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Old 11-02-2007, 10:11 PM   #14
mom2boys
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Default Re: Can someone teach me how to meal plan?

I have a form I made in excel that has three columns-one for meals, one for plans, and one for groceries/prep.
I use a recipe box my grandpa made for me (he made me two-one of the last things he made ) and I put everything on a recipe card-even simple stuff like, "tomato soup and grilled cheese" I use these to find what to make. I use the grocery store flyers as well as my pantry/freezer to decide on meals.
then I figure out what's going on during the week-church is on wednesday, and we eat there for supper, so that's one day all I need is free-will offering; no groceries. Same with sunday morning (breakfast is served between services) Then I figure out nights I'll be at work (I work 3-11 shift) or days/nights we have plans; i.e. cub scouts or something. That ensures I don't plan, say, meatloaf on a night we aren't even going to be home! I use my crock pot a lot and plan one day a week for kitchen prep, so I don't have to dice carrots three times in one week, kwim? That's where I use the prep section of my form. I write down everything the recipe calls for on the grocery section, then figure out what I've got enough of and what I need more of. I've spent too many hours in the kitchen just KNOWING I had enough parsley only to find out had I looked, I'd have seen there's really only a tablespoon or so in the jar.
Then I plan simple dinners, like bologna sandwiches and fruit salad or hot dogs and chips. Then I plan suppers. Then I put them together so there's not a bunch of one kind of protein in a row. So we don't have beef three days and chicken two then a week of beans, kwim? I also plan for leftovers. I also plan for meals out-I find that if I don't plan for them, I tend to feel that I'm deprived of them and we actually spend more and take out more. If I know that friday night the pizza guy comes, then it makes cooking monday through thursday easier.
I keep things around for breakfast, like oatmeal, eggs, tortillas to make egg-cheese burritos, etc etc. I don't really plan a specific breakfast meal. I don't buy cold cereal, though. We have a big family and I simply can't afford the luxury!

I also bought a recipe software (it's really cheap and really useful) called accuchef. I'm in the process of putting in all my recipes. It will make meal plans and grocery lists for you. Can't wait to utilize that function!
I've thought about keeping my menus for future reference, but...I haven't.

That's how I do it. I absolutely love to hear other people's methods, too!

btw, I'm a farm girl. My supper is the meal we eat in the evening and my dinner is the meal we eat around noon. Sorry if that's confusing!
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Darci
wife to Lester and gentle homeschooling mama to 6 boys:
Jake (20) Jesse (19) Jamie (16)
Ben (14) Greyson (11) Gabe (8)
INFP and DYT 3/2
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