Meal Planning

[Zonny]

Greetings all!

I find that I am very disorganized in planning for meals. I've read/watched that if you have a meal plan for each week, you can do your shopping more efficiently and save money in the end.

This is especially important for us because we are a family of three, two parents, one toddler. DH wants to go do tae kwon do a couple nights a week, I want to get to the gym a couple nights a week. Although my DH is very supportive in helping with every other household task, I am the cook in our household.

I generally cook for two meals every time I cook, but we're not very good at planning for the week. This sometimes results in us not having a meal planned for say, Thursday, and we end up going out to supper or ordering in once a week (or more!).

We really want to cut down on the eating out/ordering in food.

I've read online about the 'cook once a month' phenomenon, have done a *little* of that, but haven't caught on well for the most part. Some things do freeze really well after they're cooked, but haven't found a great schedule for that.

I just need to either get more organized, with both my shopping and my cooking. A scheduling plan would be great!

Anybody got ideas?

Z

[Patty Smyth]

Maybe you can take a look at the thread I started called "What's for Dinner". There have been alot of great dishes with pics. posted and maybe you can ask some of those people for their recipes or ideas too.

I had gotten into the habit of cooking all day Sunday in preparation for the week. I have gotten out of that routine and I find we are either going out too much (1 a week) or eating stuff that is fast and not too healthy. You are right organization is everything. I was even going to the fruits and veg. store(a specialty one, bulk, very cheap) looking around at what was in season and cheap and planning my meals that way. Then to the butcher warehouse(more bulk buying) and matching my veggies with the meats. We eat tons of chicken and it cost me $45 for a 12 lb. box of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. This will last the 6 of us one week. I usually BBQ some, bread some, cube for pasta sauces. I buy alot of ziploc containers and have everything ready to just take out and throw together. It's tough though and you run out of ideas. I think we are all in the same boat at some point.

[tinahobbs]

One word: "CASSEROLE"!!! I am really catching on the the "one dish meal" concept for during the week. I think we're all in the same boat of not having enough time during the week to plan for a decent meal, but taking weekend leftovers and making a weekday casserole really helps!! I try to do my "extra" cooking on the weekend too -whatever I am making, I try to make a double batch, ie. extra potatoes, or BBQ double chicken,etc. and make a casserole out of it, for a dinner to have during the weekdays. Add a little pasta or rice, some sauce, and stick it in the oven, and you pretty much have a meal! (Maybe not the most stellar, but not bad!!!).

[Alaryk]

Ok I don't plan my weeks usually, I just make sure I have a nicely stocked freezer and pantry. Yes its more efficient and cheaper to plan ahead but life doesn't always go as planned so I gave up and figured out some cheats when you don't have time or are just really tired and don't want to do much.

I like to make shepherds pie, but not just 1. I'll make about 4, have 1 that night and freeze the rest, when you want it it doesn't have to be thawed first you can just throw it in the oven. I'll also do that with stew, chili would probably work too. I also like to have perogies on hand since they are fast to make.

A couple others are if you make a roast and you have extra, slice it and freeze it in the juices and the same with chicken, cut into pieces and freeze. You can get some sauce that will keep for a while in the fridge for a few times use and buy a bag of ready cut vegetables ready for a stirfry and use the chicken for a stirfry with minute rice. The veggies can even be bought that day if you know you don't have much time to cook. As for the beef, have a can of beef broth on hand and and you can either buy fresh buns or have some from the freezer. Open the buns and lay flat on a cookie sheet and toast them, simmer the beef in the broth for about 10 mins (after its thawed) to make it a little more tender. If you like onion saute one, put the beef on the buns (and onion), slice of cheese if you want and use the broth for dipping and voila beef dip, he'll never know you didn't order in.
Something I don't do since DH is not a fan of soup is throw all your vegetable leftovers into a container (like an ice cream bucket) in the freezer, you can throw meat in too and when its full just add some broth and seasoning and you have homemade soup which you can freeze into portions for a quick supper too!

Ok 1 last thing before I shut up (how can you tell I like to cook *sigh*), this one is for your toddler (well maybe for a little older):
French Fry casserole
Brown about 500 grams of hamburger meat, drain, place in the bottom of a casserole dish. Mix a can of cream of mushroom soup and cheddar cheese soup and pour over hamburger, Dump a bag of frozen frys on top, approx 1kg (you can adjust the frys and hamburger meat to you liking for more or less) and bake in the oven until the frys are cooked and nicely browned at the temperature it says on the bag to cook the frys at.
Enjoy!

There is a great cookbook from companys coming called 'make ahead meals', it has some great recipes in it. Bottom line is you can have healthy stuff around the house that keeps well and is fast to cook so if your meal plan doesn't work you can use those too.

Good Luck!!

[Litesandsirens911]

[quote=Alaryk;1016801]French Fry casserole
Brown about 500 grams of hamburger meat, drain, place in the bottom of a casserole dish. Mix a can of cream of mushroom soup and cheddar cheese soup and pour over hamburger, Dump a bag of frozen frys on top, approx 1kg (you can adjust the frys and hamburger meat to you liking for more or less) and bake in the oven until the frys are cooked and nicely browned at the temperature it says on the bag to cook the frys at.
Enjoy!

quote]

When my kids were little I would make that too, only I always added a couple cans of corn niblets on top of the meat mix and then top with TaterTots and grated cheese...Kids still ask for that and they are teens now, except now they like me to add frozen mixed veggies, and we use 1 can cream of chicken +1 can cream of celery or cream of aparagus, since my kids hate mushrooms..Pretty much this is so easy...

I am not a fan of casseroles per se, but I do cook for 6 of us daily, and I work as well full time 2 jobs so mealtimes can be a challenge when not organized.

I like to make extra rice and freeze it . With leftover meat (think pork chop or two, piece of steak left over, chicken, etc...) make a fast fried rice and add frozen veggies and scrambled eggs with a little sesame oil in a big frypan to make a quick and healthy meal.
I also use extra frozen cooked rice for adding to homemade soups.

A big fan of crock pots, I make a roast every Sunday, either pork or beef, and plan the main roast/sides for the Sunday night, and always make sure I buy a big enough roast for the 2nd night's "revamped" leftovers...If we have leftover pork, it becomes stirfry. If we have leftover beef, we either have as mentioned above, beef dip, or quesadillas. I always have whole wheat tortilla shells on hand, and I can make fast quesadillas with a little sliced beef (or chicken works too!) grated cheese, and I add a couple peppers, an onion, and a few mushrooms and fry(I dry fry in the pan, meaning I do not use Pam, oil, nor butter to fry...I just heat the pan on medium and gently cook...this way there is no added fat, and the tortillas are nice and crisp) til cheese is melted...with a side salad of fresh greens, it's a great , fast meal.

Another thing I do is I subscribe to Rachael Ray's website.If you click on one of the recipe sections, you will see that most all of her meals are made in 30 minutes to less than 45 minutes, and they are made with everyday pantry/household items. They are quick and nutricious, and I get emailed the recipes and a shopping list every week to make a weeks worth of recipes..Of course I don't use them all, but those I like I print out the grocery list for and many of them are "cook once, eat twice" meals.Also, many meals feed a family of 4 for under $10.00.

Another quick recipe for leftover turkey or chicken is:
In a pot, melt 2 tbsp butter. Add 1/2 an sliced/diced onion, and 1/2 a green pepper, chopped.Saute a few minutes til onion turns clear. Add 1-2 can campbells cream of chicken soup and 1 can cream or milk. Add your cut up leftover chicken til warmed through, stirring, then add 1 cup frozen veggies.
Pour all into a casserole and top with frozen (thawed) puff pastry and bake at 350 til pastry is golden.
You can also do what we do and if I don't buy the Tenderflake puff pastry shells, you can serve it on toast chicken-a-la-king style.

Anyhoo...hope that helps.

[ame555]

I'm not that organized either, but I know if I take the meat out in the morning it's defrosted after work and then I feel like we have to make something with it! I'm also a big fan of the slow cooker!!!

[RobynCD]

I find that the easiest thing to do is look through your flyers every week to see what is on sale, then plan a weeks worth of meals around that. I try to shop just once a week as we live 30 minutes out of town. I write my meal plan on one side of a sheet of notebook paper, and my shopping list on the other. When the shopping is done, I stick the plan on the fridge as a reminder. I don't necessarily make everything in order (Monday's meatloaf might be made on Wednesday instead), it depends on what we feel like that day. I also leave one day of the week open for leftovers, takeout, or going to friends/family. Don't forget to include breakfast, lunch, and snack items in your shopping list.

My hubby is a hunter...so we don't have to buy a lot of meat (deepfreeze FULL of elk)...but we end up eating a lot of hamburger dishes as a result.

[jojos_n_kelowna]

I used to watch the FoodTV's show Fixing Dinner with Sandi Richard, she's a mom of 7! and a chef and helps people that have crazy schedules with their healthy meal planning menu. She's great, easy to prepare meals, items easily stocked in your fridge/pantry in case you can't get out to the store for fresh fruits or veggies. CHeck out her show or look her up online. http://www.foodtv.ca/content/enterta...y=Entertaining

Another online site some friends of mine swear by is www.FlyLady.net. It is full of information and tips on home organization, money saving, menu planning and more.
I myself don't like the site because I don't like the layout....I've never really gotten into it.

[Lexiesmom]

I'd like to bring this subject up again, since I'm working on ways to save some money on my grocery bill.

Does anyone have any weekly mealplans they wouldn't mind sharing? Maybe there are some available in excel or word that are available for download? If there are recipes to go along with those, that would be even better!

Thanks!!!

[baggypants]

Do a search for sos cuisine..apparently, I can't put in the website addy!!

It is a great site...they have a list of menus (you can sign up for weekly emails) based on your preferences, sales in your neighbourhood or just search through their menu database.

baggypants

[Lexiesmom]

oh, I'm loving that site...thanks baggy pants!

[baggypants]

oh, I'm loving that site...thanks baggy pants!

Glad you like it...I love the Onion Soup recipe!!

baggypants

[Lynn49]

Honey..our DD and her hubby and toddler are in the same boat! They both work all day at stressful jobs (which, they love, however...)...pick Jack up from day-care and she blesses her crock-pot several times a week!!! She just tosses stuff in, in the morning or night (and puts it into the fridge all ready for the morning), sets it, goes to work and comes home to a great-smelling kitchen!
We've both looked up crock-pot recipes, and she's also asked me to dig up some 4-5 ingredient dinners for her, which I did, and also did a grocery list at the bottom of each page with what she'll need to purchase, and what she likely has on hand.
Her favourite so far is pulled beef sammies...
In the morning:
1 roast
1 pkg dry french onion soup
1 can cream of somthing soup.

Buy fresh buns on the way home and mmmmmmm....they love this!!!

Hope that helps....ps...there's also a great Crock-pot thread on here for you!

[Lynn49]

I'd like to bring this subject up again, since I'm working on ways to save some money on my grocery bill.

Does anyone have any weekly mealplans they wouldn't mind sharing? Maybe there are some available in excel or word that are available for download? If there are recipes to go along with those, that would be even better!

Thanks!!!

Wow. I did a whole week's worth for out DD, including grocery list....I wonder if she still has it or kept the best and chucked the rest? I have a few of those recipes saved...would that help?

[Lynn49]

Oh. I should add.....if you're cooking up a bunch of ground beef for a recipe such as shepherd's pie...cook up a big batch in a dutch oven, separate into smaller packages, and freeze. That way, if you need it for a recipe, take it out in the morning and it'll be all cooked, thawed (in the fridge), ready for you when you get home!!
This can only be done with freshly ground beef of course, not previously frozen.