Help with Meal Planning

[MMDad]

Originally Posted by happyappygirl

OMG I'm DIZZY..HOW do you DO this??? that's what i wanna do...my co-worker cooks TWO days a week (sun/wed), and re-uses leftovers alternating the meals...my family won't eat leftovers, we just fed about 6 lbs of turkey to the chickens from Xmas dinner!!
does that make them almost cannibals?

That's how mad cow spread. Now what, mad bird flu can't stop squawking hens? I think that was Monday night

[happyappygirl (Premo)]

Originally Posted by khall1195

OK, so I'm not a working mom, but I'll tell you what we do for our menus. The kids liked hearing about meals dad had at sea, so we went with that idea. We plan on something named after the letter of the day. Something like Meatloaf Monday, Taco Tuesday, Fish Friday, Spaghetti Saturday. Things like that.

Rottncop just yelled at me about this...he LIKES the element of surprise each night, he doesn't want the routine....meatloaf monday-pizza friday

he keeps chanting...it woooon't work; it woooon't work; it woooon't work; you're not that goooooooooooooood naysayer.....

OMG i think i just figured it out...he likes the many meals we go OUT for because i can't pre-plan my shopping trip and meals so i give in and say let's go out.... HELP!!

[khall1195]

[quote=happyappygirl]...he LIKES the element of surprise each night, he doesn't want the routine....meatloaf monday-pizza friday
QUOTE]

It still could have a surprise in there. How about a Meat Monday, any meat, or a Finger Food Friday? And you could make Whatever Wednesday...

[kom526]

Rachael Ray cookbooks are must haves for any household. For the crock pot, the "Fix it and forget it" cookbook is a great book to have also.

[mixallagist]

I couldn't live without my crockpot. I work nights right now but if i'm running errands during the day and don't put something in the crockpot I make sure i have stuff made up in the fridge for the kids to make quesidillas(not sure of spelling). I either have some chicken or beef and veggies cooked up and in the fridge and flour or corn tortillas on hand and they can put the ingredients in them and put them on my george forman want to be grill and heat them up. Quick simple and pretty cheap if you can get the meat on sale.

[Sierra]

You guys have inspired me to break out the dusty old crock pot, too! I've only actually used it to keep food warm during parties...

My suggestions for simplifying meal planning are:

- have one or two weekly meals that are always the same (we used to do Friday spaghetti nights when the kids were little)

- have one carry out or eat out night (pizza, Chinese, etc.)

- that leaves only 4 nights to plan meals for; if you buy ground beef in bulk, you can brown two pounds at once and use one for tacos or wraps and another in a recipe (like chili or casserole)

- now you only have to be truly creative for 2 meals! So pick two new recipes to try each week until you find your family's favorites!

Good luck! Now that it's just me at home, I tend to just come home and stare in the fridge until I'm inspired...or eat out!

[happyappygirl (Premo)]

thanks sierra and khall! BOTH great ideas!! And off to amazon online for ray and fixit it books....

[LexiGirl75]

I remember with my first apartment I had this really tiny crockette and I use to cook dry beans in it and those things smelled heavenly when done. I love pinto and lima beans. That's what crocking is all about. I may dust mine off too. :)

[BS Gal (Premo)]

Get some hotdogs (protein), wrap em in crescent rolls (carbs), bake for 10-15 minutes until brown, throw some mustard and relish (veggies) on them. Voila! Complete nutritional meal and nothing says lovin' like a pig in a blanket.

[sanchezf (Premo)]

This website seems to be a great one http://www.tastycrockpotrecipes.net/