I need some serious help with planning menus for my family. Since cooking is not one of my favorite things, I don’t really look forward to planning out meals and when I do, I’m not very creative. I usually wind up staring at the pantry or freezer hoping dinner will make itself. But, I promised to do better in 2010, so I’m trying.
Only, I need help.
What are some good planning techniques that are easy and fun enough for me to stick to?
I usually don’t have time to cook during the week, either; even though I do love to cook. I make up several recipes on the weekend and then freeze them for a later date. You just take out one of the containers either the night before or before you leave for work and heat it up when you get home.
There are a lot of easy recipes you can do in the crock pot. You can just throw it together Sat. morning and its ready by dinner time. I hope this helps.
I kind of feel like this is one of those things you either love or hate. Unfortunately for most of us it’s a necessity. In times of great stress or crazy calendar I feel like taking care of a lot prep work helps. Browning 2# of hamburger on a Saturday and freezing in appropriate increments for taco (salad) night, lasagne, spaghetti and meat sauce, etc… Making the sauces and freezing – we usually have some spaghetti sauce already all made up and ready for thaw and pour in the freezer. Baking several chicken breasts and having them ready to go for…whatever it is people use chicken for (I’m not generally a fan). I think having components mostly ready is the way to go. Then it’s not so much a dinner plan as options that you have that are already mostly done anyway. And while I love crock pot cooking I feel like most of the recipes aren’t too waistline friendly so we haven’t used ours in a while.
This is an interesting website: http://onceamonthmom.com/
I don’t know if something like this would work for you or not but if it did it sure would be nice to get it all out of the way. I’ve been looking for “plans” like this to get the baby food made assuming that I’m still going to do that versus buy prepared and at least for baby food it seems manageable.
I heard a suggestion on http://www.flylady.net to ask your family members each 5 index cards and have them write down their favorite meal, then on the same card you can write out the recipe and grocery list and then you pick from those meals when you are going shopping. You could also check out http://www.savingdinner.com. She has practical solutions and has a menumailer that uses what produce is in stock during the season we are in.
Look up “Investment Cooking” maybe that will help you out.
great ideas everyone! I’m intrigued by shopping and cooking once a month for sure. I might try to figure that out.