When I knew Matt and I would marry, meal planning was one of my main preoccupations. I looked up tons of recipes and saved them to my computer. I scheduled meals over the course of a few months and began making up grocery shopping lists.
The only flaw in my use of her system was a lack of practical day-to-day cooking experience. I found out quickly that I'd over planned. Well, actually, it took a while to realize that, but ultimately one of my issues early on was that I planned to cook a meal every night during the week. When using new recipes, I'd follow it exactly rather than reducing the amount to serve two people with one or two days of leftovers for his lunches. I ended up with tons of leftovers, a full refrigerator, ruining produce and fewer nights to cook than planned (when Matt had unexpected business dinners), so it was my management of the plan that was messed up. :)
That led to a slight, but temporary abandonment of planning well in advance. Now that I'm returning to it, I'm taking it a little slower. It also seems to be helping me to think differently as I plan.
I've come up with some basic categories...Mexican, Pasta, Sandwiches, Soup/Stew/Chili, Pizza, Homestyle, Fried, Stir Fry, Casserole, Salad, Breakfast and Veggies...to guide my recipe selection and scheduling. On weekend nights, I choose simpler meals. It's also a part of the plan to try a couple of new recipes every 3-4 weeks. The only recipes that make it to the rotation are ones we really, really like.
This is what my meal plan is looking like these days...
Meal plan for March
Though it's much too small for you to read, you get the idea. Maybe this shot will give you a better idea.
Well, maybe if you squint :)
Thanks, Sis! for a great way to simplify life. This is SO much better than figuring it out as I go day to day. There's little need anymore to run to the store for that one missing ingredient.
Do you have a meal planning system? If so, what do you do?
kim. i love a meal plan:) for me, i found that it felt a bit confining to me to have it decided fully ahead of time. so i would stock my pantry with the ingredients for around 20 dinners each month and write them in list form. (usually with the meat pre-cooked and frozen) then i had the "freedom" to choose according to my/our craving:) this gave me a plan/still allowed me to go with my food moods too:)
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