meal planning - where do i start?

have just taken over the family shopping [now i have my 10% discount card for Tesco] and want to pull the cost of it all down as much as possible.

I realise that my problem is that i don't plan meals in advance :o but i really don't know where to start :o

ideas and help please

:snow_grin
:rotfl:five children? I must be mad........ :rotfl:
aug grocery spend - £166.45
«13456717

Comments

  • I tend to look through a recipe book for things that take my fancy. I make a shopping list based on that and then look for recipes with similar ingredients.

    Eg, Prawn jumbalaya uses prawns, rice, tomatoes etc. In the same week I'd also have something like a prawn curry, again using tomatoes, rice. Not so many different ingredients to buy then.

    Don't forget to include lunches etc.

    Good luck :)
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  • 16011996
    16011996 Posts: 8,313
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    try writing down favourite meals to get you started, and think about which nights your going to have most time to cook, i tend to do double batches some nights, that are then easy to warm up. on this website, there are some meal planner forms you can print off, i use these, i find they really help.

    http://www.organizedhome.com/printable/index.php/cat/501

    160.
  • Sarahsaver
    Sarahsaver Posts: 8,390
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    Look at what you already have in the cupboards/freezer. Chances are you have enough for a week's meals anyhow.
    For example this is ehat I do for a week. I usually get a chicken, leg of lamb or a joint of meat for sunday, then leftovers make meals for 1 or 2 days (pasta bake, pies, curries, biryani...) We have a couple of veggie meals a week, omelette with cooked 'past its best' veggies in, and a baked potato with toppings, or something made with dried beans. This week I got mince from lidl (very good quality) and cooked a bolognese type sauce, split it and made a chilli, of which there was enough to freeze for another time, and the rest is going into a lasagne tonight with some hm garlic bread to go with it. I always have tinned toms, tuna, tomato soup, baked beans, plain and sr flour, rice, pasta and risotto rice in store. I make stock with any bones left and also make 'sunday dinner soup' for sunday tea with the leftover veg and gravy from the dinner. (often gets a standing ovation:))I often do too many roast spuds and save the rest in the freezer for the next week.

    So basically I look at what I have first, then if there are any special offers on like BOGOFs or reduced meat I get them to fit in for the following week's plan.
    HTH;)
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  • thanks for that! will have to go thru the freezers and start thinking more about what we eat - and maybe get some receipe books to look at
    :rotfl:five children? I must be mad........ :rotfl:
    aug grocery spend - £166.45
  • squeaky
    squeaky Posts: 14,129
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    Hiya :)

    There are a few threads on menu planning, and I've copied a few out of the MEGA Index here:-

    Menu Planning:
    [post=676140] - menus again[/post]
    [post=663989] - Once a month cooking[/post]
    [post=726152] - Organising recipes[/post]


    And there's a much longer thread here:-

    Menu Planning Tips
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  • I think the approach of 'here's what I have in the cupboard, what can I make?' is nearly always the right one - a good basic shopping list combined with whatever's on BOGOF or nearing the end of its shelf life!

    Perhaps we ought to start a thread 'here's what I've got, what can I make?' - or is there one already? :D
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  • I menu plan for a month. It can be a bit of a chore but I find it works for us and I do a large shop at the begining of the month so taking advantage of 3for2, bogofs and large box items such as wasing power, big bags of pasta, toilet rolls that sort of thing. I tend to rotate meals so wk1 meals are the same as wk3 and wk2 meals are the same as wk4. Then month 2 have different meals again if you get my drift..
    Rebel No 22
  • squeaky
    squeaky Posts: 14,129
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    Perhaps we ought to start a thread 'here's what I've got, what can I make?' - or is there one already? :D
    :)

    Pretty much the best thread for that would be our Store Cupboard Challenge, though in the MEGA Index cooking section are a number of links to sites where you can put in your ingredients and they will suggest a recipe.

    In fact, if you join any of our recipe threads (the threads themselves, not their indexes) you can put your main ingredient in the "Search this thread" box and get a list of all the recipes that have it in them. :)
    Hi, I'm a Board Guide on the Old Style and the Consumer Rights boards which means I'm a volunteer to help the boards run smoothly and can move and merge posts there. Board guides are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an inappropriate or illegal post then please report it to [email protected]. It is not part of my role to deal with reportable posts. Any views are mine and are not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
    Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.
    DTFAC: Y.T.D = £5.20 Apr £0.50
  • Hey

    As your a virgin meal planner..LOL. I would start easy and small. Just plan for 4 days at a time. For me it would be (1)Roast Chicken (2)Sausage, mash & veg(3) Chicken Curry & Rice (leftover chicken from roast) (4)Shepards Pie & Veg.

    Just buy the food needed for these meals, then next time if you manage OK, plan for 5/7/10 days etc. Once you get in the swing, its quite easy. Each week we seem to have the same meals but normally do a 2 week meal plan and buy the main food items needed. Meals are like this for the fortnight (roughly..LOL):

    2 X Roast Dinners
    2 X Shepards Pie
    Toad In Hole
    Pie, Spuds & Veg
    Fish Pie
    Sausage, Mash & Beans
    Curry & Rice
    SpagBol
    Fish Breaded, Spuds & Veg
    2 X Egg & Chips
    Chilli Con Carne & Rice

    I would say these 2 weeks of meals should cost about £15 including all veg, pulses etc for the 3 of us.

    Your be fine hun.

    Good Luck and may the OS force be with you!!! :xmassign:

    PP
    xxx
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  • rubytuesday
    rubytuesday Posts: 22,383
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    There is a website were you can type in what ingredients you've got an it gives you rceipe ideas lost it now but got it from this site so someone must know what its called! :snow_laug
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    And we were young.
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