Receta Menu Planning 101
After announcing my participation in October #Unprocessed yesterday, one of my Twitter followers posed the following question to me: What will be the hardest thing to give up?
My answer? Nothing.
I truly don’t think anything will be hard to give up during this month-long challenge. But, I do think I’m going to have to really plan ahead — especially when it comes to the first two meals of the day. Popping into my work cafeteria when I don’t have time to make breakfast or bring something for lunch is no longer an option since 95% of the food there is full of processed ingredients.
Lucky for me, I actually like menu planning. It gives me time to peruse my favorite food blogs, websites, and cookbooks for ideas, it reduces the stress of figuring out what to make for dinner every single night, and it actually saves us money.
Not a fan of menu planning? Well, I’ve put together a list of tips that help The Chef and I, and I hope they’ll help you too!
1. Commit to planning & find a planning style that fits you.
The Chef and I typically plan our meals out for the week on Sunday mornings, then we either go shopping that day or Monday. We usually only plan out our dinners for the week, knowing we’ll make extra for the following day’s lunch (more on that below) and relying on quick, unprocessed breakfast options to start our day (more on that in an upcoming post). My sister-in-law menu plans once a week, but plans out all three meals for each day of that week; this works best for their family of five. Others I know plan a months worth of meals at a time. Find what works for you, and stick with it!
2. Plan smarter, not harder.
“Work smarter, not harder” is one of The Chef’s favorite sayings, and it can be applied to menu planning as well. A quick check of your pantry and freezer before making your weekly plan usually saves you from buying ingredients you already have, and it can even provide a bit of inspiration as well. Also, create a weekly plan that utilizes the same ingredient in different ways. One roasted chicken can be used in a variety of recipes throughout the week.
3. Make a shopping list.
Planning your meals in advance allows you to make a list of all the ingredients you need for the week. Important tip: Actually take your list to the store; trust me … you’ll kick yourself if you forget it. Oh, if you just plan out your evening meals, don’t forget to add anything you need for other meals and snacks too.
4. Stock your pantry and freezer.
Having a well-stocked pantry and freezer ensures you’ll always have the basics on hand for most any recipe … and you’ll most likely be prepared for any meal emergency as well!
Leanne Vogel of Healthful Pursuit, has a great post about what to stock a a healthy pantry with, and October #Unprocessed founder, Andrew Wilder of Eating Rules has a great tutorial on organizing your pantry on his blog as well.
Looking for tips on stocking and storing food in your freezer? Check out these great posts from Annie’s Eats and Epicurious.
(Just a reminder … make sure everything your stocking your pantry and freezer with passes the kitchen test.)
5. Cook smarter, not harder.
The same principle that applies to menu planning applies to cooking as well. Make a large batch of soup or chili, eat some, then freeze the rest for another meal in a few weeks. When it comes to food preparation, try to prepare some items ahead of time. When you’re cleaning and chopping carrots for tonight’s soup, go ahead and cut up the vegetables for tomorrow night’s dinner as well, then store them in your refrigerator until the next day. Oh, if you’re recipes call for fresh fruits and vegetables, make those early in the week so the produce doesn’t have a chance to spoil. The same goes for fish. The Chef and I try to eat fish once a week, and we always make it the same night we go shopping so it’s super fresh.
6. Plan for leftovers.
As I mentioned above, The Chef and I only plan out dinners for the week, and we always make extra for lunch the next day. Leftovers can also be transformed into another meal. With a little creativity, the roasted potatoes, mushrooms, and onions that accompanied last night’s roast beef can easily be turned into a roasted vegetable frittata. Still have roast beef left too? Dice it all up, and make a warm, comforting hash. The possibilities are endless!
Well, that’s it.
Now tell me … what do you do to make menu planning just a bit easier?
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