Do you have a schedule or system for meal planning?

**Mojjo** · 09-13-2011, 08:15 PM

I don't want to do anything too regimented...like monday is Chicken. But I need something in place to make planning easier. I was thinking something along the lines of trying to plan for (per week):

1 crock pot recipe
1 sandwich night
1 leftover night
1 full Sunday meal
1 "ethnic" night
1 salad night
1 snacky night

I'm not really comfortable with the snacky night so any suggestions would be welcome.

**mndtrp** · 09-13-2011, 09:33 PM

Your "snacky" night could be what my mom called "Grandma dinner". It would consist of slices of cheese, deli meats, bite-sized fruits and veggies with dip, crackers and maybe a cookie. Not extremely filling for adults, but it worked well for me as a kid.

**zakity** · 09-14-2011, 01:50 AM

I do a thorough inventory of what is in the house (pantry, cabinets, and freezer). I then plan out meals from what is on the inventory. I also have two meal idea lists, one for winter and one for summer.

I have about 20 meals that are in the rotation. Most are just variations of the same thing. For example, tacos, sloppy joes, and taco casserole are the same thing, just served a little differently. They start out with taco meat made with tvp instead of hamburger. Tacos are served on tortillas, sloppy joes are served on buns, and taco casserole has rice mixed with the taco meat.

**NicJean** · 09-14-2011, 02:29 AM

When I "don't know what to make" I look in a a flippy photo album (two columns of clear pockets - cheapie photo album from pharmacy). I've got about 15 super easy suppers listed, some with sides - and these I stock for regularly. (a 4-ingredient soup, pizza, open and heat soup, (canned) beef stew, cheese and crackers, popcorn, etc.) I do enjoy cooking, but getting home at 6:45 can be tough on the "making something" part unless I ultra-prepare and do a casserole ahead or something like a crock pot meal.

**sinopa27** · 09-14-2011, 02:38 AM

snack night can be finger foods, like chicken wings, celery sticks, veggie dip, cut up fruit and a party punch. And you can play games together.

**sinopa27** · 09-14-2011, 02:40 AM

how about a "theme" night: chinese: steam dumplings, egg rolls, etc.
mexican: mini tacos, burritos, salsa and chips.

**nuisance26** · 09-14-2011, 09:00 AM

~Thank you Mojjo! I needed a new idea for planning. I've been in a regimented chicken, beef, vegetarian, pork, pizza, soup, leftover routine for far too long now. It's been years and we're just not eating that way anymore so it's been a pain to plan. DH still wants to eat that way but I primarily eat vegetarian anymore so it's frustrating cooking things I don't want to eat.
So instead of planning around the main course, I'm going to try by method and type. I'll do some thinking and come back to this thread.~

**nuisance26** · 09-14-2011, 09:09 AM

~Ok, here's what I've got. I'll try it out for a couple of weeks and see if it needs tweaking.
Monday: crock-pot recipe
Tuesday: Salad night
Wednesday: Full "country" dinner
Thursday: On the grill
Friday: always and forever pizza night

Saturday lunch: LO, Saturday dinner: sandwich night
Sunday lunch: LO, Sunday dinner: Soup & fresh bread
I'm excited to see what I have on hand to fill up a menu now!

~

**Mojjo** · 09-14-2011, 09:52 AM

Thanks so much for the feedback everyone.

I think I'll turn crockpot into crockpot/casserole and alternate.

And I love the theme night, so that's what "ethnic" night is going to become.

We do have a family game night so that's when I'll do the snack night. And I like the idea of adding fruit to it. They won't think of it as healthy when it's during Monopoly.