Menu Planning Tips (merged)

Curry_Queen

foreverskint wrote:

is it just me or is that link for the russian site?

can anyone recommend a good language school please;)

It's just you






Only joking, it looked Russian to me too and I got a little worried so just closed it asap

greenlogo

it is actually hosted on a Russian site yes... the complete link is: http://netnotebook.net/index_ntb.htm


Ah well. That'll teach me to make sure I grab the WHOLE link when I copy and paste... sorry....

flea72

i have a list of everything in my cupboards, which i print off, and write on what amounts i have left of everything - that way i know when shopping, what im totally out of, and how much other stuff i have left, so i can take advantage of offers

i also have a freezer list, as i have a large chest freezer which i used to loose things in - and now i know exactly how many sausages, loaves of bread, pizza etc. i have and can plan meals around it, without having to go and rummage

then when im feeling really saintly, i do a months meal plans, based on what i have in the cupboards, so i dont even need to shop that month

foreverskint

greenlogo wrote:

it is actually hosted on a Russian site yes... the complete link is: http://netnotebook.net/index_ntb.htm


Ah well. That'll teach me to make sure I grab the WHOLE link when I copy and paste... sorry....

Thanks for the link, thought last night that the wine I was drinking was too strong!!:beer:

Liz19

flea72 wrote:

i have a list of everything in my cupboards, which i print off, and write on what amounts i have left of everything - that way i know when shopping, what im totally out of, and how much other stuff i have left, so i can take advantage of offers

i also have a freezer list, as i have a large chest freezer which i used to loose things in - and now i know exactly how many sausages, loaves of bread, pizza etc. i have and can plan meals around it, without having to go and rummage

then when im feeling really saintly, i do a months meal plans, based on what i have in the cupboards, so i dont even need to shop that month

You are so organised - you really put me to shame!

Curry_Queen

Liz19 wrote:

You are so organised - you really put me to shame!

Don't worry, you ain't alone

If only I could get myself organised with proper meal plans I'm sure I'd save a lot more money than I am doing, but I still buy things on impluse and then work the meals around what I have in, which means juggling best before dates and trying to use up food before it goes off

I have a rough idea of what's in my freezer (although I do forget at times) and my store cupboard is pretty much full with everything I need for various different types of cooking. The trouble is I'm spoilt for choice then and can't decide what to make, rather than just follow a set plan, and you can guarantee that whatever I need is still in the freezer, so I give up and send out for take-away LOL! :rolleyes:


Forgot to add ... one of my biggest downfalls is watching too many cookery programmes and seeing something I fancy making so stick any ingredients I need on the shopping list, but by the time I come round to using them I've forgotten what it was I wanted to make :rotfl:

Galtizz

BUMPED to give some pointers to all the people doing the May challenge.

What's everyone got planned for this week?

moggins

I do my menu Friday to Thursday and I do my shopping on Fridays but for the rest of this week.

Mon - Homemade Pizza and chips

Tue - Chicken Curry, rice

Wed - Chicken and Mushroom pasta

Thur - Frittata (using last of chicken), jacket wedges, salad

Loadsabob

Well, this weekend I made my first plan and shopped accordingly...

Mon - Jacket potato, cheese and mushroom omlette, tomatoes and homegrown salad leaves

Tues - Having tea with my Mum and Gran, so no thinking involved!

Wed - Jacket potato, peppery tomatoey lentils (frozen from last week) and Quorn fillets

Thurs - Quorn Ribsters with mash (including cabbage and onion) and gravy

Fri - Quorn burgers as cheeseburgers (in bought wholemeal rolls, frozen from last time we had them), fried mushrooms and onions on top - not healthy, but quick when we're off to a private view.

Saturday - Spag Bol, made with savoury TVP. Will freeze some for another week.

Sunday - Maccaroni cheese (I use wholewheat maccaroni, flour and breadcrumbs from homemade bread, which uses up all those old frozen crusts I end up with!). I serve this with crispy bacon - real for my boyfriend (from the freezer, bought when BOGOF), fake bacon for me (soon to try making my own from tofu!)

Wouldn't usually have jackets so close together, but had to swap meals due to boyfriend eating with me on Thursday when we're off to see a film.

I was surprised at how little I had to buy at the weekend for all this (I had a lot of it, the TVP, rice, pasta, flour etc). And it means we don't have to go shopping for food this weekend!! Hurrah!! Although it does mean I'll be doing a week's shop on my own next Monday after work...

Enjoyed reading this thread!

Anna

Galtizz

I have merged the 'Cooking from scratch, planning menu?' thread with the 'Meal Planning and saving money - how do you do it!!!' thread into this 'Menu planning tips (merged)' thread. They are both jam packed full of menu planning hints, tips and suggestions.