Please Help!! Weekly Meal Planning

jo1972

Hello everyone!

I will be monitoring my spending this coming month so I can join the July grocery challenge, I want to be quite frugal with what I spend so have decided to sign up to Tesco's (through Quidco naturally ) and get my weekly shop delivered so that I only have to shop for milk and fresh veg.

There are 5 of us, me and my husband and my eldest (15yrs), although she eats like an adult :eek: and my youngest 2 (4yrs and 2yrs) who eat separately a few hours earlier to us. We both work fulltime so it's only at the weekend I make a complicated meal or roast dinner, during the week I have to go with quick recipes or something done in my new slow cooker.

I would be grateful for any tips or ideas you OS experts might have meal-wise cos I'm not used to planning a meal for a whole week I usually ring the OH when I get to Teso's and say 'what do you want then?', hence I spend a lot in there! I have just got into using a slow cooker which I LOVE! Although I've only done a casserole and a couple of curries in it so far which my youngest 2 wouldn't eat, so any tips for SC dinners that aren't sloppy would be very much appreciated!

Plus I'm sick of eating the same old stuff every week, we do eat a lot of rice which we enjoy but it's always the same thing that goes with it, I need to experiment with new meals. We all eat meat although I do try and cut down on the red meat to 1 or 2 times a week as OH has high cholesterol.

Any ideas or can you guide me to a place where I can find some recipes that don't involve too much hassle or ingredients? I might try and tackle a Tesco online shop this afternoon. :eek:

Thanks (if you got this far!!).

Jo.x

Penelope_Penguin

When I feel stuck in a recipe rut, I get a few books down, with the children, and we each pick something new.

Can your 15yo turn her hand to cooking something she likes - good experience for her.

There are lots of menu plan threads on Old Style, so have a browse, and you should get some inspiration.

HTH, Penny. x

tinkerbelluk

Jo,

I'm sure someone more knowledgable will be along soon to give some advice but in the meantime try taking a look at the last meal planner thread for some ideas: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=462843

Also have a look through the Mega recipe planner: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=46654

Gingham_Ribbon

This is my favourite index. It has dozens of menu planning threads to link to.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=346932

Penelope_Penguin

Gingham_Ribbon wrote: »

This is my favourite index. It has dozens of menu planning threads to link to.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=346932

:beer:............

kazmeister

Easy cook magazine is a brilliant one for quick and easy meals. New one was out this week - try Sainsbury or WHSmith. Only comes out every couple of months.

Also Sam Sterns books Cooking up a storm, and Real food Real fast, are brilliant for getting teens into cooking. He's 15 and has written then in a way to appeal to teens. Naturally I bought them from The Book People as much cheaper than a book store.