Meal Planning -- Cycle One

You now know the basics of how I meal plan.  Are you ready to see how one works at our house from start to finish?

We do our grocery shopping late in the week on pay weeks.  Mostly, I do this so my husband is home to go with me.  So I start planning on Monday of that week.  The meal plan I’m going to walk you through was shopped for and started on November 11^th and we cooked the last meal on November 23^rd with the last day of the cycle being on Thanksgiving.

Monday morning during naptime, I sat down and made my menu list.  This being my first “formal” go at this, I stuck to tried and true favorites.

·         Mini Calzones

·         Lemon Chicken – quinoa with cranberries, green beans

·         Black Bean & Corn Chili

·         Meatloaf – mashed potatoes, corn on the cob

·         Pasta & Meatballs

·         Potato Soup – cheddar biscuits

·         Red Beans & Rice

·         Indian Chicken

·         Baked Ziti

·         Stir-Fry

Once I had the meals and sides decided on, I listed all the ingredients I needed that I either knew we didn’t have or were unsure of.  Then I went to the kitchen and started checking off the items I already had.  Many items were easy to find in the pantry: pizza sauce, chicken broth, dried cranberries, raisins, rice, and beans.  Other meals I had listed with items from the fridge and freezer in mind: ground beef, corn, stir-fry veggies, bell peppers, onions, and garlic.  I also took this opportunity to write down other groceries we needed.

The next step was to sit down and make the actual grocery list.  I opened up the template in Word and just went down my list plugging things in.  After everything was listed, I went back and wrote down a price estimate for each section and a total at the top (those are the little numbers in pencil).

On grocery shopping day I have my husband look over the list and add things I may have missed (soda and Oreos this trip) and then off to the store we went.

My husband and I are a pretty efficient shopping team.  His job is mostly to push the cart and entertain the kids, and he’s pretty darn good at it!

As things go in the cart, I write down the price rounded up to the next dollar.  That’s the numbers in the black ink.  Items in black ink were things that made it in the cart but weren’t on the list.  As each section was completed, I added up the items and recorded the total price.  These would be the circled numbers.

While we’re walking to the checkout line I run a total of all the sections.  See the chicken scratch in the far right column?  This trip I came up with $93 compared to my $100 estimate.  Total at the register?  $81.97.  Without a single coupon.  Be jealous, I shop at a commissary which means no sales tax, just a very small surcharge.  We also had about $40 worth of WIC items and we tipped the bagger $5.

Groceries home and put away, I made the Stir Fry that night.  No leftovers!

I made the meals rather randomly over the next two weeks.  Some had leftovers, some did not.  I picked what to make based on any plans for that night and whether or not my husband would be home.  I focused on eating the leftovers for lunches so they didn’t go to waste, and we had a total of 4 nights where I didn’t cook and we ate leftovers for dinner.  No one complained.  In fact, the Black Bean & Corn Chili was so good that I’m pretty sure my husband ate it for lunch the first three days he was home and for dinner at least twice. 

Family’s Favorites: Meatloaf, Pasta & Meatballs, and Corn & Black Bean Chili

Least Favorite: Baked Ziti

All said and done, this cycle was a real success for us!  We didn’t eat out even once and very little went to waste. 

I even did some bonus cooking!

•      After making the Indian Chicken, I realized that I over-bought carrots.  Seeing that I also had some zucchini that needed used, I whipped up some muffins.  My toddler went nuts for them!
• I made some pizza puffs that turned out to be a great snack for myself.
• Saturday morning I made Oreo Cheesecake cookies for my husband to take on the road.  His coworkers quickly demanded more.
• Late Sunday night I got a bug to make crepes which used up a bag of mixed berries and a block of cream cheese that needed to go.  That ended up being at least two or three days of breakfasts and snacks for me and the kids.

I look forward to adding more of the bonus cooking in the coming weeks to use up things from the pantry before we move and to streamline breakfast, lunch, and dinner for myself and the kids.  

Meal Planning Basics -- Part Two

When we left off a couple days ago, I left you with a kitchen full of groceries!  Look at them and answer these questions:

                  ·         What items can be prepped ahead of time?

·         Any meats to marinate?

·         Veggies you can go ahead and wash and cut?

·         Any dry beans or rice to cook?

·         Is there anything that needs to move to the freezer to make it to the second week?

I’ll be honest; I don’t do a whole lot ahead of time.  I’m sure it would be different if I were a mom who worked outside of the home though!  If you have a day on the weekend where you can do a lot of prep, I seriously recommend doing it, but for us, weekends are about spending time with my husband because we won’t see him again all week.  Also, since I don’t actually assign meals to certain days, I don’t want to get ahead of myself and cook rice for something that won’t be eaten until the second week.  

There are a few things that I do go ahead and get done on grocery day or the next day if need be:

·         I split up meat that was bought in family packs.  Ground meats get split into the amounts I need for meals (usually 1lb) and double wrapped in foil, labeled, and stuck in a big freezer bag.  The big packs of chicken are frozen in smaller freezer bags as pairs.  If I need any of these meats cut (like chicken into bite sized pieces or strips, stir fry meat, etc), this gets done now.  I also go ahead and freeze things in their marinades: huge time saver!

·         Veggies that might go bad get prepped and frozen.  I usually over-buy onions every few weeks.  They get chopped and frozen in cups or half-cups.  Green onions get chopped and frozen in a plastic water bottle (green onion-shaker!).  If I know a veggie won’t be used until week two, it usually makes its way to the freezer.  Anything else waits until later in the week.

·         I make it a point to look at meat expirations and get things to the freezer that aren’t going to be used before them.  I try to at least have an idea of what the first 2 meals I plan to make are, and the rest goes to the freezer.

Actually cook and eat your meals!  

This is where most people fall off the wagon; I know we did.  My biggest downfall was not remembering to thaw the meat.  Now I try to decide on the next day’s meal and pull out the meat during my evening routine (that’s a whole other post!).  Day of, during nap time, I try to do all the prep work I can.  This usually involves chopping veggies, making meatballs, browning hamburger, or shredding cheese.  These things are just easier to do while the toddler is napping and the preschooler “rests quietly.”

Afternoon kitchen time is also where I try to make my time and efforts count most!

·         If I’m already shredding cheese for a recipe that only needs one cup, I go ahead and shred the whole block.

·         Making pasta sauce, triple the batch and freeze in portions.

·         Browning hamburger – go ahead and brown extra hamburger and portion for other meals.

·         Need two carrots slice for that evening’s meal – go ahead and slice/julienne/shred the rest of the bag as needed for other recipes, etc.

If there is no or very little prep to do that day, I try to add in other useful things:

·         Make and freeze cookie or pizza dough.

·         Mix up a batch of baking mix.

·         A small freezer cooking session.

·         General just for fun baking!

I keep a copy of the menu plan on hand at all times.  I’m weird and keep mine at my desk in the other room, but I would suggest posting a copy in the kitchen, either on the fridge or inside the cabinet door.  This just needs to be a list with the main course and sides you want to serve.  Check them off as you make them, and if needed note things like where the ingredients are, and whether the meal was a hit or bust.  I keep thinking I’m going to come up with some sort of rating system for mine. ;-)

You’re on your way to mastering meal planning!  It’s not so hard once you get in the groove of it.  When you’re ready to sit down and prepare for the next cycle, evaluate the one you just finished.  Ask yourself these four questions:

1)      Were any recipes flops?

2)      How were portions?  Too many/few leftovers?

3)      Did you let any meat or produce go to waste?

4)      Were any planned meals not made?  Why weren't they?  Can you add them to the next cycle?

Other pieces of advice:

·         Always have a backup plan. – We call these “pantry meals.”  They are simple meals that we always have the ingredients on hand for and can be lifesavers if something on the plan fails at the last minute.

·         Variety! – Don’t fall into a meal planning rut.  Aim for one or two new recipes each cycle.  If they’re a hit, add them to your running list and watch it slowly expand into an amazing variety of menu combinations.

Meal Planning Basics -- Part One

Meal planning used to be my Mt Everest.  I always wanted to climb to the summit and see that beautiful view that everyone who has been there before me can’t stop talking about.  I planned and trained for the climb but every time I started the journey, I hit a slick patch that would send me crashing right back down.  I dusted myself off and started climbing back up too many times too count, but eventually the equipment and provisions were just too expensive to justify repeating the failure week after week.

That night I found my new attitude, I decided that tackling my Mt Everest was where I was going to start my quest to become a successful SAHM.  I was going to master meal planning once and for all.

But where to start?  Someone wise once told me: “Always start where you are right now.”  So I did two things
1)      I inventoried my pantry, fridge, and freezer.
2)      I compile a list of meals that I already know my family loves.

Next I decided how long I was going to meal plan and how much I had to spend.  I came up with two weeks and $150.  My goal was to spend about $100 of this on the first trip, leaving about $50 for fresh produce and anything else needed in the second week.

*Note: Ever household does this differently.  My budget is based on meals for myself, a preschooler, and a toddler with wiggle room for when my husband is home (1-2 days/week).  I do not plan breakfasts and lunches as we tend to eat leftovers and very basic “staple” items.  This food is included in the budget, just not the meal plan.  Also, we are WIC recipients.  If we weren’t, the cheese, bread and milk would cost us about $50/week more than what I already budget. 

Once you have your basics to work from, it’s time to sit down and start building your plan.  In my case I sit down with a pen and a piece of paper and consult two things:
1)      The calendar. – What things do we have coming up during these two weeks?  Are there nights we won’t be home or busy nights where something quick is a must?
2)      My family. – It’s important that those eating from the plan have at least a bit of say in what goes on it.  This saves you from a lot of last minute changes or flops.

The conclusions I came to after these consultations were that we only had one busy night, but Thanksgiving falls right at the end of these two weeks.  My munchkins are really too young to get much say but I do of course take into account general likes/dislikes and dietary needs.  My husband had a few suggestions but overall won’t be home much.  (I’ll admit, in this realm it makes me happy, he can be kind of picky!)

Now you make your plan!  On a plain piece of paper, write out about ten meal ideas and make sure to leave space in between them.  Ten meals for two weeks is a number that works for us.  It leaves four days for leftovers (we plan one night about every three days for this) and at worst we end up with one meal that doesn't get made and I just transfer it to the next meal plan. 

My next step is to go back and list the main ingredients under each meal and decide on sides I want to serve.  I don’t list spices I know I have and things like milk and butter unless it calls for a large amount.  Then it’s off to the kitchen where I check to see which of these ingredients I already have.  I also use this scan as a chance to note pantry items that are low and any other things that need to go on the list (like Oreos!).

List making time!  I found a handy-dandy template on Microsoft Word that I use to keep my list organized.  I keep it as a short cut on my desktop so that I can add things during the week as I run out.  Having everything lined out by aisle makes the actual grocery shopping so much less stressful.  As I add my items to the template I make sure to not quantity and size if necessary.  Ready for proof of how nerdy I am?  I actually put a price estimate at the top of each category.  While this may seem extreme, I strongly suggest at least coming up with an overall estimate to measure by.

So you have a plan and a list, now what?  Grocery shopping day!  Gather your supplies: list, pen, reusable shopping bags…and hit the road!  Did you notice something’s missing?  Coupons.  Yeah, I hardly use them.  I find that they don’t make them for the majority if items we use, and if they do, it’s still cheaper to buy the store brand.  We shop at a commissary, so my savings because of no sales tax and general pricing are quite comparable.  I do search for coupons if I’m going to be buying things like yogurt of coffee creamer and I know they should be easy to find. 

As you go around dropping things in your card and crossing them off your list, pay attention to the prices.  There is no reason to be surprised by your total at the checkout.  Compare the prices of like items and don’t overlook the helpful corner on the price tag that lists price per unit!  As you cross the item off your list, jot down how much it was.  (I round to the next dollar to account for sales tax when shopping off-base.)  When I finish each section of the list, I add them up and keep a running total.  Also, if you must pick up something not on your list make sure you write it down with the price.  This keeps you accountable and helps you determine if you are overspending because of this, or overlooking something when making your list.

You’ve got the plan and supplies; this is where you reach that slick patch that I was telling you about it.  We’ll go over that soon!