Meal plans - does everyone but me do this??

[Monkeytrousers]

I have never had a weekly meal plan. Would it improve my life if I did?

Improve your life? doubt it
but it would probably save you money

No, I enjoy cooking so I enjoy thinking about what to cook each day. It is only good for those who consider cooking a chore and like to plan their chores

I keep hearing about them on MN! I've been thinking maybe I should do it too.

Really? Save money? Tell me more

Agree Bossy - it's a money-saving thing. Allows you to make shopping lists and only buy what you need.

I dopn't and I'd never heard of it until I started to use mumsnet, perhaps I don't have very many domestically minded rl friends?

cooking

I works better for me, saves me time and money and I don't waste food that's bought and not eaten. I don't find it a chore, making a shopping list and I stick to it as much as I can.

bugga no picture it said i hate cooking it is a chore

i certaintly need to save money, am trying to budget at the moment seem to have more outgoings than incoming.

nah, can't be arsed.......

I don't meal plan but then I do shop every day

We do a plan for the week but don't assign meals to days. So we buy for the plan but then more or less have what we fancy each day. We also have a few things in the freezer incase we don't want, or can't get, what we planned for.

I find it does save money and arguments when we're both too tired to bother thinking about what to have for tea

I do it sometimes - it certainly reduces the amount of wasted food because you only have what you need. Can also be helpful for sticky to a healthy eating plan because means you know what you are making and are less likely to have those "have no inspiration, get a take-away" evenings.

What kinds of things do you all have? Don't you end up eating the same things every week, if on different days?

We do since we took to having an organic veg box. Otherwise there's always something no-one fancies quietly mouldering (or to quote dh: 'What the geoff is THAT? Did the tractor clip the hedge on the way to deliver our box?!') - so it's worth planning around what's in the box.

Also cheaper & healthier because we don't end up grabbing something quick & processed on the way home from work - if I know I'll be working silly hours, I stock the freezer with curry/chilli/pasta dishes & stick the meal planner somewhere prominent so dh can heat whatever it is up.

No.

What I do is delve into my collection of Waitrose recipe cards, pick maybe 10 out then go round picking up everything on the cards. They're usually pretty good.

Then just pick up all the boring stuff, bread etc at the same time.

I like having the cards there with all the ingredients, means I don't have to think too hard.

I find it does make my life easier, because I do all my thinking at once (while I'm doing the plan) and then have a list of recipes that I have shopped for. I don't plan more than 5 a week though.
I get Good Food mag for inspiration and to ring the changes, and I also have a lot of books.
It also means I can plan my time a bit - there will be some things that can be done ahead and some things that can't and those things need to be matched up to the week's activities. Being organised definitely reduces stress.

I'm a half-hearted meal planner. I never used to mind cooking but now it's become a chore sadly.

My mum always did this so I should know better really. But it really does save money tbh - in that you don't waste food which is unforgiveable really

sorry, I meant wasting food should be unforgiveable.