Meal planning questions

[beckmrk04]

How do you plan your family's meals?

Until recently, my DH was on afternoons at work, so he was never home anyway for dinner. And we've always just been sort of haphazard about dinners anyway- eating whatever we felt like eating, whenever it was convenient. I generally cook meals on the weekends for us, but throughout the week it's just eat whatever you can find because I never wanted to cook for myself.

BUT- everything has changed. Our DD is beyond baby food, and eats real food, and DH just switched shifts, so now he'll be home for dinner every night. And I know I have to start having a plan for dinner, instead of scanning the cupboard and raiding the fridge every night when we get home (takes too much time and we end up running to the store every other day which is a waste of time and money and gas).

So, I need a plan. But I need help making a plan. How does everyone else meal plan/grocery shop?

I'm thinking about planning 2 weeks of meals at a time, then shopping every two weeks for what I need. My hope is that it will cut down on wasting gas, time, money and also help us eat healthier in the process.

I was just curious about how everyone else deals with the daily "What's for dinner?" mystery.

ETA- anyone have any special programs they use or websites that have been helpful? I use www.allrecipes.com all the time for recipes. I really do like to cook! And I'm pretty good at it. BUT- during the week when I don't get home until 6 or 7, I want something EASY to cook, but that still tastes good and is fairly nutritious.

 

[NMAmy]

I make two big meals on Saturday & Sunday with lots of leftovers. I also plan on two or three easy meals for weeknights and then the rest of the time, I play short order chef and just warm up whatever combination of leftovers everyone wants.

 

[Angelhalo]

Well personally the way I do it, is I look for recipes that sound good to me but don't have a million different ingredients. Then I choose 5 and head for the store.

BUT, recently I've started incorporating Robin Miller's technique. She like's to preplan and then help herself out by doing some things in advance. For example. Monday night she makes Chicken salad pitas. Later in the week she is making Chicken a La King, so on night one she cooks more chicken than she needs, so that it will already be cooked and ready for her when she gets to the next chicken night.

One thing that my mom found to be helpful is Rachel Ray's books. She tells you all of the staple things that you should always have in your house. So my mom started there. She went out and got all the things on the list that she didn't already have. Then when you go through the recipe book and pick the recipes that you want to make that week, she gives you a shopping list of what you'll need for each recipe that you don't already have. That way you don't have to buy 20 ingredients for each recipe you choose. You'll only have to buy the 5 things that you don't already have in your stocked kitchen.

 

[beckmrk04]

I like the idea of cooking ahead for certain ingredients, like chicken. And I can totally utilize Sundays to cook ahead, because DH works all day Sunday.

I love Rachael Ray's cookbooks (I have most of them)- I need to go back through them for recipes. The one thing I don't love, though, is that if I am going to plan for two weeks, I will still have to stop by the store for fresh stuff (ie fruits and veggies).

 

[JessicaR]

I shop once a week. Every two weeks wont work for fresh produce. I make a list and scan some recipes for ingredients when trying something new.

Mostly I plan a couple nights of poultry, one night of beef, a pasta night or two and fish the rest. I also have one night of take out. I like to cook. During the winter months I make more baked/casserole type foods and roasts. Summer usually finds me at the BBQ each night!

All recipes and The Food Network are great websites and I use them a lot!

 

[Piecey]

I plan best I can but it doesn't work out perfectly. Kroger is a 5 minute walk from here so no biggie.

I use allrecipes.com, too, when I get bored I browse through them and I write down the ones I like and put it in the front of my recipe box. Every week, DH picks one or two out and I make one whichever night works best. Turns out to be tomorrow night, for this week.

At the beginning of the month, I go to Sams and buy a huge package of ground beef, pork chops, chicken and re-package them for the two of us, date and freeze. I always load up on steaks, etc whenever it's on sale. We've got enough meat to get through 1.5 months, no problem. Also, first of the month I stock up on side dishes (pasta roni, rice dishes, etc) so there is always something quick to throw together. Always have potatoes, etc.

I have a mini-calendar on the kitchen wall where I write a week ahead, what I plan to make. We don't stick to it perfectly but DH always has an idea, that way, what to expect. We rarely have leftovers, as I pack them for DH's lunch.

 

[beckmrk04]

I'm thinking maybe I'll do *big* grocery shopping every two weeks, and then on the in-between week, I'll stop by for fresh produce. That won't be a huge hassle, and that way I won't waste stuff when it goes bad before we can use it.

I'm glad you guys are so full of good ideas.

DH is going to help me map out our two weeks when he gets home tonight. Then, I have to make the grocery list. That should be pretty easy because I already have a master-list in a word file saved on the computer; it needs to be updated a little (some things on there we don't have to buy anymore, like baby food), but it basically has everything we ever buy on there: I just print out the list and hang it on the fridge. If we run out of olive oil, for instance, I can just pass by the fridge, and check the evoo box. I also left blank spaces to write in things that are out of the ordinary.

 

[mselly13]

I shop once a week. I usually have no clue before I get to the store what we are going to be having but sometimes I do pick out recipes ahead of time. I usually just decided on what looks good. We do some type of chicken at least twice a week. DH loves chicken. DD loves pasta, so that's once a week and we have switched to whole wheat pasta. The Cars shape is her favorite. During the hot hot months DH like cooler stuff, Tuna Salad, maybe a pasta salad. During the winter months he could eat soup every night. Heck, if I would let him he's eat soup all summer too. I also try to do pork at least once. Beef I try to do only once every two weeks. I try to do Mexican once every two weeks and on it's off week DH likes Chinese.

So when I get home I put a list on the fridge of what meals we have. Every morning, sometimes before bed the night before, I look and say that's what we have and then I know what to take out of the freezer.

I also check this list before I leave for the grocery store so I know what I have leftover from last week.

 

[believe]

Once you figure out your 'typical' meals you can just keep the freezer and pantry stocked. As soon as I use something it goes on the grocery list so when I want it again I have it.

 

[rentayenta]

I was just curious about how everyone else deals with the daily "What's for dinner?" mystery.

It depends on who will do the cooking that night but that's where we start. We see which nights I'll be cooking and which night DH will be cooking and go from there. Then we look at what activities the kids have during the week and our schedule in general. Then I pick, ask DH to choose what he want to make, make our list, and shop from that. It end up looking something like this:

Mon (Michael): BBQ. Tri tip, zucchini, fruit. We have tri tip and zucchini so fruit goes on the list.
Tues (Jenny): Buttermilk crockpot chicken with jasmine rice and a salad. We have chicken, rice, and tomotoes so lettuce and buttermilk go on the list.........................

Make sense?

 

[beckmrk04]

It depends on who will do the cooking that night but that's where we start. We see which nights I'll be cooking and which night DH will be cooking and go from there. Then we look at what activities the kids have during the week and our schedule in general. Then I pick, ask DH to choose what he want to make, make our list, and shop from that. It end up looking something like this:

Mon (Michael): BBQ. Tri tip, zucchini, fruit. We have tri tip and zucchini so fruit goes on the list.
Tues (Jenny): Buttermilk crockpot chicken with jasmine rice and a salad. We have chicken, rice, and tomotoes so lettuce and buttermilk go on the list.........................

Make sense?

That's a good idea, too- because DH will be home on Thurs and Fri (he's off work), so I have to have something those days that he can cook, so dinner doesn't have to wait until I get home.

Geez, you'd think it was rocket science, with all the planning and preparing I'm doing. I'm sure once we have an actual system working, it won't feel like as much work.

 

[mamacatnv]

My plan is very similar to Piecey's.

I hit Costco for asst. meat and frozen entree's. I bring it home and repackage and date. I buy a variety of chicken - bone in for baking or BBQ and boneless for stir fying, adding to soup or just because it cooks quick. I also always have hamburger in tubes and pattys, boneless pork chops and asst. sausages.

With DS getting ready to leave for college and him being a busy working, socializing teenager, I have started to pack smaller and then I just ask him if he will be home for dinner. If he is coming home I pull out an extra package.

I try to utilize my crock pot at least once a week with either a pot roast, corned beef etc. So I always have red potatos, onion soup mix and beef gravy on hand.

I do a "major" grocery run about every 3-4 weeks and supplement produce and dairy in the middle. (I hate grocery shopping, and don't usually go until we are out of Mac and Cheese )

DH is fairly simple, he likes plain rice, plain potatos or frozen french fries as a side dish. My freezer and pantry are always stocked with side items and I keep an abundance of frozen veggies.

I freeze meal "kits" I will package up a pound of ground beef with a couple of italian sausages and label it for spaghetti. I always keep an assortment of pasta's and several cans of sauce in the pantry
I will also freeze boneless chicken with a marinade of some sort.

I also love several of Costco's frozen entrees: We just tried the shredded beef the other night (yummy!) also the carnita's, pot roast, 4 cheese tortellini and the sausage & cheese ravioli. By keeping these items in my freezer it throws in some variety on those nights that "nothing sounds good" and we want to go out (I have really made an effort to cut back the eating out).

I will make a big batch of rice one night and then use the leftovers for fried rice another or a chicken & rice soup. Same with mashed potatos, I will make a potato cake a second night.

I take leftovers for my lunch daily.

I don't necessarily plan way ahead. This morning I looked in the freezer.....hummmm, what looks good. Italian and Kielbasa sausage. Took the packages out along with some sub style rolls, placed them on the stove where they will defrost and I will figure out how to prepare when I get home. (I'm thinking BBQ'd) with some corn on the cob, watermelon and salad.

Staples I always have:
Spaghetti Sauce
Canned Gravy (asst. flavors)
Rice
Potatos
Pasta (asst.)
Taco shells
Tortillas - I have both corn and the new cook your own flour in my freezer
Frozen french fries
Frozen Green beans, corn and petite peas
Sweet & Sour Sauce
Pineapple
Soy sauce
Apple Sauce
Mac & Cheese (kids)
Hamburger Helper (beef pasta) only one DH will eat
Corn muffin mix
Canned biscuits
Stuffing mix

I think it takes practice to get a system down. The more you do it the more comfortable you will get and the easier it will be to prepare your grocery list.

 

[lovemygoofy]

When my husband is home and things are back to normal, my two week calendar dry erase board comes out. I grocery shop for 2 weeks at a time and meal plan for 2 weeks at a time. It is all planned out on my calendar and when I'm out of staples in the house I just list them at the bottom of my dry erase board. Because I use the commissary I don't always know what is on sale. I just plan whatever meals we want and if something good is on sale I stock up and use the next two weeks.

During the week I like to make meals that can be done in less than an hour. In the mornings before I leave, I pull out eveything from the cabinet and from the freezer that is needed for that meal and if it isn't something my husband is familiar with, I pull out the recipe too. If he gets home before me, he can start dinner at least opening cans, prepping veggies or whatever else like browning meat.

We don't always stick to the calendar because sometimes our weeks are unpredictable so if we eat out for dinner that night, I just erase the dinner planned for the next night and tack it on at the end. I never prepare the same dinner in a two week span. The only thing repeated is Wed night is usually breakfast night at our house.

I usually do one week of fresh produce and one week of frozen veggies with fruits that can stretch that two week period like apples, oranges, peaches, and grapes.

 

[disykat]

I do a combo of what everyone else does. When I'm on a roll and doing well, I do the following:

Check my list of meals still available on the fridge, decide on a few more meals (I finally made a list of about 50 meals we enjoy that I taped on the inside of a cupboard door so I'm not always struggling for ideas. If I try a new recipe we enjoy, it goes on the list), check my cupboards and freezer, and then complete my grocery list. I keep my list on the counter for the family to add to that is divided into two columns - meal ideas and groceries. That way everyone has input and there's no complaining that they never get what they want. (Plus, when the kids were younger I always got a kick out of trying to figure out what they wrote!)

When I get home from the grocery store, I cut the meal idea list off and stick in on the fridge. Each day I look at the list to see what our meal possibilties are. I always try to have a mix of grab and go vs. meals that take more planning. I just cross off each meal as I make it and when I'm running out of options it's time to go BIG shopping again.

I do big shopping (canned food etc.) about twice a month, a small stop weekly for milk, produce and sometimes sale items, and get meat etc. at Costco whenever I'm running out.

 

[beckmrk04]

(I finally made a list of about 50 meals we enjoy that I taped on the inside of a cupboard door so I'm not always struggling for ideas. If I try a new recipe we enjoy, it goes on the list)

I did this too!! Because I am so sick of feeling like, "We JUST had that..." Now, I have a list of 2 months worth of meal ideas that I know I can cook, so I KNOW we can't say, "We just had that" to everything.

We do have our favorite things that we don't usually mind having quite so often, but I am going to try to plan 2 weeks, with no repeats. Then, if something comes up, or we decide just to go out to eat (which we are really trying to cut WAY back on- for money and health), I will add that night's meal to the next two week rotation....

I love the DIS.

 

[Piecey]

Can people maybe post same staple meals they have? I know I don't always think of things but someone mentions it and I add it to our rotation.

Our staples are crockpot BBQ pork sandwiches, spaghetti (sometimes w/ breaded chicken), stuffed shells, mexican (fajitas, taco, enchilada), pork chops (applesauce and potatoes), plain chicken (veggie and pasta side), and hamburger helper, bertolli meals, frozen pizza and hot pockets on hand at all times for quick fixes or lunches if no leftovers for DH.

I know there have GOT to be more options out there that are cheap and easy to keep in stock around the house but we've only been married/living together 8 months so I'm still in the learning process.

I do the mini-calendar in the kitchen to plan the meals because if DH says "We just had that" I can pull it out and say "Nope, we haven't had it since April 5th!"

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I try to plan my meals around vegetables. What veggies do we have that need to be used up? So yesterday we had peppers (yellow and red) stuffed with couscous (with mushrooms, onions and tomato sauce). The day before we had steamed broccoli with salad dressing on it, with crispy fried tofu and salad. Today I wanted to use up more salad greens, so we had a big salad with added tomatoes and peppers, bean dip with sesame crackers, and yellow plums for dessert.

Other staples at our house that use long-lasting vegetables:

barbecued beans with peppers and onions, topped with cornmeal biscuits

Pasta, topped with sauce that has pureed veggies and lentils mixed in

wraps with salad greens, onions, peppers, grated carrots, cucumbers, etc., plus salsa and a protein such as seitan or beans

pizza (I make the dough in the bread machine) with tomato sauce and assorted vegetable toppings (and usually salad as well)

Chick-pea spinach curry (great way to use up spinach and a family favourite)

Chili with a variety of beans, onions, peppers and tomatoes

Aloo Gobi (not sure if I spelled that right) - uses up cauliflower

Teresa

 

[Mahnahmahnah]

I've been wanting to post on this thread and now that DH is stuck in traffic I can -

I agree it is so hard to come up w/ different meals and be within a budget and be a "Rachel Ray". Don't put too much pressure on yourself!

In the spring/summerfall - plain and simple we bar b que. Heck we even bar b que in blizzards! I try to buy as much as I can to bar b que because my oven is propane and it KILLS me to give any more money to that propane company. So we have whaterver goes on the grill:
chicken , meat, fish, lots of shishkabobs, I even bake my baby potatoes on the grill, vegetables on skewers, etc.

I don't have a Cosco close - I have BJ's. So - I buy the big bag of chicken and then look at allrecipes.com and come up with different stuff since it can get boring just slapping grill sauce on it.

I also make a BIG pot of gravy (or sauce) every month. I buy the cans of tomatoes when they are on sale and hang onto them. It's the easiest thing to do is make home made gravy! Then I buy ground turkey meat (better for ya and nobody knows ) and make meat - ah -balls! I make a lot! Then I freeze some meatballs with enough sauce for the week. I usually have about 6 or seven containers. Then I make two containers of of just meatballs with a little sauce for meatball sandwiches.

I also make a load of chicken cutlets when it's on sale all at one time. This way you can have chicken ceasar salad, clt's,chicken parm, etc. We also eat a LOT of salad. Spinich salad is good for you and easy!

I also will freeze homemade soup in the winter/fall months - I will make a pot of pasta e fagiole, but just omit the pasta and freeze. Wonderfull when it's getting cold and just buy a loaf of Italian bread to go with it!

Personally I can survive on a hunk of Italian bread and a good cheese. But my DH ain't letting that happen!

So that's an example of what I do.

 

[beckmrk04]

Personally I can survive on a hunk of Italian bread and a good cheese. But my DH ain't letting that happen!

Me too! (And, BTW- it took me a second after reading that you make a big pot of GRAVY!!! I thought- Wow, she must really like mashed potatoes.. then I read the rest of your post. Sauce! )


To Piecey-

We do a lot of kabobs in the summer (I love KC Masterpiece Teriyaki Marinade- I cut up sirloin or chicken, marinate it for a while (at least 30 min), put it on skewers with pineapple and onions and peppers, grill corn on the cob, yum!

SPaghetti, BLT pizza (I'm having that tonight), Pork tenderloin (rub with evoo, sprinkle with greek seasoning, bake), cheeseburger macaroni (homemade or Hamb. helper), regular Pizza, parmesan chicken (dip chicken in butter, then in mixture of crushed crackers and parm. cheese, then bake), Stoup (term borrowed from R.Ray- mine usually ends up with hamb or italian sausage, tomatoes, celery, carrots, onions, chicken broth, a jar of pizza sauce, and tiny pasta), cheeseburger calzone (tastes kinda like a McD's cheeseburger!), tacos- reg or grilled steak tacos, fajitas, stroganoff, chicken pot pie, chili, salmon patties, macaroni and cheese w/italian sausage and tomatoes, stir-fry, plain ol' baked chicken, maple-orange glazed pork chops...

I'm very "season" oriented when it comes to cooking. I don't really like to eat soups/stews in the summer, and I don't like to eat cold foods (salads, etc) in the winter.

And, I'm not so good at cooking fish. I rarely try it, for one, and for two- I don't like "fishy" fish. Anyone have any no-fail recipes for fish? And what kind do you use? I know we should eat more of it, but I have a hard time with it.

 

[lovemygoofy]

Patsy I tend to make meals according to seasons. We don't grill out, mostly because it's been a well known fact that I shouldn't play with fire but I do use my George Foreman grill often.

In the summer I make some lighter meals or at least no stews or things that take long to cook or make the kitchen too hot.

Tonight was chicken floretine pizza. Tomorrow I'll use some of the leftover chicken and spinach in a pasta toss with whatever veggies is about to go.

Also make breakfast for dinner. I'll make an omlette with whatever veggies I have on hand or scramble up some eggs with veggies and some sliced deli turkey.

Other meals throughout the year:

Mexican(tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, chicken rice bake, mexican soup)

Italian(frozen ravoili, spaghetti, lasagna(with meat and sometimes with eggplant instead noodles), pasta alfredo, pizza

Pork Chops grilled with sauces, served with cinammon apples, baked in seasoned bread crumbs,

Stiry fry with seafood, chicken, steak, pork or just veggies served on brown rice or ramen noodles with no season packet(made into a noodle bowl with extra sauce)

Hamburgers, hot dogs, homemade chili then leftover chili made into chili/cheese burritos, chili mac, chili dogs, or chili cheese frito pie.

Sub sandwhiches with deli meats, meatballs cooked in sauce in crockpot, italian beef cooked in crockpots, tuna, blts, buffalo chicken strips

Jambalya using zatarans low sodium mixing it rotel, chopped shrimp, onion, garlic, and chopped little smokeys

Talipia baked in seasoned bread crumbs, baked with old bay seasoning, poached with veggies in tin foil packets

Chicken grilled with any seasoning, baked in seasoned bread crumbs, cut up and baked in bread crumbs and served as chicken strips,