Same meals every week?

newlywed

I get really bored cooking the same things so try to vary it a bit.

shopaholictiedtheknot

Hi, great question - my OH and me had this discussion last night and have decided to try it out, think up 7 cheap meals that we all like and then rotate them for a few weeks and see if we can save some cash - our shopping bill is the next highest of our outgoings after our mortgage and for the two of us plus DD who is 14 we regularly spend around £120 a week :eek: I LOVE cooking and often buy expensive ingredients which I can't really afford so this will be a big challenge for us!

MATH

We don't eat the same meals each week but I do cook 'a certain type of meal' week by week and this does cut down your store-cupboard, shopping and wastage.

For example, once a week I will cook a rice based dish, one time it will be a risotto, the next a baked cheddar rice dish another maybe a salmon terrine and then swiss peas by which time we are thinking 'we haven't had risotto for a bit:rotfl:'

I do pretty much the same with pasta and noodles which are also very versatile and cheap. Chuck in a couple of junky meals or special bargain nights and Sunday lunch and the week is done.

VickyA_2

I try to vary my meal plan, but we'll always have a rice dish, a pasta dish, a potato dish etc (or with it on the side), just to keep my DH on his toes. Then again, I generally have spag bol lurking somewhere in the freezer and chilli con carne. I'm now branching out with more soups too.

Tonight will be sausage, new potatoes and peas, which I class as a potato dish. (and then I can stock up with more sausages at the farmers' market next week )

Angelraesunshine

we always have a roast on sunday but different meats
Monday is pasta either bolognaise or tuna ( Dh does football and likes to have pasta before)
friday is always fish

all other days vary but one day we will have a rice dish and normally a mash pots day either with sausages or cottage/ shepherds pie

Paige

My Mum cooked the same meal on the same day for over 10 years. You would think with all the practice the meals would be great- but no she was and still is a terrible cook.
I always cook 1 pasta, 1 roast, 1 stirfry/noodles, 1 veg and meat, 1 fast and quick ( quiche, pizza, tacos,salad) 1 fish and 1 one pot (chilli, casserole , jambaylaya ) These are always different recepies with meat or chicken and a variety of veg.
I find working on this basic principle covers a wide range of meals and suits all the family. Paige X

ceridwen

I can see it would save thinking time to follow this idea - but I couldnt do it for the life of me...I may be restrictive in some ways in my diet (its gotta be vegetarian, at least 90% healthy and as organic as poss) - but I do like my food and have acquired a wide range of extra foods for my repertoire by trying as many things as I possibly can within my "range". I think I am less likely to be missing out on vital nutrients in my food as well by varying my diet as much as poss.