Meal Planning/Grocery Shopping Tips/Etc.

[Kim2005]

Please post your suggestions/meal plans/tips/etc. here.

[Kim2005]

StillJulie:
Meal Planning
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I have a little grid (something I made up from a spreadsheet program) where I fill in 4 weeks of meals. I just do Monday through Saturday, b/c I figure one night will likely be left-overs. I don't follow real strictly to always fixing things in the order that I've written them out. Sometimes I wake up and just don't "feel like" having what's written for that day, so I switch things around.

We raise beef, so we have an abundance (and then some) of beef in our freezer. Because of that, I usually plan 3 meals centered around beef, 1 chicken, 1 pork, and 1 fish. DH requires meat at every meal.

I keep a 3-ring binder of lists of meals that I make that fall into each of those categories. I also list the ingredients for each.

I've also got a master sheet of most grocery items I purchase. When I make out my meal plan, I usually have my meal lists, my grocery list, and any grocery ads for the week in front of me. I use a highlighter to mark any items I'll need to purchase.

I also have a list of emergency back-ups - meals that can be done real quickly for whatever reason. We very rarely go out to eat, and there are days when I just really don't feel like cooking, so here are a few of my "back-up" plans: frozen pizza, fish sticks, chicken nuggets, mac 'n cheese, soup & grilled cheese, complete meals in a box (several companies make these), complete meals in a bag (freezer type - several companies make these as well).

Anyways, hope this helps a little.


FlyinHigh:
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I use the meal planner sheets that you can buy from the H&H planner (merchandise page). On one side you make your meals for the week and on the other side you make your grocery list. Very nice if you want to plan one week at a time or one month at a time. I usually plan week by week now. That way we can have more variety and everymonth is not the same.

On the meal plan sheets you have slots for every meal of the day (breakfast, lunch, dinner). I am experimenting with planning snacks so I don't feel rushed or stressed to come up with something (and healthy too).

Crockpot night is great to have on a night where you dk's are busy in an event such as sports or scouts. Because my schedule changes I vary which night I use. Here is a list of ideas. Also you can get ideas from the book "Sink Reflections". I'll check my other books too.

Crockpot night
Mexican Night
Poultry
Beef
Casserole
Fish
Pork
Leftover night (or lunch on Sunday)
Soup and Sandwich

For fun: colored food night, Kid's cook night, picnic in the park, picnic in the yard are just some ideas

Veggie night (we sometimes have something like vegetable pockets with corn on the cob etc. instead of always having a meat )

Once in a while you just have to eat out or order pizza


SandKsmama:
Okay, here's how I meal plan...
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And this is the only thing in my life that I am actually *organized* about, so don't think I'm completely anal:-)

Breakfast: I do a rotating menu for breakfast, which pretty much stays the same each week until we are sick of something, then I rotate in something new.
Monday: Bagel w/ PB or cheese
Tuesday: Cereal
Wednesday:Eggs w/ Cinnamon toast
Thursday: Pancakes
Friday: Breakfast burritos
Saturday: Waffles/eggs/grits/sausage
Sunday: Egg Mcmuffins or Cheese toast(depending on how much time:-)
Also, I offer juice and milk every day, as well as some sort of fresh or canned fruit.

Lunch: Same deal as breakfast
Monday: Hot dogs
Tuesday: PB and J sandwiches
Wednesday: Mac n cheese
Thursday: leftovers
Friday: Chicken nuggets and tater tots
Saturday: Pizza or leftovers
Sunday: Sub sandwiches or out to lunch:-)
Again, some sort of fresh fruit, as well as some kind of chip/cracker usually. We almost always drink water.

Dinner: (I do this 2 weeks at a time)
Monday: Italian (Lasagna, salad, bread)(Spinach manicotti, salad, bread)
Tuesday: Easy/one dish (Macaroni Goulash) (Chicken and rice, grean beans)
Wednesday: Mexican (Taco Salads) (Chicken enchiladas, rice, beans)
Thursday: Seafood (Mexican Tilapia, spanish rice, refried beans) (Marinated white fish, mixed veggies, mashed potatoes)
Friday: Beef (Roast/potatoes/carrots) (Grilled steak, baked potato, salad, bread)
Saturday: Casserole (Chicken Divan, stewed apples, bread) (Shepherd's pie, salad)
Sunday: Leftovers or out to eat!

I hth! Also, I do feel free to switch around my menus - if I wake up on Thursday and don't feel like fish, then we have the casserole or whatever. Also, if fish is really expensive, then I just nix it for those 2 weeks and eat more chicken, etc.

[Kim2005]

Organizing Breakfast...
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My good friend passed this idea on to me and it has been great. On each day of the week I make something different. This way it's not cold cereal every morning. The one thing the kids have had to get used to is that I make them breakfast and that's what we're having...no more short order cooking. You can adjust this list to your own family and what they like. Here is my list

Sunday: Pancakes(Bisquick Mix) and Bacon
Monday: Cold Cereal
Tuesday: Waffles(Eggo Brand) and Bacon
Wednesday: Oatmeal and English Muffins
Thursday: Scrambled Eggs, Bacon and Cinnamon Rolls
My kids love the Pillsberry Cinnamon Rolls!
Friday: Cinnamon Toast and Yogurt
Saturday: Muffins and Sausage Links

It has been so nice to wake up in the morning and know that I'm making a really good breakfast before they head off to school.

[1joyfulbelle]

Use leftovers from dinner for lunches the next day.
Eliminate cold cereal...it is very expensive per ounce....do muffins, eggs, pancakes, french toast, hot oatmeal, grits, instead.
Eat more fresh fruit and less fruit juice...juice is expensive and the whole fruit provides extra fiber as well.
Buy reduced priced meats (they are marked) and reduced priced bakery items (they are marked as well). Either use immediately or freeze for later use and they are safe and delicious to eat.

Make homemade pizza with your own crust and toppings.
Don't buy kleenex...use TP.

Purex laundry detergent is excellent and a fraction of the cost of more expensive brands.

Use cloth napkins instead of paper.

Serve salad with meals to fill people up...it's healthier, too.

Popcorn is the cheapest snack anywhere....pop your own and add garlic salt, popcorn salt, parmesan cheese, etc.

Use Ivory liquid dish detergent to wash your kitchen floor...it is recommended by manufacturers and just a little bit is needed.

Use baking soda for a cleaner...it scours pots and pans, cleans stains, softens water for laundry, cleans showers, etc.

Betty

[carlislehomemom]

here's what I do:

I make a dinner meal plan for two weeks at a time. From that plan I'll check my freezer/pantry and make a grocery list for the items I don't have on hand already. Then at the store(s) I'll get what's only on the list for the dinner meals and the other items I need from that store. I rarely ever use coupons or pay attention to sale ads, because I shop mainly at Trader Joes and Costco and with meal planning I spend $100 a week on food total.

When I get home any meats that can be preseasoned/marinated for the meal I bought them for I take the meat and place it into a ziploc freezer bag that has just enough for that meal (and usuallty leftovers)...I'll add in the seasonings and depending on the seasoning I'll add a can of diced tomatoes, oil, pineapple juice, chicken broth, etc...to help marinate the meat. Then I'll close it up and smoosh it all together. And it goes into the freezer labeled and ready to simply dethaw and cook. I never buy meat to just have on hand. I only buy meat when I know I'll use it within those two weeks. Saves money and freezer space. I usually buy my chicken breasts in the big 6.5lb bag from costco. I get my ground beef at Trader Joes for only $1.99/lb and other meats I"ll get from Fred Meyer (aka Kroger).

Each night when I am cleaning up dinner I'll check what's on the menu for the next night and take out that meat from the freezer and stick it into the fridge to dethaw.

This idea is not completely original to me and since I borrowed it from my company I have to say it's from the 4 meals in 4 minutes meal planner from Homemade Gourmet.

I also bulk cook my own spaghetti sauce and freeze it into 2-3 cup portions in plastic ziploc containers. They dethaw great.

I also will plan out and use leftover meats for casseroles, sandwiches, etc. But even the leftover meal is planned into the two=weeks. For example I'll make Cilantro Citrus Chicken with Rice and Veggies for a meal. Then the left over chicken I'll cube and save for the next night or two nights later to use in a chicken salad. OR with Taco meat, I'll save the leftovers to toss into the spaghetti sauce. Leftover Roast Seasoned Chicken is used in casseroles, pot pie, or chicken noodle soup.

I also find that getting the 6 pack of 12 ounce cans of chicken breast from Costco are great for soups and casseroles and save a ton of $$.

For me it's about proper planning...knowing exactly what every piece of meat in your freezer is going to used for and knowing what to do with any leftover meat from the main meal.

I will also say that I used to be an extreme coupon clipper and avid sale shopper...but we were eating junkier foods and had no plan for dinners and ended up wasting a ton of money on items I'd buy with coupons, but never use...because I'd simply buy them because they were on sale and I had a coupon. We eat healthier foods, more all natural foods, and better BUDGET by meal planning this way and buy having an exact grocery list and never over buying or "stocking up".

There are some items I do always stock up on because I use them often:
-cans of diced tomatoes
-cans of chicken broth
-cans of tomato paste
-cans of tomato sauce
-cans of black beans
-cans of diced pineapple
-boxes of Aunt Annie's Mac n Cheese (from Costco!)
-pasta noodles of all kinds and shapes
-cans of fruit
-boxes of cereal
-all natural fruit leathers/snacks

Almost 99.5% of our foods/juices have NO High Fructose Corn Syrup and no foods with any artificial sugars like splendia, aspertame, (sp?), etc. At least for the kids....for myself I will get a diet Pepsi or diet coke Plus about once a week. I find so many coupon products and items that are always on sale tend to have tons of HFCS in them, like cereals, fruit snacks, juices, BREADS, etc.

For Breakfasts we generally keep it super simple, weekdays it's cold cereal or oatmeal with fruit. weekends I'll make eggs or pancakes.

For lunches it's whatever we have and I feel like making the boys, we also have a supply of PB & J, chicken nuggets, mac n cheese, nitrate free all natural all beef hot dogs, etc. Weekends I'll sometimes make a bigger lunch when dh is home. But I don't plan out breakfasts or lunches.

[klttrego]

Wow, ladies, this has been absolutely amazing. In the past I haven't been terrible concerned with meal planning. However, with going back to school in the fall and being a cheerleading coach, I have realized that I am just not going to have any time to think or be creative about dinner on the fly so I am definitely going to need to plan. This has been great information and I am going to start practicing right away. Thanks a bunch!!!