MENU PLANNING
1. Pick your protein- Proteins can be the most expensive part of your meal. Consider
3. Meal Make-up- What does your typical meal consist of? Meat, bread, vegetable? Casserole, salad, and a glass of milk? Remember to think about this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
4. Start Simple- Start by planning for some of your favorite and simple meals. It is easier to shop for your regular recipes vs. a new fine dining eccentric meal.
Interesting Fact: Did you know that a recent study showed that a parents belief in the importance of meal times increased the likelihood of children eating with their families as well as increasing the likelihood of parents participating in meal planning and regularly scheduling meal times. Make meal planning a positive experience in your family :). Reference: Williams Alex Mcintosh, Karen S. Kubena, Glen Tolle, Wesley R. Dean, Jie-sheng Jan, and Jenna Anding, "Mothers and Meals: The effects of mothers meal planning and shopping motivations on children's participation in family meals" Appetite, 2010, Vol 5, Iss 3, 623-628
4 planning steps to assist with meals, budgeting, and shopping
Commit: Tell yourself right now, you are going to try to build your menu and grocery list for a specific amount of time (1 weeks worth of meals?). Also, be sure to tell yourself why. Once you commit, it is important to think of all the people in your household, how much food you will need, who you are feeding, who you are shopping for, and what exactly they like.
Start by...Picking your Planning Style:
· What kind of menu are you shopping for?: A couple days? A week? Two weeks? A party?
· Who are you feeding?: A family of 4? A group of 15 for a birthday party? etc.
· What do they want?: It is important to take into consideration exactly what people want. Why buy extras that won’t be used? The purpose of menu planning - to shop savvy and be in charge of your food intake.
**www.organizedhome.com : Week Menu Plan + Grocery List Template w/ printable PDF version**
Build your Menu
1. Pick your protein- Proteins can be the most expensive part of your meal. Consider
alternating between high and low priced proteins. Example: Turkey vs. Black Beans. Also, think of ways you can make your protein last. Is there anything you can do with the leftovers the following day?
2. Balance- It seems like a no brainer but when planning a menu be sure to provide a nice balance of meals and characteristics. It can be monotonous to eat spaghetti, fettucini, lasagna every day and every meal of the week. Try changing your meals up with different textures, colors, and food items.
· Avoid your plate being ALL the same color.
Example: brown rice, chicken, and pear slices (all brown)
· Avoid your plate being ALL the same consistency.
Example: Apple sauce, creamy soup, and pudding (all smooth and pureed)
3. Meal Make-up- What does your typical meal consist of? Meat, bread, vegetable? Casserole, salad, and a glass of milk? Remember to think about this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
A typical meal includes 3 food groups. Example: a starch, a protein, a vegetable.
· Dinner Example: Grilled chicken, roasted asparagus, and a roll.
· Breakfast Example: egg and spinach scramble, hashbrowns, and strawberries
4. Start Simple- Start by planning for some of your favorite and simple meals. It is easier to shop for your regular recipes vs. a new fine dining eccentric meal.Interesting Fact: Did you know that a recent study showed that a parents belief in the importance of meal times increased the likelihood of children eating with their families as well as increasing the likelihood of parents participating in meal planning and regularly scheduling meal times. Make meal planning a positive experience in your family :). Reference: Williams Alex Mcintosh, Karen S. Kubena, Glen Tolle, Wesley R. Dean, Jie-sheng Jan, and Jenna Anding, "Mothers and Meals: The effects of mothers meal planning and shopping motivations on children's participation in family meals" Appetite, 2010, Vol 5, Iss 3, 623-628
Get Creative!
Fun left over chicken recipes from http://www.leftoverchicken.com/recipes/
¨ Freeze yor meals: You may have heard of Sams Club and Costco warehouses, these companies sell most of their food items in bulk to provide the consumer with cheaper prices. Along with saving at the store this same philosophy can be used in your kitchen. Make your favorite meals in bulk and freeze them for another day. This can provide simple and easy home cooked meals for you and your family while saving you time and money. Make your meals go the extra mile.
PS we will have a WHOLE topic on how to effectively cook and bulk and save your meals! Stay tuned!
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