More on Menu Planning
I’ve been planning the family’s evening (main) meal ever since I first moved out of home at age 17. I’ve found it to be a useful practise that has helped keep our meals fresh, in the interesting sense, and fresh, in the literal sense too, ingredients can be purchased in the correct quantity and stored appropriately ie chicken for a meal later on in the week can be frozen. I always leave one day free which allows for meals out/takeaways or family invitations. If none of the above materialise then we eat leftovers, or from a reserve of ‘freezer food’.
I usually plan several weeks ahead, taking inspiration from magazines, cookery programmes and books that I have. Recently though I’ve been wondering if there are any ways to improve on my current routine.
If you’re a meal planner how do you manage breakfast, lunch and snacks?
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Above is me with my beloved Ernie in Port Aventura and left with our love child in Florida.
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I tend to have a rotation of favourites. I look in magazines etc as you’ve described if I feel uninspired or bored.
Kids will suggest things as well.
Lunch tends to be what’s leftover from the meal the night before. Otherwise I have a few favourites; beans on toast, tuna pasta, sandwiches. dive into the freezer+ fresh fruit/ dipping vegetables ( carrots/broccoli)
breakfast depends on time. eggs twice a week ( scrambled /boiled); porridge( for me) Cereal, Sausages and toast or french toast, pancakes/ hashbrown or something Mexican at the weekend as dh cooks breakfast.
Lunch is more a cobbled together affair of what’s in the fridge/leftover whereas dinner is usually planned along with breakfast.
I’m not a meal planner – but am beginning to realise that some degree of planning is essential to avoid food wastage. This is a really interesting area, Erica. I’d love to read more about how to tackle menu planning. I get annoyed at myself when I spend what seems like a lot of money on food – then don’t have the right ingredients for specific meals.
Hi Helen, my exact routine is something like this;
Gather recipe ideas from magazines, books and tv. Assign one recipe/meal for each day Monday through to Saturday (Sunday is day off as mentioned). I write my plan in my diary.
On a Friday evening or Saturday morning I sit down with the plan and make a list of ingredients. I then purchase everything online and have it delivered on a monday morning ready for the week ahead.
If we are out one night or don’t eat the meal for some reason we have it the following night, and the “free night” is used in place of sunday – if that makes sense.
Also, when the food arrives I consult the plan and store things accordingly, freezing anything that won’t last.
Erica, thanks. That sounds like a good way of not letting things go to waste – and also you have everything in place for each tea-time. And I like the flexibility of the one free day. I’m going to give that schedule a go. Will report back, if you’re interested. Good of you to spell it all out.
Definitely, let me know how it goes.