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Menu planning again!

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clothmama
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Menu planning again!

Postby clothmama » Tue Feb 13, 2018 6:40 pm

OK so I'm trying to get my highly unorganised getting on top of me life in gear and am going to try to get on top of my shopping / cooking / meal planning both in terms of time / organisation but also finances as I'm just spending waaaaay too much on food.

I am determined to get on top of my life and I'm going to do some serious batch cooking / meat prep for the freezer. Today I went and did a huge shop. There was a meat sale on so I got 6kg of chicken breasts (2 to go in the slow cooker for a curry (will do 4 meals for the 4 of us), 2 to slice up and freeze for fahitas, and 2 to slice up for stir frys). So in total for €40 I have probably 10-12 meals for 4 or 5 of us which I think is pretty good for meat. I feel like if it is presliced and packed in correct quantities then it is soooooo soooo easy to get out to thaw and easy to chuck veg in for quick and healthy dinner. It SO helps that I got my gorgeous huge cast iron wok out of the barn yesterday :yahoo: Then got about 4kg of stewing beef so I'll do 2 kg of Boeuf Bourgingon and 2 kg for Gordon Ramseys beef in ale in the slow cooker - probably 2 meals from each (with leftovers for lunch for 1-2 peeps normally) so another 4 so I have meat for say 15 meals which should do me the month at least when you take out egg meals, pizza meals etc.

New plan is (and hoping with my new bullet journal easier to follow as all in one spot):
Monday: Italian
Tuesday: Taco Tuesday (some sort of mexican or similar style food)
Wednesday: Wok Wednesday (Asian (SE) )
Thursday: Fish / oven food
Friday: Pizza (and wine :wine: :hohoho: )
Saturday: Curry
Sunday: DIY (one bonus of big kids!)

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mrsm4
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Re: Menu planning again!

Postby mrsm4 » Wed Feb 14, 2018 9:45 am

We’ve been doing this since I changed my Job just before Christmas and it’s helped so much! Especially with eating at decent times,

We use the slow cooker a lot and then freeze left overs and every now and then we do a left over night :) plus it means there is always something in for the older boys to cook if they need too :thumbsup:

We brought a magnetic menu from amazon for the fridge and Ben loves writing the menu out :giggle:

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Re: Menu planning again!

Postby clothmama » Wed Feb 14, 2018 10:53 am

mrsm4 wrote:We brought a magnetic menu from amazon for the fridge and Ben loves writing the menu out :giggle:

That is a great idea - I actually have a cute blackboard that is another of my endless 'to do' and 'to buy for the house' lists but currently blank (not because there is nothing to do or get either :hohoho: ) and all that will go into my Bullet Journal now I've got one so may just repurpose the blackboard for a menu - good idea :thumbsup: @mrsm4 (and I'll see if I can get Louis to write it out :giggle: )

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Re: Menu planning again!

Postby mrsm4 » Wed Feb 14, 2018 4:01 pm

Image It’s a lot easier to see too and I can leave messages for the older boys to start cooking for when I get in, so things like peel the pots or pre heat oven etc and we all know where it is and to check,

Can’t turn the pic! Sorry :wink:

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Re: Menu planning again!

Postby clothmama » Wed Feb 14, 2018 4:19 pm

That looks great! What is slow cooker chicken and chorizo that sounds very yummy @mrsm4 ?

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Re: Menu planning again!

Postby mrsm4 » Wed Feb 14, 2018 4:31 pm

Litterally what it says lol
We fry up some onion (small bits kids don’t like bits lol) and chorizo, then chicken thighs or breast add some passata or chopped tomatoes which ever you like, add a stock pot and we like a touch of chilli and some paprika, cook on low for 6-7 or high for 3-4 hours and hey presto, we have it with rice but could have it with potatoes or couscous or any side you like really, our kids are quite good with spice but you can put as much or as little as you want :thumbsup:

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Re: Menu planning again!

Postby clothmama » Wed Feb 14, 2018 6:37 pm

Yum that sounds so quick and easy - all my lot love chorizo! Will try that soon - thanks @mrsm4 :thumbsup:

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Re: Menu planning again!

Postby mrsm4 » Wed Feb 14, 2018 7:45 pm

It is delish :) kids love it too, and so easy,

Love my slow cooker :love:

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confusinglady
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Re: Menu planning again!

Postby confusinglady » Thu Feb 15, 2018 10:06 am

I really think you ll find the bullet journal useful @clothmama :thumbsup:
At times of great stress for me I suddenly realise I haven't done it for two weeks and that's why I'm getting more stressed.


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