# Menu Planning Made A Little Less Difficult



## ThePunkHippie (Sep 18, 2012)

I came up with this technique for planning my meals about a year ago, & haven't looked back.
I'll just say up front that I have my recipes meticulously organized, & I can easily search by ingredient, or tags that I've put in myself.  Organization really is key  

I used to HATE planning the meals for the week - I’d just end up BSing my way through, usually having about half of what I needed to make anything (& ending up opening a can of something & throwing it on the stove at the last minute)

Now, however, I’ve found a trick that works for me. I have a general idea of what is in my freezer & cupboards at all times (I’d love a list, but I never update when I add/remove things, so it just wouldn’t work). Every week, whenever I think of something I’d like to eat, I write it down. & I’m not talking about recipes, I’m talking “hmmm, I’d like something with bacon in it” or “I want something Mexican”

By the end of the week, the list has 3 or 4 ingredients/themes/flavours listed on it 
On Saturday, I poke my nose in the fridge & see what I have on hand that should be used up, usually adding 2 or 3 things to the list
I take a mental inventory of what I have in the freezer (I stock up when I find meat on sale or half off because it’s going to expire soon), & throw 4 or 5 more ingredients on the list, so I have about 10 things on my list

Then I go through my recipes & browse through each ingredient, looking for something that sounds good & that I have most of the ingredients for (if you don't have the ability to search your recipes by ingredients, the same thing can be accomplished by going to a recipe site like allrecipes & doing an ingredient search)
I pick a recipe, cross the ingredient(s) that it uses off the list, & continue until I have 5 meals planned out (I don’t cook on weekends, there’s usually enough leftovers, or I throw a bunch of stuff in a pot & call it soup) 
I go through the recipes I picked out, & write down all the ingredients that I don’t have. A quick trip to the store & I’ve got everything ready for the week ahead


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## Kathleen (Oct 16, 2012)

I'm impressed at the organization of recipes!  Mine are all over the place.  That being said, I'm willing to look into weekly/monthly meal planning.  I constantly have food that I buy with all good intentions but do not use as intended.  I have found that I really need a better system for both sanity and health reasons.  I cringe when I know the words, "What should we have for dinner" enter a discussion.  There simply has to be a better way.


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## Alix (Oct 16, 2012)

Sounds like fun PH. I'm glad you have found a way to really enjoy your cooking. 

Kathleen, those words make me cringe too! I have a menu planner that I cobbled together after reading several cookbooks that claimed to be "the best organizer you've ever had!" None of them really did it for me. I have a paper template, but darned if I can find the one I created on the computer anywhere. I'd post it for you and you could see if it works out. 

The basic premise was that there were seven days to fill, each family member had to pick two entrees and fill them in. You had to make sure you didn't have chicken two days in a row, or ground beef etc. First come, first pick! When they'd each filled in their 2 picks, it left me with just one spot to fill! They were happy because they could look forward to their days, and I was happy because I didn't have to decide on the meal every day!


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## jennyema (Oct 16, 2012)

I menu plan by walking through the farmer's market


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## Alix (Oct 16, 2012)

jennyema said:


> I menu plan by walking through the farmer's market



Mmmmmmmmmm!!!!


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## Andy M. (Oct 16, 2012)

Sadly our farmers market around here have become ridiculously expensive and now they're gone until next year.

Our menu planning is a combination of recalling meals we haven't had in a while, strolling through the recipes on my computer, buying what's on sale, reading Discuss Cooking and desperation searches through the fridge and freezer.


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## CWS4322 (Oct 16, 2012)

I cook based on what I have available....hmmm...leftover turkey...hmmm...black beans...hmmm...cilantro....turkey stock...onions, corn, jalapeno peppers in the freezer...Masa...BINGO! Turkey tortilla soup! I have so many cookbooks, e-books, etc., that a simple search will give me inspiration for a recipe. I don't have to go to the farmer's market, I am the farmer!


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## Kylie1969 (Oct 19, 2012)

We never used to but now we do a weekly menu plan, it is really good as you know what to buy for that week at shopping and what to take out of the freezer the night before each dinner


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## chopper (Oct 19, 2012)

Kylie1969 said:
			
		

> We never used to but now we do a weekly menu plan, it is really good as you know what to buy for that week at shopping and what to take out of the freezer the night before each dinner



Oh my gosh, I did that when the kids were little and the budget was tight. I should be doing it now, but I don't. I Sometimes have no clue until right before I make dinner. I think when I planned ahead that I made more of a variety of things. Now I just look around and see what I can make with what I have.


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## Kylie1969 (Oct 19, 2012)

Yes, it is a really good way to do it Chopper 

It is good to go to the supermarket and know what it is you want...although for me, more always goes in the trolley


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## Kathleen (Oct 21, 2012)

Alix said:


> Kathleen, those words make me cringe too! I have a menu planner that I cobbled together after reading several cookbooks that claimed to be "the best organizer you've ever had!" None of them really did it for me. I have a paper template, but darned if I can find the one I created on the computer anywhere. I'd post it for you and you could see if it works out.
> 
> The basic premise was that there were seven days to fill, each family member had to pick two entrees and fill them in. You had to make sure you didn't have chicken two days in a row, or ground beef etc. First come, first pick! When they'd each filled in their 2 picks, it left me with just one spot to fill! They were happy because they could look forward to their days, and I was happy because I didn't have to decide on the meal every day!



I'll bet it also made for less picky kids!  It's a great idea!



Andy M. said:


> Sadly our farmers market around here have become ridiculously expensive and now they're gone until next year.
> 
> Our menu planning is a combination of recalling meals we haven't had in a while, strolling through the recipes on my computer, buying what's on sale, reading Discuss Cooking and desperation searches through the fridge and freezer.



Sometimes, I go straight to the Sunday flyer for the local market and plan from there....when I actually do it.  It's back to the good intentions thing.  



Kylie1969 said:


> Yes, it is a really good way to do it Chopper
> 
> It is good to go to the supermarket and know what it is you want...although for me, more always goes in the trolley



Plus you find such great deals with that trolley!  My cabinet is full of them!


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