Do you meal plan?

[TheEdgeOfTheAbyss]

When I lived on my own in college I always set down a meal plan for the week. Now that I've moved back home I end up doing them for my family. My mom set out to do them to reduce waste, then decided it was too hard. While they are a little harder to do for other people (I honestly only eat at home 2-3 days a week anyway), I'm not sure what she found difficult about it.

Do you make meal plans?
Do you find it easy or hard?

[A Spoonful of Cinnamon]

TheEdgeOfTheAbyss

When I lived on my own in college I always set down a meal plan for the week. Now that I've moved back home I end up doing them for my family. My mom set out to do them to reduce waste, then decided it was too hard. While they are a little harder to do for other people (I honestly only eat at home 2-3 days a week anyway), I'm not sure what she found difficult about it.

Do you make meal plans?
Do you find it easy or hard?

I do meal plans. I don't find them difficult at all. They not only save you time, but save you from over spending!

[spacekitten]

I do meal plans. The grocery store is a 30 minute drive, so I'd rather not make a million trips throughout the week. If I plan a week's worth of meals, keeping in mind when we'll be out of the house or busy, I can buy it all in one trip, and we also end up getting take out a lot less!

[Robert Ramos]

I don't have a meal plan, per se, but what I do is keep alternating my meals. For example, I'll go to the grocery store and buy extra lean ground beef, chicken, and fish.


I'll start off the week with the ground beef (since that's a refrigerated item and spoils first) and will usually make a pasta with it. When that's done, I might move onto chicken and rice. When that's done, I might move onto fish and rice.


I then go to the grocery store and repeat the process.

[shadow22cat]

When I was cooking from scratch/cookbooks more I tried to go over an actual plan for each week. It seemed good then, since I can make sure I have all the supplies and such beforehand. I don't cook like that as often anymore. Wish I did...But now I eat a lot less, and one meal can turn into at least 2 for me. At certain restaurants I can space out the leftovers as my lunches for a week. Lost a lot of weight this way, and I'm more aware of what I eat. So, in a way I'm planning depending on what I have the day before.

[1kaz]

I dunno never had one, just try to eat three times a day or at the very least twice

[Lilac Wood]

I used to but I found we were spending more when we were meal planning. I think it's because I had a tendency to overestimate how much my fiance and I really needed for each meal and I often over complicated things.

Now we just buy certain staples and whatever produce is in season or on sale. It works out better for us.

[SinSeraphineCaspian]

TheEdgeOfTheAbyss

When I lived on my own in college I always set down a meal plan for the week. Now that I've moved back home I end up doing them for my family. My mom set out to do them to reduce waste, then decided it was too hard. While they are a little harder to do for other people (I honestly only eat at home 2-3 days a week anyway), I'm not sure what she found difficult about it.

Do you make meal plans?
Do you find it easy or hard?

ALWAYS! every week I look at what we have, coupons I have cut from the previous sunday, and things we need like milk and bread. I make the list.
then I plan what we are having mon-sun. then do it again.
its not hard. and I find that anyone who thinks so just doesn't want to take the time.

[BIJINKEI]

I did the meal plan at my university during the first year and my cholesterol went up tremendously. The dining hours were all that great and the only healthy food was at the salad bar since everything else wasn't all that great and healthy. Not to mention, due to them closing early, the other dining hall that remained open for late hours only served pizza, burgers and pretty much all sorts of greasy foods. I've been off the meal plan and off campus and I get a weekly allowance from my parents for food which has given me the opportunity to choose healthier options, I'd much rather stick to this.

[TheEdgeOfTheAbyss]

Lilac Wood

I used to but I found we were spending more when we were meal planning. I think it's because I had a tendency to overestimate how much my fiance and I really needed for each meal and I often over complicated things.

Now we just buy certain staples and whatever produce is in season or on sale. It works out better for us.

I can kinda see this. I think my mom's main problem is she gets whatever "looks good" and ends up getting more than she is willing to cook. If I didn't have a plan I tended to underestimate and have to either go again, or scrape by on odd staples like toast and canned green beans.

[Limonchiki]

I plan out each day the day before, but I've never planned for the week. I never know what I'm going to want, so a plan feels too restrictive, like I have to eat what I planned even if I don't feel like it.

Lilac Wood

Now we just buy certain staples and whatever produce is in season or on sale. It works out better for us.

^ this is basically the same thing I do

[svartidaudi]

No, not really. I only cook for myself so I don't find it necessary. I just keep pantry and frozen foods around and eat whatever whenever. I go to the store for fresh veggies and stuff every once and awhile.

[Silvyee]

I do. It doesn't really save me money, but it keeps me from running out of things, which helps because I only get paid twice a month.

There are some great free downloads here to help, I use these, even though I'm not a mom. razz

Free Planners.

[FindingJackie]

I always meal plan. That way I don't spend too much at the grocery or go back every day, I don't waste food, and I get a little happy on the days I know I'll try a new recipe. It's usually pretty easy.

It gets more complicated when you can't quite tell when someone will be coming to visit or when someone will decide not to eat at home, though, so I understand how a busy mom could find it a little complicated with the kids and all. When you get used to it, though, it makes everything so much easier.

[MeIanite]

Yeah. I kinda have to otherwise we'd eat sandwiches all the time. I usually have to know the night before what we're going to eat so I can take the meat out of the freezer and let it defrost. Sometimes I'll even chop up all the vegetables I need and put them in the fridge to save time. When my family gets hungry food has to be served quickly or they'll order out or make sandwiches.