How do you plan meals for the week?

[JustJen]

How do you plan meals for the week and do you have any tips for cooking?

I personally plan dinners around the meat of the week. If Ground Beef is on sale, we are guaranteed to have at least three-four meals with it.
I do alot of pre-cooking.
I boil chicken breast and shred or dice them then freeze in several small containers. I also brown ground beef with onions, green peppers, and seasonings, then drain and freeze in several small containers. So I don't have to worry about the meats going bad in the fridge before its time to use them and they are pre cooked, so it cuts my prep time considerably. Think about it, instead of spending all that time every night cooking the same meat in a similar fashion as the day before, I can cook severlal days worth in the same amount of time as one nights worth!

Any others?

[SoCalMom]

I buy meats on clearance or super good sales and portion out. some is frozen raw, in portions, some is pre-prepped and cooked, much the way you described. Frozen veggies, too. I plan my meals according to what is in the freezer

[churn111]

Funny this is posted because I was thinking last p.m. wonder if anybody on here does the OAMC deal. (once a month cooking).

I am thrifty, frugal and inventive but I CANNOT plan ahead for meals to save my life right now.

Hope this thread gets lots of answers.

[savingbigbucks]

I plan my meals around what is on sale, but I love to cook so I plan out 2 weeks worht of meals so all I have to do in the morning is decied which meal I want to make and get stuff out of the freezer. I have found by doing it this way ( only going to the store 1 time a week, 1 big shopping trip and 1 time to get the sale items) I don't buy stuff I don't need (cookies, cake...) I also try and use whole chickens. I use the meat off the bone then boil the rest for a great chicken broth

[JustJen]

Originally Posted by churn111

Funny this is posted because I was thinking last p.m. wonder if anybody on here does the OAMC deal. (once a month cooking).

I am thrifty, frugal and inventive but I CANNOT plan ahead for meals to save my life right now.

Hope this thread gets lots of answers.

I've tried something like it - but it was more like make a bunch of meals for just when I don't feel like cooking or I don't have time. It was pretty nice. I made lasagna, meatballs, a delicious mac-n-cheese, the awesome pasta, brocolli cassarole (sp?), lasagna roll ups, Mini Shepard's pies, and some other things. It was nice to just pull something out and heat. Problem is, it is time consuming, you need a full day or two to do it and with my four children (baby, twin pre-teens, and husband ) it is hard to find that time. But I do it on a smaller scale now. Like if I am making pasta, I make extra and then freeze the extra. Works out just as nice and since I'm already cooking, it doesn't take any more time to do.

[MarlaSinger]

I love cooking ahead!

For things like chicken, I like to throw 5-6 pounds in the oven at a single whack, then do all the deboning and freeze a variety of portion sizes - smaller ones to make a quick lunch out of or to throw into a salad for dinner, larger ones for a main dinner entree, and XL ones for when we have extra people over to feed. I don't like leftovers, so this helps avoid them.

The best thing about cooking ahead to me is that I can take just a matter of a few hours on a single day, totally destroy my kitchen, and then spend the following week with minimal clean up. It also helps to have your own convenience food! It helps keep us out of the drive through or getting take out on those nights when no one feels motivated put something together. It also allows us to have better tasting food - spaghetti sauce that's been simmered for hours, meat that has been marinated, etc.

I also love to make cookie dough in large batches and freeze into small portions so we can have fresh baked cookies anytime

[JustJen]

I totally agree with it keeping you out of the drive through and the better taste. Seriously, does anyone actually prefer one of those icky little greasy rubber burgers from McDonalds to a thick juicy fresh cheese stuffed homemade burger?

Originally Posted by MarlaSinger

I love cooking ahead!

For things like chicken, I like to throw 5-6 pounds in the oven at a single whack, then do all the deboning and freeze a variety of portion sizes - smaller ones to make a quick lunch out of or to throw into a salad for dinner, larger ones for a main dinner entree, and XL ones for when we have extra people over to feed. I don't like leftovers, so this helps avoid them.

The best thing about cooking ahead to me is that I can take just a matter of a few hours on a single day, totally destroy my kitchen, and then spend the following week with minimal clean up. It also helps to have your own convenience food! It helps keep us out of the drive through or getting take out on those nights when no one feels motivated put something together. It also allows us to have better tasting food - spaghetti sauce that's been simmered for hours, meat that has been marinated, etc.
I also love to make cookie dough in large batches and freeze into small portions so we can have fresh baked cookies anytime

[churn111]

Originally Posted by JustJen

I totally agree with it keeping you out of the drive through and the better taste. Seriously, does anyone actually prefer one of those icky little greasy rubber burgers from McDonalds to a thick juicy fresh cheese stuffed homemade burger?

Even with not planning ahead, the drive thru just doesn't cut it. Too much $ to feel like theres a greasy brick in my belly.

[MarlaSinger]

I could go the rest of my life without another McDonald's hamburger, but I can't say the same for the fries or Asian chicken salad!

[JustJen]

Originally Posted by MarlaSinger

I could go the rest of my life without another McDonald's hamburger, but I can't say the same for the fries or Asian chicken salad!

EEEWWWW! I just hate McDonald's all together. Now Chik-fil-a is another story!