Do you plan out your menu each day or figure it out as you go along?

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  • triddering
    triddering Posts: 81 Member
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    I used to not plan and I ended up buying/eating out not healthy choices, which got me to a very unhealthy weight (to say the least). With MFP, I started planning my lunches for the week, cooking and pre-portioning out what I grab and go for lunch. I have the same thing for breakfast (hard boiled egg and Dannon Light and Fit Yogurt), Apple snack before my lunch time walk and some high protein bar (like Quest) mid afternoon. For dinner, I figure it out on the fly based on remaining calories, and reserving some for a post workout snack.
    This really works for me!
  • misskarne
    misskarne Posts: 1,765 Member
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    I plan the fortnight. This also keeps my grocery budget under control because it means I make a list of what's in my freezer, fridge and pantry and work to use that stuff as well.
  • CoffeeNCardio
    CoffeeNCardio Posts: 1,847 Member
    edited February 2016
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    I try to pre log the whole week, but by Tuesday I've usually done something totally different. I have a two year old and a husband who goes to school sometimes one night a week and sometimes two nights a week, two extended families who think of a big dinner as a weekly familial Mass, a part time job with the most flexible hours you can imagine, and I'm too broke to turn down free food. So sticking to the plan is not impossible, but it's just not worth it to me. I'm perfectly capable of staying within the confines of my calorie goal no matter how the week goes. Pre-logging it just seems like a waste anymore. Maybe when life settles down a bit I might try it again, but until then I'm losing weight the lazy way and it's working fine.

    The one caveat to that is that pre-logging is an absolute must for homemade recipes. I'm rubbish at trying to cook and log at the same time, so I have to pre-enter it in MFP, then measure it out to what I entered or I forget numbers and end up having to guesstimate. So it's wonderful for that.

    ETA: When I say flexible hours, I mean I'm the one who has to be flexible with MY time, not the other way around. I'm on call.
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
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    misskarne wrote: »
    I plan the fortnight. This also keeps my grocery budget under control because it means I make a list of what's in my freezer, fridge and pantry and work to use that stuff as well.

    Ten points for use of the word "fortnight"
  • misskarne
    misskarne Posts: 1,765 Member
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    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    misskarne wrote: »
    I plan the fortnight. This also keeps my grocery budget under control because it means I make a list of what's in my freezer, fridge and pantry and work to use that stuff as well.

    Ten points for use of the word "fortnight"

    :D
  • FiiiiFiiiFlowerTot
    FiiiiFiiiFlowerTot Posts: 102 Member
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    i love pre logging my food. its the only way to do it and be successful for me :)
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,137 Member
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    I've always planned meals by the week. Mostly so I know what to shop for and when, to minimize waste and to prevent the "I don't know, what do you want to eat?" discussion. Since being on MFP I've also pre-logged my food the night before. I like to know what wriggle room I have for extras and changes to the plan.
  • zira91
    zira91 Posts: 670 Member
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    Roughly plan in weeekend for grocery shopping ..although most of the time I ended up cooking different things than I've planned..but of course, still using the available ings.. I guess, planning it on daily basis doesn't work well with me.. I end up not following it..ha..but that just me...
  • ki4eld
    ki4eld Posts: 1,215 Member
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    misskarne wrote: »
    I plan the fortnight. This also keeps my grocery budget under control because it means I make a list of what's in my freezer, fridge and pantry and work to use that stuff as well.

    This may be the sexiest thing I've read this week. "Fortnight" is very hot.

    /things grammar geeks think
  • PinkyPan1
    PinkyPan1 Posts: 3,018 Member
    edited February 2016
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    I plan daily. I just made breakfast and I logged lunch, dinner and snacks. I edit any changes as they come up. I find pre-logging keeps me on track and rather easy to do. Now I can just go about my day and forget about it.

    As far as grabbing bite to eat with friends...I look up the menu on line and pre log my meal and make any adjustments when I get home.
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
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    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    misskarne wrote: »
    I plan the fortnight. This also keeps my grocery budget under control because it means I make a list of what's in my freezer, fridge and pantry and work to use that stuff as well.

    Ten points for use of the word "fortnight"

    Love slipping 'fortnight' into conversations with my colleagues to see if it catches anyone out. Working on 'sennight' next.

    As for food planning. Breakfast is easy - same thing every day. Dinner is usually a sandwich, and tea is whatever happens to be in the fridge.
  • jen_mv
    jen_mv Posts: 21 Member
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    I've been planning my meals a few days ahead of time, and it's been helping me a lot to stay on track. I've also been preparing and portioning my meals ahead of time; I'm way too groggy when I wake up to make good breakfast choices or to even think about what I want to take for lunch at work.
  • hartmamp
    hartmamp Posts: 80 Member
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    I'm very boring and plan 2 meals for the week - 1 for lunch and 1 for dinner. Works out well because most recipes make 4-6 servings. I've always eaten this way, even when not calorie counting - I hate grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning up, so I get all of it out of the way on the weekends and then I'm set for the work week.
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
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    Sort of both. But I attended back to back hen parties with wine & snacks both Sunday & Monday nights and I am feeling like a poor planner at the moment. Parties just KILL my deficit!
    Mostly I make a menu for the week, shop Saturday afternoon & prep everything when I get it home. There are few surprises as long as I steer clear of too many parties. Oh and I'm a sub. So you never know when there's going to be baby shower or retirement cake in the teachers lounge! I do okay but if it's carrot or cheesecake, all bets are off...
  • CoffeeNCardio
    CoffeeNCardio Posts: 1,847 Member
    edited February 2016
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    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    misskarne wrote: »
    I plan the fortnight. This also keeps my grocery budget under control because it means I make a list of what's in my freezer, fridge and pantry and work to use that stuff as well.

    Ten points for use of the word "fortnight"

    8awjzy7wcx7j.jpg



    :D
  • WinterSkies
    WinterSkies Posts: 940 Member
    edited February 2016
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    Lol... it amazes me how people can get by without planning! My parents always had a menu planned out, and now I do the same thing. I've got two young kids, so our house would be chaos if meals weren't planned in advance.

    Our weekly menu is "planned" on the weekend, before we go shopping. It keeps us from buying too much extra food, and keeps shopping trips shorter. The majority of dinners are arranged such that we will have leftovers for lunch the next day. Our breakfasts are usually pretty similar (toast or cereal), so that's pretty easy too.

    We do have some flexibility - if something comes up and we need to make a quicker dinner one night, or we're craving something that was meant for another day, we'll just swap out dinners and rearrange the rest of the week. It works well for my family. As well, we always have several bags of frozen veggies available for a quick side dish, and I keep an extra box of pasta and a jar of tomato sauce in the pantry. Sometimes the kids just want spaghetti :smile:
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    Lol... it amazes me how people can get by without planning! My parents always had a menu planned out, and now I do the same thing. I've got two young kids, so our house would be chaos if meals weren't planned in advance.

    Our weekly menu is "planned" on the weekend, before we go shopping. It keeps us from buying too much extra food, and keeps shopping trips shorter. The majority of dinners are arranged such that we will have leftovers for lunch the next day. Our breakfasts are usually pretty similar (toast or cereal), so that's pretty easy too.

    We do have some flexibility - if something comes up and we need to make a quicker dinner one night, or we're craving something that was meant for another day, we'll just swap out dinners and rearrange the rest of the week. It works well for my family. As well, we always have several bags of frozen veggies available for a quick side dish, and I keep an extra box of pasta and a jar of tomato sauce in the pantry. Sometimes the kids just want spaghetti :smile:

    I don't remember my parents ever planning meals more than one day in advance. My mom would ask: "what do you feel like eating today?" or" How about X today?" then they would buy what is needed for the meal and mom would make 2 days worth of main dish food. Breakfast and dinner were usually eggs, a sandwich, several breakfast foods on the table..etc. Basically whatever is in the fridge and whatever we feel like eating that morning/evening. If we need anything extra we would just go and buy it. Now I'm the same. I do make a rough plan to see how my calories are looking, but I often end up substituting things for other things on the spur of the moment.
  • WinterSkies
    WinterSkies Posts: 940 Member
    edited February 2016
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    I don't remember my parents ever planning meals more than one day in advance. My mom would ask: "what do you feel like eating today?" or" How about X today?" then they would buy what is needed for the meal and mom would make 2 days worth of main dish food. Breakfast and dinner were usually eggs, a sandwich, several breakfast foods on the table..etc. Basically whatever is in the fridge and whatever we feel like eating that morning/evening. If we need anything extra we would just go and buy it. Now I'm the same. I do make a rough plan to see how my calories are looking, but I often end up substituting things for other things on the spur of the moment.

    We had a whiteboard in the kitchen with the week's menu written on it, so you always knew what was for dinner :) I guess with 4 kids, two working parents, and umpteen activities to cart us around to, my parents had to be organized! lol It's so interesting to see how different people's habits and schedules are!
  • CoffeeNCardio
    CoffeeNCardio Posts: 1,847 Member
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    We also utilize the local food bank, so we can't actually pick what food we get. My grocery list two out of 4 weeks of the month is just supplemental. Stuff to be able to make a meal out of whatever we got this month.
    Lol... it amazes me how people can get by without planning! My parents always had a menu planned out, and now I do the same thing. I've got two young kids, so our house would be chaos if meals weren't planned in advance.

    Our weekly menu is "planned" on the weekend, before we go shopping. It keeps us from buying too much extra food, and keeps shopping trips shorter. The majority of dinners are arranged such that we will have leftovers for lunch the next day. Our breakfasts are usually pretty similar (toast or cereal), so that's pretty easy too.

    We do have some flexibility - if something comes up and we need to make a quicker dinner one night, or we're craving something that was meant for another day, we'll just swap out dinners and rearrange the rest of the week. It works well for my family. As well, we always have several bags of frozen veggies available for a quick side dish, and I keep an extra box of pasta and a jar of tomato sauce in the pantry. Sometimes the kids just want spaghetti :smile:

    dkrq4zqrmuun.jpg


    Lol, I'll mail it all to your kids:) If I never see another spaghetti noodle in my life I will die a happy woman!
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    I don't remember my parents ever planning meals more than one day in advance. My mom would ask: "what do you feel like eating today?" or" How about X today?" then they would buy what is needed for the meal and mom would make 2 days worth of main dish food. Breakfast and dinner were usually eggs, a sandwich, several breakfast foods on the table..etc. Basically whatever is in the fridge and whatever we feel like eating that morning/evening. If we need anything extra we would just go and buy it. Now I'm the same. I do make a rough plan to see how my calories are looking, but I often end up substituting things for other things on the spur of the moment.

    We had a whiteboard in the kitchen with the week's menu written on it, so you always knew what was for dinner :) I guess with 4 kids, two working parents, and umpteen activities to cart us around to, my parents had to be organized! lol It's so interesting to see how different people's habits and schedules are!

    My parents both had full time jobs, but happened to work in an area with lots of various shops with everything available that they could pick up on their way home. If we needed anything else, every common food item imaginable was a 5 minute walk away from our house. Corner shops, grocery shops, butchers, dairy shops, seafood shops...etc. I guess it was all so convenient that planning wasn't necessary.