Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Food/recipes

For related content, visit our food content hub.

2024 meal planning

731 replies

Lastqueenofscotland2 · 28/12/2023 09:31

Anyone else starting to think about getting their arses back in gear?!
Mine for the next week
Tomorrow: baked Camembert with nice bread (not quite over Christmas yet!)
Saturday: Thai green veggie curry
Sunday: NYE - will be sitting in with a dog terrified of fire works, might just order a pizza
Monday: Tuscan bean stew and sourdough
Tuesday: west African peanut stew
Wednesday: some sort of pie with all the leftover veg
Thursday: gochujang tofu

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
BiddyPop · 23/08/2024 17:02

Ooh thanks @WeaselOrFerret - a chicken kebab type thing sounds like a good idea!

HalloumiFries · 24/08/2024 10:15

Last week was 100% different from plans but definitely getting on track this week!

Tonight: Spaghetti carbonara
Tomorrow: Honey, lemon and rosemary roast chicken and potatoes with salad
Monday: Chicken avocado and sweetcorn salad
Tuesday: Stuffed peppers
Wednesday: Tuna fishcakes, roast veg and braised peas with spinach
Thursday: Shakshuka with halloumi
Friday: Sweet potato and mushroom curry

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 24/08/2024 12:54

We’re away again next week so all over the place again. I’m making a quiche tomorrow and today I’m doing a totally classy afternoon tea complete with vegetarian pork pie and Monster Munch.

BiddyPop · 24/08/2024 18:21

Last night was empty the fridge of bubbly things (hummus and carrot sticks, prawns and avocado, pesto and breadsticks, cherry tomatoes). (Had been to the pub with work colleagues).

Tonight, I have chicken thighs sliced and marinating in Greek lemon/garlic/herb marinade, to fry up and put into my flatbreads with hummus, sliced tomato/red onion/lettuce, grated cheese and chunks of raw peppers.

I'm going to do chicken fajitas tomorrow to use up some lime juice and peppers and tomatoes.

Probably duck, oven chips or baby roast potatoes and roast garlicky French beans on Monday.

Making progress through fridge and freezer items, and what's ready to be harvested from the balcony.

BiddyPop · 24/08/2024 18:21

Bubbly = picky
For last night

SpaceOP · 25/08/2024 03:56

HalloumiFries · 24/08/2024 10:15

Last week was 100% different from plans but definitely getting on track this week!

Tonight: Spaghetti carbonara
Tomorrow: Honey, lemon and rosemary roast chicken and potatoes with salad
Monday: Chicken avocado and sweetcorn salad
Tuesday: Stuffed peppers
Wednesday: Tuna fishcakes, roast veg and braised peas with spinach
Thursday: Shakshuka with halloumi
Friday: Sweet potato and mushroom curry

Even though our menus are different, I think we have similar tastes - this is a menu we would absolutely have if I wasn't too lazy to m ake most of this! Grin.

As a side note, we had tacos a few weeks ago and instead of my usual salsa and picked onions, I did a big sort of salad/salsa of avo, sweetcorn and tomato with lots of lime and garlic and a bit of chilli and it was fabulous! It's a winner of a combo.

Forgottenmyphone · 25/08/2024 08:12

Today - courgette and feta filo pie
Tomorrow - satay curry
Tue - aubergine parmigiana
Wed - tofu pad Thai
Thur- roasted red pepper risotto
Fri - falafel wraps
Sat - hosting a party for DH. Doing pulled pork, loaded potato skins, peri peri chicken wings, halloumi fries, black bean and corn salad and coleslaw.

TheLadyIsAVamp · 25/08/2024 08:41

No time to go to do a proper shop until Thursday so using up what we have in and this is what I've come up with

Tonight - Bucatini in a creamy lemon, spinach and mushroom sauce topped with lemon garlic grilled chicken
Monday- Chicken madras with rice and mini poppadoms
Tuesday- Turkey meatball marinara ciabatta sandwiches with?? Probably a salad of some sort
Wednesday- Honey chilli beef and broccoli noodles.
Thursday- Sausage & mash with veg in giant Yorkshire puddings
Friday - lemon sole goujons, chips peas and tartare sauce

Not very exciting and I'm getting a bit fed up of cooking and planning, need to get my mojo back somehow

SpaceOP · 25/08/2024 11:56

Meal planning is relentless isn't it? I couldn't think what the plan was for dinner, so came on this thread, only to discover I'm way past the end of my LAST meal plan so no wonder I've got nothing. Now I have to decide whether to do some meal planning and shopping today or not. I'm so bored of it. x100 because of the need to cook separately for DD a lot of the time and as her and Dh have been camping, I feel morally obliged to produce something with actual nutrition in it as they've been living on bread and nutella, KFC and sausages.

SpaceOP · 25/08/2024 14:43

I'm back. Attempting to do meal planning for online delivery tomorrow. sigh.

Satay curry - chicken and cauliflower I think (thanks to whoever is having this week and inspired me as I have a lot of coconut milk)
DS' favourite aubergine, tomato, chilli and chorizo pasta.
Beef stir fry
Tuna pasta salad
Something with sausages as we have some in the freezer

Separately, what recipes that aren't curries do people have using coconut milk? DD is dairy intolerant but also a bit fussy and it occurs to me that finding things with coconut milk could be a good way to diversify her meals?

HalloumiFries · 25/08/2024 15:54

@SpaceOP

Thank you, that was actually a really nice confidence boost at a much needed moment!

Tbh, I almost always think my menus are basic/lazy compared to everything else I see posted here so perhaps the grass is always greener!

Don't be fooled though - there's not that much work involved. I do like a shortcut! The fishcakes are ready made on this occasion (a yellow sticker bargain which has been in the freezer for a while) and I'll make a huge tray of roasted veg, some of which will be chopped and mixed with rice and pesto for the filling for the peppers the following evening (I posted these the wrong way round, I've realised), so two very quick processes there.

HalloumiFries · 25/08/2024 15:56

Posted too soon - also meant to say to @SpaceOP that I agree on similar tastes and would like to know more about the carrot and feta pilaf 😀

BiddyPop · 25/08/2024 16:00

@SpaceOP
I do a salmon and peas with white wine (reduced a bit) and cream "sauce" served over rice or pasta. Could you try something similar with coconut milk (with or without the wine) instead of the cream as an idea?

TheLadyIsAVamp · 25/08/2024 23:51

@SpaceOP I love a coconut milk ramen/noodle soup. I do a few different ones but they're all still a bit curryish! Otherwise the only other thing I use it in is soup so interested to see some other ideas!

I seen someone on Tiktok make coconut lime chicken recently which looked lovely so have this bookmarked but again a bit like a curry !
Coconut lime Chicken

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 25/08/2024 23:58

I’ve been AWOL - DP’s been working abroad for the last fortnight so it’s been jacket potatoes, scrambled eggs on toast, and M&S oven stuff here. He’s back now, so here we are:

Today - went out to Nando’s
M - spaghetti bolognese I made today - loads of veg in the sauce
T - jacket potatoes with bolognese and cheese. Salad, coleslaw
W - M&S chicken tenders from the freezer, oven chips, some sort of vegetable, possibly broccoli
T - spinach and ricotta chicken (also from the freezer) with jacket potatoes and salad
F - DP off to London for cricket so I might get some fish for me since he doesn’t eat it. Will share with cat
S - DP still in London and have a friend coming round for dinner/wine. Will either make leek and panchetta creamy pasta, or order a takeaway depending on how I feel

Citygirlrurallife · 26/08/2024 18:08

Just place marking. No planning for weeks it feels like and I’m not ready to get back into jt yet. Will prob continue this week hodge podging stuff together and start afresh next week

BiddyPop · 26/08/2024 21:08

My chicken was still half frozen last night, so I had Gorgonzola pasta with bacon pieces instead.

Chicken fajitas tonight (no sour cream but proper guacamole).

The pan-fried and roasted duck breast, garlicky roasted French beans and oven chips for tomorrow.

Something with mushrooms on Wednesday I think - maybe with pasta as I have a small bit of 1 shape left to use up.

And a pizza (half 4 cheese, half pepperoni) on Thursday.

Out on Friday (will treat DD to dinner out in her new place) and home late on Saturday so hopefully eat in transit.

CactusPeach · 27/08/2024 17:14

@SpaceOP

I make this, Coconut caramel chicken, there's a version on the website with pork as well which is also delicious.

I also make coconut rice sometimes, if she already eats rice / rice stir fry's then it doesn't really add a new recipe but could add some variety in taste.

Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken

The coconut fragrance of this Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken is absolutely heavenly. This is 7 ingredient magic - and very easy to make!

https://www.recipetineats.com/vietnamese-coconut-caramel-chicken/

MissyB1 · 27/08/2024 19:32

Tonight - prawn spaghetti.
Wednesday - veggie chilli with a mix of brown rice and quinoa.
Thursday - morrocan chickpea stew with flatbreads.
Friday - asparagus and pea risotto
Saturday - homemade burgers on bbq.

Lastqueenofscotland2 · 30/08/2024 08:33

Friday: blue cheese and caramelised onion posh toasties
Saturday: pasta alla norma
Sunday: Spanakopita with crushed new potatoes
Monday: kimchi fried rice
Tuesday: ratatouille
Wednesday: tbc maybe at a work thing
Thursday: Mushroom stroganoff

OP posts:
SpaceOP · 30/08/2024 11:20

@CactusPeach That looks fab, and even if she doesn't like it, the rest of us will. Checking out the pork option too!

@TheLadyIsAVamp Curry is out but I do a really nice butternut soup that I think uses coconut milk. I might try that and/or explore other soups so thanks for the idea. Even if she only eats a small amount, it would be good to help with broadening her palate.

@HalloumiFries I always see stuffed peppers as a bit of a faff, but you make a compelling argument for them not being so. I might give it a go! Grin

The carrot pilaf thing did not in fact get made but... basically, I roast carrots with a bit of honey, cumin, salt (I usually do this in the airfryer). If they're big I slice them up a bit but smaller ones I just do whole. Meanwhile, I soften some onion (slices rather than chopped) and then when I'm getting bored, whack up the heat and start to brown them (ideally of course, I'd properly caramalize it but who has the time or the energy for that?!). Just before they're nicely browned I add some fennel seeds, chopped garlic and mustard seeds then my rice and chicken stock. Cook the rice.

Carrots go on top of the rice, with some feta. And I usually make a bit of a lemon/mustard dressing to go on top and punch up the flavour. It's a great one for a vegetarian main or a really good substantial veggie side. DS doesn't mind veggie food when it's sort of pasta-ish but this feels a bit too obviously vegetarian so the generous portion of feta goes along way to getting him on board! Grin. It occurs to me it would probably worked with some fried halloumi instead too.

HalloumiFries · 30/08/2024 13:49

@SpaceOP That sounds lovely. My favourite cafe does an amazing roast carrot and feta salad and this sounds similar but on pilaf rather than leaves. In my case it's a DH, rather than DS who needs veggie food to be substantial so I definitely recognise the benefit of these dishes.

Tonight we're going out for fish and chips after a stressful week so veggie curry will happen next week instead.

Tomorrow: Spag Bol
Sunday: bbq pork chops, pourgouri and greek salad
Mon: l/o pourgouri and salad with falafel
Tues: Greek salad pasta
Wed: sweet potato, mushroom and spinach curry
Thurs: Chicken kiev and roasted veg
Fri: Pierlini and salad

SpaceOP · 30/08/2024 14:01

@Lastqueenofscotland2 seeing your spanakopita optin reminds me I haven't done that for ages - I usually do mini ones, in bulk by making them samoosa shaped and freezing them then cooking in air fryer as we go. But it occurs to me that DD can eat feta and cooked dairy in small amounts is fine so if I made some especially feta-ry ones, that could be an option for her as part of my "broaden her palate and get more variety down her.". Thanks for the reminder.

@HalloumiFries yes, give the carrot/feta thing a try. it's good and your Dh might like it. If not, you could always do a piece of chicken on the side for him! Grin

HalloumiFries · 31/08/2024 11:32

@SpaceOP Trying to cut down on the buying of meat as well as cooking/eating so don't really want to get into the habit of making separate meals but I do think he'll like that dish so will add it to the rota! I'm always looking for ways of using up carrots anyway!

I'm swapping the planned pierlini for iman byaldi on Friday but shopping now done and everything else is as planned.

SpaceOP · 31/08/2024 13:29

Somewhat to my surprise, I have yet again reached the end of my meal plan. It's never ending! Grin

So this week I am doing

tonight: my tuna pasta salad from the end of last week's plan
Tomorrow: Spaghetti bolognaise
Monday: Coconut chicken (thank you @CactusPeach )
Tuesday: Probably ready meal type things as we have one of those odd schedules.
Wednesday: Salmon with rice and stir fry
Thursday: Stuffed peppers (thank you @HalloumiFries)
Friday: Steak sandwiches and pickle

I honestly can't think beyond that, so it will have to do!