Ok I have to ask - those of you that do meal planning, where do you start and how do you have the time to do it? I realize the time part is somewhat irrelevent, as meal planning would probably save time in the long run. I just have no idea how to get started and stick with it. I'd love some input and guidance!
Tuesday: Normally wing-night at a local bar. DH might still go, but we're not ready to tell the work friends that we go with, so I'm not going. So leftovers for me... or more realistically, yogurt and granola.
Wednesday: Butter chicken curry over cauliflower rice (last week's planned meal that got abandoned for eating out with my Dad)
Thursday: DH leaves for a 1.5 week work trip... so... pizza for the rest of the week?
I had my sh*t together last week... small victory there. This week, not so much.
Ok I have to ask - those of you that do meal planning, where do you start and how do you have the time to do it? I realize the time part is somewhat irrelevent, as meal planning would probably save time in the long run. I just have no idea how to get started and stick with it. I'd love some input and guidance!
That's a great question! I know there are lots of meal planning services. You usually pay a few dollars a week or month and you get a grocery list and recipes. Someone posted one in last week's meal plan thread if you want to check it out.
For me, I get frozen meats in bulk so we almost always have the same proteins each week and then I think of new ways to cook them (or rotate through 10ish recipes so we have most things once a month, but not taco tuesday every week). I usually start by going through that week's grocery store ad to see what is one sale. If I buy something fresh like steak, pork chops or fish I plan that for the beginning of the week and use frozen foods toward the end of the week. Then I pick vegetables that are on sale and pair them up with the protein. I also have a bunch of frozen veggies (mainly green beans and a stir fry mix) so I have some meals that I can almost always make even if there's "nothing in the fridge" such as fried rice and chicken curry. (which are both of this week's menu!) Then as I plan my week I just write down what I need to buy for all the recipes that week. Oh and don't forget to use up anything left over from the week before!
Most weeks (not this week) I also try to make a double batch of something and freeze half of it for another week. This works great for soups, chili and meats (I chop up extra chicken, pork, etc. and use it later in burritos, etc). The trick is remembering to take it out of the freezer in time to thaw!
I'm interested to find out how other people plan meals!
Ok I have to ask - those of you that do meal planning, where do you start and how do you have the time to do it? I realize the time part is somewhat irrelevent, as meal planning would probably save time in the long run. I just have no idea how to get started and stick with it. I'd love some input and guidance!
That's a great question! I know there are lots of meal planning services. You usually pay a few dollars a week or month and you get a grocery list and recipes. Someone posted one in last week's meal plan thread if you want to check it out.
For me, I get frozen meats in bulk so we almost always have the same proteins each week and then I think of new ways to cook them (or rotate through 10ish recipes so we have most things once a month, but not taco tuesday every week). I usually start by going through that week's grocery store ad to see what is one sale. If I buy something fresh like steak, pork chops or fish I plan that for the beginning of the week and use frozen foods toward the end of the week. Then I pick vegetables that are on sale and pair them up with the protein. I also have a bunch of frozen veggies (mainly green beans and a stir fry mix) so I have some meals that I can almost always make even if there's "nothing in the fridge" such as fried rice and chicken curry. (which are both of this week's menu!) Then as I plan my week I just write down what I need to buy for all the recipes that week. Oh and don't forget to use up anything left over from the week before!
Most weeks (not this week) I also try to make a double batch of something and freeze half of it for another week. This works great for soups, chili and meats (I chop up extra chicken, pork, etc. and use it later in burritos, etc). The trick is remembering to take it out of the freezer in time to thaw!
I'm interested to find out how other people plan meals!
Thanks for the tips! I may start trying to use Sunday's to plan. My workweek is already so busy, and it's overwhelming trying to do things like this during the weekday.
I try to plan on weekends. I can't survive without a plan. I usually try to do 1 chicken, 1 meat, 1 fish, and at least 2 vegetarian meals. At this point, we don't meal plan on weekends because we often are away, get takeout, or have lots of leftovers.
Ok I have to ask - those of you that do meal planning, where do you start and how do you have the time to do it? I realize the time part is somewhat irrelevent, as meal planning would probably save time in the long run. I just have no idea how to get started and stick with it. I'd love some input and guidance!
I have a binder of recipes that I flip through and pull out the ones that sound good. Ideally, I try at least one new recipe from my pinterest boards every week or two. If it's good, it gets added to the binder.
DS 9/2/13 was a BFP from an IUI! Triplets due 6/29/16 also from an IUI!
Tonight is grab and go...from somewhere. My stepson has swim lessons at 5 and then it's a rush to feed him, get his homework done, and get him to bed while fitting in something entertaining. Tuesday: Penne in meat sauce. Weds-Fri: It'll just be me, so leftover chili and pasta for 3 days. Saturday: Husband will be back from India, so I'll let him choose. Probably tacos or burritos.
Ok I have to ask - those of you that do meal planning, where do you start and how do you have the time to do it? I realize the time part is somewhat irrelevent, as meal planning would probably save time in the long run. I just have no idea how to get started and stick with it. I'd love some input and guidance!
I meal-plan, but I keep it pretty low key. I make our weekly grocery list based off the meals list so I don't buy allll the food. I'll take about 10 mins on a Sunday to pick recipes/meals for each day we're eating at home. Recipes chosen are seasonal ones that I know by heart, from pinterest, or bon Appétit magazine (if it doesn't have 500 ingredients). Maybe 1-2 meals have meat, and the remainder are veggie with lentils, quinoa, or beans for protein.
Also, it helps that I've gotten to where I keep pantry staples at all times: curry paste, coconut milk, dried and canned beans of various kinds, canned tomatoes, pasta, etc. That way I can easily throw a soup/curry together with fresh produce with minimal effort.
This week:
S: Sweet potato chili M: Crockpot beef and vegetable soup T: Herbed chicken Spinach salad W: Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Th: thai take out or Annie's mac and cheese F: Pumpkin Coconut Curry S: Idk. Probably delivery pizza.
Re: Meal Plan Monday
M: Burgers and asparagus
Tu: Fried Rice
W: Hosting MIL's birthday dinner - Salmon Pasta? & Pumpkin Cheesecake!
Th: Chicken Curry
F: Take Out Night
S: sausage and pepper pasta
S: Family dinner at mom's
Triplets due 6/29/16 also from an IUI!
Tuesday: Penne in meat sauce.
Weds-Fri: It'll just be me, so leftover chili and pasta for 3 days.
Saturday: Husband will be back from India, so I'll let him choose. Probably tacos or burritos.
Also, it helps that I've gotten to where I keep pantry staples at all times: curry paste, coconut milk, dried and canned beans of various kinds, canned tomatoes, pasta, etc. That way I can easily throw a soup/curry together with fresh produce with minimal effort.
This week:
S: Sweet potato chili
M: Crockpot beef and vegetable soup
T: Herbed chicken Spinach salad
W: Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Th: thai take out or Annie's mac and cheese
F: Pumpkin Coconut Curry
S: Idk. Probably delivery pizza.
T- chicken fajitas
W- beef cabbage rolls and mashed potatoes
T- citrus pork chops and veggies (maybe green beans and corn?)
F- chicken parmesean