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 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 15}

I missed week 14... not from lack of having a meal plan, but from lack of having the time to share it here...

And there were some good meals too. We had Rice Paper Rolls, A Jamie Oliver Chicken dish (It was good and will be on the meal plan again this week!) and Spaghetti Bolognese just to name a few.

Never fear, week 15 is here!

Monday: Jamie Oliver's Hit'n' run traybaked chicken
Tuesday: Salami spaghetti carbonara
Wednesday: Capsicum and Leek Quiche
Thursday:  Pasta fagioli
Friday: Burritos
Saturday: BBQ
Sunday: Roast Chicken

Baking: Candy Cane Bark, Rocky Road, Peppermint fudge

What's on your meal plan this week?

Meal Plan Monday {week 13}

So this week I am trying out some recipes from a new book I received in the mail to review.
The book is called Baby Booms, Bellies and Blood Sugars: : How to lose inches, lower blood sugars and get your energy and life back! And whilst the title doesn't really make the book sound like something suited to me because I am definitely not a baby boomer... BUT I do have PCOS and well it is recommended that people with PCOS follow a diet pretty much the same as those with diabetes. 

My Grandfather was also diagnosed as having pre-diabetes symptoms so I was interested in finding out more for him too.  

I have been reading the book and it certainly is interesting. I will probably share more with you about it next week after I try a few more of the recipes and read more of it. 

If you want to find out more about the book, go here: http://www.babyboomersandbellies.com

Anyway, now for my menu plan for the week.

Monday: Bacon Onion and Tomato Slice {from Baby Boomers, Bellies and Blood Sugars}
Tuesday: Chicken Curry {from Baby Boomers, Bellies and Blood Sugars}
Wednesday: Sausages, Mash and assorted vegetables {B's cooking}
Thursday: Going out for dinner. 
Friday: Burritos
Saturday: BBQ
Sunday: Roast

Baking: Choc Chip Biscuits

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.

Meal Plan Monday

I'm on a crusade to be more organised so every Monday from here on out I will be blogging my menu plan for the week. I am also going to try and include baking for school lunches and possibly a run down of what is going in the kids lunch boxes.

So this weeks meal plan is:

Monday: Beef Stroganoff with Pasta and Beans
Tuesday: Sticky BBQ Beef with shredded slaw {12wbt recipe}
Wednesday: Spaghetti Bolognese and Salad
Thursday: Left over Bolognese sauce parcels with Salad
Friday: Bean Nachos With Chilli Guacamole (12wbt recipe)
Saturday: Fettuccine Marinara
Sunday: Baked Fish with Sweet Potato Chips and Salad

Baking: Chewy Chia Brownies (will hopefully blog this recipe this week. I have been playing with it for a few weeks and think I have finally got it right)


Do you meal plan? What's for dinner at your house this week?