Sunday, September 24, 2017

Meal Plan Tracking-Not For Me

As much as I love reading and getting ideas from others, tracking what we actually ended up eating is not for me. The planning part though, I'm getting a little hooked on. There is something reassuring, calming almost, in looking at what is on hand on Sunday, deciding what you might need to buy, and then committing to paper a series of tasty menus. The point that I may or may not follow is irrelevant, but having the  options spelled out is a what's working for me not succumbing to expensive take out, overspending on last minute ingredients,or throwing the entire towel in and just going out for supper. In reviewing though, I hardly remember what we ate yesterday let alone five days ago. Going forward, my Sundays will be "Possible  Menu for the Week." You may recognize things from the week before that never got made. What's possible this week?

  • Turkey Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans
  • Chicken cutlets on bun with sweet potato wedges 
  • Chili dogs or hot dogs dogs with pasta salad
  • Tuna noodle hot dish with peas
  • Turkey burgers, salad with cucumber and avocado slices
  • Spaghetti and meatballs
  • Italian chicken, roasted potatoes, mixed vegetables

Prepping for lunches: tuna salad, egg salad, tomato-black bean-corn salad eating up the last of the fruit from a week ago. Snacks and breakfast prepping includes muffins and pumpkin bread, pre-made chocolate chip cookie dough that DH bought. 

Tuesday will need to be heat and eat leftovers so hoping with what I make on the weekend I can end up with a serving for DH and DD. I have a presentation in northern Minnesota so will be leaving at the crack of dawn to pick up a company car. I'll have the three hour drive, network, present, have lunch and hear the key note speaker, then hit the road again. I need to make it to DD's school by 6:15 for a mandatory parent-participant meeting for choir. 

Anyone else out there like the planning, but the execution leaves you stifled? Are you a die hard meal planner, or more of an option creator? What's your favorite meal to make extra portions for intentional leftovers because it reheats well? Let's have a chat. 



10 comments:

  1. I typically plan the next day's dinner while I am cleaning up after that night's meal. By that time, I have a clearer picture of how the following day will unfold. Also, I am in the kitchen, so I can assess what's on hand that will fit in to our plan, take out something to defrost if needed. I know this sounds very spendthrift, but, actually, after dinner on a weeknight is when I am LEAST inclined to head out to a store. So, if I find I don't have an ingredient for something, I will make do. I have never really planned more than that, other than, say, being at a store, and seeing a great deal on something. I will stock up, and then keep the abundance of that item in mind when I mull over what to prepare.

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    1. That sort of is how I end up-planning a bunch of options early, but then just really deciding the night before.

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  2. Hate meal planning but am option creator. This week I made 2 2-day meals, one was meatloaf with mashed potatoes, one day ate with corn on cob and one day with salad. 2nd was chicken in mushroom sauce over rice. It was a busy work week and so nice not to have to create a meal every night

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    1. The meal planning I don't mind-its following the plan that seems either to not work, or I can't track it anyway. I guess I am in the option creator category as well.

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  3. Suffice it to say I hate meal planning. I have been following the plan (not to a tee, but still following it) and cooking has become sheer drudgery to me. I did it just to see if there would be any positive impact on my life/time/money. Since I had already committed Shelftember using stuff I have on hand I saw no money savings. I think because I tried to follow the plan I took more time than normal cooking. I can usually whip up a meal in 15-20 minutes and it took me much longer than that nearly every night. I also found I felt guilty when I changed the side dishes, so I am pretty sure a true plan is not for me. I do much better and am much happier when I know I am having 3 chicken meals, 2 beef, and 2 meatless and leave the details until I am in prep mode.
    I make double or triple batches of bolognese, chili, bean soup, and meatloaf. I freeze everything in dinner portions to pull out when I need a quick meal. I also brown and season ground beef, 3 or so pounds at a time and package them in freezer bags for single meal servings. I do the same with smoked pork butt, and smoked chicken. That way I already have the basis of a meal and can add whatever I want to create a meal.

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    1. Prepping meat items, ground beef, slice chicken breasts etc. would be a real time saver and still give the options later.

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  4. We only plan main dishes, not sides. Sides are standard salad, frozen veggies or rice or whatever, or nothing at all. The biggest benefit in planning is making sure we prep crockpot meals (or reheat meals) for crazy busy nights and have cooler friendly things for meals on the road....not having to eat out during sports/activities crazy days is the biggest cost saver. Fast meals out for us are usually a disappointment and waste of money....and this way when we go out it's because we want to not "have to."

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    1. The eating out on school/sports activities are meal budget killers. I don't as much hate concessions when there are healthy options because it generally is a fundraiser, but hate hitting fast food out and about.

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  5. Oh, our favorite premade meals are beef and broccoli crockpot (freeze in a ziploc), meatballs for sandwiches or spaghetti nights and lasagna (I'll make two and cut into two person size reheatable chunks), and preformed hamburgers. We pretty much always have frozen pizzas and mac and cheese for nights we don'tw ant to cook at all.

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    1. Oh-do you have recipe for beef and broccoli in the crockpot? sounds delicious.

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