I wanted to share my menu-planning idea and then see if anyone else had other ideas as well!
On a 3x5 index card I write the name of a recipe and where to find it (which cookbook, etc.) Then I write down the ingredients. That's it! I don't write down the entire recipe on the card (too much work, besides, I just need to know where to look). I have made an index card for all our favorite dinners and I also include suggestions for sides. I also write down the type of recipe, crock pot, grill, casserole, etc.
When it comes to planning meals I just bring out the index cards and pick the meals from the cards. It's easy to make out a grocery list because the ingredients are on the card so I don't have to look them up. Instead of shuffling through my cookbooks I just flip through my cards! I can make out my grocery list and have the meals planned for the entire week in less than 10 minutes.
I have just started adding how much each meal costs as well. That way I can plan for cheaper meals mixed with more expensive ones to keep the grocery bill down. A friend of mine does it by Weight Watcher's points. Either way, it makes it much easier to plan!
We try one or two new recipes a week and I add them to the cards. I started with just 7 meal cards and I've grown to 30!
Any other moms have good meal planning suggestions? I've found it's the best way to keep costs down!
I use www.allrecipes.com. LOVE that site!! I sort by rating when I browse for new recipes. I save them to my account and when I choose my weekly meals, I just click "add to shopping list" for them and off I go! When I actually do the cooking, I just pull up the recipe on my laptop on the kitchen counter and read from there.
Well I make weekly menus too, and plan my grocery shopping around that.
But, with recipes... you still need to make a list of what you don't have and then have to buy... therefore, making ANOTHER "list" for grocery shopping anyway.
What I also do is: I look in my fridge/freezer and see what I have. THEN I plan my menus/what we eat that week... based upon that. What we already have on hand. That way, you spend even less money.
Then to figure out what to cook for it, I either go off the top of my head (because I am the type that cooks from my head and not recipes).... OR... you do a Google Search based on the ingredients you already have. So say you have on hand already: chicken, eggs, carrots, potatoes. You just put those ingredients in the Google search bar... and then recipes will come up using THOSE specific ingredients. Real efficient. Instead of searching for just "chicken" recipes for example, which is too broad. And you'd have to weed through that anyway, and then see if you have or have not those ingredients.
Then, when things have piled up in the freezer, I have days where we eat only what is in the freezer. Not just getting more stuff. So then we use up what is already sitting in there... and not having to buy too much extra, saving money, and then it helps to empty out the freezer too. And that helps electricity bills and the efficiency of the freezer functioning too.
all the best,
Susan
Great idea, thanks for sharing!
A lot of recipe website will give you the option to print the a 3'5 recipe- I like to do that. I have color coded the index card so I can grab the ones I like best.
I usually see what is on sale or what I have a coupon for and then I base my menu around that. I cook 5 days and have planned leftovers 2 days. Either we do a buffet of all the leftover meals or I do a 2 in one meal (like fajita's with leftover meat or pot pie with left over chicken). That is also a big money saver.
That is such a great idea!
I do something similar, but on the computer. I have my "favorites" saved on epicurious and I often scroll through, but I love the idea that I could look at my cookbook recipes at the same time!
Thanks so much for the tip!
I started out with a binder. It was simple to take a magazine or photocopy a recipe and add it to my binder. But then my binder started to make me feel unorganized when I had sooooo many chicken recipes. So I did buy a computer program and it was worth it. I can add my pictures, my notes and search according to my ingredients. I can also rate it and when I select my meals, it makes a grocery list that adds everything together (there is also a cost estimate per ingredient). I love the organization. The binder was a big hit with my mom and best friend... it's like a bible to them. lol to each their own.
Love allrecipes.com and I also like to watch foodnetwork.
I just had to comment on this: it's freaking genius! I'm going to start using this to help plan my family's meals. Thank you!
Great idea with your recipe cards! Thanks for sharing!
www.themenumom.com
Great idea!! I have been looking for something like this to solve the, "what cookbook was that recipe in?" problem. Thanks for sharing.
Sounds like a good idea. As a budget planner, I like the idea of putting down the cost.
