keeperofthehome
Senior Member
"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her...She will do him good & not evil..."
Posts: 840
|
Post by keeperofthehome on Oct 17, 2007 16:07:52 GMT -5
I have finally sat down and made out a few menu ideas for the next couple meals. I am going to run them by my husband Aaron when he gets home (after he times to rest of course) and if he approves then I will make my grocery list out accordingly. Most of the meals include items I already have on hand in the pantry or freezer so that will help with shopping costs.
Here's what I have come up with so far (I haven't planned them out in order of days so this is a rough draft)....[note we like chicken! lol]
* Fettuccini with Creamy Tomato Italian Sausage Sauce * Turkey Manicotti * Meatball Stroganoff * BBQ Chuck Roast * Chicken Breast Stroganoff * Saucy Parmesan Chicken * Chicken Parmesan & Spinach Bundles * Roasted Rosemary Chicken & Potatoes * Bacon, Cheese & Potato Chowder * Pepper Jack Meatloaf * Turkey Shepherd's Pie * Spaghetti & Meatballs * Homemade Pizza * Chicken Fajitas * Crisp & Creamy Baked Chicken * Bruschetta Chicken Bake
|
|
tbhas6
Senior Member
Posts: 1,146
|
Post by tbhas6 on Oct 18, 2007 11:26:09 GMT -5
Yes, I certainly do plan out our meals. I actually began doing this many years ago when we survived well below the poverty level without any government, church or family assistance. We were so poor EVERY BITE of food had to be budgeted out and absolutely nothing went to waste. (vegetables were washed well before paring and what most folks throw in the trash, I cooked down into vegetable broth for soups, casseroles, etc. / meat fats were boiled down to broth, etc. / we litteraly ate what most others consider to be garbage) The Lord has blessed us abundantly and today my grocery budget is one I couldn't even dream of having 20 years ago.
With that said ... even though our financial situation is far better than we ever dared to dream 20 years ago, the Bible instructs us to be good stewards of the resources God has blessed us with. Therefore, I still plan out menus and work within a set grocery budget. When I worked full-time outside the home, I used my lunch hour to plan out a months worth of meals. Now, that I'm at home and home schooling I generally plan out only two weeks in advance. I also take invenotry of everything I have in stock before deciding on meals.
I use a calendar template from my computer and to save on time and finances, our breakfasts and dinners are generally unchanged from week to week. Supper is the "grand event" of the day and we rarely have the same supper meal twice within a month. When planning I refer to my day planner aka "brain" - this keeps me from selecting meals that have a long or complicated prep-time on very busy days.
I am also very particular about our day of worship and day of rest. We only eat two light meals on this day (muffins w/ fruit for breakfast and Sunday Soup for a late dinner or early supper). In our home Sunday is the day we reserve for worship and rest (for family's who are in full-time ministry, Sunday usually isn't good for them because they are working). We NEVER go out to eat on Sunday nor do I patronize other business. I am very strict about this because back in the day when we struggled every day to surivive I had to work 2 full-time jobs @ 7 days per week. If the "blue laws" had still been in effect, I'd have had a day to rest, see my family and attend church. As it was, I had to work non-stop, never resting and never spending time with my family on the days they were home. Most folks do not realize that a large percentage of retail and restaurant personnel are working two jobs to make ends meet. These folks need a day to rest, spend time with family and the opportunity to attend church.
tb Note: for those of you too young to know what "blue laws" were ... they were laws that prevented most bussinesses from opening and operating on Sunday. Come Saturday evening, if our shopping wasn't done and our gas tanks weren't filled, we'd have to go without until Monday morning. Since "blue laws" were repealed, church attendance per capita has declined DRAMATICALLY, families rarely even eat together much less spend time together these days.
|
|
|
Post by jesus4gives on Oct 18, 2007 12:19:32 GMT -5
My family and I love to do meal planning together. We all sit down about the 3rd week of the month and go through all my cookbooks and pick out recipes that we like or ones that we never tried before. (this gives way to experiments for the girls). We use calendars that you can get online. My husband even gets in on the act. He like certain meals and he needs to be happy too. Also I have found that when we meal plan that it saves us about $100+ a month. I have went in the store without planning and my whole month was shot and so was my brain. You have to stick to you list to see the savings. I plan only for Supper Time and desserts are about 1 a week. Breakfast is either Sausage Pancakes or Gravy Biscuits, sometime we have eggs and grits. Lunch is usua[shadow=red,left,300][/shadow]ly left overs because I fix enough for left overs. When we pick out a recipe we go ahead and write out a grocery list at the same time, that way we are not overwhelmed. And before we go to the store we check our pantry to see if we have in the pantry whats on our list and if so we mark it off. That way we are not buying what we don't need. Sundays are what I call the "Souper Bowl Sunday" because we have a different type of soup each week. Wednesdays we have just veggies. I read that if you cut out meat once a week and if it only cost $2 per person thats a savings of $104 a year, so a family of 5 can save $520 a year. Saturdays I try to keep fairly easy with something like burgers or chicken sandwiches cause this is our day to be together and have fun and I don't want to be cooking while everyone else is having fun. You can also save by making your own bread. We go through about 3 to 4 loaves a week and at a $1.50 a loaf that $4.50 to $6 just for bread. You can make it for about a $ .25 cents a loaf. I got the beginners bread recipe from the hillbillyhousewife.com site and my husband loves it. It is so easy to make. I pray taht this info will help you decern as to wheather or not to go on with the planning of meals. But once you do and you see how much you save by just buying whats on your list you will be shocked like I was. I love to plan my meals and I hopw you will to. God bless.
|
|
keeperofthehome
Senior Member
"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her...She will do him good & not evil..."
Posts: 840
|
Post by keeperofthehome on Oct 18, 2007 12:43:48 GMT -5
What wonderful ideas and tips ladies. I appreciate them very much.
|
|
|
Post by keflavik on Oct 22, 2007 9:14:49 GMT -5
As I see it there are two different ways to go about planning your meals. #1. You can plan your meals according to what you have on hand at the time and keep the basics stocked in your pantry. Or #2. You can plan your meals and then go shopping with a list. This way may be a bit more expensive as you will likely buy items that you wouldn't normally buy because they are special to a specific recipe. It is an individual preference on which way to go. I like to plan my meals with a mix of both. I will go shopping for the basics and may pick up a specialty item and see if I can incorporate it into a recipe. My kids like to try new produce and see how it tastes. Things like artichoke, plantains, star fruit and the latest item to try. . . pickled herring! You never know until you try right? Surprisingly, my boys liked it! With my menu, I always put in a day to eat leftovers so little goes to waste. My favorite pantry item is my cookbooks! And now the internet. There is always a recipe out there for what you have on hand. I save oneday of the week for baking. Breads, deserts and granola gets made on that day to last another week. If we run out, oh well. I think, keeping the basics in the pantry is key. And I like to can our garden excess as well as extra meat if we get it. I love the feeling of going shopping in the pantry! Now, I just need a cow for all the milk we go through!
|
|
|
Post by kidsandcookies on Oct 25, 2007 23:23:21 GMT -5
I plan our meals out two weeks to a month in advance. We usually do as a family and plan out all the work it will take. I plan the baking out so I know what needs bake for the week on baking day.I bake on Sat. so my daughter is here to help. By planning we know When we have company and what we need.We save money by buying in bulk we use it all month. I also save time by not having to run to the store. We include deserts on Sundays only or if we have company.
|
|
jalynn
Senior Member
Posts: 512
|
Post by jalynn on Oct 26, 2007 8:25:44 GMT -5
Most of our meals are according to what I have on hand & the weather...we eat more soups,stews, casseroles during the cooler weather..and I grill out alot in warmer weather. We buy a butchered cow from DH nephew that's organic...do mostly in hambuger meat & some roasts & steaks. That's usually what our tax return check goes for. I can & vacuum everything I get my hands on during the growing seasons...then when winter comes we enjoy okra..fried & in stews,etc. squash in soups...& steamed...corn on the cob etc. I work in a garden during the summer picking & instead of pay I get a portion of what I pick...only way we make it....got up to picking 35 gallons of green beans a morning...I always go just before daylight when it's cooler usually takes about three hours...but worth it when the pantry is full. We have a small backyard garden so that helps too. Things are so unsafe to eat anymore I can only thank God that HE'S provided me a way to provide my family w/the good stuff ! It's not easy but worth it...! If we have any leftovers they go into a weekend surprise...I even use leftover mashed pot. to thicken soups, etc..nothing is wasted here....I also boil the beef bones to make a thickning sauce for soups...the dog gets them then....! I think of it as a challenge to make things from scrap....!
|
|
keeperofthehome
Senior Member
"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her...She will do him good & not evil..."
Posts: 840
|
Post by keeperofthehome on Oct 26, 2007 10:03:12 GMT -5
I work in a garden during the summer picking & instead of pay I get a portion of what I pick That is great that you are able to have fresh produce. That is a blessing I agree.
|
|
Sister Michelle
Administrator
I must keep my eyes on Jesus my Saviour
Posts: 1,065
|
Post by Sister Michelle on Oct 31, 2007 10:20:08 GMT -5
Oh thank you for the wonderful ideas. This is an area I struggle greatly in.
|
|
|
Post by ranchwife85245 on Nov 1, 2007 14:31:12 GMT -5
I normally plann meals either monthly or 2 weeks at a time. We are ranchers, so we always have a freezer full of beef. Town is nearly 1 hour away so meal planning was a must, especially when the children were at home. Family dinner (evening meal) is a family tradition, and we have great memories of that family time together. Now that we are empty nesters I have become lax about my meal planning and I have seen my grocery bill rise as a consequence. I need to get back to meal plans.
|
|
keeperofthehome
Senior Member
"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her...She will do him good & not evil..."
Posts: 840
|
Post by keeperofthehome on Nov 1, 2007 14:55:06 GMT -5
What a blessing that must be to have beef at hand for your cooking needs. I have been thinking about talking to my husband about buying a split side of beef from the meat market in town. We did this before and it really helped out. Granted it isn't cheap but in the long run with the variety of cuts you get I found it was worth it.
|
|
|
Post by bethadele on Nov 6, 2007 0:34:44 GMT -5
Yes, I menu plan. I don't always stick to the menu plan......but I do try. I find if I write out a menu and leave it for all to see or ask for input, then I may aswell open my own restaurant and start taking orders. Dh is the fussier eater, and he works late a lot of nights, (I never really have more than 2 days notice of whether he is joining us that night for dinner or not) so some nights there is a huge scramble to re-arrange the menu as I try to prepare meals he wouldn't like to eat when he is absent.
We're a family of five and four of us have food allergies that require a particular diet. (We have Coeliac Disease) Dh is the one with the normal digestive system. He doesn't do so well with this restrictive diet. And it's expensive, so I have to at least have a rough outline in place. I grow some of my own produce seasonally permitting. And I like to buy sides of meat from the butcher. (I sure miss living on the farm. We always had fruit/veg/meat/eggs and milk for free. And if the choocks weren't laying then we'd trade milk for eggs with a neighbour who's chooks we're laying but who's cow or goat wasn't milking.....)
I had to giggle Nichole, we eat a lot of chicken too. Tonight we are having Pumpkin soup. Left overs from two nights ago. (We had roast lamb last night) Dh is working all night, he's not home for dinner tonight or tomorrow night. EVen though he loves my soup, he wouldn't eat it again so soon. My man likes variety. (I can live on the same meal for a week and be quite content, but the husband and children can't!)
This week is a flying by the seat of my pants kind of week. Everything is up in the air. So my menu has gone to the dogs!
|
|
jalynn
Senior Member
Posts: 512
|
Post by jalynn on Nov 27, 2007 12:29:38 GMT -5
Just a thought...I go to the butcher shop & usually he's got bones & fat that's been trimmed off cuts of meat... I've gotten both several times free...come home boil the bones & fat for stock & freeze it in ziplock bags after it cools...then what's left our dog enjoys...! He also carries buffalo meat which is almost fat free & really good...kids think it's beef...cheaper too...can get it ground or special cuts...Since chicken has gone "organic" again I thought it would be better but the one I paid $5.99 for was stuffed with fat & I had to burn off the feathers around the legs like I used to do for my Gma....! It was horrible...so will go back to getting the frozen breasts at Sams. I do like to use a whole fryer when I make chicken & noodles. I used to buy whole goat's milk for my son when he was a baby until he left for college...it cleared his allergies when the shots wouldn't....Mary always said not to let the billies & nannies run together unless you want babies ....that way the milk didn't have a "whang" to it.....wish we lived where we could have aninmals....for now it's just hubby, & the girls...well...Princess the dog...!
|
|
|
Post by kristi on Nov 27, 2007 20:03:25 GMT -5
Hi, I am fairly new , but thought I would add my two cents - When my kids were young I used to make meal planning an event, too. I would list every possible protein, starch, vegetable and fruit (that we normally ate) and each child would get to pick a meal during the week. The only rule was that they had to pick an item from each category and no one could complain because everyone got a turn throughout the week. We did this over the weekend for the week ahead. Kristi
|
|
|
Post by samsgram on Nov 27, 2007 20:35:43 GMT -5
I'm one of those relics who also remember the "blue laws", and, like Kristi, I used to let my kids help with the menu plan when they were young. I just had to add this story: Back in the day, when money was so tight and we ate absolutely everything but the plates, I used to tell the kids that tonite was "Gourmet Recipe" night. That usually meant macaroni, rice or dumplings with the tiniest amount of meat possible! I got away with it for a long time, but now, when we get together, all my grown-up girls groan and tease me unmercifully about "Gourmet Recipes"!! So the sadness of those days has turned into a funny childhood memory!
|
|