Meal Planning

[Julie-Ann]

Do you plan all your meals for the week in advance? Or do you decide at the last minute every afternoon? Do you think planning all your meals in advance saves money when shopping?
I tend to decide 2 days at a time. DH frequently says at the last minute that he has a dinner or a meeting tomorrow. Plus I like to use fresh meat rather than frozen meat. But I did cook lots of meals for myself in advance this weekend. And now the freezer is full.
What do you do?

[mjm]

I am a last minute decision girl in the afternoon over here, but I keep saying I must do up a menu for a week or 2 and shop for those ingredients and then never do...

Sometimes I do a big shop but end up buying things that I feel like on the day but then don't get around to cooking them and they rot and I have to throw them out.

I also prefer fresh meat instead of frozen, I bought some chuck steak from IGA the other day and got it home and opened it and it was rancid it was well within its use by date by a few days but when I opened it there was a distinct smell and a brownish bit... oh I sent my 17 yr old in originally to buy it, otherwise I probably would have picked up on the brown bit..

I wish I had a local butchershop without having to go to a major shopping centre, I miss the old butchers...

[judydg]

I plan in advance when I am being healthy - then wing it when I am not! I have just got a thermomix so i am trying lots of new things and so I seem to be always at the shops getting ingredients!

[Eli]

I am so jealous judydg, you will have to do a review of it for all of us that are hankering after one.

[Di]

I sort of have a meal plan in my head but have decided I am going to be more organised so I visit the shops less often which would mean less money spent.
I keep staple things in the cupboard like tinned tomatoes and pasta for example and buy my meat in 2kgs lots from the butcher - it's cheaper - and break it up into meal sized portions ready to make spag bol, stir fries, etc.

I have a memory like a sieve lately so I have to write a shopping list otherwise I get back home with lots of things but without the ones I went to get.

I am a very budget conscious shopper anyway but I am sure I could spend less if I really tried. Does anyone have any tips?

[Lanne]

I plan one week in advance.

I shop on a monday and that means fresh fruit and vege all week. I plan meals that suit what occurs during the week to make life easier.

Monday, Tuesday is the same it is fresh meat + vege..
Wednesday I do a roast of some kind - It cooks whilst I clean. I steam vege as well as some roast vege.
Thursday we often have 'left over' roast meat (i cook two chickens at once etc).
Friday is something where they meat can be frozen. (sausages although I hate them and avoid that ifpossible LOL) ..
Saturday it is simple.. a freezer meal - premade bolognese meat etc.
Sunday is toasted sandwhiches/take out/super simple.

I find with the tupperware containers the fruit and vege easily lasts a week. Meat you need fresh is.. and the sharp end of the week... is easier. (i work weekends a lot and so fast and easy maximises my time with the family or the boys ability to help.

[mjm]

I love how organised you are lanne, I can but dream of being like you

I'll make it my new years resolution to be super oranized

speaking of fresh meat, I was at the shops yesterday and a tray of lamb loin chops, about 12 in there I think was 30 dollars!!

I forget what drove the lamb prices up so far now, considering we farm them here I would have thought we could get it cheap.

[judydg]

Eli, I love my thermomix, so much so that I am currently training to be a consultant. It can do the most amazing things and can be a real money saver. Alos great if you like to know exactly what goes in your food!