I have read all I think there is to know on menu planning. I have looked at FlyLady, once-a-month-cooking, taste.com.au, and so on. I have tried software which sorts my recipes for me (labour intensive because you have to type or scan them in), various filing systems (scrapbooks, lists of "common meals", filing cards, charts, recipe keepsake books). I already have menu-plan templates which I use religiously, understand about price books, pantry inventories, list-making, and so on, but every time I do I sit down to prepare my week's menu I end up staring at the pantry wracking my brains to work out "what do we eat THIS week"? It's like I re-invent the wheel, in terms of selecting recipes, every single time.
So I have never found "the system".
I want something which lets me easily rotate a hand-picked selection of seasonal meals while still keeping an eye on what is on special. A system which makes good use of my ENORMOUS cookbook collection. One which is flexible enough to allow me to not cook some nights. Preferably one that incorporates elements of once-a-month-cooking.
Is there ANYONE out there who has "got it together" in this department? Someone? Please?
Catalogues from your local supermarkets.
Find out what is on special, then pick a recipe book for the week.
Find the recipes in the book that incorporate the specials you have found.
Voila! Time consuming though. But you will, I am sure, at 1 cookbook a week, work your way through your library by the time you are....say...74
rofl I wouldn't say that in the pressence of a chef!
Menu planning isn't easy and the more you have to take into consideration, the more difficult it becomes...
Having said that though, I am sure someone has a different way - that is just the only way I know for me that works and means I still get my variety - and to use my cookbooks
So you're telling me chefs can't just "do it" at home? I had this image of Karen Martini running a tight ship at home with her bub, with an eye on seasonality and minimising waste while at the same time having fun and getting dinner on the table by 6.30
I know you're right about the time taken, I used to love pouring over my books and savoured that time. But I find now I am working full time and need to feed my boys meals which can be prepared with one hand tied behind your back I just get so overwhelmed by choice! I have literally hundreds of cookbooks, at least 10 years of Gourmet Traveller and Vogue Entertaining (I now only buy NZ's Cuisine which IMO is far superior to anything in Australia) plus heaps of cut outs, and I have a really bad habit of buying Super Food Ideas, thinking THAT will solve my problem. Yeah, as if 40 new recipes a month will help
(As an aside, pre-kids I used to spend a week planning a single meal, back in the days when we used to throw elaborate dinner parties :sigh
I just desperately want something to streamline it and "bring it all together". I get so disheartened when I think that by selecting from one book only I am missing out on using stuff that's already in my pantry, but by using what's in my pantry I am not experimenting enough. Aggh! As you say, the more you have to consider (budget, nutritional variety, seasonality, time constraints) the harder it gets. I am starting to think if I hated coking and had a repertoire of 10 dishes it would be easier......
Roryrory- I sat down one day and worked out my rotating meal planner.
Mon- Meat & Veg
Tues- Something New (something we haven't tried but saw in a magazine that we thought was yummy)
Wed- Takeout (DH has karate this night)
Thurs- Meat and Veg
Fri- Tortellini
Sat- Meat and Veg
Sun- Favourites (we made a list of all our favourite things, and rotate them each week)
does anyone have their menu planning perfected?
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But you will, I am sure, at 1 cookbook a week, work your way through your library by the time you are....say...74 
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