Meal Planning - how do you do it?

Flat_Eric

Trying to meal plan this morning but now having a complete mental blank of what I want to eat !!!

chickywiggle

Flat_Eric wrote: »

Trying to meal plan this morning but now having a complete mental blank of what I want to eat !!!

hubby txt me to ask if i knew what i wanted for tea............he got a very quick reply of "what does it say on the meal plan on the freezer!!"

home made chicken soup and bread (not h/m bought from co-op) for dinner today at work.

Foof-Chops

I've experienced your EXACT problem, binning lots of good food because I don't fancy it or it goes out of date before I get a chance to eat it... I now do the following:
i) buy enough for only 2-3 days. This way you only buy what you 'fancy', yes you're in sainos more often but there is an overall saving.
ii) I have ventured into the budget supermarket brands for the first time (sainsburys basics, tesco value etc) only to find they are perfectly acceptable. Especially when they cost a fifth of their branded counterpart!
iii) most purchases should be freeze-able which avoids the original problem as long as you check daily. Whilst pasta/beans/rice/chicken or pasta sauces, are all long life in the cupboards.

I am relieved to find somebody who has been as stoopid as me! - sorry :beer:

mustmakealist

Hello everyone

I've really enjoyed reading all the posts on here and would like to join you. It's just me and DS (17) most of the time

I've been shopping today and DS has been helpful and put some of the things in the freezer in the garage. He wanted to know if we really needed the bags of broccoli and green beans that he'd just put in the freezer as there were already a couple of bags in there. Ooops - some serious meal planning and food shopping required methinks

I do overcook and freeze what's left, and keep these bits in the freezer in the kitchen. I don't always remember to use it up though . I like to keep the open bags of veg in there as well so that they're handy to use when I'm preparing meals. I've found these much more convenient than fresh as DS is a vegophobe and won't eat them. It saved me eating rather shrivelled up veg or having to throw them out as I'd bought a packet as there sometimes aren't any loose ones.

I'm going to try and use my freezers more efficiently so that I have room in the kitchen one for stuff I need handy eg bread (so that I don't end up throwing it out when it's gone stale) and veg

Flat_Eric

Cooked a huge sausage casserole today which when added to the lamb curry I made yesterday means 7 meals for the freezer! and which will aid meal planning no end :j

terra_ferma

Like other people her I find using a slow cooker really invaluable.
I have an Intellichef, which can also fry, cook rice, boil water, cook stews and much more.
I buy a bag of ready cut veggies from the supermarket (which will save me time from cutting everything from scratch) then add a few bits and bobs like celery, parsnips etc. I use turkey meat because it has better texture than chicken when used in stews (and it's cheaper).
I tiny bit of terragon (bought fresh and kept in the freezer) is perfect.
The stew will feed us for at least two meals, then I use the liquid to cook rice in, lovely!

I also make pork and apple stew the same way, and even chicken broth in my slow cooker. These meals are very quick to prepare and feed us for a couple of days.

There is nothing better than coming home from work with the house smelling yummy!

ss3n08

I have started to freeze fresh stuff like brocolli and carrots because the offers are good but with just the two of us we don't use that much. For example, brocolli is BOGOF at the moment so I got two chopped them up and froze them. A massive bag of carrots was down to £1, chopped them up and froze them. Its a bit laborious but we don't end up throwing stuff away and a £1 bag of carrots lasts us a month. Plus I don't have to stop off at the shops after work to get some fresh ones when I have thrown our away. Its working a treat for us.

terra_ferma

ss3n08 wrote: »

I have started to freeze fresh stuff like brocolli and carrots because the offers are good but with just the two of us we don't use that much. For example, brocolli is BOGOF at the moment so I got two chopped them up and froze them. A massive bag of carrots was down to £1, chopped them up and froze them. Its a bit laborious but we don't end up throwing stuff away and a £1 bag of carrots lasts us a month. Plus I don't have to stop off at the shops after work to get some fresh ones when I have thrown our away. Its working a treat for us.

do you freeze them without blanching?
I'm too lazy to blanche them, but if I could just cut them up and freeze I'd probably do it

joedenise

terra_ferma wrote: »

do you freeze them without blanching?
I'm too lazy to blanche them, but if I could just cut them up and freeze I'd probably do it

It's fine to freeze veggies without blanching as long as you are going to be using them within a month. If you want to freeze them for longer than that it would be better to blanch them.

Denise

chickywiggle

I have shopped and planned................ and am vezzy pleased with myself (tho not looking forward to boring prescriptive food).

won't take up space here but if anyone wants to check out my meal plans from now until the end of January it's this post and the one below.

eta - the rest of the plan is here

my diary is here if anyone wants some background