Meal planning for dummies needed

[Allegra21]

Hi everyone, I read about everyone having their meal plans and everyone seems to be so on the ball with it, saving money, getting organised. Can anyone tell me how they do it? At the moment I just put every recipe that I like the look of in my reading list on my ipad. My list is huge and becoming unmanageable 

[Amy :-)]

Allegra, I've divided my "to-try" list into different sections to correspond with the guide I use to plan my meals. It took me a while to do this but now it only takes me 5 minutes to make a meal plan each week. The guide I use is purely for nutritional purposes, to make sure I use a variety of ingredients that cover our nutritional needs. My guide goes something like this:

2 pasta based
2 potato based (1 sweet, 1 white)
2 rice based
1 bread based

1-2 red meat
2-3 chicken
2 fish/seafood
1-2 vegetarian

So a typical weekly plan might look something like this....

Monday: chicken curry with rice and veg
Tuesday: spaghetti bolognese with lots of added veg
Wednesday: baked fish on sweet potato mash with homemade tomato sauce and steamed veg
Thursday: chicken and vegetable stir-fry with noodles
Friday: homemade pantry pizzas
Saturday: pasta fagioli
Sunday: slow roasted lamb with roast potatoes and steamed veg

I usually do red meat on a Sunday, so if there's a particular recipe using red meat that I want to try, I would put it there instead of the roast. Same with any other days and recipes
And sometimes I deliberately change them around completely just to keep things interesting. I also try not to plan consecutive meals using the same ingredients.

I hope I've helped!

[Halex]

Allegra, .i do all my meal planning on Paprika app on my ipad, love it

[cookie1]

Allegra I love doing my menu plan for the week. I use lots of my cookbooks, recipes from recent magazines and forum recipes. I sit down with them and decide what we will have. I take into account what is going on each day and who will be home for dinner. I have devised a menu plan that I have sent to several members.
I have 2 red meat meals a week, 1-2 vegetarian, 1 fish and 3 chicken. I plan the sides to match the protein of each meal.
I am happy to send you a copy of my plan but I am away at the moment.
My plan has a place for where I will find the recipe and the things I need to buy to do the recipe.

[obbie]

I always sort of planned each weeks meals, but now plan each nite properly.
Takes me about 10 minutes a week.

I take out the meat / fish for tomorrow nite today, so its defrosted.
 
Try and plan if i am cooking for 6-7 or 4 helps too.

[mcmich]

I use Cookies meal planner and it is very easy to follow. I like that it has a place to put where the recipe came from.
E.G. Donna Hay No 54 pg 70. I only use 2 books or magazines along with the forum. I leave these couple of mags or books in the kitchen for easy access.

Several other members use apps on their ipads etc.

To get started just draw some columns up on a piece of paper or on your computer. Choose your meals and write them down in the first column and where the recipe is from in the next column. Keep your recipes for the week in a handy spot. Check the pantry and freezer for the ingredients and write down your shopping list with items you need to buy. At the end, have a column to rate how your family liked the meal or improvements. Then you can toss the meals that aren't suitable and start a file for favourites.   

[Yvette]

Allegra I just menu plan in my head pick the meals and make sure you have the ingredients simple it is also a good idea to get the kids to pick a meal that they like if they are fussy eaters.

[teagg]

Oh! Could I have a copy of the menu plan too, please?
Thanks
Gillian x

[goldfish]

Hi Gillian - I have a copy of Cookie's meal planner - she's on holidays at the moment so if it helps I can send a copy to you . . .

Did you get the chickens??

[nazar]

gold fish
 could you please  send it to me to thank you   , as l really need to start doing this as  my freezer is so full hally would be so pround of me

[cookie1]

Thanks GF. Mine is on the home computer. If anyone still wants it you will need to pm me your email and I 'll send it next week.

[obbie]

so much more organized meal planning now.

cooking for 6 every nite

[haybray]

Hi Cookie,
Could you please email me your meal planner too. Thanks heaps Trisha.

Trisha, I have deleted your email address - as moderators we now have everyone's email address at our fingertips so Cookie will be able to access it. JD

[cookie1]

No worries Trisha I will send it off to you. It will be on your every day email. As Judy mentioned we now have access to them.

[cookie1]

Haybray I am having a bit of trouble with my main computer, I don't think it likes me. I'll send the menu planner off to you as soon as I can. DD will be able to fix it when she gets home from work tonight. I think it needs replacing, thank goodness I have my iPad.