Make you lunch menu for the week ahead

Well I'm getting back on track after many distractions and have just made my lunch menu for me and the kids packed lunches for the week. This stops me looking in the fridge half awake in the morning, feeling hopeless, not knowing what to pack. Toorrows lunches are done, and I know exactly what we are having for the rest of the week. I have all of the ingredients in the cupboards already so I wont go out spending unessessarily.

Monday: Cheese and Cucumber sarnies
Tuesday: Egg mayonaisse sarnies (ive boiled the eggs and made the egg mayo ready)
Wednesday: Tuna mayo
Thursday: Cheese and cucumber
Friday: Ham

Last week we spent a rather unessary £10.50 on lunches-not to be repeated!
Annual Grocery budget 2018 is £1500 pa £125 calendar month £28.84 pw for 3 adults

Comments

  • ladygrey_2
    ladygrey_2 Posts: 374 Forumite
    I always include lunches when doing a meal plan and try to use leftovers following day, so if it's a roast chicken on sunday I'll plan on chicken sarnies for monday
  • Frugal_Fox
    Frugal_Fox Posts: 1,002 Forumite
    Have you tried making the sarnies in bulk and freezing them? As long as you don't use fillings which have a high water content - so the cucumber, egg and naturally tomato are out! they all defrost fine by lunchtime - and help to keep the lunchboxes cool.
    "A simple life freely chosen is a source of strength. Do not be pursuaded into buying what you do not need or cannot afford." Quaker Faith & Practice 1.02.41
  • apple_mint
    apple_mint Posts: 1,102
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Forumite
    I'm planning to make some batches of soup this weekend which I'm going to freeze in individual portions. I've run out of my celery soups and parsnip soups and these have been lovely with a toasted slice of HM bread.

    I reheat my portions of soup and put them in a flask, whilst OH takes a bowl with him and reheats the soup in a microwave.

    If we have some casserole or bolognese left over we put this into one portion containers and freeze. This provides a bit of variety. It doesn't take long to microwave at work ... just sends everyone who has sandwhiches nuts because your lunch smells so nice!
    Enjoying an MSE OS life :D
  • Been making DD's sarnies and freezing them for her lunchbox for a while and they are a great time/money saver!

    PP
    xx
    To repeat what others have said, requires education, to challenge it,
    requires brains!
    FEB GC/DIESEL £200/4 WEEKS
  • Queenie
    Queenie Posts: 8,793 Forumite
    I'm with Frugal Fox and ladygrey on this one.

    I'm often surprised when, *if* people menu plan at all, they predominantly focus on the main meal of the day. Packed lunches seem to lie in the lap of the Gods and breakfast often doesn't get a mention. :confused:

    The whole core of menu planning involves the balance of vitimins, minerals, colour, taste, texture not simply the immediate financial cost.
    Althought be really honest, the way the NHS is going, perhaps we all need to consider and feature the 'cost' in terms of health and health care a lot more when considering our menu plans, lifestyles and shopping habits? :confused:

    [email="Angel@G"]AngelatG[/email] Well done on your determination not to spend that amount on lunches unnecessarily again :T :D

    If anyone finds the idea of planning lunchboxes a week in advance too daunting, even the simply act of making the lunches the evening before could prove cost-efficient (as well as less stressful LOL ).
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    PMS Pot: £57.53 Pigsback Pot: £23.00
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  • Queenie-I completely agree with the balancing of a healthy nutritious meal plan, which, as you state should be included in all meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner)consumed within the day. Many people dont do this!

    I try and balance the various food groups when meal planning for the week and isnt too difficult.

    My mum was horrified the other day when I told her that I had frozen DD's sarnies and had been pulling one out each morning for school:confused: but, it saves time in the morning and is more cost effective for us ATM.

    I havent really tried HM soups as such yet, but will hopefully try in the next few weeks.

    PP
    xx
    To repeat what others have said, requires education, to challenge it,
    requires brains!
    FEB GC/DIESEL £200/4 WEEKS
  • Gingham_Ribbon
    Gingham_Ribbon Posts: 31,520
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Forumite
    We used to freeze sandwiches for the week but since we make a loaf overnight in the breadmaker now, we make them in the morning which takes up a bit of time. Is the bread still nice and fresh to eat the next day if you make the bread the night before and make up the sandwiches in the evening? I do love fresh, warm bread for breakfast, but the timesaving aspect in the mornings does appeal...
    May all your dots fall silently to the ground.
  • Queenie
    Queenie Posts: 8,793 Forumite
    Gingham - I find that the loaf often slices much better for sandwiches in the evening if I've had the BM on timer to be fresh in the morning. And because the sandwiches are wrapped, they are still great for the boys at lunchtime.
    HTH :)
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    PMS Pot: £57.53 Pigsback Pot: £23.00
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  • Queenie
    Queenie Posts: 8,793 Forumite
    If I cut the loaf too soon before it's had time to "rest" I have heaps of crumbs and the cutting is not as smooth.

    PP - homemade soups are a doddle! I won't be making so many now the weather is warming up - I only do a few summertime soups and prefer to have those at home rather than in the lunchboxes.
    But certainly during the cold weather, a small flask of hot hm soup midday for the lads has been a real boon!
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    PMS Pot: £57.53 Pigsback Pot: £23.00
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  • exlibris
    exlibris Posts: 696 Forumite
    I used to freeze my sandwiches for a week. Did it for about 10 yrs then I got food poisoning. As the only thing I ate differently from OH was the sandwiches the Doc blamed them. Be Careful!!!!
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