Meal Planning

luvJOJO · June 2011

So....I'm trying to get better about cooking / meal planning etc. I am not the best when it comes to cooking and I DESPISE going to the grocery store lol. I am a single mom so I'm always looking for the quick and easy way. By the time I get off work at 5:00pm and pick up my son it’s usually 6:00 or 6:30pm before we get home and later if he has an activity like baseball or karate. I had a friend suggest cooking all of my meals on Sunday but I just don’t think that will work for us. I’m not a huge fan of leftovers and neither is he and it’s just the two of us. What usually ends up happening is I go to the grocery store and don't cook what I get before it goes bad and I end up throwing a ton of stuff out. I can’t afford to do this anymore!! I need to make a change to save money and eat better. What I would really like to start doing is plan out my entire week instead of just buying stuff at the grocery store and then coming home & trying to decide at the last minute what to cook / eat. I know there are some websites that you can do this on that will even generate a grocery list. Does anyone here use anything like that? How do you usually plan out your meals / grocery shop? I am open to suggestions. Right now we eat a lot of sandwiches and quick and easy stuff but I really want to start cooking and trying new things (even if I cook just a few nights a week).

bachooka · June 2011

This isn't exactly what you were asking for but here is my advice...

Go to the store, get a crockpot and a slow cooker recipe book... pick your meals from there and then go shopping for what you need and toss it all in before work and you will have dinner sitting there ready for you when you get home.

Shua456 · June 2011

I do this and not only does it save you time it saves you money because you don't buy what you don't need.

We have a two week rotation that we go through and when we get bored with it we'll add something new in there or try a new recipe.

A quick favorite around here is grilled chicken salads. Just pull the chicken out of the freezer before going to work in the morning and you can have dinner on the table in about 15 minutes.

Use your crockpot, even in the summer you can make a good delicious meal that's ready for you when you get home - no matter what time that is.

Just sit down with your son and make up a menu for the next two weeks, shop according to that menu and each morning before going to work make sure you've pulled what you need out of the freezer. it really does take the stress off - I hate to cook as well and having a menu makes it so much easier.

Kminor67 · June 2011

What about a quick stir fry? Cook a couple of chicken breasts, slice em up, and then add a frozen veggie blend. I usually cook the entire box when I buy brown rice, and then I freeze it in single portions, so I can just throw em in the microwave for a couple of minutes, and serve the stir fry over it. Add a little low sodium soy sauce and voila! Quick healthy dinner.

ComfortFoodAddict · June 2011

I buy a few frozen meals and add veggies and stuff to them. On nights I have time to really cook, I make a large meal and bulk it up with healthy items. After we eat, I package it up into a freezer containers with enough to serve 2. Then, I do the same thing the next time I cook. Pretty soon you have a freezer full of ready made healthy meals that are good for when you dont have time to cook and for when you are low on cash. It does take a little time to buy up a stock pile, but you will be there before you know it. This does require you to have freezer space and to buy several storage containers. I also make freezer meals when I notice I have way to much produce that will go bad soon if I don't use it up. Lasagna and Spaghetti are two of the easiest to bulk up with all kinds of veggies!

dls06 · June 2011

Pick one day and cook all your meats for the week. Freeze them and when you want them your done. Add some fresh cooked sides and a salad.

Meal Planning

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