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Original poster

is anyone geeky enough to have a spreadsheet or similar for meal planning?

234 replies

aieeeeeeeeeeeeeetch71 · 03/10/2006 22:23

i really want to start planning meals for the week so that we stop just going out for expensive food from M&S at the last minute.
i'm making a chicken casserole tonight (for tomorrow) and realised i didn't have any onions. Phoned DH who was out and about and he brought home three large-ish brown onions from Marks whihc cost £1.59. For, let me repeat, THREE onions. THREE

OP posts:
Katymac · 03/10/2006 22:25

I don't know if it's what you mean but I have a 3 week rota of food?

FrankenZooey · 03/10/2006 22:27

I am only an apprentice geek but just wanted to wave hello and express my at onions

NastyNemo666 · 03/10/2006 22:30

I do a menu plan for next two weeks before I do shopping.

Original poster
aieeeeeeeeeeeeeetch71 · 03/10/2006 22:36

yep, that's the sort of thing i'm thinking of... how do you get started with this sort of thing? i'm being terribly dense, i know, but if i can crib from someone else's spreadsheet or whatever then it means i won't have to do it. (cos let's face it, if i have to do it myself i'll never get round to it.)

and hello frankenzooey, do you consider yourself the professor or the monster? i was thinking you might go for FangyandZooey...

DID I MENTION THAT DH HAS JUST PAID £1.59 FOR THREE ONIONS?

OP posts:
iota · 03/10/2006 22:37

these are not just onions, these are M&S onions

Aero · 03/10/2006 22:38

A lovely mner (not geeky in the slightest) sent me her one a while ago. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I forward it to you. Definitely helps to have your meals planned and the ingredients bought and ready. Keeps shopping costs down too (as long as you stick to your menu). CAT me if you want me to send it on. You can fill it in with your own meals, then print it out and stick it on your fridge!

Original poster
aieeeeeeeeeeeeeetch71 · 03/10/2006 22:49

they'd bloody well better be at that price, iota.

aero, you couldn't do me a favour and send it to me at aitch at babyledweaning dot com, could you? that would be great. I just knew that an mner would have done a spreadsheet, just knew it...

OP posts:
lizziemun · 03/10/2006 22:50

i bought one of the weekly/monthy calender that you use for writing appiotments on and wipe off.

I do a monthly menu plan i tend to use a mixture of standby meals eg roasts, spag bog, shepherds pie, pies, fish, and some meals that i haven't cooked before.

I find this works for me because i can see if meals are getting to regular and it helps dh to see what he is eating.

Callmemadam · 03/10/2006 23:06

Aero could you send me a copy of the spreadsheet too, please? I spend some weeks cooking for three of us and some cooking for 6 and the wastage is terrible you can reach me at gilldotfryzeratbtinternet.com thanks a lot

MrsApron · 03/10/2006 23:10

ooh i'd love a copy too please, dh is incapable of picking up milk without spending £10 eek!
mamaattached @ yahoo.co.uk

Beccarolloveragain · 03/10/2006 23:13

could someone please send me on

rebeccahills @ btinternet.com

Aero · 03/10/2006 23:14

Sure - will just have time before bed.

Aero · 03/10/2006 23:28

Done - sent to all who asked. Credit for theoriginal goes to Yorkiegirl. (Hope you don't mind YG).

Original poster
aieeeeeeeeeeeeeetch71 · 03/10/2006 23:35

got it, looks great. thanks aero and YG.

OP posts:
MarsLady · 04/10/2006 00:00

Well done Aero. I was just about to put my hands up and say... not geeky but have a four week planner. And there........ you've already done it! Yes, BIG thanks to YG!

mamamaaargh · 04/10/2006 03:18

Ooo, what a great idea - would love this...Can I make a request for it too?

rshavard at yahoo dot co dot uk

Thanks in advance!

eidsvold · 04/10/2006 04:54

We don't do a spreadsheet but I do write out the meals for the week and then do the shopping list accordingly.

No speadsheet - just list the days and the meals next to them.

Yorkiegirl · 04/10/2006 07:03

Message withdrawn

Yorkiegirl · 04/10/2006 07:03

Message withdrawn

FrankenZooey · 04/10/2006 07:34

aitch, I am the professor, otherwise I would have been FrankenZooeysMonster

FangyandZooey is good but is more than a littel reminiscent of FanjoandZooey, which I feel I have already done to death, and you know I have my literary pretensions to keep up (as featured in the Sunday Telegraph )

Furball · 04/10/2006 07:36

can I have a copy too?

furball69 @ link2me.co.uk

Thank you, thank you, thank you

Furball · 04/10/2006 07:37

no no not furball69

just

furball @ link2me.co.uk

Aero · 04/10/2006 11:49

Meant to say (in fact have said in relative emails), that YG in not geeky in the slightest!!

pesme · 04/10/2006 11:52

hi, i would love this too. pesmemn at hotmail co uk

can't belive the onions!

squidette · 04/10/2006 12:13

I started writing a menu plan once a week a couple of months ago and i cant believe what a difference it has made to the amount of food shopping (less by far) money i spend (less by far) and hassle about deciding what is for lunch and supper (less by far).

I do a really simple list on a blank piece of paper, with the days of the week down the left hand side, then across the page, lunch and supper rows.

Sunday - Omlettes (egg, peppers, mushrooms, cheese), Yoghurt - Pasta and (tin chopped tomatoes, left over mush/peppers) Bananas, Icecream

etc....

Its VERY geeky, but so easy. Then i do a quick shopping list and only put on the list the things that are on the menu, checking the cupboard. It takes about half an hour to do my menu and list and i really try hard to only buy the things on the list when i do the shopping. I was finding that i had so much spoiled food from impulse buys - especially reduced 'bargain' veggies and buy one get one frees that lurked in the fridge. I used to get home after spending a small fortune with tons of bags, and having a strange feeling there wasnt anything to eat!

I let the children choose one supper meal each a week, within reason and range of what they know i will let them have! Since doing this, they are really keen about the meals - maybe something about giving them choices helps them accept my choices without TOO much moaning.

We have our menu pinned in the kitchen with pictures and glitter to try to hide the geek-factor!