September meal planning thread. For those either wanting to budget or just in need of inspiration

[AlternativePerspective]

Inspired by another thread, there are a lot of people on here who struggle either to bring down their food costs or who just don’t have the inspiration as to what to cook, so I thought we could have a meal-planning thread where people could perhaps set out their meal plans for the week/month.

If we start with a September thread, if it fills up quickly then we could do them weekly instead.

So, there are no limitations here. For people who want to budget or who already are, come and share what meals you’re making this week to fit into your food budgets.

For those who just like to cook and who have no issue with the amount they spend, come and share your meal plans for the week even if they’re based on expensive ingredients....

Just parking my butt so I can get some ideas.

@Pebblexox me too 😂

Hi! Like this already!

Yesterday: enchiladas www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/veggie-enchiladas/
Today: Butternut risotto www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/tom_kerridges_butternut_56661
Tomorrow: bean burgers realfood.tesco.com/recipes/cajun-bean-and-feta-burgers.html (to use the rest of the feta that I bought for yesterday’s meal)
Friday: satay sweet potato curry www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/satay-sweet-potato-curry
Saturday: courgette lasagne www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spinach-courgette-lasagne
Sunday lunch: lentil roast www.roseelliot.com/recipes/main-dishes/easy-lentil-roast
Sunday pudding: blackberry clafoutis realfood.tesco.com/recipes/blackberry-clafoutis.html
Sunday evening: pitta pizzas in front of the Tv!

This week

Spaghetti Bol
Chicken curry
Pasta with chorizo broccoli and lemon
Roast pork
Frittata with pork if any left or streaky bacon
Mexican pork one pot
Freezer meal
Tortilla pizza

@passthemustard I always meal plan. However it's always the same 3-4 meals on repeat haha. Will be good to get some new ideas 😂

Today: stuffed pasta from lidl with chopped up polish sausage and purple sprouting broccoli from mil's garden tossed in butter with left over garlic bread.
Tomorrow: spaghetti bolognese with sauce loaded with veg from mil's garden and salad.
Friday: "pizza night". Tortilla wraps with sauce made from tin of tomatoes, tomato ketchup and herbs with cheese and ham toppings. The kids love them.
Saturday: Vegetarian curry with loads of veg from Mil's garden bulked out with lentils and rice and homemade flat bread.
Sunday: Roast chicken, Yorkshire puddings, stuffing, potatoes and green beans.
Monday: tacos with left over chicken, avocado, salsa and cheese.
Tuesday: homemade Chicken soup and rice.

Great idea @AlternativePerspective . I need to get on top of this, so following with interest.
I’ve just ordered a whiteboard to go on the fridge to write down the week’s meals and the ongoing shopping list, and will be defrosting the freezer on Friday, so I can start getting organised for once!

I'm so bored with our meals!! This week:

Rice chicken chorizo / mini pizza and salad (me)!
M&S chicken pie and Rosti and leeks
Sausage pasta (jar sauce)
M&S lasagne
Take away
Steak and salad
Roast dinner

Lockdown has increased my utter loathing of cooking.

Sticky sausages and potatoes here.

Yes it's time for proper dinners again.
Easier now while WFH and great to eat earlier.

Following too, family of 5 with bit fussy eating. Still WFH but still struggling ideas for meals, that easy and healthy.

Brilliant! Thanks for this OP. I desperately need some inspiration - I seem to be stuck in a food rut that involves lots of mince!

[quote Pebblexox]@passthemustard I always meal plan. However it's always the same 3-4 meals on repeat haha. Will be good to get some new ideas 😂[/quote]
Exactly this!

Would love to meal plan on a budget and with pulses but my dd is allergic to nuts, beans, peas and lentils!!!

Thanks, am following

Cheesy hammy pasta
My quickest meal - takes as long as your pasta takes to cook.
Pan of pasta on and add peas 4 mins before the end.
In 2nd pan cover bottom with cream, add pile of favourite grated cheese and some chopped ham. When cooked add pasta to 2nd pan. Stir and serve. Job done.

@Pebblexox
My problem is the bloody kids. They're all so fussy. I need to find things they'll all eat (I feel this may never happen 😩)

I'd love to whip up all these veg curries and things with lentils but I'm stuck with jacket potatoes, spag Bol and pizza. 😥😥

This week we have had/will have

Beef and ale pie with potato topping and carrots.

Tonight was Jamie Oliver's cauliflower cheese pasta ( which I really don't recommend)

Tomorrow: Jamie Oliver's jerk chicken burgers with scotch bonnet salsa. Probably serve it with wedges. I hope it is better than the pasta.

Jacket potatoes with tuna mayo/cheese/ whatever anyone fancies.

Chicken maybe something Greek/Moroccan with pitta etc

Roast chicken and all the trimmings

I meal plan, but like many get sick of the same things. Doesn't help that dd is veggie, DS hates vegetables, and Dh is diabetic and trying to low carb!
Havent planned ahead for next week but last few meals have been:
Sausage, beans, ov chips
Mince and nachos/pasta
Paella
Corn, avocado and prawn salad( this was lovely and leftover roasted corn made soup)
Chicken and leek casserole
Jacket pots and toppings( cheese, tuna, egg mayo)
Stuffed peppers and halloumi
Fajitas

Tomorrow: saag aloo with all the trimmings
Saturday: breakfast for dinner
Sunday: white bean and sweet potato chilli
Monday: roasted red pepper pasta
Tuesday: Thai peanut noodles
Wednesday: veggie Spanish rice
Thursday: soup of some description

LOVE a meal planning thread! We are 2 veggies and 2 meat eaters so I always have 2 options. This weeks dinners are/have been:
Puff pastry pizzas with various toppings
Roast chicken/quorn roast with mash and steamed veg
Out for dinner for DDs 16th!
Smoked haddock/quorn fishless fillets with steamed new potatoes, Savoy cabbage and babycorn
Sausages/meat free sausages with mash (it's a potato kinda week)
Chicken or chickpea curry with brown rice

We’re on holiday at the moment. Will start in Ernest when back at work on monay

Example dinners:

Monday: bag of frozen chargrilled Mediterranean veg in a Pyrex roaster, oil and seasoning added,. Served on seasoned couscous with feta or halloumi on top / mixed together and garlic sauce or hummus (5 min prep 25 min cook)
Tuesday: Spaghetti and homemade tomato sauce (takes about 15 min)
Wednesday: Salmon with spring onion mash and mixed veg (frozen medley) (20 min prep, 25 min cook)
Thursday: ‘lucky dip’, ie something previously batch cooked and frozen
Friday: Pizza (occasionally homemade or takeaway, but more usually frozen supermarket pizzas heated up)

Other stuff I regularly do: some kind of risotto, seafood chowder, fish fingers, or something in the slow cooker

OOh glad to see so many joiners already. :-)

So, today, Swedish meatballs with gravy and mashed potato. They’re the leftover of a bag of ikea ones but i do make my own usually.

Tomorrow, chicken and mushroom pasta: Fry an onion and some garlic, add chopped up chicken breast/thighs (I use thighs but it’s a preference), brown, add sliced mushrooms, splash of white wine. Meanwhile cook some pasta. When the pasta is cooked drain and add a tub of crem fraîche to the pan and stir. Mix in the pasta, transfer to a casserole dish, grate over a combination of Parmesan/cheddar and put under the grill until the cheese has browned...

Saturday I still need to work out as I have Tesco coming but not sure what time as I have a. 2/10 priority slot.

Sunday chicken casserole.
Monday smoked haddock with pasta, white wine, prawns and a dash of cream.

Tuesday fajitas,

Wednesday fish, either sea bass or salmon (I have both in the freezer) with risotto,
Thursday chicken pie (ones I made previously from a leftover roast chicken)

Friday stir-fry with noodles.

So I just need to work out something for Saturday, If Tesco arrive in time it will be pork steaks with dauphinois but if not I need to think.....

Hey. Great thread. I really want to get better way meal planning. I've five Gusto and Hello Fresh. Finished up my second last meal today - spinach dal with frozen naan (lots 'just in case' frozen during lockdown and being to be used up) with roasted vegetables.
Tomorrow, going to use the instant pot to make refried beans door enchiladas - basically tacos with melted cheese on top.
What I really want to do is have a rotating weekly meal plan which focuses not just on meals but how to use they leftovers as that is really key. The same ingredients but presented differently so I can batch cook yet not bore everyone (which has been an issue in the past).