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Angel
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| Posted: May 03 2010 at 5:35pm | IP Logged
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So it occurs to me that the way I do meals needs to change. I know there was a thread a while back about how people plan meals, but for some reason I can't find it. My problem is that I can't seem to make a dedicated time every week to plan our meals for the week. Then I miss crucial preparation that would allow us to vary our meals somewhat more, like thawing our whole chickens or turkeys in the refrigerator, or soaking beans... or getting to the farm store for meat that isn't beef or chicken... etc. We end up eating the same meals over and over again, which gets boring after a while.
If you don't plan weekly, how do you plan for meals? I have resisted putting together one week's meals that rotate for a season (or a defined amount of time) because I thought it would be boring, but upon reflection, we have been eating pretty much the same thing week after week for a while. I am wondering if this is what I need to try next, but I thought I would ask all the experts for ideas first. 
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Angela
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: May 03 2010 at 5:47pm | IP Logged
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I don't plan well.. but if I want to do something that actually needs thawing (vs just cooking longer from frozen.. which as long as it's not in the crock pot on low works just fine) If I just take it out at the start of the week.. then I still have flexibility in using it within 2 or 3 days of it being thawed.
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: May 04 2010 at 6:53am | IP Logged
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Angel wrote:
I have resisted putting together one week's meals that rotate for a season (or a defined amount of time) because I thought it would be boring, but upon reflection, we have been eating pretty much the same thing week after week for a while. I am wondering if this is what I need to try next, but I thought I would ask all the experts for ideas first.
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This is what I thought too, Angel, but I found that my kids really like the routine. I don't make the exact same foods each week, but the main ingredient is the same. So chicken on Monday, soup on Tuesday, ground beef on Wednesday, Pasta on Thursday, etc. Once I have that routine, the rest is easier.
I am a person that has one main chore area scheduled per day (like bathrooms on Monday). On Friday, my chore is planning. I plan the meals, shopping lists, and school work for the coming week. Then I can go to the grocery on Saturday.
One problem I have is that I always, forget to defrost the stuff I plan to cook. That is so frustrating! I've recently typed out a daily checklist and I put, "check tomorrow's menu" in the section for evening. Hopefully that will help.
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Becky
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: May 04 2010 at 6:57am | IP Logged
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JodieLyn wrote:
| Iif I want to do something that actually needs thawing If I just take it out at the start of the week.. |
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This is what my DH says I should do. He says that when I'm putting groceries away after I shop I should also check the freezer and put anything I'm going to need for the coming week in the fridge. I just need to remember to do it! I'm just usually exhausted after grocery shopping and I just want to get it all put away and be done with it when I get home. Why is grocery shopping so stressful? Maybe it's not the shopping but that whopping big check I have to write at the end! 
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Becky
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Mackfam
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| Posted: May 05 2010 at 8:30am | IP Logged
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Angel wrote:
| My problem is that I can't seem to make a dedicated time every week to plan our meals for the week. Then I miss crucial preparation that would allow us to vary our meals somewhat more, like thawing our whole chickens or turkeys in the refrigerator, or soaking beans... or getting to the farm store for meat that isn't beef or chicken... etc. We end up eating the same meals over and over again, which gets boring after a while. |
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Oh! I can so relate! I have been in an awful menu planning slump for the last couple of months! ugh!!!!
I only recently sat down and brainstormed my spring menus.
Angela wrote:
If you don't plan weekly, how do you plan for meals? I have resisted putting together one week's meals that rotate for a season (or a defined amount of time) because I thought it would be boring, but upon reflection, we have been eating pretty much the same thing week after week for a while. I am wondering if this is what I need to try next, but I thought I would ask all the experts for ideas first.
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Well, I can't help you because I do plan seasonal menus and from that weekly menus. I'd love to hear how others do this, too. I've found sitting down 6 or so times a year and planning seasonally helps me with a pretty good guide to choose from - about 20-25 meals. Otherwise, I face the same challenge as you - same-ole-same-ole!! ...which bores me and leaves me uninspired in the kitchen.
I have found that when I implement one devoted kitchen day my week goes smoothly. One day to:
:: check the pantry for staples that need to go on a list
:: look at the weekly menu and move all frozen meat to the fridge for thawing so that it is ready when needed. (since we buy meats in bulk this works for me...adjust if you purchase meat on a weekly or on-sale basis and don't have a large stock in your freezer.)
:: make a market list for the week
:: wipe down counters and stainless shelves thoroughly
:: refill glass canisters on my bake center - flours, wheat berries, sugars, honey, oatmeal, etc.
:: Thorough wipe down and vacuum out insides of bread machine
:: Oil cutting boards
:: Tidy pantry
:: Wipe out fridge
If I'm faithful to this it doesn't take me too long to accomplish this list.
I'm in the process of revamping my kitchen day list and delegating some new tasks:
:: turn compost
:: oil table
:: thorough wipe down of kitchen chairs
:: clean windows
:: mop kitchen
:: polish cabinets
:: wipe out and tidy outside fridge (we have just become the proud owners of a gifted and new-to-us fridge for our garage - OH THE JOY!!!)
A kitchen day list would obviously reflect and contain the tasks that help in your specific kitchen - I can think of all sorts of great things that could go on your list, Angela!
Don't know if this is a help since I can't really give you non-weekly menu planning help that you're looking for...but thought the kitchen day idea (one my mom shared with me about a year ago) could be something you could work in.
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Jen Mackintosh
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Angel
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| Posted: May 05 2010 at 9:36am | IP Logged
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Jen, I'm interested in hearing more about how your kitchen day runs. The problem I have always had with dedicating different days to certain jobs ("office day", "kitchen day", etc.) is that I often feel like I'm doing all I can do just to keep up with the daily chores: dishes, laundry, keeping the bathrooms somewhat sanitary, picking up the living areas, floors swept, school, and making sure the little ones don't kill themselves. (Last night when I sat down to fold laundry, one of my 4 yos decided to "skateboard" off the recliner on a hardback book. )
Obviously, though, there are lots of other chores that need doing during a week! I have fooled around in the past with the idea that I could have a baking day, but for one reason or another, it always fizzles. How are you delegating your kitchen chores? My 2 big kids (age 13 and 11) do a lot already. My next oldest is only just turned 7 and then -- there are a bunch of mess makers.
I guess I do try to do a lot of extra kitchen chores on the day my dh goes to the grocery store... I *try* to clean out the fridge, check our stores to make the grocery list (which I email to him), and plan meals for the week. If life gets even a little crazy, though (which it tends to do often around here), I slip up on one thing or another.
I did try to make a master seasonal list yesterday before my dh went to the store. It's a little like what you posted on your blog, Jen, but I just divided mine up into a chart based loosely on main ingredient (Egg, meat, vegetarian, etc.) and included all the kids' favorite meals. So now at least I have a list I can pick and choose from. Like you, we also try to buy our meat in bulk (or we've raised it ourselves), but since we're not sure when we're moving, we haven't made our usual purchases of lamb and pork and are therefore stuck eating A LOT of beef.  We also really try to buy local and eat seasonal vegetables and fruits. Since we're in NY, we're just now starting to get spring stuff: greens, spinach, rhubarb, that kind of thing.
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Mackfam
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| Posted: May 05 2010 at 11:04am | IP Logged
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Angel wrote:
| The problem I have always had with dedicating different days to certain jobs ("office day", "kitchen day", etc.) is that I often feel like I'm doing all I can do just to keep up with the daily chores... |
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Yes, me too. This is the only dedicated chore day I have and I really only give it a couple of hours. Right now it's floating a bit on different days and I'd like to get it more settled.
I've learned that our family works best tending the household if we attack, attack, attack most/all of the household chores in concentrated amounts of time on one day. With our daily quick tidy as maintenance, this approach is working well for us. This leaves me feeling relaxed and comfortable about the other duties that go on throughout the week and I feel comfortable that if needed, I could have the home tidy in 15 minutes with a quick tidy. My family enjoys approaching household chores in this way...it's sort of a blitzkrieg approach, but it works for us. My kitchen duties are a bit different; I enjoy being relaxed, attentive, thoughtful, and practical in my kitchen. It works for me to have these duties in a different time set aside.
I'll be honest, Saturday morning is the best time for me to have a kitchen day - it's not in the middle of the week and it works out well with our other Saturday chores. I'm not sure if it will stay on this day - it seems it works better on different days during different seasons. In doing *kitchen duties* during the week, I simply plan to start lessons about 2 hours later than normal and we work through our kitchen list.
Angela wrote:
| How are you delegating your kitchen chores? |
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Well, as you can imagine my big kids are capable of helping out with quite a lot - and do!! Here's a rundown of the delegation:
My 2 yo gets baby wipes and wipes the baseboards, floor, and bottom cabinets. She likes to "clean" in her little kitchen which is parked in my big kitchen. Mostly, she just changes her aprons at will.
My 5 yo is a big helper - he will vacuum the kitchen for me and is quite good at wiping the chairs down. He cleans windows and is very good at wiping down lower cabinets and using (non-toxic) polish on them.
My 9 yo cleans the outside fridge, helps wiping down chairs, polishes cabinets, tends to the bread machine wipe-out, wipes down counters, and turns the compost with help.
My 13 yo cleans the inside fridge, polishes top cabinets, polishes the table and oils cutting boards (this is not a weekly chore - it is monthly), supervises window cleaning with littles, refills the glass canisters on my bake center, and mops the kitchen.
That leaves me to...check the pantry and make a pantry list, tidy the pantry, move all frozen meat to the fridge for thawing, and make a menu and market list for the week.
I like to work through my kitchen duty list, make necessary pantry lists, and then excuse the *helpers* to go enjoy some play time while I sit down with the remainder of my kitchen time and a cup of tea to relax and enjoy planning menus. I work best in a sparkly clean space.
That's how it works for us. Works well!  I know there are probably a million different ways to work this one idea to fit particular families, homes, needs, kitchens, kids/helpers. So, our way is really just an answer to our specific needs, but if there's something there you can work with...by all means - take it!
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Jen Mackintosh
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Wildflowers and Marbles
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Erin
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Becky Parker wrote:
This is what I thought too, Angel, but I found that my kids really like the routine. I don't make the exact same foods each week, but the main ingredient is the same. So chicken on Monday, soup on Tuesday, ground beef on Wednesday, Pasta on Thursday, etc. Once I have that routine, the rest is easier.
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Angela
My planning is similar to Becky's. Try to plan for a fortnight to start with. Pick a combination of favourite meals and an introduction of a couple of new ones to keep it interesting for you. ie. We eat mince (ground beef) on Thursday night, I recently did up our Autumn/winter menu for a month. I wrote lasagna, rissoles and then two new meals, Chilli Con Carne and meatloaf.
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Mackfam
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| Posted: May 19 2010 at 7:51am | IP Logged
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Angel wrote:
| If you don't plan weekly, how do you plan for meals? I have resisted putting together one week's meals that rotate for a season (or a defined amount of time) because I thought it would be boring, but upon reflection, we have been eating pretty much the same thing week after week for a while. I am wondering if this is what I need to try next, but I thought I would ask all the experts for ideas first. |
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I have been saving this thread in my emails and wanted to come back to it for some time...
We sort of brainstormed the logistics of kitchen prep, but we never really talked about menu planning, Angela...which is what your original question asked. Do you still want to brainstorm some more around that?
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I resisted planning in seasonal chunks for the longest time because I thought it would mean eating too much over and over again. I finally caved a few years ago and I love it! I plan 4 - 6 seasonal master menus a year. Sometimes...when I'm really tired of a menu, I plan an early-spring menu or a late summer menu...something like that. On each master seasonal menu I list SEVERAL meals that combine what is available to us locally and seasonally and of course, meals we'd actually enjoy eating. Then, on a weekly basis, I look to that master list and pull the meals I'd like to make from that list for the week. There is always something going on that kind of mixes up the plans a bit so that something new is on there and we don't get bored. Sometimes it's fun to rethink a dish and that changes things up a bit - add something new, or deconstruct it, or pull out just a sauce, lighten it up a bit and serve that over angel hair pasta instead of a heavy casserole.
I *used to* plan for an entire month of menus at a time, and that is very doable as well. Monthly planning of menus would require a good investment of time on the front end - choosing, making market lists for each week, getting the pantry organized with staples, etc. But, it wouldn't be too bad, and would be a nice investment since you only have to do that monthly.
Do you want/need to brainstorm this more, Angela?
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Jen Mackintosh
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mamaslearning
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I'm piggybacking on an old thread here, sorry!
This is going to sound really stupid, but how do you find out what foods are seasonal for your area? With grocery stores buying from all over, they usually have everything you want at anytime of year.
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mamaslearning
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I guess I should've kept looking! I found this site Sustainable Food at Jen's blog.
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Lara
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: meal planning... again
