Meal Planning...

[cttjones]

Does it really work? I am trying to to have a stress free 2008, and one of the things that stresses me out is coming home from a ten hour work day and having to figure out what to cook. I do have to take time to create the list and shop accordingly, but would it pay off in the end? Thoughts, ideas, or suggestions?

 

[Heluvsme]

On weeks when I "wing it" I find I spend a LOT more on groceries and we tend to not eat as healthy. If I can plan a couple weeks meals in advance I can save a bundle. I buy in bulk at Sam's what I can, the rest I pick up at the grocery store, and we eat fairly well. This past week we had a beef roast, then used the leftovers as BBQ'd beef sandwiches. We did homemade vegetable soup and sandwiches one night, then soup and french bread the next night. I'm getting double nights out of most meals, meaning I'm only cooking roughly half the time. Spagetti is easy because I make extra sauce when I make it, then freeze it in portions....when we're having spaghetti, I pop the sauce in the micro to defrost it, boil noodles, and we're done! For about $2 for our family of 4 too!!

 

[Rootskate]

I need to get back to doing this as well. When I have done it in the past it is such a time and money saver, in my opinion. It is so much easier when you know what you are having and can avoid the costly trip to the supermarket every other day. The only trouble I have is planning out a weeks worth of meals. I can never think of what to make! Do you have a slow cooker? Its great to come home from work and have dinner ready and waiting.

 

[foltzy]

I do mine for every two weeks, I find I make different things, I don't have to worry about what's for dinner and since I do my Shopping list at the same time I always have everything I need. For food with the planning we now average about $60 every two weeks.

 

[FormrCastMbr]

I am less stressed if I plan dinners. I do nogt formally plan, just have an idea in the back of my head. I am also trying to make less complicated recipes this year.

Check out the "What's for Dinner" thread on the Community board for some great recipes!

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

I make a list on the weekend end of what I want to make for the week and usually when I am finished w/ that I think of all the things that I need which usually are many pick those few things up and then during the week or on sunday I might cook two meals for the week and then do two more another. I tend to do crockpot dishes and casserole things except when dh is home he may cook some.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

So could some of you post your meal plans? I want to do this for our family too.

I've started trying to plan for next week and this is what I have so far (we are vegan):

Monday: chili with cornbread
Tuesday:
Wednesday: (need something quick as I am out all day - probably pasta with a primavera sauce and salad)
Thursday:
Friday: home-made pizza
Saturday: we have company, so I have to plan something for the group - I'm thinking perhaps an Indian meal - samosas, tofu curry, rice, etc.

Still need two more days. Would love to see anyone else's plan!

Teresa

 

[FormrCastMbr]

So could some of you post your meal plans? I want to do this for our family too.
Teresa

Hi! So far this week we are having (in no particular order...I don't plan that much )

Spaghetti and meatballs, salad, bread
Low fat sweet and sour chicken, brown rice and broccoli
chili mac and sides with a salad or fruit (some type of produce)
pot roast with carrots and potatoes
pork tenderloin...not sure of the sides yet

 

[Debbie]

I just went through my freezers today, and planned the meals for January. Each week will include a "breakfast for dinner" night, and, probably a soup and sandwich night. I utilize my slow cooker, and will make chili and stew next weekend for the following week.

The advantages?

1. DH stays at home and can cook according to plan
2. I don't need to buy much other than milk, buns, fresh veggies for the next 4 weeks.
3. That saves me money!
4. If I don't want something in particular, that's okay....I just switch out the meals.
5. In our busy household, my brain goes mush by the time I get home....NO THINKING required

This week's meals have us having:

• cottage roll and veggies
• leftovers
• turkey soup (homemade from the Christmas turkey) and sandwiches
• bacon and eggs
• chicken in the crockpot
• hamburgers and curly fries (before the snow flies again)
• Saturday, it's just me, and I'll probably have a peanut butter and banana sandwich....my treat!

No thinking required and I can concentrate on getting my lessons up.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I have an loose idea of what will be for dinner for about a week at a time. I try to be somewhat flexible and use what I had in mind one night as a back up for another if it's not used. I use the crockpot a lot! For example, yesterday we had BBQ'd pork chops and tonight we're having spaghetti & meatballs. I've had the sauce simmering all day in the crock and it smells great. Getting ready to cook the noodles. We'll have some fruit for dessert.

It not only helps with the budget but as the OP stated it really cuts down on the stress of "the dinner scramble".

 

[powellrj]

I try to plan my meals around what is on sale at the grocery store.

I took my DH shopping with me one day and it drove him crazy! He was a supermarket manager for almost 20 years and he thought he knew how to shop!

I will start back in the meat department and see whats on sale. Many times whatever is in the ad isn't the cheapest. We are eating healthier these days, so meat plays a smaller roll in what we eat, but I still use it as a starting point.

Last week chicken breasts were an unadvertised special at $1 a pound so many of our meals were around chicken. We also had leftover ham so I used that for a dinner and a lunch.

We had for our dinners

Ham loaf
Chicken Chili
Chicken Enchiladas
Pot Roast
Turkey Tacos
pork tenderloins

I bought enough and was able to freeze it so all I need to buy this week is milk, bread and fresh fruits and veggies.

I start in the meat department, go back to produce, fill in with the center aisles and end in the dairy.

 

[McDuck]

DH and I sit down every week and make out our menu for dinner each day of the week. We base it off of what we already have in the house or what we want to eat. We will shop for what's needed to make the meals as needed. We find this really works for us and often DH takes the leftovers to work for lunch the next day.

Speaking of which, we need to make out our menu for this week. We're doing spaghetti tonight but have to plan the rest out. I get free weekly planner calendars from CalendarsThatWork.com and we write the menu in the applicable day.

 

[Swimnoid]

It definitely helps me to have a plan. Otherwise we end up eating junk.

This is this week's list. I wont necessarily keep the days the same but it gives me direction and I wont have to think!

Sun- Grilled sirloin kabobs

Mon-usually this is crock pot night but we are having hotdogs this time. We never have hotdogs and I'm just in the mood.

Tues-chicken enchiladas or chicken parm

Wed--BBQ meatloaf

Thurs--tortellini

Fri--out

 

[OceanAnnie]

I have an loose idea of what will be for dinner for about a week at a time. I try to be somewhat flexible and use what I had in mind one night as a back up for another if it's not used. I use the crockpot a lot! For example, yesterday we had BBQ'd pork chops and tonight we're having spaghetti & meatballs. I've had the sauce simmering all day in the crock and it smells great. Getting ready to cook the noodles. We'll have some fruit for dessert.

It not only helps with the budget but as the OP stated it really cuts down on the stress of "the dinner scramble".

We're having a spaghetti bake (made with the leftovers) tomorrow night. It'll be even better!

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

My menu for this week is~

1}Turkey fajitas~ pre packaged turkey strips marinated, onions, bell pepper, wraps
2}Chicken & Suasage Jambalya~ 1bx zatarains jambalya, 1 pack of suasage, 1 9oz can on swansons chicken, 1 cup extra rice (makes it less spicey for the kiddos)
3}Cottage Pies~ Rose and Crowns recipe http://allearsnet.com/din/rec_cot.htm It doesn't take long I substituted the sesonings for what I would use any other day, used 1cn campbells brown gravy w/ onions, and added a can of mixed veggies, I didn't use as much butter and put some cheddar cheese top.
4}Pizza Mac~ spaghetti sauce, pepperoni, and whatever you like to put on pizza, penne or rigatoni (boil first), mix it together top w/ mozzerella cheese (I use monteray jack) bake in oven until cheese is melted @ 375. I usually fix a can of green beans.
5}Cheesy Chicken & Rice~ http://www.campbellkitchen.com/reci...en+soup"||Title+or+ingredient&LastIndex=false or http://www.kraftfoods.com/Velveeta/...cken and rice&u3=**10*15&wf=9&recipe_id=53080 (I use frozen broccoli, and I prefer the chicken tenders rather than the whole breast.

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

I'm not really sure where the smiley came from.

 

[moniot]

I usually write down a list of meal ideas (at least 12 ideas) on the front page of my grocery tablet. I then on the next page make my grocery list to finish off ingredients needed. I always have a breakfast meal or soup and sandwiches as back ups.

I'm like you, tired of trying to think when I get home. Most of my meals can be done in 30 to 60 minutes. After I get them cooking (my DD helps alot) I can get the laundry going and get things ready for the next morning.

I shop Sam's monthly and I am trying to get my grocery store (Super Wal-mart) shopping down to twice a month instead of weekly. It is a half hour drive and I am tired of either late nights on Friday shopping or using up my weekend time shopping.

So to answer your question, Yes it saves time and money.

 

[cttjones]

Thanks so much for all the great ideas. You guys have really motivated me to get started with the meal planning. I'll check out the other threads with meal suggestions.

 

[jcc0621]

I make a list on Saturday of what I want to make for the week. DH and I both work FT so I use a crock post alot. I find by creating the meal list ahead of time, when I shop on Sunday I don't spend as much money. My list for this week. Also, most of the things I make in the crock pot we have for 2 nights, so I am really only making 3, maybe 4 meals a week. As someone else mentioned, we will do soup and sandwiches some nights. One of DS's favs is breakfast for dinner

My menu for this week is:

Mon/Tues: Chicken Casserole with Swiss Cheese, served with Pasta. (Crockpot)

Wed: Smoked Pork Chops (DS thinks they are ham ), Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans.

Thurs/Fri: Beef Stew (Crockpot)

Saturday is usually out soup/sandwich or breakfast night.

 

[labdogs42]

Great ideas! I NEED to get back to planning meals -- I was a disaster in december! Thanks!