Anyone pre-plan/prepare their meals for the week?

gracieabem

I sit down on a Tuesday evening (which is the end of my working week) and decide fairly roughly what I'd like to eat for the week. I tend to check out meat specials and what on special at the supermarket. I have been trying to get to the Sunday markets for my veggies when possible (I do work every Sunday but it's great when I make the effort to get some local produce). I organise it so that I know roughly what I need from the markets on Sunday and if I'm short on fruit and vege for a meal there are a number of local grocers and servos that sell veggies.

I make sure I get in a wide variety of veges and protein sources. Because I only cook for myself I have heaps of leftovers, but I tend to freeze a lot and only keep an extra meal or two out for lunches. I usually add some extra veges as a side with my leftovers so I'm eating a wide variety of foods. I do keep a well-stocked pantry of staples for those times when plans change and I need to whip up something different - very basic stuff - tinned tomatoes, chickpeas, beans, lentils, pasta, rice, dried herbs etc. I've gone blank - I'm sure there is more.

So I may only 'cook' three or four times a week and other nights may be leftovers or something cooked and frozen previously. On other nights I have something simple like sardines/eggs on toast with veggies, or just meat and veges.

I'm not into wastage, so if I do have a change in plans and I don't use something up as planned it gets put in the freezer (I have a nice collection of frozen home made veggies ready to go if I'm in a hurry).

I love to plan, but I try to remain flexible as well in case we go out to dinner unexpectedly or a family BBQ is planned last minute.

For this week I have the following planned!

Thursday Dinner - Cinnamon and Pumpkin 'Lasagne'
Friday Lunch - Fish bake with fennel, zucchini, lemongrass, ginger and chilli
Friday Dinner - Roast veges from Wed (I'm strange I love to eat them cold) - brussels sprouts, sweet potato, zucchini and a piece of salmon
Saturday Lunch - Cinnamon and Pumpkin 'Lasagne'
Saturday Dinner - Homemade Wrap Pizza with broccoli and cauliflower on the side
Sunday Lunch - Homemade Wrap Pizza with a salad (not sure yet)
Sunday Dinner -Silverbeet and Mushroom Omelet with some kind of veggies - depends on what I find at the markets
Monday Lunch - Vegetable Chilli Beans (from the freezer) may need to add some extra protein depending on how the day pans out.
Monday Dinner - Sardines on toasts with veggies on the side
Tuesday Lunch - Salad and chicken/egg/tuna/salmon/turkey wrap. I'm undecided but I have a few options here.
Tuesday Dinner - Chicken, artichoke and lemon pasta with side salad
Wednesday - Chicken, artichoke and lemon pasta with side salad

Sometimes my weekly plan gets drawn out longer because of the unexpected happening or I just change my mind on what I feel like, but it's nice to have some sort of plan happening!