Since we have a toddler and both work we pretty much have to do some kind of planning. We don't so much sketch out a day-by-day plan, but we have certain standard dishes that we can make in large quantities on the weekend (with variations), like meatballs, roast chicken, stir fries, stews, casseroles, etc. One or both of us will cook one or two of these dishes on a Sunday, and then we'll supplement during the week with quick meals like super-thin fish fillets in the oven. We always keep some kind of chicken, some kind of beef or pork, and some kind of fish stocked in the freezer, as well as things like turkey burgers, hot dogs and sausages that can be made quickly in an emergency.
This weekend I made a huge thing of meatballs, for example, like maybe 2.5-3lbs worth of ground beef. I'd say that gave me, H, and K each at least 2-3 lunches and dinners each plus a good amount of surplus was frozen for future lunches. Then H also made a chicken casserole, so that we're not just stuck eating one dish three days in a row lunch and dinner.
For veggies we basically buy a large amount of lettuce or a large bagged salad, plus certain standards like tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, and one or two fresh cookable veggies (like a leafy green, asparagus, etc.) that can be easily sauteed or steamed quickly. We also pretty much always have frozen green beans and frozen broccoli, which are easy to make quickly.
We do nearly all shopping at Costco, and the way we've found to make this work is just to buy fewer different kinds of produce, buy things that are shelf stable or freezable, and know what you will and won't use. For example, their apples come in like 16-packs, but you can keep apples pretty long in the fridge. So maybe we buy one of those every 2-3 weeks. Strawberries otoh go bad pretty fast, but it's easy to finish a big box of strawberries in a week. But you don't buy like strawberries and blueberries and raspberries all at once.
― signed, J.P. Morgan CEO (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 3 December 2013 04:20 (ten years ago) link
having a lot of glass snapware is really helpful for freezing (another thing you can get at costco)
― signed, J.P. Morgan CEO (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 3 December 2013 04:21 (ten years ago) link
When I looked at that "What the World Eats" thing I felt proud that we spent considerably less per week than most of the families (albeit larger ones) in the developed world. Part of it is Costco and planning, part of it is not buying all the extras like chips and drinks.
― signed, J.P. Morgan CEO (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 3 December 2013 04:22 (ten years ago) link
Hmmm meatballs is a good addition to the Sunday dinner rotation.
― carl agatha, Tuesday, 3 December 2013 04:59 (ten years ago) link
carl here's the turkey chili recipe for u
it's ww, but that is by the bye - i *swear* on my own mother that it's delicious.
http://www.food.com/recipe/four-way-cincinnati-turkey-chili-ww-225958
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 3 December 2013 04:59 (ten years ago) link
Naw girl, it's cool. I still make a few WW recipes, too. Twice baked sweet potatoes are killer ('cept now I use regular cheese instead of low fat nonsense).
Goes like this:
Microwave a couple of sweet potatoes. Scoop out the insides. Mash with sour cream, salt and pepper, cubed Canadian bacon, and if you feel like it, a chipotle pepper in adobo (my brilliant addition). Fill the tater skins with the filling, top with cheese, and stick them under the broiler for a minute. Fast and filling.
Anyway, thanks for the link!
― carl agatha, Tuesday, 3 December 2013 05:04 (ten years ago) link
Oh yeah I've been killing the baked potatoes lately. Bake, split open, add cheese, bacon or shredded chicken, chives or scallions, and some Tofutti sour cream and they're the best meal. Yours are more sophisticated, though!
― Tottenham Heelspur (in orbit), Tuesday, 3 December 2013 05:50 (ten years ago) link
I always bake extras and then slice & skillet brown them the next day, toss in the pan with seasoning and shredded cheese, top with fried egg. Sometimes I crisp up broccoli and/or bell peppers w them too.
― Tottenham Heelspur (in orbit), Tuesday, 3 December 2013 05:52 (ten years ago) link
It seems too simple to be called "meal planning," but if I have potatoes and broccoli and cheese, some eggs maybe, and the cumin and cayenne and adobo peppers in the cupboard or freezer, I'm always going to get fed.
― Tottenham Heelspur (in orbit), Tuesday, 3 December 2013 05:54 (ten years ago) link
i can't go to the supermarket without a. planning exactly what we'll be eating for the coming weekb. making a list of everything i needc. rewriting the list so it's grouped by location in the supermarket
(and i still always forget at least one thing)
i hate cooking, lack imagination, and would eat frozen meals/chips/chocolate/cereal only, otherwise. i really can't deal with thinking about what to cook when i get home from work, i need to know in advance.
― just1n3, Tuesday, 3 December 2013 06:34 (ten years ago) link
lol, I do the grouping on shopping list by location thing, it's one of the more anal things I do. I get annoyed if H makes the list and doesn't group by location. I like to make my circuit around Costco in a specific order, and I can do the whole shop and be out in like 20 mins if I set it up properly.
― signed, J.P. Morgan CEO (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 3 December 2013 06:37 (ten years ago) link
omg yes location grouping
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 3 December 2013 07:05 (ten years ago) link
Hahahaha yes OTM and also OTM re: partners not grouping the list correctly and ruining my flow. Precision efficiency is key to my grocery shopping happiness.
― carl agatha, Tuesday, 3 December 2013 13:10 (ten years ago) link
Oh we have baked potatoes for dinner a lot, and I have included breakfast for dinner one night thus week and I am totally going to bake extra potatoes for eggs a la in orbit! That's a great idea.
― carl agatha, Tuesday, 3 December 2013 13:12 (ten years ago) link
count me in with all of you fusspots. xp
― estela, Tuesday, 3 December 2013 13:13 (ten years ago) link
i've been baking little baby potatoes lately, they look very appealing swaddled in foil and you get a higher skin to potato inside ratio which goes well with butter and sour cream. obviously you have to eat them in multiples.
― estela, Tuesday, 3 December 2013 13:20 (ten years ago) link
I've leveled up on meal planning and spent most of yesterday, along with Jeff, making "freezer meals" to toss in the crockpot. We managed to bag up ten of them, two each of Apricot Ginger Chicken, Turkey and Black Bean Chili, Spicy Sausage Soup, Ginger Garlic Chicken, and Beef Stew. Nothing super exotic but solid, Midwestern Mom-style slow cooker fare.
I have spent a good portion of the morning looking for some more interesting options, and some vegetarian meals.
Anyway, it's a lot of prep and labor but if we only have to do that once/month I think it could be worth it.
― about a dozen duck supporters (carl agatha), Monday, 26 January 2015 15:30 (nine years ago) link
wow!
― difficult-difficult lemon-difficult (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 26 January 2015 23:02 (nine years ago) link
recipe for apricot ginger chicken, pls
― mom tossed in kimchee (quincie), Monday, 26 January 2015 23:04 (nine years ago) link
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into pieces 1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into the size of green bean pieces you like1 inch ginger root (I think it needs more)3 gloves garlic, minced2/3 c. Apricot jam2 T soy sauce
Put it all in the slow cooker and cook for 6 - 8 hours on low.
OR put it in a freezer bag and freeze it and sometime in the next three months, thaw it out overnight in the fridge, then slow cooker it.
― about a dozen duck supporters (carl agatha), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 01:04 (nine years ago) link
Thanks! Gonna make this week.
― mom tossed in kimchee (quincie), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 13:40 (nine years ago) link
oooh yum
― difficult-difficult lemon-difficult (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 20:07 (nine years ago) link
Have you continued w/ freezer meals?
― a girl with colitis (Je55e), Saturday, 28 February 2015 17:54 (nine years ago) link
I've got beef stew cooking in the slow cooker right now.
We're still eating the ones we made and froze the first time but we'll definitely do it again. I've compiled a spreadsheet of potential recipes.
― from batman to balloon dog (carl agatha), Saturday, 28 February 2015 21:47 (nine years ago) link
Note: I didn't care much for the apricot ginger chicken. Too dry, not enough apricot or ginger.
― from batman to balloon dog (carl agatha), Saturday, 28 February 2015 21:48 (nine years ago) link
bummer
― difficult-difficult lemon-difficult (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 28 February 2015 23:14 (nine years ago) link
It didn't sound that great. I actually printed the recipe book and I think I will make some this week since school is on break. Which are your favorites so far?
― a girl with colitis (Je55e), Sunday, 1 March 2015 19:02 (nine years ago) link
Spicy sausage soup. It calls for spicy Italian sausage but we used andouille and I think that was much better.
― from batman to balloon dog (carl agatha), Sunday, 1 March 2015 20:52 (nine years ago) link
recipe?
― difficult-difficult lemon-difficult (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 1 March 2015 21:16 (nine years ago) link
1lb ground spicy sausage (subbed sliced andouille. I bet you could use chorizo and black beans and that would be darn good, too.)8 medium-sized carrots (about one pound), peeled and sliced2, medium-sized tomatoes, cored, seeds and juice removed, and diced (we used one can of diced tomatoes because it's winter)1 medium-sized zucchini, ends cut off and chopped (about one cup)1 medium-sized yellow squash, ends cut off and chopped (about one cup)1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced (about one cup)1, 15oz can of cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained1, 24oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce (this seemed really weird to me but it worked.) 3 cups chicken broth (day of cooking)
Everything in the slow cooker for 8 hours on low.
― from batman to balloon dog (carl agatha), Sunday, 1 March 2015 21:24 (nine years ago) link
The parenthetical (white kidney beans) was copied from the original recipe. I assume you all know what cannellini beans are. I am not beansplaining.
― from batman to balloon dog (carl agatha), Sunday, 1 March 2015 21:25 (nine years ago) link
I've got a list of 32 other potential freezer meal recipes in a good docs spreadsheet that I will share with anyone who is interested. Hit me up at carlagathaparty at gmail.
― from batman to balloon dog (carl agatha), Sunday, 1 March 2015 21:27 (nine years ago) link
Here's the beef stew recipe we used - http://livesimply.me/2014/11/20/freezer-crockpot-beef-stew/. This one is my second favorite. I added potatoes day of cooking each time.
Okay, making our next batch of freezer meals this weekend:
Butternut squash and chickpea curry http://tasty-yummies.com/2011/10/12/butternut-squash-chickpea-coconut-curry-crock-pot-recipe/Chinese hacked pork http://www.lifewiththecrustcutoff.com/slow-cooker-chinese-hacked-pork/Enchilada Orzo http://damndelicious.net/2014/12/01/slow-cooker-enchilada-orzo/Sausage spinach tomato soup http://newleafwellness.biz/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Six-crockpot-soup-freezer-meals-in-one-hour.pdf
― from batman to balloon dog (carl agatha), Thursday, 5 March 2015 20:19 (nine years ago) link
Man this one sounds not quite right
Slow Cooker Party Beef Roast
2-3lb boneless beef chuck shoulder roast1 cup grape jelly1 cup Simply Heinz ketchup1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
― a girl with colitis (Je55e), Sunday, 8 March 2015 02:04 (nine years ago) link
It could be good for meatballs, but with the addition of something spicy maybe to cut through the sweetness of the jelly and ketchup
― a girl with colitis (Je55e), Sunday, 8 March 2015 02:05 (nine years ago) link
lol is that from a recipe generator like the one crabbits or someone posted a long time ago? with the washing the lemon juice and stuff. also, party beef.
― computer champion (harbl), Sunday, 8 March 2015 02:33 (nine years ago) link
It's from the "no-cook" recipes book carl agatha has been using. I got that from the PDF, but I noticed the version on the blog is "party pork," which is certainly better than beef, but still sounds way sweet. And weird. Nothing against the book/blogger! Most of the rest sound pretty good.
― a girl with colitis (Je55e), Sunday, 8 March 2015 04:41 (nine years ago) link
Yeah that one didn't make my list. I'm all about embracing the hot dish-esque cuisine of my flyover foremothers but beef, jelly, and ketchup is so not going to happen. Same way cooking with cream of soups is fine but Mountain Dew is a step to far.
― from batman to balloon dog (carl agatha), Sunday, 8 March 2015 12:36 (nine years ago) link
working on cooking ahead. i did it a couple weeks ago and was pretty successful. i have been budgeting and realize i spend a hilarious amount of money on food :D
― assawoman bay (harbl), Saturday, 26 August 2017 19:33 (six years ago) link
harbl is going to make:poached chicken, chopped up w/ barbecue-ish saucecorn saladcole slawroasted beetsroasted potatoes
should work ok
― assawoman bay (harbl), Saturday, 26 August 2017 19:35 (six years ago) link
i have a fish and a flank steak in the freezer for protein later in the week
― assawoman bay (harbl), Saturday, 26 August 2017 19:36 (six years ago) link
flank steak is bomb
― lag∞n, Saturday, 26 August 2017 20:05 (six years ago) link
skirt even better imo
― mom tossed in kimchee (quincie), Saturday, 26 August 2017 20:31 (six years ago) link
I've recently embarked on a "use it up" mission, which means some serious work on freezer/pantry items. Just cooked up some lentils that were purchased maybe 3 years ago? If they are lame I will feed them to the chickens.
― mom tossed in kimchee (quincie), Saturday, 26 August 2017 20:48 (six years ago) link
report back - i have some 5 yr lentils I've been eyeing
― Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 26 August 2017 20:58 (six years ago) link
i've never seen skirt steak in my costco
― assawoman bay (harbl), Saturday, 26 August 2017 21:42 (six years ago) link
imo roasted sweet potatoes keep better/reheat better than roasted reg potatoes
― just1n3, Sunday, 27 August 2017 02:18 (six years ago) link
Meatballs / bolognese sauce probably freeze the best of all the dishes we can make in large batches. Freezing them in snapware seems to work pretty well.
― the last famous person you were surprised to discover was actually (man alive), Sunday, 27 August 2017 02:43 (six years ago) link