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2016 Menu Planning Challenge

10K views 77 replies 18 participants last post by  TDN 
#1 ·
Wow! Has menu planning saved my hide this year?!?! I've been pretty consistent with weekly menu planning and have only missed a few weeks (I will have to go back to my calendar but I'm fairly certain I've planned for about 44 weeks throughout this year). But it has been such a wonderful tool to keep me on track and accountable.

In my effort to save even more money this year and keep an even tighter rein on our grocery spending, I'm tackling this challenge again and use what's in our freezer and pantry as starting points. It also helped to pick up things based on the sales flyer at my local grocery store.

I'd love to have you join me in 2016! I'll probably be posting my first week's menu for January this coming weekend.
 
#33 ·
Hi Pinetree! Doing fairly well!

Except the cold I have that started 2 weeks to
the day after dh's started. So menu's may have
to be adjusted. I have plenty of chicken noodle
soup.

Friday is payday so if I make it, without shopping,
I will slip $50.00 into my 52 week challenge envelope.

Jan 1 : yes
Jan 2: No, used l/o
 
#34 ·
Ok so I'm going to give this another go. So far this month...
1/1 Black eyed peas w/ hog jowl, turnip greens and cornbread
1/2 Godfathers pizza - free birthday pizza!
1/3 Ham and tator soup - cornbread muffins
1/4 Big salad
1/5 Sloppy Joes, fries
1/6 Pressure Cooker pork chops, corn, buttered noodles
1/7 Cheesy Mexican chicken and rice, refried beans
1/8 Spaghetti w/ meat sauce, garlic bread, salad greens
1/9 Ryan's buffet - free birthday dinner!
1/10 Chicken and broccoli stir fryfry, rice
 
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#35 ·
Here is my menu for the next week
3rd-meat pie, string beans and leftover stuff from New Years
4th-Pork chops, twice baked potatoes, veg
5th-Breakfast-Bacon scrambled eggs and pancakes
6th-Spanish rice, vegs
7th-Roast beef, potatoes, carrots
8th-date night(out)usually fast food of some kind
9th-Leftovers
10th-could be more leftovers
 
#36 ·
I am going to join in on this. I usually only keep at this a short time and then give up but hoping to get in the habit of it and stick to it.
Monday roast beef, pot,carrots,green beans
Tuesday stroganoff, apricots,crescent rolls
Wednesday new recipe teriyaki chicken and rice, fresh pineapple
Thursday left overs
Friday pizza, carrots and celery sticks
Saturday tuna steaks, trader joes grain blend, asparagus
Sunday DH works 8-8 so I fend for myself
 
#37 ·
OK - My first menu plan week of the new year. I have every item needed so shouldn't have to go to the store.
4th - salsa chicken and brown rice
5th - mac & cheese and green beans
6th - meatloaf, canned white potatoes, veg
7th - tomato soup and grilled cheese w/ leftover ham
8th - spaghetti with meat sauce and salad
9th - country pork ribs, pork gravy, cheesy rice
10th - hamberger soup in crockpot

i always have fruit cup or jello for dessert. Any leftovers will be used for lunches.
 
#41 ·
Haven't felt like cooking much, so dh has filled
in a little.

At this time I have in the freezer:
1 chicken to "roast" in crock pot, then
make chicken and noodles. ( min. 2 meals)

1 small turkey(12 lbs I think) which will be roasted
and soup (Min. 3 meals and sandwiches)

1 pk. meatballs (2 meals)

Meatloaf (1 meal and sandwiches)

Salmon (1 meal)

total: 9 meals

Pantry:
Salmon for patties (1 meal)
Tuna ( 1 meal and lunches)
???

I really don't think we need any other
meat for this payday.

Snacks:
2 pk of cookies that need to be cooked, (sugar and peanut butter)
2 cans of pumpkin for pumpkin bread
1 batch of cathedral Windows
?

Breakfasts and lunches:
Eggs
English Muffins
Oatmeal
Frozen cinnamon rolls (2 batches)

Chicken and noodle soup x3
?
 
#42 ·
Finally, I have some progress to report.

Normally I don't like menus for full days or weeks, but today I found a one-day menu all planned out and calculated for me. I'm going to try repetitive eating for at least a week and see if that helps me stay on track with my weight loss attempts. I've copied all the recipes (six) onto cards and have set up a photo album page with sleeves for the cards. I plan to work up more daily menus that will work for me until I have eight days worth. This could take me a while. Then, when I can't think what to make or do, I'll have it all ready to go with recipes I know I like and usually have the stuff to make everything with. Here's hoping it works. :)
 
#43 ·
I'm a little late to the party, but here goes my plan:

Monday: chicken, rice, green beans
Tuesday: baked macaroni and cheese
Wednesday: roast beef and corn
Thursday: meatloaf and Knorr rice mix
Friday: frozen pizza
Saturday and Sunday are always scrounging through the leftovers days because DH and DS11 are usually off at a hockey tourney somewhere
 
#46 ·
starting yesterday

t- breakfast; sausage gravy over biscuits, scrambled eggs
f- mexican lasagna, veggie, salad
s- hodge podge--some kind of soup thing in the cp dd wants to make
s- spaghetti, salad, garlic bread
m- hamburger casserole, veggie, salad
t- bbq sausage, mac & cheese, veggie, cottage cheese
w- LO's
 
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#47 ·
I am feeling really proud that I stuck to the plan for this week. And, as I stated in another post, we have enough leftovers for tonight to simply be a leftover night, instead of the frozen pizza I was thinking of. :)
 
#48 ·
I keep moving mine around, finding things I need to use, so I'm moving things down to the next week,This seems to be really helping me, but I have got to remember to look at it in the morning, and allow for days for leftovers.

24th, stew and rice
25th, smoked chicken
26th, goulash
27th, cheeseburger mac
28th, lo mein
29th, homemade pizza
30th salsbury steak
31st, homemade chili
 
#49 ·
Going to try again to follow my menu plan for the coming week. I am still staying
out of the grocery stores as much as I can and using up whats already in the house.

MON - pancakes (scrambled eggs if needed)
TUES - salmon, broccoli and brown rice
WED - meatloaf, corn
THURS - cornbread muffins w/ little hot dogs in the middle, applesauce
FRI - cod, roasted seasoned potato
SAT - omelets w/ whatever is left added
SUN - soup using what i have.

After the coming week the meals will start to get weird as my on hand foods dwindle.
I will have to get creative and I hope I can last until the end of the month.
 
#50 ·
Another week, finally starting to feel better.

Still at this time I have in the freezer:
1 chicken to "roast" in crock pot, then
make chicken and noodles. ( min. 2 meals)

1 small turkey(12 lbs I think) which will be roasted
and soup (Min. 3 meals and sandwiches)

1 pk. meatballs (2 meals)

[-]Meatloaf (1 meal and sandwiches)
Salmon (1 meal)
[/-]
total: 7 meals

Pantry:
Salmon for patties (1 meal)
Tuna ( 1 meal and lunches)
???

Snacks:
2 pk of cookies that need to be cooked, (sugar and (dh) peanut butter)
2 cans of pumpkin for pumpkin bread
1 batch of cathedral Windows
?

Breakfasts and lunches:
Eggs
English Muffins
Oatmeal
Frozen cinnamon rolls (1 batch)

Chicken and noodle soup x3
?
 
#51 ·
Okay, I'm in, again, this week. Last week went so well, I'm excited to try again. :)

Sunday: Lasagna, meatballs, sausage, sauce
Monday: Sunday leftovers
Tuesday: London Broil in the crockpot (the father of one of DS11's friends), green beans
Wednesday: Chicken, rice, corn
Thursday: meatloaf, some vegetable
Friday: frozen pizza
 
#53 ·
I got the food packing checklist done for now. It's one of those things that I think will always be evolving. Husby, who works with Excel all the time, can help me figure out how to put it all on printable spreadsheet so I can have the list handy when it's time to get ready for a trip. Now to come up with some good menus that are WW-friendly, healthy, quick to fix, we both like, and will take minimal fridge and freezer space. I don't want much, I know.
 
#54 ·
this was starting yesterday, Thurs

t-french toast bake, eggs, bacon
f-meatloaf, potatoes, corn, salad, biscuits
s-smoked sausage over rice, glazed carrots, egg rolls
s-goulash, veggie, salad
m-brats and coneys, tator tots, cottage cheese, fruit
t-pizza quesadillas, salad
w-LO's

the smoked sausage has been on my menu since the first of the year, just have never got around to making it.
 
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#55 ·
Followed the plan for the week, with the exception of last night's dinner. I had planned meatloaf, but ran out of time, so we had leftovers of pasta and meat sauce instead. Still, the purpose of planning so we didn't eat out was accomplished. Tonight, the kids will have whatever is in the house, as DH and I are headed out to dinner with his father. :)
 
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#56 ·
I'll join this challenge. We usually make a meal plan for a week at a time. Or I do. My boyfriend sometimes thinks it's too restraining to plan what to eat days ahead. I don't really care. It keeps the grocery budget down, prevents food waste, we eat more interesting food and prevents chaos and last minute take away. When I lived alone I sometimes made plans for a month.

I'm not as strict as it may sound. I listen to what he wants to eat. Often the plan changes doing the week e.g. if I find a good sale, we don't want to cook or make other plans. Or just move things around. But I like having a plan.

This week:

M: Beef and veg stew with rice.
Tu: Thai curry with noodels.
W: Indian lamb and spinach curry with rice.
Th: Homemade pizza.
F: Leftovers.
Sa: (Not home)
Su: Don't know yet.
 
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