Why do I feel so overwhelmed by meal planning??

[Moxie]

Seriously, this shouldn't be hard. I've brought 5 babies home from the hospital and kept them alive, I am smart enough to plan a week of meals. But, I can't and I honestly don't know why. Help!

[Renthead Mommy]

Because having to come up with a dinner, again, every single day is overwhelming!  

[texasmama]

Because having to come up with a dinner, again, every single day is overwhelming!  

This.  So much this.

[KungFuPanda]

Seriously, this shouldn't be hard. I've brought 5 babies home from the hospital and kept them alive, I am smart enough to plan a week of meals. But, I can't and I honestly don't know why. Help!

Because you are Sisyphus and it never ends and you can never really win.

[Renthead Mommy]

Because you are Sisyphus and it never ends and you can never really win.

 

 

Exactly! 

[SemiSweet]

I've been meal planning for awhile and I've hated it almost the entire time, until I started using plantoeat.com. It has made it so much easier and less time consuming and I actually enjoy it now. Someone mentioned it here around thanksgiving so I gave it the trial and totally fell in love with it.

[KungFuPanda]

I LIKE to cook and feel defeated by the constancy of it all. I really feel for people who hate to cook.

[SemiSweet]

I LIKE to cook and feel defeated by the constancy of it all. I really feel for people who hate to cook.

Me too!

[SparklyUnicorn]

I have the exact same problem and I absolutely love to cook (most of the time).  That's why I subscribe to meal plan services.  It really takes some of the pressure off.  I haven't found a perfect one, but I look for something where I like at least 3 of their weekly suggestions or can work them.  I'm good with that. I just run out of ideas.  And then when I ask my family...oh brother.  My husband? "What do you want for dinner this week?"  Pancakes....every..single..time.  One of these weeks I'm going to make pancakes every day.  LOL 

[KungFuPanda]

I've cracked and resorted to Let's Dish more than once :-/

[UncleEJ]

For me, I feel like dinners require three things to work well. Planning, shopping, and actual follow-through. I seem to be able to only juggle two of the three balls at once. Which two it is changes all the time, but it's rare that I can manage all three for very long. It really is a lot to take care of! I feel your pain.

[Stacia]

Seriously, this shouldn't be hard. I've brought 5 babies home from the hospital and kept them alive, I am smart enough to plan a week of meals. But, I can't and I honestly don't know why. Help!

 

I feel exactly the same way (but I only have 2 dc, lol).

 

Seriously, I'm a smart person, so why can't I get a grip on meal planning (planning, shopping, & making it happen)? Not to mention that's it's not just dinner -- it's breakfasts, lunches, & snacks too. It just fries my brain cells.

 

I wish I could hire a food butler & a personal chef. :laugh:  and :leaving:

[T'smom]

I feel the exact same way. I made several New Years Resolutions and I knew that a resolution to do meal planning would have the most benefit of any for our family, but I still didn't do it. I might as well have a resolution to become an astronaut.

[unsinkable]

I often say I can do 2 of the 3 meal steps...

 

1.decide what to prepare

2.procure ingredients

3.prepare meals

 

I can do any of the 2 of them easily...I most enjoy doing 2 and 3...and not so much 1.

 

It gets complicated somehow when I have to do all 3 with no input or support from the others who are eating.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I often say I can do 2 of the 3 meal steps...

 

1.decide what to prepare

2.procure ingredients

3.prepare meals

 

I can do any of the 2 of them easily...I most enjoy doing 2 and 3...and not so much 1.

 

It gets complicated somehow when I have to do all 3 with no input or support from the others who are eating.

 

Yeah really.  I wish someone would just dump some ingredients on the counter and say go to it.  That would be fun.

[Stacia]

I feel the exact same way. I made several New Years Resolutions and I knew that a resolution to do meal planning would have the most benefit of any for our family, but I still didn't do it. I might as well have a resolution to become an astronaut.

 

I'd rather be an astronaut than a meal planner.

 

[Nemom]

I have the exact same problem and I absolutely love to cook (most of the time). That's why I subscribe to meal plan services. It really takes some of the pressure off. I haven't found a perfect one, but I look for something where I like at least 3 of their weekly suggestions or can work them. I'm good with that. I just run out of ideas. And then when I ask my family...oh brother. My husband? "What do you want for dinner this week?" Pancakes....every..single..time. One of these weeks I'm going to make pancakes every day. LOL

At least your husband gives you an answer. I ask mine and the response is "I don't know. That's too much work to try and figure out what to make for dinner."

[SparklyUnicorn]

At least your husband gives you an answer. I ask mine and the response is "I don't know. That's too much work to try and figure out what to make for dinner."

 

Well then my husband asked me last week to stop making food that tastes so good.

 

LMAO

 

Okay...

[SparklyUnicorn]

I'd rather be an astronaut than a meal planner.

 

 

Hell, I'd rather be a grave digger.

[SparklyUnicorn]

There is something called Foodie Dice.  I also came across this app:

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.accidentallyproductive.dinnerdice&hl=en

[Nemom]

Well then my husband asked me last week to stop making food that tastes so good.

 

LMAO

 

Okay...

So he wants you to make gross tasting food? Is he watching his weight or something?

[SamanthaCarter]

Yeah really.  I wish someone would just dump some ingredients on the counter and say go to it.  That would be fun.

 

"Chopped - Homestyle."

[Stacia]

Hell, I'd rather be a grave digger.

 

:smilielol5:

 

Ok, you just made meal planning about a million times more fun for me. Because every time I'm dealing with the drudgery of being a meal planner, I'm going to think of this... :lol:

[Renthead Mommy]

Yeah really.  I wish someone would just dump some ingredients on the counter and say go to it.  That would be fun.

 

 

Back in the early days of Food Network, like 95-96, this was a game show!  They gave two people $10 to shop.  (Things like 5 scallops, or one chicken breast, so $10 worked.)  There were two chefs competing.  The shoppers dumped their bags, the clock started and 30 minutes later the audience voted on the best plate of the two.  

 

It was actually a great show.  I remember thinking "They are making a channel just about food? How will they ever program that?"  but it was actually better than Iron Chef.  Those chefs know the secret ingredient ahead of time.  They have time to plan.  These guys didn't know anything till those paper bags were dumped out. 

 

But you are right, it would almost be easier.  Especially if everyone else in the house was then forced to eat what i made from the assortment dumped on the counter and by no means allowed to whine about what ever it ended up being! 

[Chris in VA]

I don't know if this is helpful at all--I'm not much of a cook, really.

But it doesn't seem that complicated to me. :leaving:

 

Years ago, we wrote down all the main dishes we liked and knew how to make. We were surprised how much there was.

Some things are just for a particular season, like, pasta salad is a summer dish and chili and stew are more for the cooler weather.

 

So we just see what's on sale (meat, veggies), and then plan 7 main dishes (sometimes not shopping the sales). Sides are vegs and a starch.  We shop once a week, with occasional "fill-in" trips, if we run out of something. On an envelope (left side), we list all the ingredients we need to make those 7 dishes, and then what we need for sides (often special salad ingredients, for example). Anything non-edible goes on the right side (TP, paper towels, laundry soap, shampoo, dog food, etc.). We put the meals across the bottom of the envelope; this part gets torn off when we come home from the store and goes on the fridge as a reminder of what's available.

 

I think working from a list (now it's a mental list) just makes it faster and easier. If I want to try something new, I just list the ingredients on the envelope. It's super straightforward, no-brainer, not much mental energy. We have the meals that might contain more perishable ingredients earlier in the week (fajitas early, because of the avocado, for example).

 

IDK if it's a workable method for anyone else.

 

Maybe it helps that I'm not really fancy in the kitchen. :laugh:

 

[aggieamy]

I know the answer to this one ... Plan to Eat.  It's simply fantastic.  

 

Erica (or anyone else) that wants to friend me on plantoeat.com then I'm - aggieamy.  We can share recipes.  Yay.  

[Guest]

I *think* my issue is picky eaters. I can only think of a few things that the whole family will eat. Taco Tuesday! Taco Wednesday!

[texasmama]

Picky eaters, one complete ingrate, one questioner of everything ("Is there spinach in this?"  Do you see any spinach?) and being the only cook gets me.

 

Also, who needs three meals a day???  That seems like way too much eating.  Why can't they all just graze all day?  I am up for making one meal a day, tops. 

[snickerplum]

I used to love meal planning - recipe searching, grocery lists and all(don't hate, y'all). But, after 7 years and children with a variety of food issues (from intolerance to severe allergies - we have no less than 5 different types of milk in the fridge) I'm burned out. So I came up with a rotation - week A, week B and a plan for weeks when my husband is on a work trip. Breakfasts and lunches are the same each week. It's so helpful. I feel like I can breathe. Doesn't make prep much easier necessarily. Tonight is French toast. I had to make two kinds a gluten free bread, one won't be "Frenched" due to egg allergies, and I'll make a few sweet potato hash browns for the one with the potato allergy. Easy? Not really. But I didn't have to come up with an idea on the fly. :-) I'm sure someday I'll go back to cooking whatever whenever, but for now I love my pre-planned rotation.

[HeWillSoar]

I have picky eaters too, but one is not the ordinary sort of picky.  My son with Aspergers likes a full meal, sit down restaurant quality or gourmet.  It used to be (and can still be) fun to have such a good, adventurous eater.  Now he balks at macaroni and cheese and refuses to eat a peanut butter and jelly.  My picky eater is actually easier because he will at least be satisfied with simple foods.  They don't always get what they want and I've never been a short order cook but it's still nice when everyone likes the meal. 

 

As far as meal planning, most of the time I'm really good but sometimes I'm just burnt out.  What really is my lifesaver is the Cozi app.  It's free too!  One day a week, usually Friday, I plan out my meals for the week, and then I also try to only go to the store one time for the whole week.  It's nice that I can look at past days to get ideas too.

[kewb]

I abhor meal planning. I have one hates everything unless it is pasta or sushi or a specific chicken dish. One who questions each ingredient. And a dh who is never in the mood for what I prepared and has a bowl of cereal.
There is no joy in it. One day, the children will leave for college and I may enjoy meal planning again.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I *think* my issue is picky eaters. I can only think of a few things that the whole family will eat. Taco Tuesday! Taco Wednesday!

 

Oh I deal with that too.  And I admit, I'm rather picky too.  I have some stuff I won't eat at all.  Same with DH.  Same with the kids.  But it's not all the exact same things.

[texasmama]

Oh yes, the food intolerances.  Four of us are gluten free.  All of us are dairy dairy light.  No pork for four of us.  No highly processed foods.  No nitrates or MSG or junk for my kid with migraines. 

 

One won't eat things with too many ingredients.  Several won't eat chili with beans.  One stopped eating chili after getting sick after eating three bowls of it.  No fruit mixed with anything.  No celery or spinach.

 

One who will hold out starving himself until I cave and make him food.  (Yes, I know this is my fault.  Shoot me, I am weak!)

[Ottakee]

I don't really enjoy it.  I don't mind the cooking, I just hate the clean up.  I LOVE my crock pot.

 

It might help if you make a list of your family's favorite meals that are easier to make.  I mostly shop to fill my pantry, not for specific meals so I usually have most of the basics on hand.

 

I think make a list of 5-6 meals for the week and stick it on the fridge----a mix of crock pot (ready to serve meals) and ones that need a bit of prep at the end.  Then I just pick a meal each day based on what my day looks like.

 

The crock pot is a huge help as I have a whole lot more motivation to cook at 9am than I do at 4:30pm when the vultures are circling the kitchen.

 

For example my list this weeks looked like this:

 

Spaghetti

Chicken noodle soup

Chicken and dumplings

Stir fry with rice

tacos

swiss steak with mashed potatoes and gravy

sloppy joes

 

 

Maybe not a lot of variety but they are things that don't take a lot of time.

[Alice]

I'm not the best at this but this is what works for me. I think ahead the to the week and how many meals we will be eating at home, what nights will be schedule tight (activities before and after dinner), etc. Then I might make a rough plan of what to eat each night or I might just jot down 4 or 5 meals I might make but not say which night they will be.  I never plan more than 4 or 5 things a week. That leaves room for leftovers and for those nights when I just don't feel like making what I planned and we end up having omelets or something similar. I make the grocery list from those planned meals. I also keep a list on the side where I jot down things that are in the freezer and/or meals we like and haven't had in awhile. For example, right now the list says chicken, pork, lentil tacos. Those are ideas for me to remember when I plan. 

 

I also find the most helpful thing is to have several meals that are fairly easy to make and that we have the ingredients for. Those are our go-to meals for when I didn't plan ahead or when the plan didn't work. For us those are eggs of some kind (omelets, scrambled, crustless quiche, fried eggs)/breakfast for dinner, black beans and spinach (quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos), grilled sandwiches (cheeses, deli meats), boxed soups, or pasta/rice (pasta, sauces, rice, veggies to quickly stir-fry). 

 

I hear you about the picky factor. I have one son who has been a vegetarian for the past 2 years. My daughter loves meat but is otherwise kind of picky. I'm somewhat picky. What we do is try and rotate who is going to be unhappy. So tonight I made meatball subs. I made sure the sides were ok for the vegetarian and he just had cheese on bread. Tomorrow night we'll have something he likes more and maybe his sister won't be so happy. Or if it's something that someone really doesn't like I say that they can go and make themselves something else (within certain parameters, they can have a salad, fruit or a peanut butter sandwich). 

 

I find that when I try and do a 7 day plan I end up getting frustrated because it never seems to actually work, or something is cheap at the grocery store that isn't on the plan or something comes up. Some people are flexible enough to roll with it but if I have a plan I end up feeling like I have to follow it or I've failed. So for me it works to do something in between planning and not-planning. Which is kind of how we do school too now that I think about it...

 

 

[Stacia]

I know the answer to this one ... Plan to Eat. It's simply fantastic.

 

Erica (or anyone else) that wants to friend me on plantoeat.com then I'm - aggieamy. We can share recipes. Yay.

This does look fantastic.

 

Can you tell me more about how you use it? I love the look of a drag & drop planner calendar that then automatically creates your grocery list for you. And other features look great too.

[MrsRobinson]

I have the exact same problem and I absolutely love to cook (most of the time). That's why I subscribe to meal plan services. It really takes some of the pressure off. I haven't found a perfect one, but I look for something where I like at least 3 of their weekly suggestions or can work them. I'm good with that. I just run out of ideas. And then when I ask my family...oh brother. My husband? "What do you want for dinner this week?" Pancakes....every..single..time. One of these weeks I'm going to make pancakes every day. LOL

That might actually be fun to make a different type of pancake every day for a week. You'd want a protein and fruit to go with, of course, but I think that would get me out of a dinner rut. Buttermilk, whole grain with blueberries, pumpkin spice, German pancakes, potato pancakes, chocolate chip (of course!) and I saw a yummy looking recipe for lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberry syrup on pinterest. There ya go, a week of pancakes!

[Ali in OR]

I'm not going to pretend that meal planning is enjoyable or easy, but for me it helps to just follow a pattern. Patterns can change from time to time but tend to be the same for a whole school year and are largely driven by kid activities. Some of our patterns this year:

 

-Homemade pizza once a week. Fridays when my disabled dd does not have her swimming activity, otherwise Thursday or Saturday.

-Fast, simple meals on Mondays and Wednesdays when I have two kids in two different activities near dinner time. Could be Trader Joe's orange chicken and rice, frozen ravioli with jarred sauce--something I can prepare in 15-20 minutes. Or a crockpot meal or reheating something from the freezer.

-Good meals that take longer to prepare on weekends and on Tuesdays when I have more time. Grilled meat, spaghetti with meat sauce, pad thai or other Asian foods, enchiladas.

-Sometimes I'll get into a pattern for awhile like Mexican food on Wednesdays or pasta on Tuesdays. I have a friend who does Taco Tuesday every week. We do tacos several different ways, so it doesn't mean it's always the same (eg beef crunchy shells, leftover grilled steak tacos, chicken soft tacos, pork carnitas).

-Thursdays are crazy. Sometimes fast food, sometimes soup and sandwiches (with family members eating at different times).

-One meal out per week. We try really hard not to make it more than one (which happens sometimes), but it's somehow a lot easier to plan 6 meals than 7! In the summer we eat out less as our late afternoon/evening schedule is typically clear of activities.

[Seasider]

Because groceries are so darn expensive these days. It really limits my options.

 

Plus I'll just throw out there, years of hearing this or that will kill you sure puts a damper on things.

[cjzimmer1]

I enjoy cooking but only when it's something I'm in the mood to eat.  So meal planning is hard because I don't know what I'll be in the mood to eat 3-4 days from now.  So I just keep a wide assortment of food on hand so I can make most of our favorites at any given time.  So most mornings I get up, think about what I want to eat (that I have on hand), get that meat out of the freezer and then I just have to do the actual cooking later.  The grocery shopping, is done based on what we've run out of for basics (like milk, cheese, flour etc) and whatever meats are on sale and an occasional specialty item for something I'm wanting to make. The nice part about this is that usually by the morning of, I have a sense of how many outside activities we have going that day and can figure out a meal that fits with my time that day.  If I totally misplan,  frozen pizza or spaghetti are always the fall back options.

[Seasider]

For me, I feel like dinners require three things to work well. Planning, shopping, and actual follow-through. I seem to be able to only juggle two of the three balls at once. Which two it is changes all the time, but it's rare that I can manage all three for very long. It really is a lot to take care of! I feel your pain.

Wow, this observation applies to me as well! Not sure I would have figured that out on my own.

 

Now I am thinking about who I can assign a third part of the job to each week...

[HS Mom in NC]

Are you trying to do it all at once or do you need to focus on one step before moving to the next? 

 

Step 1: Get a large number recipes the majority of the family likes.

 

Step 2: Compile those recipes into one, easy to use format.

 

Step 3: Plan at least week's worth of meals and a grocery list based on that meal plan.  Keep a copy of those easily accessible to reuse in the future.

 

Step 4: Have about 4-6 weeks worth of meal plans and grocery lists available to reuse (assuming you don't plan based on sales.)

 

 

[Seasider]

There is no joy in it. One day, the children will leave for college and I may enjoy meal planning again.

Or you'll have a college kid who comes back vegan and none of the old comfort foods are treats. BTDT.

[heartosunshine]

Are you trying to do it all at once or do you need to focus on one step before moving to the next? 

 

Step 1: Get a large number recipes the majority of the family likes.

 

Step 2: Compile those recipes into one, easy to use format.

 

Step 3: Plan at least week's worth of meals and a grocery list based on that meal plan.  Keep a copy of those easily accessible to reuse in the future.

 

Step 4: Have about 4-6 weeks worth of meal plans and grocery lists available to reuse (assuming you don't plan based on sales.)

 

I'm stuck at Step #1. :glare:

 

[Guest]

I'm stuck at Step #1. :glare:

 

Yup.

[Renthead Mommy]

Planning is hard.  Having to also plan side dishes is even harder.  You want me to cook a chicken, no problem.  But then he wants to know what we are having with it.  With it? What is wrong with an apple? Bowl of cantalope or strawberries?  Sliced tomato? You want an actual side, the closets I come to that is asparagus or some other veg with olive oil on it then thrown under the broiler.  I can do salad, but it will be bottle dressing, and not a very exciting salad. Beyond that is Stove Top stuffing or microwave mash potatos (really about the only convience, pre made stuff I buy aside from condiment type stuff).  Sides to me are just really hard.  Beyond what I just mentioned, it feels like I'm cooking a main dish all over again.  And with that, why CAN'T a plate of asperagus with feta be your dinner???  If you are happy eating a lousy bowl of ceral, why can't you be happy with a plate of veggies with some cheese on it? And why does one constitue a meal (the cereal) while the other, even served alone, is not a meal? 

 

 

He was a German butcher's grandson.  He had meat, potatoes and veggie every night for dinner, put into serving dishes, carried to a table.  We did not.  We had dinner. Spooned out of the pot, onto a plate, and carried to table. The day we moved in together 20 years ago, I went to the store to stock our kitchen while he unpacked things.  Then I made dinner.  I called him to the kitchen and said it was ready.  He came out to the dining room and asked where it was.  I told him again, in the kitchen.  Then he asked where it was in the kitchen.  I pointed at the pot of mac and cheese on the stove.  Then he asked where the rest of it was.  Confused, I answered "The rest of it? I made the whole box. You have to make it one whole box at a time, you can't do part of a box!"  He was looking for the sides.  I offered him applesauce. Luckily he loves me anyway....

[unsinkable]

Planning is hard. Having to also plan side dishes is even harder. You want me to cook a chicken, no problem. But then he wants to know what we are having with it. With it? What is wrong with an apple? Bowl of cantalope or strawberries? Sliced tomato? You want an actual side, the closets I come to that is asparagus or some other veg with olive oil on it then thrown under the broiler. I can do salad, but it will be bottle dressing, and not a very exciting salad. Beyond that is Stove Top stuffing or microwave mash potatos (really about the only convience, pre made stuff I buy aside from condiment type stuff). Sides to me are just really hard. Beyond what I just mentioned, it feels like I'm cooking a main dish all over again. And with that, why CAN'T a plate of asperagus with feta be your dinner??? If you are happy eating a lousy bowl of ceral, why can't you be happy with a plate of veggies with some cheese on it? And why does one constitue a meal (the cereal) while the other, even served alone, is not a meal?

 

 

He was a German butcher's grandson. He had meat, potatoes and veggie every night for dinner, put into serving dishes, carried to a table. We did not. We had dinner. Spooned out of the pot, onto a plate, and carried to table. The day we moved in together 20 years ago, I went to the store to stock our kitchen while he unpacked things. Then I made dinner. I called him to the kitchen and said it was ready. He came out to the dining room and asked where it was. I told him again, in the kitchen. Then he asked where it was in the kitchen. I pointed at the pot of mac and cheese on the stove. Then he asked where the rest of it was. Confused, I answered "The rest of it? I made the whole box. You have to make it one whole box at a time, you can't do part of a box!" He was looking for the sides. I offered him applesauce. Luckily he loves me anyway....

"I made the whole box!" :lol: :lol: :lol:

[NancyNellen]

I will second (third, fourth?) Plan to Eat. I've been using it for 3 years now. I won't say meal planning is something I enjoy, but it's much faster and easier and it gets done with Plan to Eat. I actually plan the whole month at once. I leave quite a few open days where we eat up leftovers. I also frequently move meals around as things come up.

 

I then go on one huge Costco trip for meats, pantry items, and frozen foods. Then I split perishables up into 3-4 quick grocery trips throughout the month.

[aggieamy]

This does look fantastic.

 

Can you tell me more about how you use it? I love the look of a drag & drop planner calendar that then automatically creates your grocery list for you. And other features look great too.

 

I have imported all my recipes into the program.  It's very easy to do ... the program adds a button on the top of your internet program and you just click it when you see a recipe you like.  It adds it to the program.  

 

When I'm ready to make my meal plan I drag the recipe onto the day I want to make it. I only plan for dinners but it give you the option to plan three meals a day plus snacks.  (Right!)  Then it will automatically make you a grocery list.  The recipe list is easy to update and if you shop at different grocery stores it will remember it.  I shop at Aldi, Costco, and a regular grocery store.  The program remembers what I like to buy at each store.  It does add silly things onto the grocery list like if a recipe calls for water it adds it to the list but things are very easy to remove.  

 

I think you can join for free for 30 days!

[fraidycat]

I'm so glad I'm not alone on this.

 

I've said it before, I'll say it again - I would rather scrab toilets 3 + times/day than plan and execute healthy nutritional meals for this family that they like.

 

I would seriously consider a commune or multi-family living situation if it meant I never had to deal with food again.

 

However, I am currently contemplating simplistic (boring) planning. Same thing every day of the week. Like, every Monday is roast chicken. Every Tuesday pork chops. Every Wednesday Chicken soup from Monday carcass, etc. Would make planning, shopping, budgeting much easier!