How do you plan your meals?

[ccgirl]

I recently returned back to work after being laid off for a few months. The problem is, I really haven't gotten into the swing of things as far as meal planning and we end up doing take out more than we should. Could you please share your meal/menu planning tips with me? For example, do you look at the sales circulars then plan your meals for the week, etc? Meals with multiple uses would be especially appreciated. For example, roast one night and then the left overs for beef stroganoff the next. I should mention, I am not the most "talented" cook. Thanks in advance. This would be a huge help!!!

 

[moniot]

I don't have anything fancy and we don't have a lot of shopping selections around me. I shop either weekly or every other weekend. I make a list of 10 to 20 meal ideas. I ask my DH and kids what they would like. I check what I have on hand and then just add to my list what I need.

I hang the list of meals on the fridge. Some things are quick others I need to remember to take stuff out of the freezer to thaw.

Like I said not fancy but it works for us and I always have something to choose from. Also my kids are old enough that if they are home first they can pick something off the list to make.

I like to make extra when I cook also so I have lunches for the next day or even another meal to keep for later in the week.

 

[Nayan]

I shop the circulars and see what's on sale then plan my menu around that. If they have jumbo packs of chicken on sale, I'll buy those, separate them (if there's 8 in a pack, then I'll put 4 each into ziplock freezer bags), add marinade and freeze. Pasta is always a quick meal and to make it a bit healthier I add frozen veggies just before it done, then toss it with olive oil, garlic and Italian seasoning. A whole chicken can be baked, part of it served that night and the rest shredded for quick tacos, fajita's or tossed in a soup or salad. Pork roast can be done in the crockpot with leftovers for stir-fry. There's quite a few options out there!

 

[SaraJayne]

I use a subscription site to plan meals/grocery list.

It's got us eating a lot more variety and trying combo's we normally wouldn't try.

 

[pat fan]

I plan my meals around the sales and what I know is in my cupboard. I try and have at least one or two non-meat meals, so that is a savings, and I will buy bulk so I can stretch a purchase. I stock up on things that are on sale that I know are handy such as rice, canned tomatoes, canned veggies, canned beans etc...

I like to stretch a meal as well. Roast chicken on sunday and chicken soup some other day in the week. I think planning your week out really helps with time-management as well as the pocketbook. I don't have to run around figuring something out for dinner when I know what I'm having every night.

The crock-pot is a HUGE help as well. Nothing is better than coming home to a dinner already cooked! I just wish I could fine a crock=pot cook book with healthy recipes. Most of them use condensed soups etc...that are not so good for you.

 

[gillenkl]

I plan my meals based on what is on sale. My store recently had chicken on sale......needless to say we're practically clucking! I'm been trying all kinds of chicken recipes to try and make it interesting. The bottomline is, we eat what's on sale.

 

[Nina1]

I plan our meals around what I have in the freezer or in the pantry. I have a pretty extensive pantry and a stocked freezer, all of which has been accumulated by buying things that we actually use when they go on sale. I shop sales and use coupons, but again, only for the things we actually use or that we want to try. Anyway, I usually shop once a week for fresh fruits and veggies and dairy, etc. and then stock up again when we need to.

I make a point to try one new recipe every week. If we like it, I add it to our revolving list of favorites. This makes it easy for me when planning our meals every week. Also, we are observing Lent right now, so I know from now until Easter, my Friday meal will be a "make your own pizza" and salad. I prepare two crusts and then set out a bunch of toppings and let my husband and son pick what they want. While they're doing that, I make the salad. Then we put the pizzas in the oven and eat our salad while they cook. If they get tired of the pizza, we have fish.

I always make extra because my husband takes leftovers to work for lunch.

To give you some ideas, this week we had/are having:

Monday - Lemon chicken and gnocchi (new recipe) and salad
Tuesday - Grilled salmon with brown rice, baked sweet potato fries and roasted asparagus
Wednesday - Apricot pork tenderloin, roasted red potatoes and green beans almondine
Thursday - Penne with homemade marinara sauce, roasted lemon broccoli and minestrone to start
Friday - Make your own pizza and salad
Saturday - Dinner out
Sunday - Weekly family gathering at my parent's house

Hope this helps!

 

[toddlerhouse]

Try -eatathomecooks.com

There are weekly menus with 6 dinners (1 makes 2 meals) and 1 dessert. She gives you the menu as well as the shopping list to take with you to the grocery. My kids and my DH really have enjoyed it and the meals are so easy!

 

[frostymom]

I shop sales and in honor of Lent our local shops have had a lot of fish on special I bought a large amount, prepared an herb butter spread and placed a filet of salmon on a non stick sprayed foil sheet, with butter on top. Double wrapped salmon in another foil sheet and freezer bagged it. So on workdays when I come home I will preheat over and then dinner will be ready in 30 min.

So if you can buy stuff on sale, pre prepare fo cook time is short and in the mean time prepare sides set table etc. I also do this while the kids are doing homework.

 

[apnep]

Nina1, what a yummy sounding menu!

OP, I plan by asking DH and kids for suggestions, and then on what I feel like eating. The menu can change though based on circular sales. I try to plan out for the week and I like trying out new recipes. I LOVE Rachel Ray's magazine. It has a ton of quick easy ideas. Tonight I made a puff pastry filled with mushrooms and chicken in a cream sauce. Everyone liked it so I am putting in on my dinner list for future uses.

The main thing is to have a plan. I think it would be awesome if someone started a weekly thread entitled.."What's for dinner this week?" so people could swap their weekly menus. Half the battle is coming up with ideas!

Angela

 

[ccgirl]

Thank you to all my DIS friends. I have received some really wonderful ideas. I will start next week. I started by having peapod delivering tonight. My plan is to have them deliver every two weeks. I think it will help me stick to my food budget and cut down on the impulse buying. The delivery fee is only $4 so I would save that between gas and the impulse buying. That way, maybe I can make up two weeks of menus at a time. To the poster that listed her weekly menu...YUMMY!!! I wish I was eating at your house. I am also considering purchasing a programmable crock pot. My work day is 10 hours so sometimes crock pots don't always work. There are so great recipes on the Weight Watchers website to the person looking for healthy crock pot recipes. Thanks again for all the idea. I love the idea of starting the what's for dinner thread. I will try to do that when I get a moment. Back to work. Thanks again. Love this site!!!

 

[deerhart]

I use springpad to plan my meals, create my grocery list and then email it to my blackberry.

It also stores my recipes so I have them all handy.

Since most of what I buy for the meals each week is fresh produce, I don't have to worry too much about sales. I do stock up on things like canned veggies and such when its on sale. Other things that I buy are either never on sale or something is always on sale each week of that type somewhere.

Here is my menu for the week (which has already changed twice)

Sunday
21
Beef Tenderloin Medallions with Potato "Risotto": bonappetit.com

Monday
22
Cola-Braised Pot Roast Recipe : Emeril Lagasse : Food Network

Tuesday
23
out to eat (kids eat free night)

Wednesday
24
Cooks.com - Recipe - Spaghetti Pie

Thursday
25
Recipe - Chicken and Leek Pie - Rose and Crown - Epcot

Friday
26
Tuscan Meatloaf - crock pot

Saturday
27
Beef Gulasch: bonappetit.com

 

[mombare]

I second eatathomecooks.com - I don't follow the meal plans, but have pulled many recipes! I only work part time, so we tend to have quick, easy meals on my work days - and then I put a little more effort when I am home. I plan 1-2 weeks at a time. Everything hinges on our schedule first because we typically have commitments several times per week, but I try to use what we have at home to build the plan. My grocery shopping isn't consistent, but I do stock up on sale items.

Here is our recipe plan for the week:
Monday: Pancakes
Tuesday: I made myself rice (rice cooker) and shrimp - kids were gone, hubby on his own
Wednesday: Homemade Beef stew with egg noodles, crescent rolls
Thursday: Baked chicken breasts, veggie, rice dish
Friday: Out to dinner
Saturday: Friend's house for b-day party
Sunday: Lasagna

Our weekly meal plan always includes a breakfast for dinner item because that is very quick and easy. We also throw tacos, pasta, beef roasts in the crockpot, bean enchiladas, and sloppy joes into the mix of quick and easy meals. I would recommend starting your meal plan with some quick, easy things each week - that way you don't get too overwhelmed with more intense recipes. Once you get in the groove, bump things up a notch.

 

[ccgirl]

Once again..THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. You have no idea how much of a lifesaver this is. It was simply killing my budget (not preparing) and I was getting sick of spaghetti. I don't get home until close to 6pm so I really have to be better prepared. I checked out the eatathomecooks website and LOVE it. Thank you so much...this is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for the sample meal plans. I am actually excited to start planning! I can ensure my children eat a bit healthier as well. My DD7 gave up McDonald's for lent if that tells you something. I know...it's not really funny but it's true.

 

[Lex87]

The tools on mealsmatter dot com are pretty handy for someone without much time.. My sister loves that site and keeps sending me to it to see all the things she's done with it.

Personally, I'm a pen and paper girl, and I just focus on keeping things different, no tacos on tuesday for me!

 

[yupikgal]

I couldn't help but jump in here! I have started planning my menu for the week to help figure out exactly what I need and just did a big shopping trip for the ingredients.

Monday: Turkey Spaghetti (frozen turkey hamburger is cheap and it's better for you, less fat!) made my own sauce with canned italian style tomatoes blended in the blender, spices (oregeno, basil, parsley) garlic, with whole wheat spaghetti noodles, green salad with baby spinach, cucumber, green beans (fresh) tomatoes, whatever you like!

Tuesday: Fried rice made with brown rice, lean boneless pork cut into little bite sized pieces, asparagus cut into small bite size pieces (steam them a bit to soften ahead of time) mushrooms, scallions (green onions) frozen peas/carrots, and low sodium soy sauce.

Wednesday: Tonight we are having White Bean & Chicken Chili with canned white beans, boneless skinless chicken chunks, chicken broth, can of green chili's, onion, cumin, and add sour cream & cilantro for garnish!

There are so many sources of recipes on the internet, I like Kraft Foods website, easy recipes: http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/main.aspx as well as Cooking Light magazine recipes: http://www.cookinglight.com/

Happy Cooking! ; )

 

[deerhart]

Once again..THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. You have no idea how much of a lifesaver this is. It was simply killing my budget (not preparing) and I was getting sick of spaghetti. I don't get home until close to 6pm so I really have to be better prepared. I checked out the eatathomecooks website and LOVE it. Thank you so much...this is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for the sample meal plans. I am actually excited to start planning! I can ensure my children eat a bit healthier as well. My DD7 gave up McDonald's for lent if that tells you something. I know...it's not really funny but it's true.

I don't get home until almost 6pm most nights as well. I find that preparing a lot of the food the night before 9either for the crock pot) or just cutting up things like veggies and such really helps the prep time.

So for tonight and the spaghetti pie, DH will brown the hamburger and make the noodles while I am in my commute, I will get home and through it all together and bake it so we can eat and get to the oldest's TKD at the Y. Sometime tonight, I will cut onions and leeks and get out chicken to dethaw (and possible cut up) for the chicken and leak pie tomorrow. I could go so far as to make the filling, refrigerate it, and just dump it in the pie tomorrow (depends on how ambitious I am and how much reading I want to do instead).

Thursday night, I will prep the meatloaf and have it in the crockpot to turn on before I go to work Friday morning. I also have to figure out the next 7-10 days of meals on Friday/Saturday.

 

[sl_underwood]

I plan our meals twice a month always around the 1st and the 15th as that is when our local grocer has the best sales. I plan breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for 15-20 days- not all of these are things I cook but by having a menu, I know I most likely wont have to run to the store or rely on fast food because we dont have something to eat. On days I know there is no time for cooking, I plan crockpot meals, many of which I can make the night before and just put in the crockpot in the morning. I also prepare as much as possible when I bring the food home. Ground beef can be cooked and sauce can be added and frozen, chicken can be put in freezer bags in the marinade you plan to use and just leave it out to thaw in your fridge while you are at work and pop it in the oven when you get home. I also have a great frozen potato casserole recipe that I make and freeze that can go well with chicken. Meatballs are another staple in our house. I make and freeze my own, then add some sauce and pasta and you have a meal in just a few minutes. Tacos are another quick meal, even quicker when you have made the meat ahead. I also freeze casseroles, lasagna, etc. By having meals already mostly prepared I have more time in the evenings for everything else. Of course, the two days a month I cook, I spend several hours prepping everything but its well worth it in the long run.

 

[frostymom]

I plan our meals twice a month always around the 1st and the 15th as that is when our local grocer has the best sales. I plan breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for 15-20 days- not all of these are things I cook but by having a menu, I know I most likely wont have to run to the store or rely on fast food because we dont have something to eat. On days I know there is no time for cooking, I plan crockpot meals, many of which I can make the night before and just put in the crockpot in the morning. I also prepare as much as possible when I bring the food home. Ground beef can be cooked and sauce can be added and frozen, chicken can be put in freezer bags in the marinade you plan to use and just leave it out to thaw in your fridge while you are at work and pop it in the oven when you get home. I also have a great frozen potato casserole recipe that I make and freeze that can go well with chicken. Meatballs are another staple in our house. I make and freeze my own, then add some sauce and pasta and you have a meal in just a few minutes. Tacos are another quick meal, even quicker when you have made the meat ahead. I also freeze casseroles, lasagna, etc. By having meals already mostly prepared I have more time in the evenings for everything else. Of course, the two days a month I cook, I spend several hours prepping everything but its well worth it in the long run.

Post your menu!!! and plan!!

 

[Leader of the Club]

I saw this on All Recipes and thought it looked interesting...

20 Ingredients = 20 meals

http://allrecipes.com/Features/More/PhiladelphiaCreamCheese/20for20.aspx