# Menu Planning



## cookie69 (Sep 17, 2015)

Good Morning  everyone  ! I just wanted to know if anybody in here plans there menus for the week ? Do you look at grocery flyers and plan your menus by what is on special . I check out the flyers and food blogs to get ideas . But only buy what is on special . I plan my menus because if I don't  I will go crazy trying to figure out what I am going to make for dinner .


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## CraigC (Sep 17, 2015)

Every week we plan a menu. We look at weekly ads from Publix and Penn Dutch for specials. We mostly work out of our freezers for meats, buying bulk from Penn Dutch and Restaurant Depot. "Bogos" are always great for things we need. Sometimes we go off menu if something catches our interest between menus.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 17, 2015)

I plan menus and my husband plans to not eat them...

Seriously, I am a fly by the seat of my pants homecook.  Since I work nights, meals can be just about anything.


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## Whiskadoodle (Sep 17, 2015)

As much as I would like to make and stick to a weekly menu, I don't. I think I am doing alright if I can plan 2- 3-4 days at a time. 

I do read the weekly ads for several grocery stores.  And mostly  buy what's on sale and can whip up a menu to go with it.  I mostly stick to the outer aisles, fresh produce, meats, dairy and try to skip the canned/ boxed aisles.  I think one good way to save on a grocery bill is to not buy ready made / pre-packaged meals.  Just because an ad says "sale" doesn't mean that I need it.  


Issue #1,  I cook for myself about 50% of the time and for 2 the remainder of the time.  Doesn't matter.  Almost anything I cook makes enough for 4, no matter how hard I try. ( well almost.)  I like to grill or oven bake Extra meat portions or veggies on purpose to use for another dish the next day.

Issue # 2.   Why do planned overs magically seem to begat double the volume of what the original ingredients started out as thus making way more than a meal.  

Issue #3.  Farmer's markets.  I over-buy. Oh, this looks good, Oh, so does that.  I have blanched and froze some veggies, and sad to admit,  I probably waste some too.  Not complaining, it's a seasonal dilemma and I don't waste garden tomatoes!

Issue #4. I don't eat as much as I used to.  I am not that old, but I think age contributes somewhat,  also I am not as active as I once was. 

How do I compensate for any of the above.  I think I shop 2x per week nowadays more often than when before, I shopped once/week.  I have to remind myself its ok if the shopping bags are not filled to the brim each trip, then I am ok.


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## Andy M. (Sep 17, 2015)

I look at the weekly flyer for what's on sale.  I use that and any new recipes I want to try, coupled with particular cravings to make a menu for the week.  

I don't always follow that menu.


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## FoodieFanatic (Sep 17, 2015)

Whatever comes to mind is what we have. I keep basics on hand. Some nights it's like Chopped. Mystery ingredients from the pantry that all come together!


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## GotGarlic (Sep 17, 2015)

I try to make a menu plan, and we do buy meats based on the sales, but it doesn't always work out. Right now, I have a lot of red and green bell peppers, tomatoes and tomatillos coming out of the garden, so I'm thinking up ways to use them.


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## FoodieFanatic (Sep 17, 2015)

I had quite a few tomatoes so I made oven roasted sun-dried tomatoes. OMGosh!  They were so easy and are delicious!  Here's the method.  Bring a pot of water to a simmer.
Cut an "X" at the top of each tomato.  Place in simmering water for no more than 30 seconds, place in ice water and peel them.  Slice in half, squeezing out seeds.  Drain them on paper towels.  In a bowl, add olive oil (the amount depends on how many tomatoes you have) and add any herbs you'd like basil, oregano, etc.  or nothing at all (that's what I did, added just oil).  Coat the tomatoes and place cut side UP on cookie sheet.  Roast at 250 degrees for at least 2 hours.  Then check and see if they had evaporated the liquid and are starting to dry.  It took mine a couple more hours as they were pretty juicy.  When they are done, let cool and place in a Mason jar, cover with olive oil and place in fridge.  I have used them in salads and on sandwiches and the taste is magnificent!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 17, 2015)

FoodieFanatic said:


> I had quite a few tomatoes so I made oven roasted sun-dried tomatoes. OMGosh!  They were so easy and are delicious!  Here's the method.  Bring a pot of water to a simmer.
> Cut an "X" at the top of each tomato.  Place in simmering water for no more than 30 seconds, place in ice water and peel them.  Slice in half, squeezing out seeds.  Drain them on paper towels.  In a bowl, add olive oil (the amount depends on how many tomatoes you have) and add any herbs you'd like basil, oregano, etc.  or nothing at all (that's what I did, added just oil).  Coat the tomatoes and place cut side UP on cookie sheet.  Roast at 250 degrees for at least 2 hours.  Then check and see if they had evaporated the liquid and are starting to dry.  It took mine a couple more hours as they were pretty juicy.  When they are done, let cool and place in a Mason jar, cover with olive oil and place in fridge.  I have used them in salads and on sandwiches and the taste is magnificent!



Please post this as a recipe so we don't lose it.  It can go under veggies or preserving.  Thanks!


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## GotGarlic (Sep 17, 2015)

I don't like the texture of sun-dried tomatoes, but I've done something similar. I core and cut the tomatoes in half and put them under the broiler for 10 minutes or so. The skins lift right off and I don't have to deal with boiling water or an ice-water bath. 

Then I either grate them into a bowl or just pack them into freezer bags, one pound per bag. I have quite a bit already frozen. I also made salsa and tomato paste. The paste I froze in ice-cube trays - two tbsp per cube.


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