Meal Planning/What's for Dinner

ashanne88 · October 2016

It's been a while since our last thread. What's for dinner this week? Any recipe ideas now that the weather is changing?

ashanne88 · October 2016

This week we're having:
-lasagna (made two so I can freeze one) and salad
-Italian sausage stew, seriously so easy and delicious and can be done in the crockpot https://www.thewickednoodle.com/white-bean-italian-sausage-stew/
-asian turkey meatballs and fried rice

MaryNog · October 2016

Tortilla soup, using rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. I'm going through a huge avocado phase these days, any excuse to put it on food works for me!
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/tortilla_soup/

cjs260 · October 2016

I am testing out these freezer crock pot meals, so that we know what to make in those last couple of weeks of December. We had the French onion chicken tonight, and it is phenomenal!! We put them all together (not including tacos and chili, because we already have crockpot meals of these that we love) last night, and it really only took an hour. Threw this one in the crock pot this morning still frozen, and came home to dinner made!

https://www.eatingonadime.com/crock-pot-freezer-meals-in-under-an-hour/

canavara · October 2016

I hadn't thought about pre-testing freezer meals... that seems like such an obvious thing to do now. Making these tomorrow tonight now that that is in my mind as a thing to do: https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-spiced-lentil-sweet-potato-and-kale-whole-wheat-pockets-181100

I made boring chili tonight (ground bison + diced tomatoes + black beans + garlic + red onion + cumin + chili powder + cayenne + scorpion pepper hot sauce because we're insane). It was fairly hot.

stumptownmama · October 2016

Pulled pork tomorrow for the first game of the world series. Wednesday we will have turkey chili and cornbread. Thursday probably leftovers. Friday will be pasta and homemade meatballs- DDs favorite.

juliebird6 · October 2016

So I made a big batch of this Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup on Sunday, along with some homemade bread. It made a ton so it will feed my husband and I for at least 3 days. The soup is really good, if you are a butternut squash fan. After the soup is gone, we will be eating breakfast burritos, and then probably some macaroni and cheese for good measure.

Related question though... I have been religiously pinning freezer meal ideas and planning to make a bunch of stuff in late November/early December, but on Sunday by the time I was done making the soup and the bread I was sooo exhausted that I had to lay down. Now I am worried that if I wait until Nov/Dec to make my freezer meals, I might not have the energy. When are you all starting your freezer meal prep?

hjmorgan-2 · October 2016

Most weekends I make a big dinner and freeze them for lunches to take to work, so I get to see what works frozen and what doesn't. This weekend I made chicken/broccoli casserole and ground turkey enchilada casserole. For everything I make I try and find the 'healthy' version, so instead of sour cream I use fat-free Greek yogurt, instead of whole milk I'll mix 2% and almond milk, etc. These two were a hit with my husband, he loved them both. So I have printed and added these recipes to my binder! I should a good batch to choose from when I go on my cook-to-freeze spree in December.

katesmama0706 · October 2016

My FIL sent us home this weekend with 10 pounds of ground beef (they raise their own cattle so this is pretty normal but that's so much!) and I have no idea of what to do with it! I'm tired of chili and lasagna and burgers since that's what I did with the last batch we got but I'm hoping to use some of it up this weekend when I do some freezer meal cooking! HELP! Even Pinterest is like "I dunno"

As for our week of dinners it's looking like lots of cereal and maybe chicken divan later in the week but DH works late all through the beginning of the week so it's just me and DD for dinner.

mjschenk · October 2016

@katesmama0706 one lb hamburger and a half a pound sausage mixed with one egg and like four crackers baked for 50 minutes then put bbq sauce on top and bake for ten more. Is a super easy delicious meatloaf.

cjs260 · October 2016

@katesmama0706 I would brown some, freeze it, then pull it out for the crock pot, throw a taco seasoning and maybe some beef broth or water in there, set it on low for the day, then have some tacos!

@juliebird6 I plan on starting my freezer stash after we get back from Thanksgiving.

ashanne88 · October 2016

@katesmama0706 I second using it for tacos. I would also use it to make meatballs (DH's favorite food). You can do all beef or mix it with pork and some Italian sausage (this is my favorite way to do it if I'm making more traditional meatballs). There are so many variations of meatballs too and certain ones (as long as they don't have a cream sauce) freeze well for easy reheating.

@juliebird6 I know how you feel, it can be exhausting to cook and clean one meal. I am planning on doing a a big freezer stash around Thanksgiving. My mom is coming up the weekend before and is planning on helping me make a bunch of stuff. Do you have someone who would be willing to help you? I've done big batches of stuff with my mom and it allows us both to have freezer food to take home so it's a win for everyone. In the meantime, I've cleared out a lot of old stuff in the freezer and have started restocking. The easiest thing to do is make extra of anything you know freezes well. I'll do a double batch and freeze half. Like this week I made two lasagnas - one for the week and one to freeze.

mudderbear · October 2016

I regret reading this post. We will be having boring chicken breasts with regular roasted potatoes for H and kid and sweet potatoes for me. The depression of not being able to eat delicious foods set in this morning when attempting to find breakfast foods. I'm also annoyed as F that I have mac and cheese, meatballs and shepherds pie prepped in the freezer and I don't think I can eat any of it. F YOU GALLSTONES!!

Ashleybrandon1990 · October 2016

We're having chicken noodle soup in the crock pot. I use rotisserie chicken, green and red peppers, celery and potatoes. I love adding the green and red peppers, I don't know if anyone has had Carrabba's spicy chicken noodle, but I try to make it like that.

stumptownmama · October 2016

@katesmama0706 I second the meatballs suggestion! My DD loves meatballs and won't eat much other meat. I shred carrots, zucchini, whatever veg I have on hand, to sneak in some good stuff.

juliebird6 · October 2016

@ashanne88 Yes, my mom lives about a mile away so I was going to try to enlist her help too. I didn't really think about doubling the things I currently make though and just starting that way. I guess I will have to start doing that next week! That also makes it feel a lot less overwhelming, so thanks for the suggestion!

ladysaceb · October 2016

Our meal plan this week:

-Sausage gravy and biscuits with fresh fruit
-Salisbury steak with noodles and salad
-Burrito Bowls
-Chili Mac
-Chicken Enchiladas
-Chicken and Broccoli Shells with Cheese
-Creamy chicken with noodles

I don't love doing so much chicken but it is so hard to get my kids to eat meat such as steak and pork so our options are either ground meat (beef, turkey, chicken, sausage) or chicken.

I just started looking through Pinterest today for some freezer meal ideas. How many meals do you guys plan on making ahead? DH is in school full time as well as working full time so 95% of the cooking falls on me so I think I honestly want to have a pretty good stash for when baby girl gets here. DH will take a week off of work and than it is back to me doing all the school stuff, doctor and dentist stuff, sports stuff, etc. so I just don't think I will have the energy to cook. I don't want to have to much food though and end up wasting stuff. Food waste is a huge pet peeve of mine because we are literally just throwing money in the trash.

canavara · October 2016

@ladysaceb I've been using this lady's blog as a a rough idea of how much to make: https://www.thekitchn.com/5-dos-donts-for-freezing-meals-before-baby-arrives-216363 -- but it's like the last thing on my TODO list before the baby comes since I don't want anything to get freezer burnt so that's about as much as I've done.

sarahmsoda · October 2016

@ladysaceb I already do a big cook every 2 months full of freezer meals (mostly soups and slow cooker meals) and I find they last me about a month (using them a few suppers a week, and soups for lunch)... I run a carehome though so I have to do really large portions. You could probably gets 2 months if you did a big enough cook. I plan to do at least two more before baby comes to help my husband out as he will be doing most of the cooking the first 6 months. Just know you do need a lot of freezer space, I freeze everything in ziploc bags and they still take up quite a bit of room and I have 2 chest freezers!

I also find freezer meals really cost effective because you can buy everything in bulk. I always do them with a friend and usually between both of us the groceries are never more than $150.

Take into consideration that you will still likely eat quick things like frozen pizzas, bbq rotisserie chickens etc lots of the time just out of convenience. I am trying to prepare myself for not eating as great as I am used to. I find freezing hardy soups in individual portions is a great way for a healthy quick lunch though or even a supper.

15caitlin · October 2016

We have a freezer full of chickens we got from my boyfriends parents. I am trying a bunch of new recipes from pinterest to use it up. I really need to find motivation to start making some freezer meals. I know I won't want to cook a five course meal right after having the baby.
Last night was sloppy Joe's, tonight is a roast and that is as far as I have planned!

TinaBelcher · October 2016

Ugghhh I haven't had time to go grocery shopping in like 2 weeks! Last night I ate Taco Bell (eye roll), tonight I'm eating whatever frozen or premade thing looks good when I FORCE myself to the store tonight because I'm out of everything.

I'll pick up the ingredients for pesto minestrone because H asked about it weeks ago (sorry bud), and probably some plain ol' pasta sauce for baked penne. What day is it even?! I'm not sure if I need to plan any other meals because our weeks are so flipping busy lately!

raquel87 · October 2016

I envy all of you awesome ladies that can meal plan out a week! I never got any cravings just food aversion. Basically everything sounds horrible to me when I think about eating it. So it makes it impossible to plan ahead, I basically make a trip to the store everyday to buy groceries for dinner when I've decided what I can stomach that day.
That being said this thread has been helping on a day to day basis

Meal Planning/What's for Dinner

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