Weekly Meal Plan

[whispering17]

It amazes me that most of you cook every night. I am single and most nights, I have a bowl od cereal or  a scrambled egg for dinner with toast. I forget to take something out of the freezer most times. My New Year's resolution is to try harder to eat better and cook more foods that have leftovers.

[marvholly]

whisperingI am a single.

I certainly do NOT cook every or even most nights. I batch cook about 1-2x/week and freeze individual portions. Even if I forget to defrost in the morning I can microwave defrost in the eve.

Things I batch cook:
soups
chili
lasagne (meat and veggie)
meat loaf (bake in muffin tin)
salsbury steak
chicken
potato & rice side dishes
lentil stew
steak (chuck or round) braised w/veggies (onions, peppers, carrots, mushrooms)
pasta sauce (red & pesto)
blck beans for salad plates & tacos
brown ground beef (for tacos & nachos)

I think my next big cook will be a 4-6 (or more) serving pot of Manhatten clam chowder.

[marvholly]

week of 1/4-10

Breakfast: pancakes, cereal x 2, yogurt w/ fruit x 2, cottage cheese, egg
Lunch: salad plate, veggie x 2, ham, egg, chicken, junk
Dinner: chicken x 2, cottage cheese x 2, tuna x 2, ground meat

Since I am retired & home a LOT more I am trying to go w/a plan of bigger meals at lunch & lighter (easier to prepare) at dinner. I seem to prefer that style.

[Iggy aka IG]

whispering17, I get what you are saying.  My eating habits are different when DH is out of town working.

Last night:  Beer can chicken w/ Alfredo spaghetti squash noodles
Tonight:  New recipe-Mongolian pork chops with zucchini noodles made from the new Veggetti
~DH out of town Wed-Fri~
Wednesday:  Leftover chicken and spag squash
Thursday:  Leftover pork chop
Friday:  Take out from?
Saturday:  Taco bake OR Atkins Chili
Sunday:  IDK yet

Edit to my Dec 29 post:  Instead of having fish last Thurs (which ended up being breakfast for supper), I made it Saturday.  I breaded tilapia with pork rinds, baked it, then put it on top of Romaine and Roma tomato in a cheddar cheese bowl, drizzled with a bit of homemade spicy ranch.  I served it with a swoosh of cauliflower puree on the side.  Fancy enough for a Facebook picture. 

[marvholly]

It has been SOOO cold here I have not done any shopping in >a week. I could do a plan since my ‘basic plan’ is pretty standard but want to see what I get at the grocery stores first. IF I get turkey it will be on the menu instead of chicken…….plus other possible things like eggplant as a veggie meal.

[marvholly]

Menu did not really change after my grocery shop on Sun but I suspect I will be making ad hoc changes over the week as I am NOT thrilled with it. I read a lot of blogs & many include a weekly menu plan. I am SHOCKED at how few incorporate even 1 serving of fish/week. I feel bad that I only do 2.

Breakfast: bread+, cereal x 3, yogurt x 2, waffle or pancake
Lunch: chicken, egg x 3, fish x 2, junk
Dinner: veggie x 2, cottage cheese x 3, ground meat, meat

[Iggy aka IG]

This week:
Last night:  Butter rubbed chicken drummettes, sauteed veggies for me, mac and cheese (free) and corn (leftovers from the freezer) for DH
Tonight:  Ground turkey taco bake

DH out of town Tues-Fri

Tues:  Leftover Atkins chili
Wed:  Leftover taco bake
Thursday:  Take and bake pizza
Friday:  Take out from?
Saturday:  Appetizers at a BD party
Sunday:  IDK yet

I must say I really do love challenging myself to use leftovers, both from the fridge and freezer.  Last night I sauteed up a bit of leftover zucchini from last week (the Veggetti leaves an inch or two off the end).  The corn was from November.  I made lunches using Romaine three different ways for for the next several days.  I haven't tossed any food for several weeks. 

[marvholly]

Jan 12, 2015 12:10:14 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

I must say I really do love challenging myself to use leftovers, both from the fridge and freezer.  Last night I sauteed up a bit of leftover zucchini from last week (the Veggetti leaves an inch or two off the end).  The corn was from November.  I made lunches using Romaine three different ways for for the next several days.  I haven't tossed any food for several weeks. 

I am a BIG believer in cook once, eat twice or more. Also, I frequently repurpose leftovers such as roast chicken going into a soup or fajitas or salad plate or...........

I, too, have not tossed anything in weeks.

[marvholly]

New week = New plan
1/18-24

Breakfast: egg, cereal x 2, yogurt x 2, bread+, pancakes or waffles
Lunch: salad plate, chicken x 2, tuna x2, ground meat, junk
Dinner: veggie x 2, cottage cheese x 3, meat, chicken

IF I get ambitous I may change the tuna to Manhatten clam chowder BUT I am trying to run DOWN the collection in my freezer.

[Iggy aka IG]

This week:

Last night:  Smoked pork butt, green beans, cottage cheese, baked beans for DH
Tonight:  Crock pot whole chicken shredded into burritos
Tomorrow night:  Enchiladas using leftover pork and low carb tortillas
Wednesday night:  "Zoodles" shrimp scampi
Thursday:  Leftovers
Friday:  Take out from?
Saturday:  Something with eggplant

[marvholly]

week 1/25-1/31

I just do NOT understand people who claim they cannot plan their meals ahead. I did a basic outline in about 5 minutes this morning & spent a bit of time (15 min?) making some changes and fleshing out several days. I do need to check the predicted weather this week to decide between clam chowder & calamari & fish filet for my fish this week. I should adjust breakfast to have another cereal. That is, at least partly, why my plan is done in pencil. I even have my sides planned for 2 ½ days.

It does help that I have a basic plan I try to tick to every week.

Breakfasts: cereal, cottage cheese x 3, yogurt x 2, egg
Lunchs: egg x 3, ground meat, fish x 2, junk
Dinners: chicken x 3, veggie x 2, meat, sandwich

[dogmom]

I do try to menu plan on Sundays for the following week.  I do cook larger quantities than I should for two people, but, some of the sides or main portion of the meal do get used for work lunches or Monday night buffet (Garbage pickup is Tuesday)  A staple every dinner is salad.  As a standard, I try for: 

Fish one night
Beef one night
Pork one night
Chicken one night  (or turkey)
a casserole one night
Veggie one night
Leftover night on Mondays.

I have been cooking more from the pantry over the last couple of weeks.  The veggie night usually has either pasta or rice involved.  Sometimes we do breakfast for dinner.  I try to make one new recipe each week.  (Thanks Iggy!  )

DH gave me a bit of grief the other day when I hadn't planned, and at I don't know, 10:00 am maybe, I asked him what he wanted for dinner.  He looked at me and said:  It's morning, how do I know    It does pay to plan.   

[wvugurl26]

Most of my issues with planning involve not knowing my schedule until the last minute. I do try to come up with a handful of meals when I do my grocery shopping. My brother could pick up an overtime shift at work which blows dinner to smithereens no matter if it's evening or midnight shift, we regularly go out with a friend for dinner but it varies between Mon/Tues, or my brother ate a late/large lunch and isn't hungry.

[3catslady]

3catslady's menu for the week of 1/25 to 1/31:

Breakfast: 5 stick rolls with tea, bagel with cream cheese, yogurt.
Lunch: 4 cottage cheese with fruit, soup over rice, ham and swiss sandwich, yogurt
Snack: 5 Fiber One bars, Rice Krispie treat, yogurt
Dinner:  Pizza, 3 chicken and veggies, 2 chili with baked potato,soup with rice.

[marvholly]

dogsmom
Like you I have a basic plan but mine covers all 21 meals/week:

3 cottage cheese
2 yogurt
pancakes or waffles
cereal
bread+ (peanut butter, cheese, cream cheese)
2 veggie
2 fish
3 chicken/turkey
3-4 egg
ground meat
meat (pork, beef.....)

Like I have OFTEN said - mine is done in pencil because I frequently make on the run changes because I felt like....or was lazy or was...........

I generally add a LARGE salad at 1 meal/day, a fruit at breakfast, at least 1 more veg serving/day and a carb of some sort at lunch & dinner.

[Blonde Granny]

I was going to fix meat loaf for tonight and put a second in the freezer. Instead, I think it's going to be a double batch of chili instead. I will need to make a quick trip to the store for a jalapeno pepper and some sour cream. Everything else I have in the pantry.

[Iggy aka IG]

I cannot believe it's almost February already....

(This was a fun meal plan to put together!)

Last night:  Eggplant Parmesan, a side of ham hock and beans for DH
Tonight:  Spicy orange chicken, cauliflower curry soup, and homemade grain free cheddar biscuits (if I have time)
Tuesday:  African peanut soup, cheddar brats
Wednesday:  Low carb pepperoni pizza
Thursday:  Leftovers
Friday: Take out from?
Saturday/Sunday (not sure which night will be which):  Smoked beef roast with roasted turnips and a fish night with crab cakes and either salmon or Fish En Papillote.

Breakfasts:  Leftover almond flour blueberry pancakes and turkey bacon, or boiled eggs
Lunches:  Turkey dogs in Romaine buns

Snacks:  Smoked Gouda, smoked almonds, beef sticks, cottage cheese

[marvholly]

I am substituting my original fish plan this week. I am putting off the clam chowder until next week (forecast is for REAL COLD then) and doing shellfish & a filet this week where temps are in the 30's (bearable).

[marvholly]

Not done my plan for 6this week yet. On my chore list for today.

However I HAVE planned today:
B: egg
L: veggie
D: meat

[Blonde Granny]

I'm cooking the pork shoulder today. I plan on 2 meals for it this week, one being sandwiches and the other being tacos. The rest will go into containers and put in the freezer for use later.

[3catslady]

3catslady's plan for the week Feb 1 to Feb 7:

Breakfast:  4 chocolate rice cakes with peanut butter, 3 peanut butter sandwiches, 7 cups of tea.
Lunch:  6 ham and swiss sandwiches, 1 cinnamon covered pretzel, 2 glasses of milk, 1 glass of soda, 4 glasses of water.
Snack:  5 Fiber One bars, 1 yogurt, 1 cottage cheese with fruit.
Dinner:  4 chicken with veggies, 1 baked potato with chili, 1 pizza, 1 soup with rice.

[marvholly]

Week of 2/1-7

Breakfast: cereal x2, yogurt x 2, bread+, egg
Lunch: veggie x 2, egg x 2, chicken x2, junk
Dinner: meat, cottage cheese x 3, fish x 2, ground meat

[Iggy aka IG]

Wow.  Feb already....

Tonight:  Spicy chicken, leftover Alfredo spaghetti squash
Tuesday:  Something with ground beef and low carb tortillas.  Nachos maybe?
Wednesday:  Boneless pork chops
Thursday:  Fish tacos
Friday:  Take out from?
Sat and Sun:  Not sure yet

Breakfasts:  The usual coffee and eggs, with occasional bacon
Lunches:  A combo of romaine and a protein

[marvholly]

2/8-14 General plan

Breakfast: yogurt x 2, cereal x 2, bread+, pancakes, cottage cheese

Lunch: chicken x 2, fish, egg x 3, meat

Dinner: fish, ground meat, veggie x 2 cottae cheese, chicken, junk 

[wvugurl26]

My best guess at meals.

Breakfast: Chobani and iced coffee on work days, Special K red berry on non work days

Lunch: Combination of take out with friends at work and leftovers

Dinner: Definite meals this week, ribs, sloppy joes or meatloaf, salmon and chicken something

[3catslady]

2-8 to 2-14 meal plan:

breakfasts- 3 apple muffins, 4 sweet rolls, 4 teas, 3 milks.
Lunches-  1 with the girls, 3 ham and swiss sandwiches, 3 bologna and swiss sandwiches, 7 waters.
Dinners-  1 BLT, 3 chicken and veggies, 1 soup and rice, 1 sloppy joe, 1 pizza
snacks- 4 Fiber One bars, 3 rice krispie treats.
desserts-  1 cup of peaches, 1 C. pears; 1 C. mandarin oranges, 1 C. chocolate pudding, 1 C. rice pudding, 1 C. tapioca pudding, 1 C. ice cream. 

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

On the menu this week for dinners: langostino, tofu (probably), canadian bacon, lean sirloin, chicken.

For my starches, I've still got delicata squash, and I've been on a bit of a popcorn kick. And there's always potatoes or toast

[Iggy aka IG]

Yay birthday week! 

Tonight:  chicken, leftover eggplant parm from the freezer
Tuesday:  Leftover brisket from a luncheon my agency sponsored in December.
Wednesday:  Breakfast for supper
Thursday:  Leftover brisket
Friday:  Out w/ the fam for my Birthday 
Saturday:  Birthday party munchies 
Sunday:  Leftovers

Breakfasts:  Boiled eggs, frittata
Lunches:  Romaine w/ turkey dogs or chicken salad
Snacks:  Cheese in moderation, boiled eggs, small serving sizes of nuts

Supper planning was a stretch here.  Hurry up payday! 

[marvholly]

Iggy

My 'payday' is tomorrow when my soc payment is direct deposited.

Here is why I do my weekly meal plan in pencil:

1. Got a call from a friend I have not seen since Oct. We made plans to go to dinner on Wed.
2. Spotted an interesting veggie meal idea. May schedulel next week.

It is only Tue & that is 2 changes already to my standard, basic plan. Good thing most weeks are NOT like this. I cannot afford to eat out this much regularly.

[marvholly]

Week of 2/15-021

Breakfast: cereal x 2, yougurt x 2, bread+, cottage cheese, pancakes or waffles

Lunch: fish x 2, egg x 3, chicken, junk

Dinner: chicken x 2, veggie x2, cottage cheese x 2, ground meat

As per usual lunch and dinner are interchangable.