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Menu Planning?

Mrs.GuzMrs.Guz member
in Georgia Babies
With DH's new job, he'll be home every night for 3 months, so I'll be cooking a lot more than I do. I'm excited about this because I love cooking, but don't do it when he's OOT. But the problem is I pretty much cook the same 6 recipes every time, which is fine when I cook only once or twice a week! But now I need a little variety, so thought I'd menu plan. How do you do it? I know my problem would be being repetitive with even my sides. Is there a website that can guide me? Also, I need new ideas for meals!
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Abigail Taylor 09.18.2008


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Re: Menu Planning?

  • yellowtulips80yellowtulips80 member

    Recentlly, I've been using relishrelish.com to help me.  Allycat recommended it a few months ago.  If you don't want to go that route there are some website that do it for you for free if you google for them.  I got a bunch of new recipes in my rotation by using the relish website.  Before I started using it I was stuck on the same ten recipes.  Sometimes, I also pull recipes off of other websites to try. e-mealz also offers the same service but I didn't like it as much.

    I also like cooking light, and the pioneer woman to find new stuff to try.

     


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  • slwprincessslwprincess member
    I'm also bad about repeating the same stuff over and over again.  Don't cook much, so its not that big of a deal but still its always a challenge for me to diversify.  What I've started doing is keeping a list of meal ideas and sides that go with it.  I've got about 15 on there right now.  Some old, some new.  I add to it whenever I find something new that I want to try.  Then when it comes time to meal plan and shop, I just pull out the list and pick out the ones I want for that week.  Look in the pantry to see what I've got and what I need to get.  But this week, we are working on cleaning out the pantry.  So I looked in there first to see what ingredients I already have and chose meals from the list that I could make without having to buy too much.  So hoping this will be a cheap grocery week for us.  We shall see... 

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  • Daisy22Daisy22 member
    I've found a lot of my newer recipes on rachaelraymag.com and cookinglight.com The rachael ray magazine site has 7 day meal plans that give you a shopping list for each recipe. I usually pick and chose from those and also her 5 ingredients recipes. I first check publix ad to see what meats/fish are on sale (chicken I buy from costco since they have 2 chicken breast packages) and plan my meals around that. I make a list and stick to it when I go.
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  • JoJoEspanaJoJoEspana member

    I love planning my menu - sadly, it's my favorite part of the week!  You know I love cooking, so I have tons of recipes saved from magazines, blogs, and websites, not to mention the 800 cookbooks I own.  so I usually go through some and just pick a few things out.  If nothing jumps out at me that week, I will add a few of our old favorites to the menu.  Do you guys have a grill?  It's always easy to come up with grilled dinners - between chicken, steaks, burgers, fish, veggies... always a lot to choose from and it's quick and easy. I also leave at least one night open to use as a free for all - leftovers, sandwiches, take-out, etc. 

    Here are some of my favorite blogs if you want to look through them and get some ideas:


    Annie's Eats
    Bakin' and Eggs 
    Confections of a Foodie Bride
    Cook Like a Champion
    Elly Says Opa 
    Ezra Pound Cake
    Joy the Baker
    Oishii Food
    Pennies on a Platter
    Smells Like Home
    The Bitten Word
    The Curvy Carrot 
    The Galley Gourmet
    The Way the Cookie Crumbles
     

    ETA:  Also, before sitting down to plan, I go through my fridge and pantry and see if there's anything that's going to go bad or needs to be used up.  Then I just search for recipes using those ingredients.  It keeps us from wasting as much food as I used to.

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  • lala_slplala_slp
    I started using e-mealz.com a few months ago and have really enjoyed it. It is $15 for 3 months and they give you a recipe with sides for each night and a shopping lis (my fave part).  The recipes are simple which is great.  I have especially enjoyed their sides because I am bad at coming up with new ideas.  It is also nice because if my DH asks what he can help me with I can just refer him to the printed recipe. The recipes are simple enough for him to decipher without my help!  You can get $3 off your first 3 month subscription by using the code "dave".  HTH!
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  • PecswifePecswife

    imagelala_slp:
    I started using e-mealz.com a few months ago and have really enjoyed it. It is $15 for 3 months and they give you a recipe with sides for each night and a shopping lis (my fave part).  The recipes are simple which is great.  I have especially enjoyed their sides because I am bad at coming up with new ideas.  It is also nice because if my DH asks what he can help me with I can just refer him to the printed recipe. The recipes are simple enough for him to decipher without my help!  You can get $3 off your first 3 month subscription by using the code "dave".  HTH!

    I signed up for this. Not sure if I am going to continue my subscription but I like how it matches whats on sale at Publix if you chose that plan.

    I like the site and I like some of the meals but I find that I am not using them as much as I should. But it is a great site...

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  • smynings_bridesmynings_bride member

    Over the weekend I figure out a few main meals for the week and make a shopping list to make sure I have everything I need.  On Sundays I cook the dish that is going to take the longest and plan the the meals that take the least time for later in the week as my time and motivation to cook decrease by the end of the week.  So, yesterday I made a low-carb taco pie that makes enough for 2 nights, and I made some spaghetti squash muffins to eat as a side with Chicken Marsala that I'll make on Tuesday.  I recently started trying to do one night a week vegetarian so I'll make these for Wednesday.  By then end of the week I'll be broiling turkey sausage and microwaving frozen veggies. 

    I get a lot of recipes from weight watchers.  They have a neat feature where you can put in an ingredient (up to 3 ingredients) and it will show you all the recipes that have those ingredients. 

    I also like the smitten kitchen for recipes and ideas. 

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