So, I've been
cooking and baking from scratch for just over a year now and have developed a good skill set and
lots of great recipes to go from now what? I still struggle with having the ingredients I need on hand, or am left with a great supper but no snacks or goodies in the cookie jars and no ideas for lunches that need to be prepared for the next day. Last night I wanted chicken soup but would have to make some from scratch as I don't buy the convenience mix anymore. Something has got to give.
Solution - I need to begin meal planning. I've known this for a while now but still can't bring myself around to doing it. I participated in the
Eat-From-The-Pantry-Challenge at Life As Mom in January and LOVED it. It got me outta my seat to inventory everything in the deep freeze and to find matching recipes to go with it all and to put it into one folder - perfect! I need a more permanent solution though and need advice.
I do have some goals like making meals ahead to go into the freezer such as cookie dough, pizza's, casserole's, breakfast sandwhiches,
chicken pot pie, more chicken broth, and more. I would also like to get my spice mixes in order and have them ready when I need them such as homemade turkey sausage,
meatloaf mix, etc. Oh dear, I'm feeling overwhelmed.
Please share with me how you do your meal planning. You can include links and any tips you like as I need all the help I can get.
Have a great day :)
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Meal planning is something I need help with too!
ReplyDeleteHaving all those ingredients prepped and waiting, certainly will make meals easier for you.
This has been on my mind too! In the new issue of Real Simple, they have recipes for a meal swap. 4 people each make one recipe and you swap. I don't have anyone to swap with, but it did make me think I ought to make one or two of the recipes and freeze the additional meals.
ReplyDeleteOnce in a while I sit down and plan what I want to make for the week, but then it seems something always happens so that no one is home one of the nights. Usually I keep a lot of stuff on hand so that I can pretty much make whatever I want.
I need to get my freezer restocked though - there's not much in there for reheating at this point.
Alice - I refer to your cookbook often and have made many of the recipes sucessfully.. I just need to get some of them posted :)
ReplyDeleteBrette - Real Simple is a great magazine and I'll have to look up that article and recipes. I know some people I could meal swap with and this would be a good MOMS Club activity. Thanks for the tip :)
Get out the paint brush! What beautiful skies!
ReplyDelete:)
Valerie
Hi Sarah, I am sorry not to be of any help. I can't do it. Germans decide in the morning what to cook and get it that day fresh at the butcher, market or farmer. This is how I still operate. I only plan ahead for parties or dinner invitations. Freezing meals ahead doesn't sound right to me either. I just keep a wide variate of ingredients, a very well stocked pantry and seasonal veggies and fruit on hand. Anything else I need I buy form the market before picking up my kids at school.
ReplyDeleteSarah - I wish I could join you for a cuppa and a long walk. Everyone agrees with you in the reading - Eat, Pray, Love is a popular recommendation. I simply thank you for your caring and loving nature. You'll stay updated on the blog.
ReplyDeletexo Erin
Taking stock is a good first step.
ReplyDeleteThink ahead about meals you want to prepare, go back to that stock check.
Plan by the week or the month, depending on your shopping habits.
Set-up your tentative menu plan and this will give you a really good starting point.
Lovely to have stopped by your blog. Hope to come here for more. Best wishes.
ReplyDeleteI'm at this point as well Sarah. It wasn't too hard for me the first six months of blogging because I had a pretty good store built up of recipes. But I'm starting to get to the end of "go to" meals and I'm needing to start getting creative. It's hard to do that one hour before dinner needs to the be on the table! If you figure it out let me know as I could use the help too!
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