DARWIN is on his 12th year of teaching, currently at Springville High School teaching astronomy, geology, environmental science, and physics. He also teaches physics at UVU for a 7 week STEM summer school program for junior high students. He also teaches teenagers in our church ward. He's super busy, but still makes time to be an awesome dad and husband.
For my Family Finance class this semester I have an assignment to work with a group of classmates to teach people (esp. families) how to do menu planning. The problem is...none of us actually DO menu planning! I joined the group because I wanted to learn how to do menu planning more efficiently myself, and I think that's why most of the other people joined the group as well.I want to know:
- if any of you do menu planning
- what works best for you
P.S. I got this scrumptious looking picture from Stirring Stories...I think I'm definitely going to have to try some of these recipes!!
P.P.S. Not that any of you care, but I've finally hit my 100th post since I've been blogging! Woo Hoo!
9 comments:
I am a menu planner, but will definitely be checking back on this post to read other's comments because I would love to improve. I've purchased a couple of these notepads from Etsy and they help me out so much with being organized in writing down my meals with the adjoining grocery list each week.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15694445
I like reusing items in my menu planning since we have a small family. Like one day I'll make shredded BBQ chicken in the crockpot and use it for sandwiches one day, then BBQ chicken salad later in the week, etc. Just having a plan and doing all the big grocery shopping once a week helps me to stay organized and (usually) have something planned for dinner.
I find going to the store more then once a week usually means more $$$ spent! So what I have been trying to do is
1. Get all the adds to Dans, Harmons, Smiths, etc... and see what Items they have on sale that week. I like to plan my Meals around the adds because it saves money.
2. I then use my Biggest Loser cook book that just came out and use that to plan my dinners.
3. Most times I will know the prices of my items I am buying and then go to walmart because they will price match, and I can get every thing in one stop not two or three sometimes four.
Most times for Brock and I it is really 2-3 new meals a week other days we have left overs. I try to make our Sunday dinner a new dinner, as Im trying to say away from the habit of going to my parents or the inlaws for dinner. (which means I get to learn to be a better cook and try new things!)
Hope that was helpful!
I made a list of meals that my kids eat and some that they don't, and then I write them randomly on a calendar until I've used them all up. I try not to do 2 pasta dishes, 2 rice dishes, etc in a row. Everyonce in a while, I'll throw in a dish that I've always wanted to try. Hope this helps.
hey! ok first of all, thanks for your sweet comments. love them, they make my day.
second I do menu planning, because it does save money and then I don't have to come up with all these ideas spur of the moment. but it is a pain at the same time :( I have done the whole month, the week, whatever. What I do know is plan 7-9 meals (depending on our schedule that week) and just write them down on a paper, shop for them and then as the day comes I choose from the paper what we feel like. I keep a couple of easy boxy things incase I'm just exhausted like au Gratin potatoes or frozen lasagna? Hope it helps?
My method is pretty simple. I go through my cook book the day I'm planning on going shopping and pick out the recipes I'm going to make for dinner that week. That way, I can scan the recipe to make sure I have all the ingredients. That list stays up on the fridge all week to remind me what's available. I also plan the meals around what's on sale at the store. But for me, I have to make sure I'm going to want to eat that meal some time during the week or else it will never get made. :)
Hey sorry I couldn't come see you this past weekend, Clay had to work so he didn't even get to come with me. It was a really fast trip. But we will be down again the weekend of the 7th because Bryan, Clay's brother is getting married. If you guys will be around we could come see you on Sunday night, let me know.
Menu Planning
I usually make a menu of the things I want to make for that week. Then I print off all the recipes that I need. I usually try to plan so that I can cook a big batch of chicken and use it throughout the week, that way the chicken is already cooked and it makes cooking dinner go a lot faster. I season the chicken in a big batch with chicken taco seasoning, then it is seasoned as well. You know, like Robyn Miller does it on the Food Network. Then I check to see what ingredients I already have and I make a list of the ones that I need. When I get home I organize the ingredients in my cupboard so that all the ingredients for each meal are together and they are in order from the first meal I will make to the last. This is what I do and it works for me. I try to check the adds to see what is on sale and stock up when its on sale so when I need it I already have it, this helps save money. Have fun setting up your own system.
I've heard of this idea, but have not done it YET. It seems like a lot of work in the beginning, but pays off in the end. You make meal plans for a month at a time and write up a shopping list for a week at a time. When you go shopping, just cross off (or delete) the items that you don't currently need to buy and stock up each trip on the good deals for future weeks' menus. Does that make any sense? So you plan for a whole month at a time, and the menu never changes, but you can change what doesn't work from month to month. Make the shopping list on the computer and just print it off each week. Try to group meals that use the same perishable items in the same week, so they don't go bad by only using a portion of what you purchase. Just make sure you plan for a leftover night and one convenience food night (because, let's face it, some of us just can't cook a meal every night). Hope that helps.
Hi Babe...Reen said that Gayle Cotter helped her do a budget and menu for her family....evidently she has done it alot for other people. You might want to contact her for her tricks of the trade.
I love you!
Looks good! How are you these days? I have done menu's before, but fail to find time lately...I need to get back on it!
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