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Long-term menu planning: My new menus I just finished editing our new menus for after the new baby's born. The last time I had done any serious menu planning was 2 years ago, before Eliyahu was born. Since that time, we've added quite a few recipes to our repertoire, and it was definitely time for something a little more updated! Before I share the actual menus, let me tell you how I went about making the menus. I doubt that my particular menus would be perfect for any other family besides us, but sharing the general idea and tips for writing out a long-term menu might be helpful if you're not sure where to start. :) First, I made a two-week "Easy Meals" menu, which contains my easiest meals -- either meals that are just plain easy (like grilled cheese!) or else meals that are easy for me because I have ingredients in the freezer or pantry, already prepared (like spaghetti and meatballs!). I'll use this easy menu for the first month or so after having the baby, which should allow me to relax on meals and not need to spend too much extra time in the kitchen. :) For the rest of the menus, I decided to plan a 12-week menu. I planned dinner for each night, and one different soup for each week. To begin, I made a list of our favorite main dishes. I made a list of all 12 weeks, and started filling in the days' meals. If it was a recipe we like, but don't want to eat too often, I just put it down once. For meals we really like (like pizza!) I planned them every 2 weeks or so. I also made a list of some breakfast ideas, and we'll decide on breakfast each day or week. Lunches will be leftovers or else something from my list of lunch ideas. I also have a list of sides/breads. And, I always make a cooked vegetable or salad with the meal. :) I won't follow these menus exactly... I'm sure I'll be adding in things that we get on sale/in season (especially in the summer, with all of our garden food!) or making special meals for guests. For this reason, the menus will probably last longer than 12 weeks. :) Easy Menu 1 Taco salad Soup/side: Wheat Berry Soup Easy Menu 2 Pizza Soup/side: Cornbread Menu 1 Pizza Soup: Beef vegetable soup Menu 2 Spaghetti and meatballs Soup: Veggie bean soup with spinach Menu 3 Cheesy veggie chicken pasta Soup: Potato soup Menu 4 Pizza Soup: Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup Menu 5 AGK's organic chicken fettuccine Soup: Italian Meatball Soup Menu 6 Shepherd's pie Soup: Corn chowder Menu 7 Pizza Soup: White chili Menu 8 Spaghetti and meatballs Menu 9 Quiche Soup: Wheat Berry Soup Menu 10 Pizza Soup: Chicken Noodle Soup Menu 11 Chicken squash bake Soup: Black and white bean chili Menu 12 Spaghetti and meatballs Soup: Chili Breakfasts: Breakfast sandwiches on homemade bagels Lunches: Chicken salad sandwiches Snacks or lunchbox items: Whole wheat cinnamon graham squares Sides/breads: Bread bowls Tammy, how do you work the soup or side that you have listed with each week into your meals? Do you just make a big batch of soup and eat on it off and on during that week? Tracy in NC OH, I need to do this...my baby is due in less than 2 months, and I don't even have my son's bed converted back into a crib yet! I wanted to have some casseroles and such cooked up, but since we homeschool(I have a 4th grader and a kindergartener) I haven't had time! And with my husband over the road truck driving...argh! Wonderful ideas though.... I LOVE to see how other women plan their days and menus! Thank you so much for taking the time to type that all in!! I will be busy printing soon. I also make a pot of soup every week and bread about every other day, and make my own 'chex mix' with different healthy snacks I through into a old ice cream tub. I also boil a dozen eggs to have to snack or salad. We have the same breakfast and lunch and snack the same day every week and get enough for the month. Wow annonymous (last one)I don't think I could eat the same thing everyday for lunch and snack. I don't snack. But I give my children fruit or veggie sticks. And maybe once and a while for a treat some pretzels. None of us are big on dairy because we all have sinus issues. So we try and limit our dairy intake. We eat a lot of fish. And tons of fresh salads, and only poultry no pork or red beef. (I'm happy to have cut out the red beef, since now they are attributing red beef, and processed foods to some cancers) I already have one vegitarian daughter (and she's 3 1/2). Maybe one day we all will be! I like to change up my menus and make it a surprise as to what we are having. I always have fresh/frozen soup, and always a salad w/the lunch meal (a small one, if we are having soup). Our biggest meal is our lunch. I pack my husband's lunch w/a hearty meal. Not just fruit or sandwich, but a good meal, it's what people consider a dinner meal. Bread, it depends, we aren't huge bread people. If we had soup, salad and bread we would be done. lol So we generally don't fill ourselves up w/bread. OOOPs. I must of worded it wrong. What I ment to say was every monday for lunch we have ham and cheese sandwiches and a salad, every tuesday we have peanut butter and jelly with fruit, every wednesday we have egg salad and soup, every thurdays is hot dogs (healthy choice brand), noodles and veggies, ect ect... I think i would get sick eating the same thing every day too!!!!!!!LOL!!! Well I'm certainly glad you don't have the same thing everyday. lol For hotdogs...it's best to get a brand called Hebrew. They aren't loaded w/the junk that normal hotdogs are made of. They are also kosher. We don't eat hotdogs either, but thought I'd pass that along.  Tracy, the soup listed is either for lunches or else to go along with one of the main meals listed... on whatever day I take the time to make the soup. :) Joshua likes soup, but doesn't like having it for a main dish. :) The main reason I have a soup on the actual menu is so that I don't forget to incorporate the various soups we like, into our meals! :) Trish, I have heard of others using that sort of menu plan (i.e. a different meat/food for the different days of the week) and I think it'd be a great way to have variety but not so much stress about menu planning! :) I imagine our menu planning will change as our family grows, as well... :) I have heard some comments about hot dogs being kosher. Excuse my ignorance, but what does that mean? Is it related to pork. I have read alot of family dont eat pork and was wondering why. Hi, Trish! :) Hmmm... the term "kosher" is talked about on this page. (That page is not my site or anything.) A food is marked "kosher" (there are various symbols for"types" of kosher -- K, K with a circle around it, U, etc...) so the consumer knows that it was made/processed according to certain methods. Joshua and I don't follow a rabbinical kosher diet, but we do follow the Biblical food laws about clean and unclean foods. :) It is interesting to read your menues! I've fallen way off the good wife/mom horse. I've been sick & I'm in my first trimester. So morning sickness is keeping me down. I was super mom up until 2 months ago & now I can't seem to get off the couch. I'm finally feeling a little better. We went from baked breads & home cooked meals to eating out & junk food. Hi Tammy, I love the idea of having an easy meal list! I plan on making one for myself to have for this summer, when I am crazy-busy studying for the bar. Of course, it's much easier to have an easy list in the summer, when there is access to fresh produce from farmer's markets! :) Take care! Post new comment |
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Tammy, when is the new baby due? I missed that somehow.