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Farm Kitchen:  Planned Meals  |
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Montrose Girl
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm
1360 Posts
Laurie
Montrose
CO
1360 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 20 2010 : 06:45:52 AM
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Does anyone plan their meals for the week? I keep thinking I need to try this and some days I just stare at the basic ingredients around the house and haven't a clue what to make. I went as far as buying some index cards to write out different main dishes, veggies, deserts, etc by season so I could use more of what I had on hand from the local harvest.
Laurie
Best Growing |
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melanie47601
True Blue Farmgirl
1949 Posts
Melanie
Boonville
IN
USA
1949 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2010 : 07:56:22 AM
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I usually plan a menu every week. It helps keep my grocery bill under control. We eat healthier too. I have also been trying to cook more from scratch. This is proving to be a little more difficult than I had thought it would be. I find myself making the same ole thing over and over again. Or I try recipes from websites only to have them turn out like cardboard or gross gook. So I'm trying to find some new recipes. :)
Melanie
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says "Oh Crap, She's up!"
Blog~ http://wheelsarealwaysturning.blogspot.com/
Swap Blog~ http://mels-swapshop.blogspot.com/ |
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Ms.Lilly
True Blue Farmgirl
826 Posts
Lillian
Scotts Mills
OR
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2010 : 07:56:25 AM
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I do! Actually our meals are planned 1 month at a time. I start by printing off my calendar and then putting in any major plans coming up, like lodge or church events that might have an impact on dinner time. Then we pull out a few magazines or cookbooks and find a few new meals that sound fun to try. Mondays are something new night (this is where the magazines come in). Tuesdays are always soup night. Saturdays are always something quick and easy. Sundays are usually something like roast or turkey, that the left overs can be used for something else in the week. We always incorporate what we have in the pantry and the menu does change by the season. We are getting ready to make out the menu for next month and since there are quite a few things almost ready for harvest in the greenhouse they will play a part in the planning.
Believe it or not this has reduced my grocery bill. I only shop 2x a month and before I go to shop the menu gets a once over and recipes are checked to make sure I have everything needed. This way I am not running to the grocery store because I forgot something, because I can't seem to leave the grocery store with only 1 item!
Also by having a menu I am able to look at it and see what is needed to be pulled out of the freezer to thaw, or if something needs to marinate for 24 hours I don't forget to get it going.
Give it a try, I think you will be suprised how easy it will make your meal time.
Lillian
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graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2010 : 08:52:42 AM
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I try to but it seems like something always comes up - like my husband gets home late, or I have to run to town so I need dinner to be quick rather than, say, a casserole that takes an hour. I haven't come up with a solution yet. When the garden gets going I am going to try to cook out of that so I can't really plan - it will depend on what is ready on a given day.
We have enough in our cupboards though that I can usually pull something together last minute - and now we always have eggs so there is always frittata.
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
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cajungal
True Blue Farmgirl
2349 Posts
Catherine Farmgirl Sister #76
Houston Area
Texas
2349 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2010 : 12:47:16 PM
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I plan out 3 months at a time and do what Lillian does....mark up the calendar with upcoming events, meeting nights, etc.... and then plug in the meals. My hubby does not like eating the same thing twice in a row, so he likes me to cook something different each night.
The first thing I did years ago was to plan by the week and I assigned each night a theme. I could still shop the sales to build up the pantry and also shop for things needed for the meals. Each meal always had some type of green salad or fruit as a side.
for example:
Sun-- usually a cereal night or cold cut sandwich
Mon-- beans and rice (red, black, lentils, pinto, mixed, navy,)
Tues-- Italian (pasta, pesto, stuffed breads, soups)
Wed-- baked potatoes (stuffed with chili, broccoli/cheese, bbq,)
Thur-- Oriental (fried rice, egg rolls, miso soup, teriyaki, sesame chicken)
Fri-- Mexican (tacos, fajitas, nachos, enchiladas, casseroles)
Sat-- fish (tilapia- baked, broiled, grilled and salmon when I could afford it)
The themes really helped to keep me organized and creative. Plus, I could make sure my family was eating a wide variety of grains, fruits and vegetables over the course of a week.
Now that my kids are teenagers, it's hard to pin everybody down to a set time every day. So, today I still follow the basic themes changing them up to others like Greek, Indian, etc... But, I do a lot more slow cooker dishes. That way, when a kid arrives home from an activity they can fix a plate and there's still some warm and waiting for the next person to get home.
Another thing I do is cook in bulk and preserve. I'll cook a huge pot of black beans and then jar them up with a pressure canner. I can usually put up about 6 qt jars. Then there's some ready for the next time black beans show up on the menu. OR there's some ready for black bean dip on Mexican night, OR a jar ready to give away or for those times when I'm asked to provide a meal for a family. There are some things that I cook extra of and freeze, like casseroles and enchiladas.
A couple of good books are "Once a Month Cooking" and "Dinner's in the Freezer".
I also keep a list of menus for the week on the fridge door. So, I don't have to hear "what's for supper?".....everyone can check the list.
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt." |
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melanie47601
True Blue Farmgirl
1949 Posts
Melanie
Boonville
IN
USA
1949 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2010 : 1:39:49 PM
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Wow! And I thought I was doing good with my once a week shopping trip and menu. LOL! I'm going to see if I can find those books you mentioned, Catherine. I would love to be able to be that organized in the kitchen. There are nights when I really want a home cooked meal but am totally wiped out from work and wind up taking the kids to get some gross fast food. Wouldn't it be nice to know that there was a jar of soup waiting in the cabinet at home for days like that?
Melanie
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says "Oh Crap, She's up!"
Blog~ http://wheelsarealwaysturning.blogspot.com/
Swap Blog~ http://mels-swapshop.blogspot.com/ |
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MommaJ9
True Blue Farmgirl
157 Posts
Kimberly
Longview
Washington
USA
157 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2010 : 2:04:34 PM
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I plan my menu each week as I'm going through the freezers and pantry. It sure helps cut down on waste and I only buy what we need. I also don't forget what I bought certain ingredients for! And we're able to try new recipes if they're planned for!
Farmgirl #783
http://jabezfarm.blogspot.com |
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Montrose Girl
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm
1360 Posts
Laurie
Montrose
CO
1360 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2010 : 06:54:36 AM
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You ladies are an inspiration.
Best Growing |
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Laila
True Blue Farmgirl
273 Posts
Laila
Kutztown
PA
USA
273 Posts |
Posted - Mar 22 2010 : 12:53:00 PM
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You go girls! I want to plan ahead but can't seem to get started. I like the idea of theme nights. That might help me get started with my plan.
Laila |
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prairie_princess
True Blue Farmgirl
613 Posts
Elizabeth
Carpenter
WY
USA
613 Posts |
Posted - Mar 22 2010 : 7:19:40 PM
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I plan my menu for the next month before we go shopping... lately I've been loving to challenge myself, buy as little groceries as I can and just use what I have on hand. There will be a month every once and awhile that will be the "stock up" month and after that I just love scouring my cookbooks, magazines, and online for recipes. I just look through my recipes and find something that sounds yummy and make a list of what I would like to make that month. I don't make these things chronologically, just look at my list when it comes time to make a new meal and see what sounds good. And there will be times when I make something not on the list, which makes my list last longer. I like to alternate between types of recipes and main meat dishes, like alternate between pasta, vegetarian, beef, pork, chicken, fish, etc.... I keep finding I rarely make my normal dishes anymore because I love trying out new recipes... which can be a downside. DH always says "I pretty much know if I like something a lot, I'll never have it again because you always make new dinners!"
"Only two things that money can't buy, that's true love and homegrown tomatoes."
- Guy Clark
"The man who has planted a garden feels he has done something for the good of the world."
- Charles Dudley Warner |
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Farm Kitchen: Planned Meals |
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Planned Meals
