meal planning - where do i start?

MrsE_2

beckstar1975 wrote: »

Hello - whilst try and do meal planning it usually fails as both Dh and I work, and by the time we've got the three kids to bed we're too tired to cook much - and it's usually pasta or take-away which is obviously not old style at all!

How's it best to start? I've tried keeping a track of what we cook and it tends to be pasta - I'm so lacking in inspiration for quick and easy meals . .

Thanks

b*

I don't have young children, but DH & I both work full time.

I have to plan, decide what I want for the week, write it down, shop for it (freeze what I can) & take what I need out in the morning before I leave for work.

I don't pass any supermarkets on my route home & if I did detour to one by the time I got parked & got in & out I would be adding another 45 mins onto my home time & I don't want to do this.

I want to cook from scratch & this takes time to prep, to eat & to clean up (I go to bed fairly early as I get up at 5.30am), so I don't want to add an extra 45 mins onto my home time.

I keep my cook books in the living room, pull them out on a Saturday morning, choose, write & shop.

I also "plan clever" IYKWIM. things where the ingredients are things unlikely to last a week & that can't be frozen I have early in the week, things like a curry I would have on Thursday (as I will have frozen & defrosted my chicken breasts, the coconut milk is tinned, the toms are tinned, the garlic & ginger & onions & chili all last, the curry paste lasts in a jar, the chapatis I make fresh from flour, the rice is dried, the raitha I make from Greek yogurt, cucumber, mint & lemon juice all which last well enough:D).

However I find buying my fruit, veg & salad from Waitrose - it really does last all week (& longer) so makes it far easier for me.

MrsE_2

maman wrote: »

I'm with mrsJef and rachbc here. I started meal planning years ago to save me time when working.

My meal planning is not sophisticated at all. It's just a little box in the corner of my weekly shopping list with seven days listed and a meal beside each. Early meals tend to be the ones with most fresh veg, days crossed out when we're going somewhere, freezer stuff for later in the week. I write the 'meal plan' in the kitchen so that I can check what we already have and do my shopping list from that.

I find my supermarket dash is much quicker (and cheaper) when I know exactly what I need. Sometimes the freezer things (HM from occasional weekend batch cooking) fall off the end if plans change and roll forward to next week.

LOL same as me, I then stick my plan on the side of the fridge with a magnet:)

MrsE_2

MancMillyMolly wrote: »

DH and I both work full time and we're the same in terms of being so tired when we get in you don't have the energy to decide what to make for dinner. However we now meal plan 4-weekly in advance and although it's still flexible (in terms of changing days around within the same week), we know exactly what we are having on which day. I do a basic shop for fruit, veg etc every week, but then have Mr T deliver the non-perishables each fortnight. Generally I will buy to the meal plan though, saves having things go off in the fridge

If the recipe is a new one for us to try I'll put the page number and which book it's from on the meal plan as well - that way DH can get cracking on making dinner if he's home first plus the kids always eat what we eat that way too. Using a SC helps alot too - if we know it's going to be a particularly long/hard day we'll have something that can be ready for when we get home. Always a win-win situation!

This way does mean I have to invest a little time in terms of planning, but once it's done I don't need to think about it again for another 4 weeks!!

MMM

ETA: By planning more than one week at a time I can also get a better picture of what I can use, in terms of leftovers, on other meals.

Me too:)
I only do mine weekly though, I find that daunting.

Maybe I should try the four weekly & get it over & done with?

SOLD, I'm trying it;)

S_Wales_Saver

Mmm plans per calendar month for me. Like so many I work on a loose weekly plan. Max one beef meal, 2 fish (one oily) one veggie and two chicken. Usually one use up meal or quick meal like pizza. The order reflects my own work pattern as I finish late at least once a week (cue quick meal or leftovers) I'm also a big believer in cooking ahead eg last week I planned spag bol, so two extra meals (for 2/3) in the freezer. While I was chopping and stirring I made a big pot of chilli too. So three more meals now reside in my freezer.

I have only started meal planning in any meaningful way since finding this site. We really eat better (as well as cheaper) than we have ever done. (I have always cooked, but fell prey to the 'got no ideas, we'll just manage with... syndrome lol) It's also so much easier to just have to take out what's required before going to work, rather than having to think and plan when I should be out the door The other thing is, DD2 and the munchkin twins come for dinner when she fancies what's on offer - she always knows cos of the meal board. Never to be seen on fish days


So OP, try meal planning. I think the benefits are more for those of us who work fulltime :T

maman

MrsE wrote: »

LOL same as me, I then stick my plan on the side of the fridge with a magnet:)

Me too (actually side of microwave) but as my plan is only a little box cut from the corner of my shopping list it's smaller than the magnet:D

CupOfChai

Another vote here for working full time and meal planning saving time.

The reason I started meal planning was to stop all the wasting time of wandering round the supermarket wondering what to get, getting home and staring at the cupboard/fridge wondering what to have, wanting something but finding it had to be defrosted and wasn't etc. Only after looking on here did I realise it saved me money and waste too!

I'm on my own so batch cooking and freezing sometimes just sort of happens anyway, a pack of mince is too much for one meal! But I do occasionally do a weekend "big cook", making a large pot of something and freezing in portions for quicker meals during the week. HM beef bourgignon with mash and veg within 20 minutes, anyone?

MrsE_2

maman wrote: »

Me too (actually side of microwave) but as my plan is only a little box cut from the corner of my shopping list it's smaller than the magnet:D

For a whole week???

We must eat a lot more than you:o:rotfl:

beckstar1975

thank you all - I just need to get dh involved as else I can see it's all my work, and he won't know how to cook the recipes I've planned :mad:

Off to find a scrap book to start now

b*

windowshopper100

MrsE wrote: »

Me too:)
I only do mine weekly though, I find that daunting.

Maybe I should try the four weekly & get it over & done with?

SOLD, I'm trying it;)

You could always try a fortnightly plan as a stepping stone if a whole month seems a bit daunting at first.

DancerSupreme

Hi,

I am looking for some advice on where to start.

I used to meal plan before my son was part of the equation and it was fine. Now the problem I have is trying to get meals we all like together but include things my son can have from the night before, for his lunch the next day - his main needs to be at lunch time as nursery provide tea.

I don't remember where I used to begin really. I don't have a whole host of fresh produce so to speak however this will need to change as I slowly improve our diet but that will be done over time

So where does everyone begin with regards to plotting meals out and what is the best time scale to plan for?

Thanks everyone :money: