Sunday, December 21, 2008

4 Week Menu Planning....Made Easy???

A few women have asked me about menu planning and once a month grocery shopping. I decided to blog about it so that I have an on going diary for my daughters.


I have a 4 week menu...this is actually the first month that i'm trying it. It's a menu to go by...it's not set in stone. Like any schdule, it's a guide. It's not something that you want to be held in bondage to. I've done a weekly menu in the past, but a 4 week menu helps if you are doing once a month shopping.


Here are some tips:
Keep breakfast and Lunch the same every week. What I mean by this, is that every Mon. we eat pancakes, every Tues. we eat eggs, every Wed. we eat muffins, For breakfast. Luches are done in the same manner. This means that you only have to worry about changing your dinners.
Go through your recipes & your freezer and cubboards when planning your menu. This is a great way to use up what you have and to make sure you have what you need.


Getting Started:
First sit down with all your recipes. Start with breakfast...Remember, this will not change every week. I would think about your busiest mornings and make your easiest menu's on those days. So if you are really busy on Friday mornnings, that would be a good morning for cold cereal.


Another idea: Pick your best morning and make in bulk those breakfast items you need. Every Monday I mill and soak my wheat to make pancakes on Tuesday morning. I make enough pancakes for a few breakfasts. Sometimes i'll make flavored pancakes for my pickier eaters. When I have plenty of pancakes frozen or my freezer is full, I'll make "blender batter" pancakes. These are delicious, healthy and easy to make. I'll also use Tues. to make muffins when we need.
Try to keep your breakfasts so that you are not eating the same meal twice a week. If that is not possible, try to vary the meals. Example: on Mondays we eat pancakes, on Fridays we eat pancakes. There is quite a few days in between, so that and the flavored pancakes , no one gets sick of them. On Saturdays, this is a day when you get a choice. So for breakfast, you can eat pancakes, muffins or cold cereal. This is a great way to eat all your left overs. I usually do the same for Lunch.


Lunch is done in the same manner. Another great idea with lunch is to eat your dinner left overs from the night before. I try to see what we will be eating the night before to judge if there will be left overs. For the most part , I plan a lunch for every day. If there are left overs from the night before, I'll offer that or a choice. This is also another way to be flexible and not waste our bounty.
Now for the big one....DINNER:


Start by knowing what meals you have prepared in your freezer, if you have any. I like to cook in bulk and freeze. This is a great way to keep from eating out all the time.
Here are some Items I cook and freeze in bulk:
Meat Sauce
Baked Ziti
Chilli
Chicken Soup
Beef Stew
Bread
Pancakes
Muffins
I'm not going to get into once a month cooking. That is for another blog. This is just a few ideas to help with your menu planning. Now, back to our regularly scheduled blog.


Sit down with your recipes, what you have already frozen and your menu. Start with also knowing your plans for the weeks. If you have a crazy schedule , try to pick the easier meals on your busier days. So if you are really busy on Friday's, then you can plan to eat pasta w/ meat sauce. Something that is really easy. Add a salad and some fresh bread, it's a meal fit for a king...or atleast the king of your home.


Also, think about the seasons. My menu's in the summer looks much different then it does in the winter. During the summer's I have alot of BBQ items on our menus. I also make more salads. In the winter , there is more chilli and soup dinners.
Once you have your first week of dinners done...just keep on going. You can actually alternate your dinners every other week. So if we eat pasta w/ meat sauce on a Sunday, the following Sunday i'll make something else, but on the third week, I'll make pasta & meat sauce.
Another great idea: Ask your hubby what his favorite meals are. I asked my hubby and he said that he really liked eating a quick dinner on Sundays, because we have a youth group that meets in our home every Sunday. His favorite meal is very simple...pasta w/ meat sauce and a salad. (He's easy to please).


Another Idea: Go by what is on sale. With the summer coming , i'm finding alot of London Broil on sale. So i've planned two meals this month of London Broil. This is a great meal to BBQ.
Another idea: When you find meats on sale, buy extra. I only needed 1 London Broil this month, but they were on sale, so I picked up two extra's. I have the room in my freezer. I can use them next month, or if we have unexpected company for dinner I can feed our company and not worry about running out.


Always remember that our homes are our ministries. Being prepared for company or having meals made for someone in need at all times is a wise idea.
Once your menu is done, you can now make a list of items you need to purchase. So whether you are doing a weekly shopping or a montly shopping you'll be able to see what you'll need.
Don't worry if your first month needs some fine-tuning. I'm sure after this month, I'll be changing some things around, but this is already easier then trying to figure out , last minute what's for dinner.
If you would like to use my menu as a template, please email me : Mother4Jesus@gmail.com My file is a word doc. and can be modified to your needs.



"She is like the merchant ships; she brings her food from afar. She also rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and a portion for her maidservants."
Proverbs 31:14-15
God Bless,
Laura

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