When I made a menu plan ( more guidelines than a plan) attempt last week, I realized I could roll ingredients between multiple dishes, thus increasing variety and ensuring no waste. It was more dumb luck than solid planning, but I ended up with four meals plus leftovers for lunches for so less effort.
Meal one: Spaghetti Bolognese
Rolled forward, half the spaghetti noodles and Bolognese sauce.
Meal two: Chicken lol mein, using 2/3rds of the leftover spaghetti noodles
Rolled forward, 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
Meal three: Beef, sausage, onion, and cheese flatbread pizza, using the Bolognese as the pizza sauce
Rolled forward, chopped onion
Meal four: Burrito bake, using up the rice and onions that were already cooked.
Faults?
- Carb heavy meals, but DH likes his carbs. I probably ate too many, but tried to offset by eating more fruit and veg along with or during the day and limiting my portions. The pictures were DH's portions.
- Spaghetti in lo mein rather than rice noodles. I won't really say a fault as we like it this way just fine, but you all may be shaking a finger.
- The sauce was a little sparse on the pizza to my preference. I could have opened more tomatoes, but then I'd have had them linger.
I'm sure others do this all the time with more intentionality. When we were a house of five, this was never a need. With just the two of us and DH not a big leftover fan, it's necessary. This week has been less to lol forward, off meal plan, but still avoiding waste. What are some of your roll forward meal plans? What might you have done differently?
I do a lot of reconfiguring what is left over into something else. TheHub is not a big fan of leftovers either.
ReplyDeleteAnd I could care less repeating meals. Funny how men are different. But then, my DH orders the same chicken bacon ranch sandwich every week at his bar.
DeleteAll I can say is Yum! I love the egg roll with the spaghetti. Quite the combo.
ReplyDeleteSilly! The spaghetti noodles were used in place of rice noodles in lo mein. Try it. Delicious.
DeleteGreat job switching things up Sam. I have to do the same with left overs. Neither of us cares much for eating the same thing for days.
ReplyDeleteI just don't mind repeats, but if it helps him not want to eat out as often I'll play this game.
DeleteWe don't currently have this challenge, but it's something I'm thinking a lot about once the kids are no longer eating with us. We'll see how that works. M & I eat reasonably differently, with me eating more carbs (not a ton, but I do enjoy some) & him eating more meat. We both eat a lot of produce.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine you have leftovers unless you intentionally decide too. My son just opened fridge, heated bits, and called it snack.
DeleteI "roll forward" with cottage pie, beef stews, or chicken pot pies. I've also made quesadillas with leftover Saturday night steak for a winter Sunday afternoon snack, as well as chef's salad-type meals. My DH doesn't mind leftovers, but never has seemed to be able to find them in the refrigerator.
ReplyDeleteYour roll forwards are more interesting than mine. I rarely make beef other than hamburger as my least preferred protein, or least thought of.
DeleteMy roll overs got taken to work the next day for lunch - saved an absolute fortune and I have no problem eating leftovers!
ReplyDeleteI rarely don't eat leftovers for lunch. I could never see the appeal of the lunch from elsewhere every day.
Delete