Sunday Feb 16, 2009 Part I of How I menu plan and why

Ok, you say "menu planning" and everyone lets out a collective groan....come on...let's hear it! BUT if you are going to save money it is a MUST. I mean MUST. And not just something as simple as dinner. I mean ALL meals! That way when you go to the grocery store you have a COMPLETE list of what you need, not just a list of dinners and "I'll fill in the rest". That's where the groceries get expensive.

From the get-go you have to say you will stick to that list. NO MATTER WHAT! If you think you will want something.....like icecream or a magazine.... go ahead and put it on the list, if you don't get it, more the better, but if you DO get it, at least you can say it was on the list! LOL

It may sound like a pain, but after a while you will figure out which stores have the cheaper items, so you will arrange your lists according to where to go. I know Aldi has cheap cereal we like, along with milk, eggs, bread, some veggies and fruits. I know Kroger will have discount breads (whole grain, flavors, etc) we like at good prices, and I like their meats, so I will shop their discount meats. I also like their cat food/litter prices, and I go there with my coupons because they double which also helps us with our gas because for every $100, we get a 10 cent discount per gallon. Etc, etc. you see how it goes. It is really about preference and where you can get the most bang for your buck, and how far you have to drive. Do I do all these stores in one day? Not always. I used to.

Saturday and Sunday is when I menu plan. The weekends are slower for me, and it gives me a bit more time to think. No homework usually for the kids, so I have more "me" time to think. Depending on what is going on (like yesterday was Valentines day) I will usually be able to get it done in one day, but sometimes I have to come back and do it the next and grocery shop that same day.

So, here's what I do: I go through the freezer and pantries (yes, I have 2! lol) and see/write down all that I have main food-wise. Meaning all the meat (even if the freezer is full), and anything else like pancake batter, hamburger helper, etc. I also check the fridge for cheese and eggs.

Then I look at my "Menu planning basic schedule for dinners" and make up my dinner meals out of what I have, and what comes on what days. Keeps things fresh- I usually find a new recipe or two to try, use some old favs and just have fun. I print out any recipes I need and put them in my control journal behind my Menu planning tab so I have them on hand for the week.

Then I look at the breakfast list. This is something I made up years ago and it really helps. It is just 14 breakfasts that are simple, cheap and that MY family likes. Your family may be different. It has evolved since we started public school to include faster things like cold cereal and blueberry muffins, but it also has things on it like pancakes, french toast, oatmeal, etc. Don't forget the fruit. Make it simple! I did 14 meals because we get paid every 2 weeks so I would go shopping for 14 days! I wanted to make sure my babies had food!

Lunches are done the same way- a list of 14. Now that we are in public school it has kind of evolved too, though! DD12 likes chicken breast deli sliced sandwiches, dd10 likes a warm lunch, so she usually takes leftovers, and dd8 likes a good thick peanutbutter sandwich! So, my lunch list is now trying to make healthier choices than just chips....I go with microwave popcorn, cheddar and carmel rice cakes from Aldi, they all love carrots and fresh fruit. They all take water, we reuse propel bottles!

Now that we are in public school (gosh how many times do I have to say that??!!! lol) I also have to add "snacks for school" to my grocery list because the 2 youngest have to have snacks everyday to take. They have late lunches, so the teachers let them have snacks mid-morning. So, that has to be added to my grocery list/menu list as well. It's not rocket science, a cheese stick and pretzels will do it for the most part, but they do want a variety too, so.....

But this is how I menu plan, Part II will be a copy of my basic dinner schedule, and part III will be my menu plan for this week.