I have used a combination of these ideas for us. First, asked everyone in the family to list all the meals they like. then assigned 6 of the 7 days a theme. sunday is leftover day. Also, have about 4-5 quick meals that I keep the pantry stocked for. Spaghetti, soups, pancake mix, pizza mix, things like that. then, i simply made my own grocery list based on ingredients for those meals, and printed it out - highlight what is needed for that week. Don't forget to shop your pantry before going to the store. Every couple of weeks or so, we do a week of eating from the pantry - keeps those "emergency meal" ingredients from getting too old.
I keep a running stock of pantry (cans/boxes) and freezer (meat/veggie/bread) purchased on sale with coupons and restock when on sale again with coupons to keep the cost at its lowest.
I do a meal plan buy asking my family what they would like to eat over the next week or so. With leftovers and eating out with the inlaws the 7 meals planned will normally last us 10 days.
When the plan is set I know if there is anything that I need to purchase for the next weeks meals. Some meals if they have special expensive items may get pushed back until I can get the items on sale.
Location: We live in Northwest Mississippe, very close to Memphis TN.
Posts: 1,223
Hi, I have checked several of the above web site that have been mentioned, they are all good. I went through them and found the ones that work best for me. I have a grocery list and a menu planner that i have put in my files and i go to it and print them out to use for a two week plan and shopping trip.
I just recently added a additional plan of attack. I got a recipe file box and have written previous menu's down on a card. One card, one meal menu. 1. I use old menu's forms I have kept fromr past months. 2. I create menu's from new recipes I want to try. 3. I have menu's from our family favorites. When I use a card, I move it to the back of box, so we don't have thesame thing to often.
On these card, I put where I can find the recipes (magazine, issue and page #. or recipe book, or other source. On the back of of each card, I put an ingredient list, so I have the information for my grocery list, and pantry inventory list.
I put the cards in the file box. On planning Day, I get the box, shuffle through and pull menu's i want to use for 2 weeks. Then I put the menu's on my 2 week menu planner page. This plan I put in a notebook with any recipes or card I have pulled. (which I put in plastic page savers) I then put all this in the binder I have just for this.
From these pages I make up my grocery list. I check my pantry for supplies needed to be restocked and items I don't have. I also go through my coupons and the local sale papers.
The night before I go shopping, I put my grocery list and coupons in my purse so I don't for get them on the table or counter.
I must say it took me two weeks, part time, to get this all organized, but now it does not take me very long to plan my meals and grocery list. I also adjust my pantry inventory once every two weeks. It is usually the day after I shop. I am a freak for organization...
__________________ With my luck, when my ship comes in, I will be at the airport!
Having children is like being pecked to death by a duck!
What I have done is purchase those tin pans, unless you already have a ton of casserole dishes. When I make casseroles, such as baked ziti, poppy seed chicken, and so on, I triple the recipe, cook one for that night's meal, pour the rest in 2 other casserole dishes. I mark on the top what it is and the date and freeze them. Then, on busy nights, I have several different types of casseroles in which to choose from. I also keep a file of all the breakfasts that my family likes, lunches my family likes, and dinners my family likes.
One other thing I do is buy those super large packages of meat and cook once for 3 meals. For example, I guy a large package of boneless chicken. For one meal, I grill all the chicken on the grill putting BBQ sauce on 1/3 of the chicken. We eat that. The second third we have the following night in the form of chicken quesadillas. The final third I diced up for poppy seed chicken or some other chicken casserole.
Location: We live in Northwest Mississippe, very close to Memphis TN.
Posts: 1,223
I love cooking for the Freezer. There are several cook books out for this type cooking.
Frozen Assets...Cook for a Day - Eat for a Month (There are several Issues. By Deborah Taylor-Hough
There is also two other books I have.
Don't Panic - Dinner's is in the Freezer
Don't Panic - More Dinner's in the Feezer
By Susie Martinez, Vanda Howell and
Bonnie Garcia
__________________ With my luck, when my ship comes in, I will be at the airport!
Having children is like being pecked to death by a duck!
