[Contrary Housewife]

Whether it's to save money, expand your meal repertoire, or eliminate the dreaded, "What in the world are we going to eat tonight" conundrum, meal planning can help make your daily life easier.

What's on your menu this week?

 

[KimB]

from my limited pantry and freezer items: This week I'll be trying a new Salsa spaghetti recipe, a feta cheese, cherry tomato cold italian dressing pasta salad, shrimp and broccoli stir fry, macaroni and cheese bake with sliced Little Smokies.

 

[marthamfi]

not sure but plenty in the house. bought frozen appys for tonight. thinking pot roast this weekend. try the new sweet garlic chicken seasoning pack I got too.

 

[MaggieTru]

Have rice to use up tomorrow. Probably on eggs for breakfast. Then I am thinking a pilaf based on the tightwad gazette's universal pilaf recipe. I have rye berries, an onion, but of salmon, and a can of artichoke hearts.

 

[Zhoen]

Ok, I have a plan! And it's the LEAST wiggly plan I've had in MONTHS!!! This month, I am not QUITE doing a pantry challenge, but definitely trying to burn through some of what we have this month and next...

Tonight we had Beef/Vegetable/Barley "Old year's soup"... made up entirely of leftovers, freezer stuff, and one "new" can of tomatoes (from the pantry stash.) Even the bread was from the freezer. And nobody complained!!!

2- Breakfast-for-dinner= bacon, eggs, and pancakes... our hens finally started laying a couple of weeks ago and we have a bunch of eggs to use up. It's a very nice "problem" to have!

3- Broccoli beef + rice
4-Spaghetti + meatballs, garlic bread
5- The giant turkey we didn't cook for Christmas or New Year... to be featured repeatedly in leftovers (* Starred)for the rest of the month, stuffing, sweet potato casserole that is already in the freezer. (This is 12th night...)
6- Bean soup
7- Steak subs
8- Family coming for dinner, menu evolving
9- *Chicken and dumplings
10- *Buffalo chicken casserole
11- Tacos
12- Tea party
13- Chicken Fricasse (with actual chicken, not leftover turkey, wow!!!)
14- Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes
15- Bagel pizzas
16- Grilled chicken sandwiches
17- Cheeseburger macaroni
18- * Peking "duck"
19- Pastitsio
20- Lemon-Basil Pork chops
21- Clam Chowder
22- Hot wings and salad
23- Quiche
24- Chili and cornbread
25- *Southwestern Egg rolls
26- Burgers and fries, maybe even milkshakes...
27- Bourbon Chicken with rice and broccoli
28- Blueberry pancakes, eggs, and sausage links
29- Frito pie (and I will be eating something else...)
30- Sloppy Joe's
31- Kielbasa with sour cream noodles

Lunches will be leftovers, some of our myriad soups, mac n' cheese, stuff from the freezer, and some frozen fish fillets (for me, whenever H is not around because he hates the smell...)

Of course, the biggest variable is the appetite of my silly teenagers and the pickiness of H. But this is the plan, list is written, and we will see how it goes!!! Hooray!!!

 

[ermadunk]

Menue for Monday Jan.2-2022 going to start out posting for one day at a time maby get up to a week at a time purple hull peas kraut and hot dogs sweet potatoes corn muffin water

 

[Contrary Housewife]

Zhoen, that is quite the list. Good luck with it!

The last dated freezer inventory I can find is dated April 2021, so I really need to do a new one, when it is daylight. DH broke the light in the freezer by trying to force stuff into it. Meanwhile I know I can manage the next 7 days:

-- bratwurst, carrot and potatoes
-- lemon chicken, green beans, stuffed mushrooms
-- meatloaf, spinach, boxed potato au gratin
-- wild rice soup w/mushrooms
-- gyros (take out)
-- l/o corned beef sandwiches
-- seared tuna, cauliflower rice, edamame

The week after that I can do a bean soup and mac and cheese from the pantry.

 

[Zhoen]

CH- I am either planning for a whole month, or not at all... no in between with me!!! (My retirement pay comes on the 1st, so it makes sense for me.) Most of what is on my plan is based on what we already have in the freezer and pantry. The deep freezer needs to be defrosted, but I have to use up enough stuff for that to happen, first...

I COULD just put the extras into a cooler and quickly do the defrost with a heater or hair dryer or something... but I'm too lazy! It can wait a couple more weeks!

First edit-- I did tater-tots instead of pancakes tonight because I have a ridiculous quantity of frozen potato products (which I don't even really eat...) in the freezers...

 

[miteigenenhaenden]

January

Sat 01 Jan Rice pudding with sour cherries
Sun, Jan 2nd, paprika-cream-chicken with wholegrain rice & mountain lentils
Mon, Jan 3rd Pea cream soup with sour cream, bread, quince and sauce with vanilla
Tue 04 Jan Matjessalat with beetroot and potatoes
Wed, Jan 5th Bratwurst with Letscho and fried potatoes
Thu, January 6th Farmer's breakfast, chicory salad
Fri, January 7th, pasta with tomato sauce
Sat, Jan 8th Kaiserschmarrn with apple sauce
Sun, Jan 9th Fried chicken breast with lemon butter sauce, corn, carrot vegetables and potatoes

Mon 10 Jan Hungarian cattle dealer soup Chocolate pudding
Tue, January 11th, boiled eggs with mustard sauce, potatoes
Wed, Jan 12, filled peppers with buckwheat
Thu, Jan 13 Potatoes with cottage cheese and seasonal herbs
Fri, Jan 14th Noodles, smoked fish and dill sauce, orange and apple salad with dates
Sat, Jan 15th Potato roulade with mushroom filling and creamed spinach
Sun, Jan 16. Ground beef steak, stir-fried vegetables and fried potatoes

Mon, Jan 17th Soljanka, bread roll, vanilla pudding with compote
Tue, Jan 18th, false bratwurst with potatoes and carrot and parsnip vegetables
Wed, Jan 19 Smoked salmon with horseradish dip and potato and carrot rösti
Thu, Jan 20, mashed potatoes and sticks and pickles
Fri, Jan 21 Lasagne, compote
Sat, Jan 22, Cherry soufflé with potatoes and quark
Sun, Jan 23, breaded fish fillet with potato salad

Mon, Jan 24, white bean soup semolina, pudding with pompot
Tue, Jan 25, gluten-free tarte flambée baked in the pan
Wed, Jan 26 Pumpkin soup with sheep cheese and croutons
Thu, Jan 27th Pasta bake with mozzarella and chopped pancakes with tomato cream
Fri 28 Jan Paella style chicken with rice and beans
Sat, Jan 29, pancakes with quince sauce
Sun, Jan 30 Turkey schnitzel with choron sauce, broccoli and potatoes

Mon, Jan 31 pea soup with smoked pork, poppy seed pudding

 

[ermadunk]

Menue for Monday Jan.2-2022 going to start out posting for one day at a time maby get up to a week at a time purple hull peas kraut and hot dogs sweet potatoes corn muffin water

Made mistake should said Sunday Jan2

 

[ermadunk]

Menue for Monday Jan.2-2022 going to start out posting for one day at a time maby get up to a week at a time purple hull peas kraut and hot dogs sweet potatoes corn muffin water

Monday Jan 3 Menue for today White beans
Bacon
Fried okra
corn muffin
water to drink
Maby slice onion menue Tuesday Jan 4 Chicken and fried rice

 

[Contrary Housewife]

2nd week of January:

-- l/o meatloaf, l/o potatoes, green beans
-- chicken marsala over noodles, zucchini
-- bean & bacon soup with vegs
-- fried chicken sandwiches, caesar salad
-- macaroni with ham, veg
-- pineapple & broccoli pork rice bowl, spring rolls
-- roast turkey, stuffing, gravy, veg
-- leftovers

 

[MaggieTru]

I actually ate my planned meals today! I wrote up a pantry based plan for tomorrow, but we'll see if I do it.

Eggss and a mocha and atoll (type of corn mush) for brwakfast

Lentil and mushroom stew for lunch/supper

But I may go savory pancakes/muffins with bean soup for lunch/dinner.

 

[KimB]

The meals planned for last week helped get rid of ingredients that were in most need to be used instead of wasted. It was successful. I shared with my daughter who lives nearby.
for this week I’ll plan lasagna with left over spaghetti sauce and I have the other ingredients. Left over garlic bread in freezer.
An egg bake with frozen hash browns, eggs, cheese and ground beef mixed with a spicy salsa barbecue sauce I made this week.
I’ll find a recipe for a healthy bar or cookie to make. I have lots of nuts to use and some coconut.

 

[Zhoen]

So, the plan was...

3- Broccoli beef + rice
4-Spaghetti + meatballs, garlic bread
5- The giant turkey we didn't cook for Christmas or New Year... to be featured repeatedly in leftovers (* Starred)for the rest of the month, stuffing, sweet potato casserole that is already in the freezer. (This is 12th night...)
6- Bean soup
7- Steak subs
8- Family coming for dinner, menu evolving

And for the most part, I stuck to it pretty well... The turkey was not all the way thawed on the 5th, so we ordered the Chinese food we didn't get for Christmas eve, then did the turkey yesterday for the family gathering (originally we were going to do it on the 5th, with leftovers as part of the menu for the 8th... it worked out ok.)

Friday DD18 started training at the local convenience store (which has a sub shop) and instead of having steak subs at home, we went there and ordered subs and harrassed her.

And the big family gathering yesterday was ok, I ended up buying a lot of pre-made stuff for variety and convenience, not sorry at all-- and I'm happy to say that people took home a lot of the leftover desserts while leaving plenty of the turkey, so it worked out pretty well!

H's surgery last Thursday has been moved to Tuesday of this week, but the menu should still work...

 

[MaggieTru]

Ate up most of what I needed tokadt week.

This week I need to use up a jar of duck meat and some whole wheat flour.

Monday will be muffins and soup! Pancakes or microwave eggs for breakfast I think.

 

[rujerro]

I have stew in the crock right now. Barley will be added. The beef was freezer burned so it's perfect.
I have thawed ground beef for spaghetti sauce.
I'll make chicken soup with leftover carrots from the stew items.
Chicken fajitas and philly cheese steaks will be made.....I might make banana blueberry bread and cookies if I am feeling spry.

 

[Contrary Housewife]

Next week subject to changes:

-- leftover turkey, other leftovers
-- fried rice (take out)
-- pulled pork sandwiches, slaw
-- turkey tacos, spanish rice, guac& chips
-- beef barley soup, baguette
-- chicken & veg curry over rice
-- bratwurst, potatoes

 

[KimB]

For us 2 , 3 meals are lasting the week in left overs. So this week
Egg bake with hash browns I didn’t get to yet
Meatloaf - we like mini ones in muffin tins and potatoes and carrots
Tacos , with toppings we need to use up in refrigerator

 

[MaggieTru]

I am planning some gingery duck pilaf, then made into soup (just add water!) OR smoked duck and chicos (dried corn) stew. can't decide if I should use the smoked duck or a jar of duck first. Maybe the smoked because it takes up space in the work freezer and I am using more space in there than my real share.

Chickens still laying an egg or 2 a day so breakfasts are generally eggs or egg based things like homemade pancakes.
I broke out the maple syrup a couple days ago so probably pancakes this weekend.