Because I Lack at a Stay-At-Home Mom...

[DanielleQ]

I have a really hard time with planning dinner. You guys, I seriously feel like such a flop whenever I think about the fact that I'm a PC consultant and I rarely cook dinner! Not because I can't cook, because I can, but because I lack discipline in that area (let's not mention the other areas I lack discipline, ok?). I don't want any sympathy, I'm honestly not trying to throw a pity party, I want HELP!!!

Do any of you plan your menus/shopping for the week and actually STICK WITH IT? I found a website that I think might help, but I wanted to check with my CS posse first. The website is dinewithoutwhine.com. It's basically family-friendly meal plannning that includes shopping lists. Take a look, see what you think. I HAVE NO AFFILIATION WITH THEM, I'm just looking for some ideas and it's the first site I found.

Thanks for readin' the ramblin'...

 

[amy07]

Oh how I could've written that myself!! I do cook almost every day, but not that it is the best or most wholesome meal that my family has ever eaten. And I have attempted to plan menus and shopping lists, but to be honest I just get bored with it.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out. I'm interested in seeing suggestions from everyone else too!

 

[Paula R. Lewis]

Don't feel bad.... I AM a stay at home mom, and many times, dinner is a drudgery for me, too! I think everyone goes through that on occasion!!

Here's what has helped me, although I'm far from "accomplished" at it!!!:

1. I have a cookbook "collection". So, every week or so, whenever I have a chance, I try to settle down with two or three books, and look through them. I am looking for something new to try, usually.
What I've found is, it's easier on me and on my family if I just try a new recipe about once a week, rather than a whole week of them!! Sometimes, we find a winner, sometimes not.

2. Probably the very best tip I EVER got about making dinner was....know by 10 A.M. what you're making for dinner tonight!!! That is not always easy to do, and I still struggle with it, sometimes, but, on the days I make myself do it, it really is AMAZING how much better my day goes!!

There's lots of helpful websites to find recipes, etc. A couple of good ones is the TasteofHome.com website, where you can find many good ones. This is the company that makes the magazine. Another excellent one is allrecipes.com. It even has an area where you can input what ingredients you would like to use today, and what you don't want to include, and it will give recipe suggestions!! Very helpful when you're stuck.

Well, I'm sure others will have suggestions for you, but that's my best for right now!

Wishing you happier mealtimes!
Paula

 

[DanielleQ]

Thanks, Paula. I appreciate your help so much!

 

[katie0128]

When I get stuck, I write all the favorite meals on index cards and put them into a basket/hat/bowl... whatever is handy. Then I grab my calendar and pick out one meal for each day. Sometimes the kids get to pick out the meals and put them on the days they want them. Now I just need to get back to doing that!

 

[PampMomof3]

OH MY GOSH!! IT's 10 til 7 right now and everyone is asking where's dinner! I also need help planning dinner!

 

[KimberleePowell]

I have found that planning out a menu takes a little time but it sure pays off big in the end. When I plan my menu, I take into account if I am going to be out for a show and make sure that there is stuff premade or ready to make for my husband since I won't be home. I make my weekly grocery list straight from the menu. It really helps the budget. I only buy what is on the list. I also make sure to have the basics for mine and my husband's lunches. Sometimes I might swap out the days that I make something on the menu, but I still make the things that are on the menu for that week.

 

[kaceyleigh2]

We try do a menu/shopping list that we stick to but sometimes we don't and end up saying "what do YOU want for dinner?" "I don't know what do YOU want?" until about 7:30 p.m. then just end up having cereal.
And to be perfectly honest I NEVER cook. My husband does. I'm too tired to cook after chasing my toddler around all day! It's pretty sad that he uses Pampered Chef products more than I do!
I do find it less stressful when we have a plan of what we're having and have all the ingredients on hand-otherwise we end up at the grocery store every night!

 

[raebates]

I generally plan menus for a week and use that to make out my grocery list. Then I completely ignore the menu I created and make whatever sounds good for dinner. Thankfully, The Furry Guy isn't a picky eater.

 

[vangogirl]

4 girls in my neighborhood started a meal swap group. They each have an assigned night and have Fridays off. They get together once a month to plan the menus and this way, you only have to cook once a week. Granted, you are cooking for more people on the night you're assigned, but you have the rest of the week off. My husband didn't like the idea of it, so I didn't join, but I think it would've been nice!

 

[cmdtrgd]

I have a hard time doing this for a few reasons:1. when I keep trying to figure out dinner, I get munchy and don't usually find the healthiest items to munch on.2. hubby gets migraines frequently (we can't give him meds because of heart disease on both sides of the fam) and when one is coming on he craves things. Most times, if he gets what he is craving, it doesn't come to fruition3. I like PC recipes - hubby mostly doesn't....he grew up with a 1 acre garden and a mom who made 5 loaves of bread from scratch every other day and canned and so on....PC recipes are too simple for him4. I get bored easily....anyhoo, don't feel like you are the only one. I think, especially when you are busy, a plan as well as something like power cooking or month of meals or make-a-mix cookbook would help.

 

[MomToEli]

I do plan my menus. I sit down shopping day (or the day before) and pick 7 (or 14, depending on how many days I feel like shopping for) dinners I'd like to fix. Then add in lunches, breakfasts and snacks. I have a dinner list with all those options listed - same for lunch, etc. I post those lists on the fridge. In the morning, I try to pull out whatever sounds good off that list from the freezer. Sometimes, I pull it out later in the day.

What I do NOT do is say that Monday I'll fix this, Tuesday this, etc. I'm way too fickle for that. Wht if I get to Tuesday and that idea for dinner turns my tummy?

Anyway, I save a ton of money shopping from a list, rather than planning my meals in the grocery isle

I didn't look at your site -- if it offers foods you and your family like, go for it. If not, don't bother - it'll just be more clutter.

I know some people make a monthly menu and repeat it every month. Some do that every two weeks. Me, on the other hand, like to mix things up a LOT, so that doesn't work for me.

 

[DebbieSAChef]

Plan AheadI am a stay at home mom of four and one on the way. Before my bed rest I made sure to plan menus, shop for all my ingredients and here's a neat tip:
Chop, grate, slice, dice, marinade, and prepare as many things before hand that will essentially cut down cooking time.

Use one day out of the week that isn't too hectic (mine is Saturday) to do these things and you will be glad you did. You will have pre-chopped onions, grated cheeses, marinaded chicken, diced bell pepper, etc... and plan according to your menu for the week.

Use your crock pot, if you don't have one, GET ONE! You can make all kinds of pot roasts, stews, meats, etc... and all you do is let that slow cooker do the work for you all day long.

DELEGATE - If you have older kids I suggest you let one be in charge of setting the table, preparing the beverages, preparing a salad, and helping to serve.

I love to cook and bake and always love to try new recipes. I have missed it since being on bed rest . But soon enough I will be in the kitchen again preparing all kinds of good things for my family to eat.

WEEKLY MENU EXAMPLE:

Monday - Lasagne, salad, corn on the cob, garlic bread
(No boil necessary pasta, prepare lasagne and pop in oven for about an hour, slice up already made garlic bread from grocery store and heat in oven)

Tuesday - Chicken fettucini or shrimp fettucini, mashed potaotes, garlic bread,
(Cook and brown already chopped chicken on skillet or shrimp in garlic, boil potatoes for mashed potatoes, pop bread in oven)

Wednesday - church night so we eat leftovers or grilled cheese and run out the door to church by 7 pm.

Thursday - Crispy tacos, rice, beans,
(Brown ground beef, heat taco shells in microwave, pre-chopped lettuce and tomatoes, pre-grated cheese, I love spanish rice but you can make rice a roni, and whichever beans you enjoy the most, I love homemade refried beans but have made the can beans when in a hurry)

Friday - Snack night with something fun
Homemade pizza, or meaty nachos, dough is made ahead of time to let rise and ingredients are easy to put on top and heat in oven. Nachos are very easy to make with the ingredients your family loves.

Saturday - Ribs cooking in the oven for hours so they are nice and tender, smashed garlic potatoes, green beans, my homemade barbecue sauce that my husband loves and cheese bread. I usually have more time on Saturday to make some yummy things that may take longer.

Sunday - we have a meal at our church every Sunday at 1 pm and our second service is at 3 pm so we are home by 5 pm each Sunday and if we don't go to someone's house to fellowship and eat out, I have the crock pot going with something yummy! Beef stew, or Jambalaya!


But since my hubby has been working Sunday - Thursday 3pm - 11pm it has kind of changed things for a couple months. But this is how we usually operate at home.

Debbie

 

[nikked]

I plan menus all the time.

Monday is Taco Bell...
Tuesday is McDonalds...
Wednesday is Denny's...

you get the idea...

I can definitely use some help too!!!

 

[GourmetGirl]

For me my menu goes:

Mon = Happy Hour specials
Tue = Chicken and Pasta
Wed = Frozen Meal
Thu = at a friend's
Fri = Frozen Pizza
Sat = Leftover Pizza
Sun = Dinner with family

Tue/Wed/Thu get switched around, but that is how it goes... Once I have kids I am screwed! lol!

btw... after watching an almost 4 year old for 24hours and having her throw a HUGE fit at a big family party this afternoon I have decided that I am so not having kids for at least 5 years!

 

[pamperedlinda]

We grill a lot so I always have something available for grilling (if not, the store is 2 miles away) We also eat a lot of salads and veggies so I keep those around too. I have a garden so in the summer I have most everything I need for salads and fresh veggies right our back! DH and DS love pasta so there are always several boxes in my pantry at all times. That's pretty much it at our house.

 

[kaceyleigh2]

I am a stay at home mom of four and one on the way. Before my bed rest I made sure to plan menus, shop for all my ingredients and here's a neat tip:
Chop, grate, slice, dice, marinade, and prepare as many things before hand that will essentially cut down cooking time.

Use one day out of the week that isn't too hectic (mine is Saturday) to do these things and you will be glad you did. You will have pre-chopped onions, grated cheeses, marinaded chicken, diced bell pepper, etc... and plan according to your menu for the week.

Use your crock pot, if you don't have one, GET ONE! You can make all kinds of pot roasts, stews, meats, etc... and all you do is let that slow cooker do the work for you all day long.

DELEGATE - If you have older kids I suggest you let one be in charge of setting the table, preparing the beverages, preparing a salad, and helping to serve.

I love to cook and bake and always love to try new recipes. I have missed it since being on bed rest . But soon enough I will be in the kitchen again preparing all kinds of good things for my family to eat.

WEEKLY MENU EXAMPLE:

Monday - Lasagne, salad, corn on the cob, garlic bread
(No boil necessary pasta, prepare lasagne and pop in oven for about an hour, slice up already made garlic bread from grocery store and heat in oven)

Tuesday - Chicken fettucini or shrimp fettucini, mashed potaotes, garlic bread,
(Cook and brown already chopped chicken on skillet or shrimp in garlic, boil potatoes for mashed potatoes, pop bread in oven)

Wednesday - church night so we eat leftovers or grilled cheese and run out the door to church by 7 pm.

Thursday - Crispy tacos, rice, beans,
(Brown ground beef, heat taco shells in microwave, pre-chopped lettuce and tomatoes, pre-grated cheese, I love spanish rice but you can make rice a roni, and whichever beans you enjoy the most, I love homemade refried beans but have made the can beans when in a hurry)

Friday - Snack night with something fun
Homemade pizza, or meaty nachos, dough is made ahead of time to let rise and ingredients are easy to put on top and heat in oven. Nachos are very easy to make with the ingredients your family loves.

Saturday - Ribs cooking in the oven for hours so they are nice and tender, smashed garlic potatoes, green beans, my homemade barbecue sauce that my husband loves and cheese bread. I usually have more time on Saturday to make some yummy things that may take longer.

Sunday - we have a meal at our church every Sunday at 1 pm and our second service is at 3 pm so we are home by 5 pm each Sunday and if we don't go to someone's house to fellowship and eat out, I have the crock pot going with something yummy! Beef stew, or Jambalaya!


But since my hubby has been working Sunday - Thursday 3pm - 11pm it has kind of changed things for a couple months. But this is how we usually operate at home.

Debbie

All I can say is, WOW! I'm impressed! I wish I was organized enough to operate like that!

 

[dwyerkim]

I like the idea of the meal planning website with a shopping list, but after looking at their sample menu, it's not really the way my family eats and I think I woauld spend a lot of money shopping that way. I do try and make a menu, and I try and coordinate it to what is on sale. The sales flyers come on Tuesday for Wed. morning so that is a good time to do it, though often I just end up waiting till Monday and plan for the week, then pick up stuff again for the weekend. We totally need to pre-plan, and even then half the time I'll have the food but forget to defrost it. I agree with the previous poster, you need to know in the morning (or the night before) what the supper plan is. One of my fav. things is to have the crock pot all ready to go at night and in the fridge, then turn it on in the am and forget about it.

 

[Paula R. Lewis]

OK, I've thought of a couple of other things you may find helpful....

Get marinade recipes!! Then, go to the store, and buy your favorite pieces of raw chicken. It can be with bones or without, white meat or dark, whatever you and your family prefer. Buy as much as you can afford, enough for several meals.
When you get home, separate into different meal portions, and place each "meal" amount in a ziploc type freezer bag. Add the marinade, and toss in the freezer. When you're ready to eat it, simply take it out the night before and leave in the refrigerator. By dinnertime, it should be thawed, marinated, and ready for grilling, broiling, whatever you like. So simple!!

Another great website , if you like "do ahead" type meals, is:
www.30daygourmet.com. It is a website geared towards freezer/meal planning, and I really like it, as it uses the above marinade idea, has lots of different marinade recipes in the "files" section, as well as other great, simple, family-friendly recipes.

Another suggestion is to make things like a great meatloaf, or lasagna, but when you do, make two. I especially appreciate this idea for meatloaf. It's just as fast to assemble two as it is to assemble one! Freeze one, bake one. Presto! You've got a future meal already practically ready to go!!
You can apply the same idea to hamburger meat in general....buy 5 or 10 pounds at a time. Take it home and brown it, then separate it into freezer bags or containers for future meals. You could even make seasoned taco meat or sloppy joe meat and freeze it, which is even easier when time to serve!

I hope you find "renewed hope"!! The grocery flyers usually help me the most in my "meal planning", as I try to "stock up" on whatever's on special that week. It helps alot to do that!!

Blessings!
Paula

 

[tpchefrebecca]

I am forever going to keep this thread! You all have great ideas about being organized for dinner. This will be my next goal!

 

[raebates]

A money-saving idea: Shop your pantry and freezer first. I occasionally (but not often) come home with a duplicate of something I already have in my cabinet. Look through what you have before you start your shopping list.

 

[etteluap70PC]

Good point Rae!

I have in the past done the plan it out for a whole month and rotate every month. It works best for us in the winter. If you do not actually want to plan it hat much making a list of everything your family likes to eat is very helpful! This has saved me more than once. I need the most help in the summer. We do not have central air so if its over 80 I will not turn on the oven. We do grill alot and luckily my family likes burgers, hotdogs and Brats. I have also started buying the turkey burgers and chicken burgers to keep it a bit more healthy. Since my DD has started liking salads we have been having salads with most meals. Last summer I also started using mu microwave alot. The microcookers and rice cookers are your friend!!!! Ex: Baked potatoes in rice cooker (I generally HATE nuked potatoes but these came out amazing!!!) And they are awesome with fresh chives from my garden!

 

[genburk]

<snip>
2. Probably the very best tip I EVER got about making dinner was....know by 10 A.M. what you're making for dinner tonight!!! That is not always easy to do, and I still struggle with it, sometimes, but, on the days I make myself do it, it really is AMAZING how much better my day goes!!<snip>

OK, here goes. I will try to make this short and easy.

I get home about 3, dinner at 4-4:30, hubby leaves at 6. I would be at work straining my brain, trying to think of something for dinner and wondering what I have on hand and what I will need to stop and get at the store. I would stop at the store, get what I need, and rush home, make dinner ( always something quick and easy) and can't tell you how many times, I had to go back to said store to buy something I thought I had but didn't.

I finally hit a plan that works for me. I made a master list of ALL the dinners I make and the family will mostly eat. This is a keeper list, it will be your friend whenever you are trying to fix dinner. You don't have to try to think of what to make, it is in front of you. I made several copies of it, so I won't lose it. Even have a copy at work !

Then I took an empty calendar, and put these recipes per week.
One chicken,
one pork,
one tomato based (so we wouldn't have lasagna, spaghetti, and chili, all the same week),
two beef based recipes,
one or two quick and easy (like grilled cheese, or crockpot),
one or two more complicated recipes (like fried chicken, or time consuming)
and maybe one NEW recipe a week

You could also do mexican, italian, chinese, etc. Whatever works for you.

Whatever combination that I could find that will fill a seven day week. I usually leave Saturday open and Sunday a big meal. I don't use Cheeseburgers at all, because that was my Saturday fill-in if we didn't do anything special.

Sometimes if I wrote in Taco's and knew that we would have leftover lettuce, then I would plan something like a Baked Potatoes and Chef salad to use the leftover lettuce.

Then early in the week I could make my grocery list, go shopping and know what we are having for the week.

My sister saw it on my fridge and said what if you don't want pizza on July 14th? I said, that is the beauty of it. I don't fix it. I switch the weekly meals around to what works for me that week. Have a meeting? Then it is an easy meal night. Something doesn't sound good, fix it later in the week.

Sound complicated? Do it a week at a time, and keep your weekly list (date them as you make them and keep them in a binder). I kept them for a year.

Now I have a year's worth and recycle them. For instance, I already have a suggestion list for July and will change it as I see fit. We have added a few new ideas to it and I can add items that are on sale in the weekly ad, if I wish.

I generally plan menus for a week and use that to make out my grocery list. Then I completely ignore the menu I created and make whatever sounds good for dinner. Thankfully, The Furry Guy isn't a picky eater.

And yes, we often do this as well. I use it as a guide for dinner, not a 'Have to fix this because it is on the list" menu. Just like what happens when you plan on something in the morning and by days end it changed 3 times.

Like I said, it works for me, but you can change it to fit you. The real beauty of it is, that it is dinners that YOUR family will eat, not someone else's family.

Whatever you want to do. You could also do a summer, fall, winter, spring menu and use it until the weather changes(about 3 months). For instance you might not have lasagna in mid July, and grilled cheese is not a great meal on a cold, blistery January evening. But switch them around and it is great.

Not so short and easy, but I only said I would 'try'.

 

[genburk]

Hi Paulette,
We posted about making the list of meals your family eats just 2 minutes apart. Great minds think alike.

 

[etteluap70PC]

Tina,
I used to pertty much do that exact thing. And my SIL did the same thing to me. She has 4 kids and works full time. She said " oh that is way too organized and looks like too much work!" What? It was her that had said "oh sometime we are so worn out when we come home I just give the kids popcorn" Yeah thats a good meal.

Whatever........

 

[genburk]

I couldn't believe the time saved and the worry NOT spent trying to figure out what to eat each night. It is a piece of cake after having the list and planning out the week or month.

No more grilled cheese or egg sandwiches 3 nights a week for me !!!

At least grilled cheese and/or egg sandwiches are better than popcorn though !!

 

[dwyerkim]

Oh, another thing to keep in mind... use your freezer as you use your pantry. When meats are on sale, stock up and freeze. I do what was posted above... shop from your freezer and pantry when making your meal list before you shop from the stores. Saves time and money. Also, I love the Desperation Dinners cookbook, all meals that cook in 20 minutes or less and they are tasty--not 100 versions of hamburger with cream of mushroom soup. You can pick up some new recipes and figure out some "pantry meals" that your family likes--meals that you can keep all the ingredients in the pantry and ready to go, so when you have one of those 5pm "what's for dinner" moments, you can pull the stuff out and be eating at 5:30.

 

[etteluap70PC]

I forgot to mention that I have certain things I like to keep on hand and I have taken a tip from Rachel Ray She allways says "todays meals are tomorrows groceries". When I take something out EX: a box of pasta I then add it right to my grocery list. It has helped alot! Now if I could get DH to do this too I would be all set!

 

[annsfoodforall]

Stay at Home MoM needs to save on Grocery bill!I love these ideas!
I too find that I am spending way too much $ on grocerys and then getting frustraited that with my two little ones in the kitchen. BK (Before kids) I loved to just make up a dish and would spend any amount of time in the kitchen making whatever I wanted.
Now I need some very quickand cheep AND healthy Diet dishes that I can cook with a 4 and a 2 year old in the room. I would love any ideas you may have.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I love these ideas!
I too find that I am spending way too much $ on grocerys and then getting frustraited that with my two little ones in the kitchen. BK (Before kids) I loved to just make up a dish and would spend any amount of time in the kitchen making whatever I wanted.
Now I need some very quickand cheep AND healthy Diet dishes that I can cook with a 4 and a 2 year old in the room. I would love any ideas you may have.

I have a 3 yr old - and I have him help me as much as he is able. OR at least give him something to do so he thinks he is helping!

For example: We love Quesadillas - so if I am dicing and sauteing veggies etc...for quesadillas, I give him a piece of a pepper, and "his knife" (My First Cutter) and let him chop away at it. I let him have a small piece of cheese and the deluxe cheese grater, and grate some cheese. He pulls a chair up to the counter and I give him a bar board as a working surface.
Some meals he like to help with -
Spaghetti Dinner - he grates parmesan, and helps with veggies for a salad
Quesadillas - We make all kinds - BBQ Chicken, Pizza, Veggie & cheese, etc....
Tacos - he grates cheese, chops hamburger (before I turn the stove on! )
Pigs in Blankets......(reduced fat crescent rolls and chicken sausages) He loves to roll the piggies up in their blankets!

I'm fortunate, in that he isn't a picky eater, and loves vegetables. I use as much fresh veggies as possible in my cooking - and he loves to wash them for me, and now he also loves drying them for me in the salad spinner!

He also has recently taken on the job of setting the table. He does plates, napkins and silvereware. DH does the drinks. He loves helping with that too.