Monday's Question of the day - March 3, 2014

Happy Monday everyone!   

I'm in a bit cheerier mood than normal; my husband took the day off today.  He's been getting a lot of overtime which is always nice; except when you get just exhausted.  It's also snowing here so I'm glad he's off the roads.  I've got plans to get some chili going in the crock pot here in a bit.

So that brings me to this week's question:

Meal planning!  How do you prepare for future meals?  Do you make a menu?  Do you just buy things and see what you come up with?  Take out?  Let someone else cook?

I like to use coupons and create a menu.  I started the menu thing years ago.  I figure out we waste a lot less that way.  I also grocery shop weekly.  When I used to do bi-weekly and freeze meats I'd always forget to take them out and defrost them.  Then I'd try to defrost in the microwave and yuck!  But this way I look forward to cooking more.  I can cook more based on what sounds good to me this week.  This week I have chili, chili-lime chicken, "one pot" tomato-basil pasta (with chicken cooked separately) and salmon with couscous. 

I take out of the freezer the night before what I'm cooking the next day.  I never have a menu or follow recipe's.  I do write a  list before going grocery shopping, never am without one. 

I usually have a two-week menu figured out and I tend to stick with it as much as possible. I have my coupons and my grocery list ready to go by Monday (we do our shopping on Monday nights). I check out the store's circular, compare the items with my coupons and go. I always have a running list of stuff that I know I'm going to need....as soon as I'm down a box or container of anything, it goes on the list.

I try to have two boxes or containers of everything (within reason), an open box and a waiting box. As soon as I open that second box, the item goes on my list to buy. It's important to me that I don't have to make a mad dash to the grocery store for flour or sugar or eggs. Special grocery trips add to the budget and they're not worth it, not when you consider the gas involved, too. I try to combine my coupons with sales whenever I can.

When pasta is on sale at 10 for $10, I'll buy ten boxes of a good variety to last me a while. Sometimes it's 79 cents a box and I'll do the same thing. Same with cans of tomato products. And I always buy the larger cans; I can portion out and freeze or make sure I use all of the product in that week.

We usually just eat whatever we have in the freezer, porkchops, hamburger, etc. Right now we're both on a diet, so there's not a lot of meat, a LOT of vegetables and salads I think I've come to the conclusion that if it tastes good, SPIT IT OUT, it can't be any kind of a diet food! We are having sugar free, fat free chocolate pudding at night for our dessert, it's the highlight of our day! Oh, I wanted to bring up that if your meat doesn't defrost right in your microwave ( partially cooked, loses all it's juice, etc.) it's your microwave. I got  a good, more expensive one and it defrosts perfectly. looks like it was in your fridge overnight!

I eat mainly meals that are shelf stable and when in mood for meat I go buy it that day and use it then or next day.  I usually have a chicken in freezer,some times many parts if I found the brand I like 1/2 off.   I usually get in mood for something a few days straight and happy eating basic non cooked foods.

I look at what's on sale, look at how much money I have, and how much time I'll have.  And school changes their mind literally sometimes the night before clinical, so you end up driving almost 2 hours to clinical instead of 30 min, etc.  That plays a lot into whether I cook something healthy or have a Totino's pizza.

I have a list for what I'm out of and need to replace, what I need to cook essetial stuff for the week, and then options for fruit and veg' that might be on offer.  I also avoid supermarket shopping when I can coz I'm more likely to get stuff that's not needed there - too many distractions and options for treats I can't afford.

I should probably be more organized and write a menu/calendar, but since it's just me, I normally just go to my local grocery store and occasionally farmers' market every two days or so and get my fruits, veggies, and meats. Then I'll continue shopping around, but I do set myself on a "time limit" that I spend buying food - if not, my cart would be piled up with not-so-healthy treats! 

We don't decide what to eat until we're hungry. So we get a bunch of staple products and usually wind up eating a lot of the same dishes.

I usually have things figured out a few days in advance but will also buy ingredients for meals to make in the next few weeks. What I mean by that is I had forgotten about a recipe I had for crockpot chicken taco soup. I had some chicken in the freezer so when I went to the store a few weeks ago I bought the rest of the ingredients so I could make it up when I didn't know what else to have.

I normally have some soups and stews in the freezer I can pull out for a quick meal also.