Meal Planning - how do you do it?

Hardup_Hester

I did my meal plan today after I checked what was in the freezer/cupboards. I made a list of what I had & planned the meals accordingly, I have enough food to last me til after Christmas.

MrsE_2

freakyogre wrote: »

I don't like the idea of having a set meat, fish, pasta night etc as would get bored to be honest. I tend to do it a bit backwards and buy things and then decide what i'm going to have as that seems to work better with offers/reduced items.

Some weeks I do have a meal repeated more than once, like for example last night I made a sausage pasta bake which made enough for another 3 meals, so what won't fit in the freezer will be dinner tomorrow/Monday.

I do tend to have the same thing every so often (like sausages, chicken) but am trying to add a new recipe each week as have collected a lot but never used them!

When I said a pasta night, I meant spag bol wk 1, lasagne wk 2, carbonara wk 3, other pasta dish wk 4, IYKWIM, so a variation within the variation.

I would like to try something TOTALLY new every week too:j

Norman_Bean

I plan by looking in cupboards and freezer and aiming to buy as little as possible ...
I do a 3 monthly bulk buy from butcher so have meat available most of the time ... I try to do different dishes with the meat and take inspiration from meals suggested on here .

We have meat probably every other day, pasta meals and scraps meals - I'm a big fan of rubber chicken so when I do a roast that's 3 or 4 days sorted that week.

I look at diary and decide on easy days and more time to cook days and plan meals accordingly.

Hope that helps a bit

Norman x

Kitchenbunny

Mine are constructed usually for the month so I don't duplicate things too often and can try new recipes I try to do one pasta day, one rice day, one veg day, one low-to-no carbs day, etc. It keeps things fresh, but I'm always looking for new things to try. Mind you, that all changes if the situation changes suddenly, or if I spot a bargain that I can't wait to use. Sure, there are days where I need to do something quick, in which case we usually end up having an omelette. On nights where I don't have much time it could be toad in the hole or a pre-made HM ready meal.

As everyone else has said, I try to use what I've got - that's the main criterion. If I don't have to go to the shops, so much the better

Kitchenbunny xx

phizzimum

I plan mine weekly. I start by choosing a quick meal for the days i know I won't have much time to cook - usually that's something from the freezer like bolognaise sauce or curry.

I usually cook a roast once a week - so that creates a meal or two using the leftovers - could be a pie, risotto or pasta dish.

I look at what I have lurking in the freezer - maybe something that was on the reduced shelf when I last shopped but wasn't included in that week's meal plan - try to work out how I can use that.

If I still need ideas I will ask the family what they'd like, this often reminds me of recipes I haven't cooked in a while.

clutterydrawer

I look at what I have in the cupboards and work out what I can cook without having to buy much extra. If that gives me two or more very similar meals I scratch some of them and replace them with meals made from whatever's on offer/whatever I fancy

I plan seven meals per week as well as making sure I have (long dated) constituents of two "emergency" meals in case I have to work super late and don't have time to cook.

Flat_Eric

I bought an 18 month diary specifically to write my food choices in.

I plan my week by working out what nights I won't have much time and thus pick something I know is going to be quick/easy to do.

I spend a bit more time in the kitchen at the weekend and make extra to freeze so that I can have a nice homecooked meal with no work in the week (just remove from freezer, defrost, heat up :j)

Ive itemised my food cupboards today, hope to itemise the freezer tomorrow so will probably try to sit down and do a long term meal plan.

Typically I have an either / or choice so that I can pick from two meals depending on what takes my fancy.

LJM

i tend to spend a couple of hours at the weekend going through cupboards and seeing what i have available and choose from there, i do tend to have at least 2 pasta dishes a week and a roast so thats 3 days not really having to worry about,also i ask family what they would like me to cook so they get a choice in it

nopot2pin

Mrs E...
I feel I know what you mean...
I have real difficulty in doing a meal plan...
If I dont fancy cauliflower curry/egg on chips/salmon fillets on a particular night, then I am at a bit of a loss as to what to have
I know nothing is set in stone on a meal plan, but sometimes, what I plan, is not what I want.
I have basics in for most meals, and have what I fancy
It works for me.
The only time, I find it does not work, is if I want salad.. which is more of a summer thing. So at this time of year, it is easier, to make a meal out of whats in the cupboards or in the freezer.
I do buy fresh veg, as and when, but I do have frozen veg to tide me over, if I cant get to the shops, as well.

I will continue to watch this thread with interest, to see if there is anything that will inspire me to properly meal plan :D

knithryn

I start with a right good rummage in the freezer and fridge.
I have a list of favourite meals stuck on the front of the fridge.
I then have a rough idea of what I might want to cook.
Next I go shopping for the stuff I need to buy eg oven chips, onions, etc
While shopping I pick up any bargain meats or special offers if suitable. This might mean I change a few meal ideas.
When I come home I plan what we will have based on what I have bought.

When I am doing it properly there will be
roast on sunday
leftovers on Monday eg chicken curry, or just reheated roast dinner
slowcooker meal midweek sometime
something else from the shopping eg sausages midweek
Friday is quite often curry or pizza bought in, or leftover meat from making sandwiches all week in pizza or pasta
Saturday is a 'scratch around' day, maybe something from the freezer.
All in all it means I don't do a big 'cook' all that often, only on Sunday and once midweek (slowcooker doesn't count as a big cook for me).