Do you plan a weekly menu?

Platinum Member Joined: Jan 01 2006 Posts: 48156

Or what is your system?

Platinum Member Joined: Jun 09 2005 Posts: 11840

I plan weekly menus on Wednesday for Thursday-Wednesday, and go shopping on Thursday morning. That is the plan anyway.

Menu-planning is wonderful, it saves time, energy, and money. You know what you're cooking and don't need to think about it during the week. I also plan menus at a time when I'm not attached to the meal, so it's not a question of "what am I in the mood for?", but "what is practical for the day I'm planning for?"

You also go to the grocery store with a list firmly in hand, knowing what you need and how much of it.

I am now working on creating a master list of all the products I have in my home that I would need to buy at the grocery store, so that I can hang it on the fridge and highlight things that need to be bought. Then, on menu-planning day, I would just highlight the ingredients for the things on my schedule, and voila! A functional list.

At this point I cannot imagine life without menus!

My next step will be to keep a list of different dishes I make, so that at a glance I can make a crockpot recipe/soup/one-dish dinner/etc.

I have come to be much happier with housekeeping now that I have embraced it as an outlet for creative energy, I am constantly trying to improve my systems and find new ways to make things easier.
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Dip the apple in the honey...

Platinum Member Joined: Jan 17 2005 Posts: 5505

im impressed - we only know whats 4 dinner (or supper, depending on how controversial u r Wink

) when weve finished it - and even then (depending on how bad my cooking is) were not always sure...

Platinum Member Joined: Jun 09 2005 Posts: 11840

Posted: Tue, Feb 14 2006, 6:11 pm Post subject: re: Do you plan a weekly menu?

I generally plan menus. I've started posting it on the fridge too so that DH can see what is coming up and knows the consequences of impulsively using up all the ground beef in the house when he has a craving for hamburgers.

I also have a shopping list that goes with it; I try to limit my shopping trips to one per store per week. Shopping is a huge time and energy drain IMO.

Gold Member Joined: Nov 23 2004 Posts: 1045

I am such a nerd...yes I make menus but the nerdy part is , I made an aisle by aisle list for walmart, with the prices, all in the computer, so I just highlight & print it out!

I make my menu on sunday and my list and everything!
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boy~8 yrs.
girl~6 yrs.
girl~4 years
boy~2 year
boy~2 weeks
KA"H!!!

Platinum Member Joined: Jun 09 2005 Posts: 11840

That's not nerdy, that's wonderful!

Posted: Tue, Feb 14 2006, 7:15 pm Post subject: re: Do you plan a weekly menu?

Used to

should get back into it?

Platinum Member Joined: Jan 01 2006 Posts: 48156

I try to, I operate within a system (meat on Sunday and so forth) and I know I need salad for lunch and bread for sandwiches....

I take it a step further and plan my outfits a week ahead of time, too!