to LOVE meal planning

[BumbleChum]

I have only just begun doing this (despite having 3 children...)
We always ate home cooked food, I just had a bit of a scramble at 4.30 every day to look through the fridge/cupboards and decide what it was going to be.

Now, thanks to MN, I have begun meal planning. Every Saturday I spend an hour checking what's in the fridge/freezer/cupboards, filling in the next week's menu and doing the online food order. It means I can take into account what's happening on the calendar (extra kids for tea/activities etc.) And I do more cooking ahead and freezing extra stuff etc. because I allocate when I'm going to do it. It's easier to incorporate new recipes and special offers from the online shop. And DS1 LOVES having a menu stuck up on the wall at home like there is at school He even cross-checks to make sure he's not getting the same thing twice in one day spoiled brat

It is bloody brilliant. Can't believe I didn't do it before, but it's just one of those things that if you've never done it, it can be hard to begin. We are definitely eating a wider variety and wasting less.

Thank you MN for enlightening me.

I am rather embarrassed to admit, but meal planning is a bit of a hobby for me. I sit down in front of Downton abbey with a cup of tea and plan the meals. Sigh. It makes me happy.

I can't function without a meal plan!

My mum always did it, I did it a soon as I left student accommodation and got a job. We throw away a lot less as a result of it. :)

I do not understand how people who have jobs and/ or dc can cope when they realise there's nothing for tea at 4.30!

It's my best friend!
It has cut my food shopping bill significantly. Instead of spending £90 per week to feed 4 of us, I spend £35-40 per week

We eat really well, have variety and we try new stuff as I get my recipe books out for ideas for meals.

Also do not waste a single thing. Everything in the fridge is used up and my freezer has a great stock of "free meals" as I double up on lasagne/Bolognese/pie fillings/curries etc.

Love it too!

I used to do well but have fallen out of the habit

Ive been meal planning for over a year now and love it!

Through the week i look online for recipies which i write down and put in a big folder, we have something new at least twice a week.

I am so glad that there are others like me who ? meal plans! We eat much more varied and interesting food because of 'the plan' and damn right its cheaper than buying random stuff and hoping that the crazy jigsaw of food will work out well

I should really start doing this. My husband works shifts so im usually just cooking for me. By the time baby is in bed Im too shattered to play ready steady cook with what is in the fridge and end up with a fish finger sandwich!

Id love to see some of your idea's. Particularly one pot type things as I hate washing up!

I meal plan but need inspiration! I'm finding we have the same stuff week after week....

I must do this. I'm a bit chaotic, but love orderliness really, it's so soothing.

Can all you organised types give me some examples of your weekly meal plans please?

I really must do this. I've done it here and there and the weeks when I have done, have been brilliant. It just seemed there was less stress and I had more time.
I will do one today! Thanks for the prompt :)

I love it too - especially now DH made me a chalk board for our kitchen .

We have a couple of vegetarians in our family, so our last meal plan looked like this:

Sunday: Lemon chicken/ marinated tofu with cous cous, broccolini and asparagus
Monday: Chilli con carne/ lentil chilli with rice
Tuesday: Tacos
Wednesday: Chicken burgers/ Quorn burgers and wedges
Thursday: Stirfry
Friday: Beef korma curry/ dahl
Saturday: Vegetarian pasta

Forgot to add, I work Tuesday - Friday so like the easy peasy quick to prepare stuff for those says.

DAYS

I have just started freezing my left overs for when I am eating alone. It is great just wang in the microwave.

PS Does anybody know if you can freeze cheese and potatoe pie please?

Yes, definitely the way to go. Also, planning ahead can help you to have a variety of food - we try to have a night each of chicken, vegetarian, pasta, fish, meat, rice during the week. If I don't plan ahead, there is a greater risk of repeating the same dishes

Does anyone on here do "batch cooking"? I think the idea is that you spend a full-on whole day cooking loads of dishes and then stick them in the freezer so you don't have to cook again for month. I quite like the idea, but not sure how practical it is

Any suggestions for vegetarian dishes that can be frozen? When I've tried freezing vegetable curries, etc, I find they tend to go a bit mushy. Very grateful for any suggestions

I am a meal planning geek too, I love it! I genuinely don't understand how people function without one, my boss told me that he and his wife decide every evening what to have for dinner that night and one of them picks it up on their way home from work. That would drive me crazy, I am far too much of a control freak organised to be able to do that.

Love the chalk board idea, much easier to change plan when I've scoffed the leftovers intended a base for next day's supper.

Dreaming - I have a friend who does. Also, I grate my Parmesan/Grano Padano/ cheese scaps, you can use them straight from freezer.

Okay everyone who wants inspiration - let's share recipes. I would love to get more ideas. Here is my meal plan for this week (just the dinners as lunches mostly at school/work)

Sun - roast beef/potatoes/carrots/parsnips with red cabbage & broccoli
Mon - shepherds pie, kale, sprouts
Tue - pumpkin soup, cheesy potatoes, broccoli, leftover red cabbage
Wed - salmon, rice, kale
Thu - pasta with fresh tomato sauce
Fri - sausages & chips & peas
Sat - homemade pizza

The shepherds pie, pumpkin soup & tomato sauce are all made previously so from the freezer.

Will be chopping and freezing leftover roast beef, also freezing leftover red cabbage.

Will be making and freezing more tomato sauce later in week.

I am totally evangelical about meal planning - although I tend to do a two week rather than one week.

I don't batch cook, in that I don't spend a whole day cooking to fill the freezer. But I will always make extra if I'm doing a lasagne or chilli for example, and incorporate it in to the meal plan.

The kids love it too as I will let them know when I am doing the plan and ask for any requests.

I love love love it. Being organized really brings some calm into the chaos. Fridays I make a meal plan for the week ahead, Friday afternoon do the shopping, weekends are free for family time and the week ahead there's no scramble every afternoon.

justmyview I don't have much luck freezing vegetarian stuff as it tends to go watery. The frozen Linda McCartney things are good (and quite delicious) to have on hand though.

I do it, but I bloody hate it and dread it and can never think of anything to cook!

Inspiration would be lovely

In theory it's good, but with the fussy eating habits of all the other members of the family plus the incredibly complicated schedule of weekday nights and activities, plus factoring who has what for school dinner on which day it is impossible, it just makes my head explode. However I am very good at improvising with what we've got, doubling up to freeze stuff, part-making stuff to freeze etc and buying the right things to keep us going (I only shop twice a week, one main and one top up).

I actually get much greater satisfaction from winging it to be honest, it's a really good feeling to be able to look in the fridge, see what's there and come up with things. Plans just feel stifling.

I batch cook. I love it. These are the dinners I cook

Bolognese (very handy to have with gnocchi, spaghetti)
Stew .. I cook 2 lb at a time.. There is only the two of us and baby so makes a few portions
Goulash .. Same idea as stew
Turkey curry.. Buy a large free range turkey.. Makes loads!!
Chilli

I love the oven bags for pork chops, salmon etc.. Stops the mess and smell

Husband doesn't eat cheese so I can never thin of anymore freezer dinners.
Then we often have roast beef or steak on Sunday and fish fingers or sausages during the week..

Didn't think of tacos.. Must make fajitas and stir fry more often too...

What do you all cook?

This week we have had

Monday - Spinach and squash lasagne
Tuesday- Dhal with grilled chicken and naan bread
Wednesday- Southern fried chicken with corn on the cob and coleslaw
Thursday - sausage and bean casserole
Friday - chicken and vegetable soup followed by jam sponge and custard
Today - tuna pasta bake
Sunday - Roast pork and trimmings.

Then next week

Monday- quorn bolognese
Tuesday- Jackets and chilli
Wednesday- fishcakes and chips
Thurday- Paella

Friday we get paid so will go out, then I will plan again