Menu Planning Tips (merged)

squeaky

Take a look on the student's board - there are lots of helpful things there.

Student Money Saving

lex

I have to agree, although menu planning is a hassle it does save loads of money and even more stress over the "what's for dinner" thing every night.

I have a menu that rotates on a four week period, but I also have a list of extras, so that if I don't fancy something, I make a substitution when I do that weeks plan.

Once I have made my plan I make my shopping list from that, and check the cupboards as I go. I waste far less food menu planning.

Well here is a list of my food for the last month, just incase it helps anyone. I don't like to buy any premade sauces etc, and cook for 2 adults and DD who is 3. I'm trying to make sure we have fish twice a week, but it is hard when DP doesn't eat tuna

Week 1 Day 1 turkey soup
Week 1 Day 2 bacon and tomato risotto
Week 1 Day 3 tuna pasta
Week 1 Day 4 sticky lemon chicken
Week 1 Day 5 home made pizza
Week 1 Day 6 Fish pie
Week 1 Day 7 chicken curry

Week 2 Day 1 pork chops in sage and onion stuffing / couscous
Week 2 Day 2 lemon pepper stirfry
Week 2 Day 3 Smoked haddock potato pie
Week 2 Day 4 sausage and mash
Week 2 Day 5 chicken baked with tomato and mozarella
Week 2 Day 6 Salmon fishcakes
Week 2 Day 7 chicken pie or sage and chicken en croute

Week 3 Day 1 corn hotcakes with tomato salsa
Week 3 Day 2 spaghetti bolognase
Week 3 Day 3 chicken/Turkey casserole
Week 3 Day 4 swordfish or whatever fish is on offer!
Week 3 Day 5 turkey and spinach filo pie
Week 3 Day 6 salmon
Week 3 Day 7 Beef and onion pie

Week 4 Day 1 pork chops with honey and mustard
Week 4 Day 2 sausage rice bake
Week 4 Day 3 smoked haddock kedgeree
Week 4 Day 4 chicken casserole
Week 4 Day 5 cod with beans pancetta and pine nuts
Week 4 Day 6 turkey meatballs in pepper sauce
Week 4 Day 7 tomato and basil tart

Hope this helps someone

lex

Penny-Pincher!!

Lex-I love the sound of some of your meals. Do you have recipes for:

Sticky lemon chicken
Chops in stuffing
sage and chicken en croute
baked chicken with tom and mozarella
meatballs

????

Sorry but they sound delish.

PP
xx

carrie78

Pastryless Quiche is good for using leftovers and can be good for vegetarians.

I tried making quiche without the pastry (am on a diet) and it worked a treat.

Put anything you fancy into pyrex type dish/bowl (needs to be tall enough for it to rise). eg. leftover veg/meat, mushrooms, cooked bacon.

Mix 4-6 eggs and a splash of milk.

Pour over filling in the bowl.

Grate cheese on top if you want. You can put sliced tomatoes on top to look nice.

Cook on 200c/400f for about 20 mins.

Keep an eye on it. I need to experiment with the cooking time.

Thanks
Carrie:)

P.S Thanks for the inspiration.

lex

Ok, you'll probably laugh at how simple these are!

Sticky lemon chicken

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=1522487&postcount=317
Chops in sage and onion stuffing

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=1522492&postcount=318


There told you they were easy!

lex :j

Downsizing__for_sanity

Just to say - you can make a pastryless version of tarte tatin too, which is supposed to be great if you're on a diet. You place the sliced apples onto savoy cabbage leaves to get the shape, then sprinkle with sugar and dot with butter. Invert and take off the leave before serving. (Unless you're really an oldstyler - in that case use it to make a stirfry or something!!)

DFS

lex

Chicken, sage and cheddar en croute

(I believe this is an Ainsley Harriott recipe)

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=1522495&postcount=319
Have to say I love this recipe - so easy and so yummy!

thriftlady_2

Your recipes sound delish Lex, I'm definitely going to try the sticky lemon chicken.Thanks

lex

No problem thriftlady, just working my way through the list!

Turkey meatballs in red pepper sauce

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=1522500&postcount=320

twink

anyone fancy fresh fruit salad in a large bowl i put choppedup apples couple of kiwis grapes bulk it up with smartprice broken mandarins two tin plus juicefrom one tin this week got large tin pineapple 37p from asda bunged that in too top up liquid with smartprice lemonade keeps very well in fridge