I am happy to say that this is the fifth week in a row that I have written a meal plan! (I plan dinners only and for Monday through Friday only, generally leaving weekends for flexibility.) This might sound like I am bragging, but really it is a self-condemnation that I have been a married homemaker for two and a half years, yet this is one of the only times I've actually done meal plans five weeks in a row. Yet there have been many stretches when I've gone five weeks in a row without making a meal plan. So, there you go!
This week, I am planning to cook:
Monday:
Steak fajitas (for C.), portobello mushroom fajitas (for me)
Black beans with yellow rice (I have a great Spanish rice recipe I usually serve with this, but it's very involved)
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (any order):
Crumb-coated chicken thighs (something else for me)
Sliced baked potatoes
Yogurt-fried chicken (something else for me)
Green bean casserole
Creamy chickpea curry (with leftover chicken shredded in C's curry)
Friday:
Summer vegetable salad
Polenta
Great job! That's awesome!
ReplyDeleteExcellent!
ReplyDeleteDo you have any tips for planning meals for the week? I hopeless at organization.
Thanks.
Ashley
Ashley: Well, I do have two methods of meal-planning, a quick one and a more detailed one.
ReplyDeleteI have many cookbooks, plus a binder which contains most of my favorite, most-used recipes.
For quick meal-planning, I haul out my binder and start flipping through the pages. I pull out recipes that look appetizing and lay them on the table. Then when I have a pile of recipes, I move them around, pairing them up appropriately (e.g., "green bean casserole would go well with that chicken"). I also pay attention to where I can use leftovers (e.g., "I can use some leftover chicken to shred for the curry on Friday night as long as I bake chicken on an earlier night"). Then I write out my recipes on a piece of paper, making notes of any days when a particular recipe should be made on that day (e.g., the meatless recipe on Friday), or if Chris will be out of town for dinner on a particular night. That page goes on the refrigerator. Then I go through my recipes and write out the grocery list. Then I put that stack of recipes in a particular spot to use throughout the week before I replace them in my binder. Lastly, I stand in my kitchen with my list and cross off any items that it turns out I already have (e.g., I already have a can of black beans, so I don't need to buy any).
Second, this is my more detailed method, which I haven't been doing lately.
ReplyDeleteI have a plastic card file which holds 4"x6" cards. In it, I have written the names of my favorite recipes, plus where they are located (e.g., cookbook and page, or my special binder).
I could plan meals by taking out that card file and using those to think of ideas. That would allow me to access more of my recipes because I'd be reminding myself of my favorite recipes from cook books as well.
But, as I said, I usually don't do that method.
Sounds good!
ReplyDeleteI (usually) write what we HAD for dinner on the calendar that day. Then I can look through my wall calendar and browse for ideas when I'm stuck.
Thanks, Katherine and Sarah for the tips about meal plannning. I've done quite well with the childrens' toys since we went through a major organization, so now I will tackle meals. :)
ReplyDeleteAshley
There must be something in the air lately because you're the third person (me and another friend) who's recently jumped back on the meal planning bandwagon! I'm trying to keep it posted on the fridge too, along with my shopping list. I should post mine too so we can all swap and share ideas!
ReplyDeleteCourtney: Do you have a blog? I'd love the address!
ReplyDeleteHere you go!
ReplyDeletehttp://zuzusperch.blogspot.com/
I used to be a pretty regular blogger. Lately, not so much. Trying to do better!