Help with meal planning (large family)

[A home for their hearts]

Here's my dilemma, I hate cooking, I have picky eaters, I'm tired of grocery shopping every 2-3 days, I'm tired of spending astronomical amounts of money on food.  I need an easy system of meal planning that includes budgeting and grocery shopping (ideas including shopping for toiletries would be great too).  That's it in a nut shell, I'm a woman of few words!  And even fewer brain cells!  LOL  I think I've finally lost it!

[Tenaj]

I'm anxious to see any answers others have.

 

I've by no means solved the same problems here but am trying to get into the habit of planning our meals and snacks out before I go to the grocery.  I've tried various meal plans before but I always end up stopping them because there are so many meals that my picky eaters won't accept.

 

Lately, I've been using  a little book called "Supper's on the Table, Come Home" by Rachel Masters that has 13 weeks of meal plans in it.  Now, we/I don't like all the meals so I take a look at the next week and write down the meals I want to fix and then fill in any that are missing with family favorites.  I also don't necessarily follow her recipes because I have others I like better but it gives me a jumping off point for my own plans.  Like if she's scheduled roast beef but I see that pork loin is on sale, I don't hesitate to substitute but it gives me the idea for the type of meal in the first place and gives me sides to fix with it.  She also had weekly desserts and snacks in there which are kind of fun to use for a variety.  I should mention that this book only plans out five meals a week not seven which is sometimes good and sometimes not good :)  I've appreciated this book just because it's got simple recipes that don't take a lot of time - of course, I have to double everything because of the size of our family.  I did just look and it's not available at Amazon.   I think I ordered it years ago from Rainbow Resource but it did find a website where it's still available if you're interested http://www.schallertel.net/~rmasters/sott6.html.  

 

Any meal plan that you find on the web would work for this . . . just use it as a jumping off point and then sub in your own recipes and favorites.  I just use this one because it was on my shelf.  I've done the same thing in the past (usually in the winter) with once-a-month cooking because we don't like all the recipes, just some of them.  

 

Just some ideas I've been using . . . I hope others chime in!

[Caribbean Queen]

1. Make a menu

Since you hate cooking and your kids are picky, don't waste your time looking at online menus which are sure to be full of the trendy new superfoods (Quinoa and kale and avacado, anyone?)  Make up a menu yourself.  Hot breakfasts are cheap.  Rice and potatoes are cheap.  Chicken, beef, or pork are nice baked or stewed.  Plan about 5 breakfasts, 5 snacks and 15 lunches/dinners.  You can add a couple desserts, if you want.

 

2. Make a Shopping list

Note the quantity of food you'll need.  How many pounds, packs or boxes will you need? The best time to make the list is after you've cleaned your 'fridge and looked in your cupboards.  Avoid that extra trip to the store when you realize you don't have any rice, after all.  A simple suggestion for adding toiletries to your shopping list: Ask your kids what you need to buy besides food.  My five year old knows more of what we need than I do!  She wont remember to get those things at the store, but she's a great help in making a shopping list.

 

3.Shop

Substitutions in your menu are okay, but make sure you have enough food.  You don't want to be back in two days.  Don't skimp now and scramble for food later.  Don't lose your shopping list.  You can use it again. 

 

4. Cook

Post your menu on your fridge and pick meals off of it to cook.  Don't lose the menu.  You can reuse it.

 

Once you get this under your belt you can gradually start trying exciting new recipes.  You'll hate cooking less when you've got it all under control. 

 

My kids are picky and waste food.  This year I started turning that around.  I put small portions on their plates so if they don't eat it all, not much is wasted.  They can get seconds and thirds if they want to.  I don't let them snack too much, so they are hungry at meal times.  If they refuse a meal I usually allow them to eat an apple or banana, rather than letting them help themselves to hot dogs and cheese in the kitchen. 

[lllll]

nm

[Carrie12345]

1. Make a menu

 

 

2. Make a Shopping list

 

 

3.Shop

 

 

4. Cook

 

 

 

That.

 

I have a couple of picky eaters, but that doesn't change whether I plan in advance or scramble last minute. 

[A home for their hearts]

That.

 

I have a couple of picky eaters, but that doesn't change whether I plan in advance or scramble last minute. 

 

I've never made a menu but I have one in my head that I use all the time.  We eat the same 5-7 meals all the time, which is getting boring, and monotonous I think this is part of my problem!  

[DesertBlossom]

Over the years, I've started collecting the recipes my family enjoys, and that I like making. The day I do my shopping I go through my binder of recipes and pick 7 meals and write down what ingredients my pantry is lacking to make them.  (We're pretty boring for breakfast and lunch) I buy the basics in bulk, so it's usually specific items or fruits and veggies.  My binder has a variety of stuff, so I have a lot of easy meals that I can pick from if I'm just not in the mood to cook from scratch that week. Or I'll make sure that I have a least 2-3 really easy meals to choose from each week. But it helps to have the binder because if I had to think of meals off the top of my head, I'd draw a blank. Sometimes I'll try new recipes to add to my collection. My favorite is melskitchencafe.com.  

 

I also do the bulk of my shopping at Walmart because they price match. I only usually price match the fruits and vegetables as the rest of their stuff is usually already as low as other stores' sale prices. And because I'm lazy. But that really helps. My kids eat a lot of fruit and veggies as snacks, so that helps the budget. 

 

 

[DesertBlossom]

Also, I try to have a paper on the fridge to write down things I run out of, so I don't forget to include them when I go shopping.

[umsami]

Write out a list of all of your family's favorite meals.   

 

If you have 14-21, you're golden.   If some are seasonal, note that.

 

Then make a menu plan....including your family's favorites, a day for eating out (if you do that), leftovers, trying to new recipes, etc.

 

See when you can double cook....so say, if you're roasting a chicken, can you roast two and make chicken salad from the extra or fajitas...and perhaps chicken broth for soup/recipes with the carcasses.  

 

For lower cost, look at vegetarian....or pasta....or meals that use very little animal protein.  Breakfast for Dinner is also one of my family's favorites that is very cheap.  

 

For breakfasts, we usually have the same breakfast during the week, and then weekends are either pancakes, popovers, French toast, big egg dishes, etc.

 

Lunches can be sandwiches, leftovers, etc.

 

Once you have a list, it makes it easier to shop and budget.

[busymama7]

We just eat the same things. All. The. Time.

 

What this means is that every Monday for breakfast we have... And the same for the whole week of breakfasts. It's the same every Tuesday etc. this is actually good for kids (read simplicity parenting if you don't believe me)

 

Then during the weekend dinners are the same too. Pizza Friday, nachos or chili on Saturday (depending on season, no chili in the summer here!) and salad bar and rolls on Sunday (occasionally we have steak too). This means that I only have to decide on 4 dinners a week. Beans and rice is almost always ones we like it and it's cheap. That puts it down to 3 and I just rotate through the simple easy meals we like adding veggies for nutrition since it's things like tacos, spaghetti etc

 

If one week I want to switch it up I can but most of the time I'm too busy to make elaborate menus. I just buy the same things every week. This makes it so simple and easy.

 

I try to stock up on meats especially and have easy pantry meals on hand as well.

[Joyofsixreboot]

Make a list of things at least most will eat. I always offer a pbj or egg&cheese sandwich ( which they have to make) or a leftover to those who don't like the choice.

See what's on sale that fits what they will eat.

Plan six meals. I usually don't decide what day they will be until the night before.

 

I like to cook roasts, chickens, etc in the crock pot or ground beef in the micro ahead. That makes it easy to turn into stroganoff, noodles, bbq or whatever.

[Excelsior! Academy]

You've already gotten great ideas!  Seasons that planning is difficult I always default to: 

 

1. Letting the children plan.  Literally sit down with them and don't let them up until the menu is made.  

 

2. Rotating meals.  We had a season where Monday was Spaghetti, Tuesday was tacos, etc.

 

3. Simplify.  I purchased a plan called Simplified Dinners.  While we only use her plan certain times of the year, it is brilliant and gives something to fall back on.

 

 

[TammyinTN]

I have a picky toddler living with us.... I cook and if she doesn't eat it she can have a pb&j or her new favorite cheese and crackers.   I always try to fix one thing I know she will eat.  I shop every 2 weeks and pick up only fresh fruits, veggies and milk in between.  

 

Check out what's on sale, plan a menu around that, shop and cook and you're all done.

 

[Miss Tick]

One thing to add to the advice you already have, I take my menu to the store with me (it's on the back if my grocery list). That way I can update it as I go. If I needed a vegetable for Thursday dinner I can write it into the menu with whatever is on sale when I get to the store. Similarly, if lettuce is expensive, I can modify the menu in the store.

 

I also jot down lunch ideas on the side of the menu as I find then. If cucumbers are a good deal i pick some up and make a note so I remember to eat them!

[MomOfABunch]

I made a meal plan for 1 week. 3 meals a day x 7 days = 21 meals. Some specific like eggs, bacon, toast and some looser like Italian. We eat the same thing every week. It's made my life easier because I know that Tues dinner is always pot roast, Saturday breakfast is always eggs and pancakes, etc. I don't really have to think about it. The kids get used to it too; they know what the meal will be way in advance so that helps with the picky ones. I had to get really strict with meals for my sanity. "We eat at meal time." "Eat or don't, but no other food until (next meal)." After they realized I was serious, the picky ones got over it...mostly. I also found that by not having free access to food, the kids started eating more at meals.

 

When I'm really organized, I shop monthly. I made a list of everything I need for the week and multiply by 4. It's not that much more work to get 4 whatever off the shelf at the store than 1 and it saves me 3 shopping trips. Usually only one trip mid month for fresh produce is necessary. This has helped tremendously.

 

I sound like such a hard a$$! I promise there are no starving kids at my house!

[IfIOnly]

I made a meal plan for 1 week. 3 meals a day x 7 days = 21 meals. Some specific like eggs, bacon, toast and some looser like Italian. We eat the same thing every week. It's made my life easier because I know that Tues dinner is always pot roast, Saturday breakfast is always eggs and pancakes, etc. I don't really have to think about it. The kids get used to it too; they know what the meal will be way in advance so that helps with the picky ones. I had to get really strict with meals for my sanity. "We eat at meal time." "Eat or don't, but no other food until (next meal)." After they realized I was serious, the picky ones got over it...mostly. I also found that by not having free access to food, the kids started eating more at meals.

 

When I'm really organized, I shop monthly. I made a list of everything I need for the week and multiply by 4. It's not that much more work to get 4 whatever off the shelf at the store than 1 and it saves me 3 shopping trips. Usually only one trip mid month for fresh produce is necessary. This has helped tremendously.

 

I sound like such a hard a$$! I promise there are no starving kids at my house!

 

Yes, yes, and YES! Or have a two week rotation. Monday is always this for breakfast type of thing is AWESOME. 

[J-rap]

I would set up a schedule like this:

 

One night, have your two older children make dinner together.

 

Another night (probably a Friday or Saturday night), have popcorn, cheese, apples, and watch a movie.  :)

 

Another night, have soup and sandwiches -- the soup can even be out of a can.  Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches were a favorite of our kids.

 

Another night, do a slow cooker meal that's really simple.  There are tons of simple recipes.  One is this:  place chicken pieces (anything -- legs, breasts, thighs, etc.), 1 bottle bbq sauce, 1 sliced lemon, and 1 cup Coke in slow cooker and cook all day.  Serve over rice, with carrot sticks.

 

Another night, allow yourself to do a frozen meal that you get at the store:  frozen pizzas, raviolis with spaghetti sauce, etc.  Serve some good veggies with it!

 

So, only two meals left.  You can do things like bean burritos:  super cheap and easy.  Or breakfast for dinner.  Or spaghetti. 

 

In another year or two, your two oldest might enjoy cooking so much that they'll decide they each want a night!