Sunday, October 4, 2009

Menu Planning

We've decided to cut our grocery budget down by about 30%. This is kind of a lot. So, I'm sitting here trying to get a shopping list and menu plan ready for our grocery shopping trip tomorrow. I'm realizing that staying in budget is really not going to be too hard. I've stashed up several frugal recipes and tips over the years. The problem is going to be the execution of said meals. I'm not a planner so doing things in advance like soaking beans or cooking rice often gets forgotten. So I need your tips, I need your advice. How do you plan your meals and make sure everything gets done in time? So help me out, people. Share!

5 comments:

Lani said...

I write a meal plan at the beginning of the week, write my grocery list based on the meal plan, and I post the meal plan on the fridge. If I have to do something like soak beans or cook rice, I try to start dinner in the morning. Planning ahead is essential, and so I try to have at least one "easy" meal in the plan every week, (french bread pizza, or sub sandwiches type stuff) so that if we have something come up, or I fail to plan ahead I have something I can pull out and fix quickly. :)

Thelittlebrownhouse.us said...

I use the crock pot alot and try to cook my meat in advance to use for more than one meal. With beans I soak them overnight then stick them in the crockpot in the morning. Lani's idea of one easy meal is huge, we have breakfast for dinner a few times a month. And I also use breads (like muffins) and freeze them to throw in as fillers for meals. I am sure I can come up with more things if I think about it

Melissa said...

do you like lists? and forms?? i REALLY do but i know not everyone works well with them. but i have some great forms for meal planning - they are actually for home schooling (balancing home and school)but they could work for anyone. let me know if you want me to e-mail them to you! also, another great idea is to come up with 15-20 meals that your family likes and to work off that list each month. it's hard to think of meals sometimes and that way you can balance more expensive ones with cheap ones. and you don't eat the same thing more than twice a month....in theory!! :-)

Jessy S said...

Great ideas guys!
Lani- good call on the "easy" meal! That sounds like something for home group nights =)

Mom - Well, we talked about all this this morning lol

Melissa - I do make some very nice lists and stuff...but then I get distracted by something and forget to get the food going at the right time. I'd love to see the ones you have though, send them over!

Anonymous said...

I plan meals out and buy accordingly. I like to wait until the food ads come out to see what is one sale and plan to that. Fred Meyer's ad comes on Sundays, all other grocery stores on Wednesdays. I also always have on hand a few easy meals that I just always have the stuff for. Also, if chicken is on sale, I cook it up, and shred or chop and store 1 cup portions in small freezer baggies. I have a few recipes that call for chopped cooked chicken and this makes it super easy (some casseroles and pot pie). I have some recipes that are fairly frugal, but you will have to wait until Frugal Friday for that! You looked so cute at church today-I liked your outfit! I forgot to tell you when I saw you! :) And now the world wide web knows you looked cute!