Menu Planning: A Few Basics

I'm no expert at this menu planning yet, but it sounds from comments on my last post that some of y'all want to hear it anyway. I've really only been doing this with any kind of plan since the first of the year, but I've learned a few basic things that I want to share before I do a post on this week's plan:

1. Even if they aren't the healthiest meals, it's a good idea to plan in some of your favorites.

If you don't plan for them, you'll end up making them/getting them via takeout anyway. This causes more food waste (or makes you overeat) and costs more money than if you'd just planned for it in the first place. Or you'll just end up feeling deprived and that's no good. Two weeks ago, I wanted pizza. I planned for pizza. I got to eat three meals from it and it was within my weekly budget/food plan. It was darn good too...




2. Even if you've made a dish over and over, check the ingredients and check your pantry for those ingredients before you go to the store.

If you end up coming home without a major ingredient, it's frustrating to have to re-work your whole plan around it.

3. Buy/prep food you will actually eat. Just because it's good for you, if you wont eat it, it's a waste of time and money. If it takes a little extra prep, do it.

I love oranges. I hate peeling oranges. I carried an orange to work for 3 days last week. I carried the same orange home 3 nights last week. If I wash/slice oranges and keep them ready to eat, I'll eat them. In five minutes I can have a bowl of orange slices ready and it will provide multiple snacks. Learn what these things are for you and do them.

4. Find out what schedule works for you.

These things work for me:

Plan weekly. It works best for me to plan menus, write list on Wed/Thurs night, shop on Friday, and to do most of my cooking on Saturday. Sometimes it's on Sunday/Monday before I finish my cooking, but I feel a little rushed all week if I'm still cooking then. And if I've planned well the week before, I'm out of prepped food by the time Sunday rolls around. When I say I do my cooking, I really do cook everything I'm going to eat for the week most of the time. Sometimes I'll just prep things to make a quick throw-together meal. If it's done ahead, I'll eat it. If it's not, I'm out looking for something that I can just open and eat.

I also make it simple on myself. I'm cooking just for me, so 3 different types of meals are good for me for a whole week. My basic plan is: One soup, one salad, one something else. BTW, I don't care if I don't eat regular breakfast foods. Anything I'll eat for lunch or dinner, I'll eat it for breakfast. If you wont, plan specific breakfast foods.

5. Plan in snacks/treats.

Eating on a plan is not a punishment. You can still enjoy your food.

6. Keep some basic questions in mind while you're planning.

Your questions might be a little different, but these seem to be working for me so far.

• What ingredients do I have that MUST be used this week?
• What ingredients do I have that CAN be used this week?
• Is there anything I'm really in the mood for?
• Do I have/can I find any coupons?
• Is there anything I should add to my pantry this week?

More to come on this week's plan.