Making a Menu

[medako]

Youd basically repeat the menu sometime and then youd get bored with the routine and scrap it

Not always. I know of people that plan dinners each month at a time. Every meal is only prepared once a month and then the next month might have the same meals, but on different nights or whatnot.

I think menus are great, if you can stick with them. I haven't ever been able to do it, but I've found a method of cooking that works for us without having a set menu.

[r8rpwr]

I have a friend who sat down and came up with a month's worth of menus, complete with shoppng lists, and organized by week. Each week she shops according to that week's list and has the menus all ready. It's saved a huge amount of time and effort.

I don't know if I could do it, because our schedules are a little wacky and we don't necessarily eat at home every night or on the same nights, but I think in theory it makes a lot of sense and works great for some people.

[Mama Mangia]

Many food items can be used for several things. For instance 1 -2 lbs. of ground beef or chuck for meatloaf, meatballs, stuffed peppers, pigs in a blanket, stuffed meat rolls, tacos, impossible pies (cheeseburger, taco, etc), used for a meat sauce, etc. Italian sausage can be used in spaghetti sauce, for hoagies with peppers and onions, in casseroles, etc. Chicken - geez - there is so much you can do with it. Beans can be used in soups, stews, gumbos, salads, burritos, etc. That's about as close as I would ever get to a menu. The only time a list for a menu would work for me is when I am having a huge gathering and buying for that day only.

[lcsamano]

What we have been doing lately is taking out a meat and then last minute deciding what to have. Usually I will say one thing but we end up having another. I think we are going to start having the kids deciding. It might be easier.

[r8rpwr]

I often may not plan a menu but I will buy meat that is usable several ways. For example I'll make some seasoned ground beef and then we can have quesadillas, tacos, etc. Or I'll roast a chicken and then decide where the leftovers go, maybe in a king ranch casserole or jambalaya.

[medako]

r8pwr - I do the same thing. Every meat I keep on hand is multi-use.

[spiceplace]

My wife and I don't plan menus. We keep the basics onhand in the freezer and fresh produce in the vegetable bins of our refrigerator. When it's time to cook, we look at what we have and determine what to make. You don't really need too many basics to have a huge variety of meal choices available to you. Ground beef, ground pork, and a beef round steak alone will afford you hundreds of recipes, if you have the rice, potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, cheese, etc to go with it.

A favorite of ours is a simple cooked ground beef with garlic and then mixed with cooked rice at the last minute. Serve with a salad or steamed vegetable. It's easy, and if you use a lean beef, it's not fatty.

[Mama Mangia]

Another thing we do - check the meat sales each week - as well as the rest of the foods. That will play an important role on what is stocked in the freezer and on the shelves as well. Ditto with produce. The way things are today and the prices of gas, etc. - you do need to watch the sale papers.

[chefdiva]

I would like to make a weekly menu so that I could buy the stuffs I will be needing beforehand, unfortunately, because my eating habits is very dependent on my mood like dressing up everyday. I really find it hard to feel good of what I had planned a week before. I still would rather cook impulsively because it's more fun and enjoyable.