Foods We Eat

So I'm still plodding along with this whole blog every day in May thing and todays prompt is food we eat. Well I've shared a fair bit on how we meal plan over the years and it's changed quite a bit.

At the moment we are still using the system I implemented in February. It's a weekly system and I use this printable.

If you click on the image you will be able to download it in a pdf if you think you might find it useful

As you can see I also list any baking that I plan to do on each day too. The menu plan starts on a Saturday because I shop on either Friday or Saturday each week. Our meals tend to change from week to week with a few favourites in rotation but I haven't just started doing on bulk meal a week. For example a fortnight ago we had lasagne on our meal plan so I made 4 at once and froze 3 for nights when we have netball or soccer etc so dinner is easy and I don't need to think about it. I've also got some homemade pies in the freezer at the moment too.

Coming into winter the slow cooker will also get a bit more of a workout. I do have a Thermomix, but the slowcooker comes in handy when I know I will have a busy afternoon and won't even have the time to put something in the thermi.

Do you menu plan? 

Prepare: Meal Planning and Tracking

I'm finally getting back into the swing of meal planning BUT I'm not doing a month at a time like I used to. I just don't have the time anymore to sit down and do a whole month at once so instead I'm doing it weekly.

But I am keeping a monthly inventory of meats etc that are in the freezer at any one time. Every month I am writing the master list for that month and then I cross them off when I add them to the meal plan and add items to the inventory list when I find a good special whilst doing my weekly grocery shop.

Below you can find a copy of one of our recent menu plans. On the plan I also include what I will be baking that way. I've found it easy to bake several times a week rather than spending a day doing bulk baking.

Every Friday I write up a new plan for that week. I start our meal planning weeks on a Saturday because that is the day either B or myself do the grocery shopping (secretly I am always hoping that B offers to do it because I HATE grocery shopping with a passion).

You can find a blank copy of my menu plan template here: http://www.andsewwecraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Menu-Plan-Weekly-blank.pdf

And the tracking that I mentioned is the title is that I am simply putting all the planned dinners in the My Fitness Pal on a Saturday for that whole week so that I stay accountable.

So far this system is working. I'll let you know if I change any of it.

Do you meal/menu plan? What method do you use?

Monthly Menu Plan June/July 2014

I've fallen off the menu planning bandwagon this year. It was all thanks to my morning sickness, but now that it has finally disappeared I thought I better get my act together and start planning our meals again.

I'm going to be doing them in a monthly block again until I head down to Perth in September to have this baby. Starting next month I'll also be including what freezer meals I will be making for after the baby is born. I'm hoping to have a well stock freezer come mid-September to tide me through October and hopefully part of November.


Chicken and Salad
Beans and Rice
Homemade Pizza (Ethan's Birthday dinner)
Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup
Simple Black Bean Soup

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili Mac
Sausages, Mash Potatoes and Vegetables

Curried Chickpeas
Tortilla Casserole

Spaghetti Bolognese
Chickpea and Pumpkin Burgers
Creamy Chicken & Brown Rice SoupTaco Salad

Healthy Mac and Cheese 
Peas and Pasta

Vegetable Chowder 

Lasagne, Chips and Salad

Satay Chicken and Rice

Mango Chicken and Naan Bread

Chorizo Pasta

Roast Chicken and Vegetables

Beef Burritos

Quiche and Salad

Lentil Bolognese

Steak and Vegetables
Pumpkin Soup and No Knead Bread

Can you suggest and freezable meals that I can start making next month? 

Jamie's Hit'n'Run Chicken

Okay, well this is my version of Jamie Oliver's hit'n'run chicken.

Ingredients:

Whatever roastable (totally a word) vegetables you have in the fridge- I mostly use zucchini, capsicum, onions, tomatoes.
1kg Chicken Drumsticks (Chicken Thighs work well for this too)
Herbs of your choosing- I used thyme and paprika this time.
Olive oil or coconut oil for drizzling over chicken and vege

Method:
Cut up all vegetables and whack in oven tray. Top with chicken drumstick then drizzle with oil and sprinkle with herb. Toss the chicken and vege with your hands to make sure they are all coated well with oil and herbs. Roast in a hot oven until cooked through. (About 45 minutes to an hour, my oven has a mind of it's own so I can't really give you an exact time. Sorry!)

With usually serve it with couscous, brown rice or a salad

Monthly Meal Planning {Jan/Feb 14}

So I am trying to be more organised this year and am making the switch from weekly meal planning to monthly. This is partly because I hate grocery shopping so want to get the shopping all over and done with it one burst per month. Of course there will be top up shops along the way, but I am hoping to con B into doing them. They will only be for milk, fruit and vege so it shouldn't be a drama at all.

1. Portobello, Sausage & Dried Apricot Risotto (recipe from Wholefood Workshop I did last year)
2. Lentil Hot Pot (Thermomix recipe book)
3. Spaghetti Bolognese
4. Steak and homemade Coleslaw
5. Baked Chicken and Crunchy Carrot Salad
6. Garlic Prawns (TM Recipe)
7. Lemon Calamari (TM Recipe)
8. Curry Vegetable Fritters (TM Recipe)
9. Zucchini Moussaka (TM Recipe)
10. Chorizo Pasta (TM Recipe) 
11. Potato Curry (TM Recipe)
12. Lasagna and Salad
13. Broccoli Noodles with Thai Peanut Sauce (Wholefood workshop)
14. Pesto Pasta with Slow Roasted Tomatoes (Wholefood workshop)
15. Lentil Burritos
16. Jamie's Hit'n'Run Chicken
17. Pesto Chicken (Tasty Chicken Cookbook)
18. Tacos
19. Lemon Chicken
20. Mushroom Risotto (TM Recipe)
21. Roast Chicken and vege
22. Roast Lamb and vege
23. Homemade Pizza

So as you can see I just have a list of meals for the month. I haven't set a meal for each night like I have in the past, and I haven't listed a meal for every single night of the month. Some night we will be having left overs or might be eating out. 

As the month goes one I will blog about the recipes that I am able and hopefully share if this method of meal planning has been a success for us. 

What about you, do you meal plan? 

Meal Plan Monday {week 16}

Monday: Chorizo Pasta
Tuesday: Steak and Vegetables
Wednesday: Chicken and Leek Pasta
Thursday:  Jamie Oliver's Hit'n' run tray baked chicken
Friday: Rice Paper Rolls
Saturday: BBQ
Sunday: Spaghetti Bolognese 

Baking: Candy Cane Bark, Choc Peppermint Slice and another batch of Peppermint fudge

What's on your meal plan this week?

Meal Plan Monday {week 9}

Monday: Beef and Red Wine Casserole
Tuesday: Mediterranean Baked Chicken and Roast Vege
Wednesday: Chicken Laksa
Thursday: Lentil Bolognese
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Homemade Pizza
Sunday: Chicken Sausages and Vegetable Bake

Baking: Mixed Berry Muffins

What's on your meal plan this week?

Meal Plan Monday... on Tuesday {week 7}

So yesterday was the last day of school holidays and I spent the day doing baking for lunches and completely forgot to post my Meal Plan for the week.

Monday: Chicken and Cashew Stir Fry
Tuesday: Lentil Hot Pot
Wednesday: Seafood Laksa (12wbt recipe)
Thursday: Chicken Veloute` Meal (Thermomix EDC)
Friday: Baked Fish and Sweet Potato chips.
Saturday: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Sunday: Slow cooker red wine casserole

Baking: Muffins

What's on your meal plan this week?

Meal Plan Monday {week 4}

This week we will be having a lot of mince dishes since I managed to pick up a lot of mince for cheap cheap cheap! Which never happens in this town everything is usually pretty expensive.

Monday: Dinner out for Caden's Birthday
Tuesday: Hamburgers
Wednesday: Seafood Laksa (12wbt recipe)
Thursday: Soft Tacos
Friday: Spaghetti Bolognese
Saturday: Falafels and Wraps
Sunday: Roast Chicken- this may change though as B's mum gets here on Sunday and her flight doesn't get in until 630pm and the airport is an hour away...

Baking: Cupcakes
Birthday Cake for the big 7 year old!!

What's on your meal plan this week?

Meal Plan Monday {week 3}

Monday: Chick pea and Cauliflower curry (12wbt recipe)
Tuesday: Penang Chicken
Wednesday: Seafood Laksa (12wbt recipe)
Thursday: Mediterranean Chicken (12wbt recipe)
Friday: Spaghetti Bolognese
Saturday: Falafels and Wraps
Sunday: Pork and Sweet Potato Mash

Baking: Cupcakes
Caramel Slice
Anzac Slice

What's on your meal plan this week?

Meal Plan Monday {Week 2}

Monday: Penang Chicken
Tuesday: Fried Rice
Wednesday: Rice Paper Rolls
Thursday: Beef with Creamy Mustard and Mushroom Sauce
Friday: Homemade Pizza
Saturday: Steam Fish with vege
Sunday: Beef stir fry with rice noodles

Baking: Chickpea Choc Chip Cookies

I didn't end up blogging the brownies last week as promised. The one time I made them Master Ethan helped by turning up the oven... Hence that were rather burnt brownies and really not suitable for public viewing. I will try again soon though.