meal planner - does anyone do this?

[Astrid]

Just starting as well as I have been the same. Very reactive with food, rather than proactive. Would help though if DH would atleast tell me one dish he would like cooked other than spag bol

So far I have just used 2 cooks books, one of which is a budget dinner one. Have decided that I will write in the cookbooks any changes to the recipes that are needed, like quantities, so I know what to get next time. Over time I will compile our own recipe book of recipes we are happy with.

[fionas]

We have to because I can't walk very far at the moment, I don't drive and for one week out of two DP is not home for dinner.

So without some planning we would starve or live on takeaway

We try to plan three or four meals ahead. Doing the whole week is a bit scary (especially for DP who really, really hates planning but has been won over on the meal front).

[Feijoa Mum]

Yip with four boys who could happily eat us out of home within two days of doing the groceries I am a big fan.
it does take a bit to get going but once you have you wont look back. You save not only time but also money so thats gotta be a good thing.

My tip is to write out a list of the basics mince, sausages, chicken etc and then write out what are the meals that you have using those meats.

mince - shepards pie, spag bol, lasagne, nachoes etc

then once you have all the meals that you usually have you can do your plan.
I do mine based on a two week shop. I do go back for milk bread fruit and vege every couple of days but try to keep the main shop a fortnightly one.
Ours is a six week rotation. It is not gospel and quite often gets changed or varied but generally it is followed as I know I have the ingredients for everything for that list.

Hope that helps as I know it can be a bit daunting where to start but that is what I have found easiest and it works for us.

[Kazbah]

Did anyone see on ACA or Sunrise or something like that a woman in the USA who had meal-planned an entire year in advance? Now that's OCD!

[SammyRo]

Thanks everyone for your great tips! Now, just to get round to doing a meal planner that I can laminate and stick on the fridge! Although I have to say, I was off to the shops on Tuesday (at 5pm yet again!) and rather than just get that night, I did have a think about it, and got in enough for Wedneday, THursday and tonight, so thats already an improvement

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I have a meal-planning addiction.

I have about 30 meals I make that we like - and I like to try and make a new meal every month. It used to be 10 meals and a new one weekly, but once I got into the swing of meals we liked then it became easier.

I also factor in "meal deal from supermarket" or "take-away"; two meals at least are freezer/cupboard food (not fresh) so I can substitute for a take-away if I need to. Also there's the odd week when I don't plan that well so there's a couple of meals I can easily do in the freezer for that (like this week - but then DS is ill so that is a take-away/meal deal/slow cooker week!).

I'm another one who plans meals so that ALL the cream is used. Or two cheese sauce meals are on consecutive days so I don't have to cook more than one batch (eg roast beef with all the trimmigs inc cauli cheese, followed by lasagne).