli and carrots and cheesesteak sandwiches with green peppers, onions and mushrooms and a little sauce, took 20 minutes.
When I am busy, I keep it simple.

 

[brightspark]

I haven't read the whole thread, so apologies if I'm repeating other people...

I plan with varied amounts of success... (issues mainly come up when dh gets caught up at work etc) but this is how it works for us.

I made a list of all our fave meals, and then plan for the next week (usually try and go one day further than the day I anticipate shopping) and shop accordingly. I write the meals on the calendar along with a * if they are already in the freezer. The key is checking the calendar during the afternoon to get anything I need out of the freezer in time for it to defrost.

My biggest problem has been meat going out of date, and I've saved loads of money, by planning how to use extra meat that I buy when it's on a 3 for 2 deal or similar. Our supermarket has the same deals on most of the time on meat, so I know that if I'm cooking one chicken meal I need to plan to cook 3. I then book in an evening where I cook maybe 2 meals (eg curry, chicken casserole) and then divide them into portions and freeze. That way the meat doesn't go out of date, and I've got a bunch of meals ready for eating when we want them!

I also cook double amounts - eg when cooking chilli - I make for 8 and then have extra portions to freeze. The extra preparation / cooking time is minimal eg chop 2 onions instead of just one!

I also keep a selection of child sized portions in the freezer so that I can use those if I need to feed ds at a different time to me and Dh.

When I'm organised enough I also try and have particular days for particular meals... eg spag bol on thursdays, fish or pie and chips on a tuesday, sausages in some form on a friday, helps to keep me on track!

 

[mafibisha]

There's no shame in Frozen ravioli, canned sauce, and bagged lettuce. The shame is going into to debt to be a family you aren't.

TOO true. And thanks for the Ravioli idea. Haven't bought that in awhile, not too much salt in the brand I buy in a bag (can't recall name though, its been that long.)

So can anyone recommend other frozen things like that? Its rare that I'd do that but there are definitely those days!! Not interested in the OnCor (sp ?) or whatever they're called, but do y'all know of anything else fairly good?

Thanks for a great thread!

 

[C.Ann]

I can't.. That's why I do my cooking in big batches and freeze everything in single-serve containers..

I just can't force myself to eat "XYZ" because it's on my menu for that day or that week.. It takes all the enjoyment out of eating.. (Also why I never bothered with ADR's at Disney.. Impossible to know what I would have wanted to eat - on what day - at what time - at what place - months ahead of time..)

 

[MineMail]

On Sunday, I sit down with an old notebook and plan out the meals. I glance in the fridge/freezer/pantry, so I know what I have on hand to use up. I use the Sat/Sun newspaper circulars and coupons to plot out each lunch and dinner.

I note anything special like "Monday-lessons/Halloween - Wendy's" and make sure that I either have a leftovers day each week or I freeze the leftovers for another day. DH and I like hot lunches, so we often have leftovers for lunch, which uses them up as well.

It takes about an hour, but I also clip coupons, make shopping lists and tidy up the pantry.

We adapted my late MIL's approach to having a general plan for every day in the week.

Sunday is a big, early dinner with a pasta course in addition to the entree'. Our evening meal is lighter, although DH always tells the kids there are only two meals on Sunday because we overeat at the midday one. *chuckles*

Monday - Soup or chili night (fresh or leftover)
Tuesday - Pasta night (sauce from Sunday, sometimes leftover pasta)
Wednesday - leftovers
Thursday - casserole or one-pot meal, usually using the crock pot
Friday - pizza or a vegetarian dish
Saturday - simple grilled dish with veggies/salad and a starch

Having a set plan for each day makes the menu so much easier if I'm busy on Sunday. "Hmmm...it's Tuesday ... I'll pick up ravioli at the store and use the sauce from Sunday." I don't have to think "What do we feel like having...we had soup yesterday...I don't want bla bla bla."

In the morning, I put out any ingredients that don't need refrigeration, such as an onion, rice and chicken stock for a casserole. Sometimes I put out the cookware too, especially if I need the crock pot. Having everything laid out takes away the excuses.

When I had a job with a really long commute, I used to cook several meals on Sunday and we reheated each one during the week as needed. I had a big fridge and a dishwasher, which made it so much easier.


Good luck!

 

[rnorwo1]

Thanks for all the responses. I also think having a plan will be so much less stress. There are evenings when I may wander from pantry to freezer to fridge for twenty minutes before coming up with something. I did a plan this weekend for about 8 meals... I just did main courses, I can wing the side dishes. So far two days of staying on plan!

Marionnette, feel free to come organize my kitchen anytime!!! My meal Plan is currently organized around avoiding the pots and pans that will cause an avalanche if touched.