tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post9052614350935358550..comments2024-01-26T05:21:36.865-08:00Comments on Motherscribe: If JCK has to cook one more meal with chicken, she swears she will start sprouting feathers.JCKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04582581376724478366noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-6665365947374658502020-08-25T10:51:45.755-07:002020-08-25T10:51:45.755-07:00i think meal planning is big for my family. I have...i think meal planning is big for my family. I have 4 kids and its hard to cook for them. I use alot of quick meals to make it easy.<br /><a href="https://simpsonplumbingservices.com/5-signs-you-have-a-broken-sewer-line/" rel="nofollow">sewer line</a><br />alihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11835830755852577356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-62560705754378046762009-02-28T10:17:00.000-08:002009-02-28T10:17:00.000-08:00i think meal planning is big for my family. I have...i think meal planning is big for my family. I have 4 kids and its hard to cook for them. I use alot of quick meals to make it easy.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.workingaway.co.uk" REL="nofollow">seasonal jobs apply free</A>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-14870990983507524112008-11-24T20:29:00.000-08:002008-11-24T20:29:00.000-08:00You have inspired me to take on these topics every...You have inspired me to take on these topics every Monday! I have posted one today about Costco type shopping. Next week I'll take on meal planning.<BR/><BR/>I am an experienced mom of 3 with good planning in my genes - I hope my posts will be helpful!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-67709181708632813102008-11-20T17:37:00.000-08:002008-11-20T17:37:00.000-08:00I sort of plan meals. I go shopping and buy all th...I sort of plan meals. I go shopping and buy all the things for certain meals. Then I know at some point during the week I will have meals A B C. I also keep things on hand for meals on the fly. Beans, pastas, tortilla shells and varied meats. That way in a pinch I can put together something quick and easy. <BR/>At the grocery store, I shop sales and stock up. I am not a coupon clipper either. We have a big freezer in the basement. If chicken is on sale I will buy a couple months worth. I also buy bulk at Sams Club and repackage all of our purchases when we get home into family sized portions. It saves us a lot of money. <BR/>For lunches, my family loves wraps. For some reason all the same ingredients in a tortilla is better than on bread. They are weird like that. <BR/>You didn't ask for but my favorite thing to do with chicken is chicken parmesan. It is quick and easy to put together. And my family loves it. <BR/>Hope this helps. Reading back over it, I look a lot more organized than I actually am. I think I am more like you than I let on.Ellynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08907807448468020160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-39664539471640185632008-11-20T09:11:00.000-08:002008-11-20T09:11:00.000-08:00Oh, and I always keep the fixins for BLT's in the ...Oh, and I always keep the fixins for BLT's in the fridge. It's my back up emergency dinner.Tootsie Farklepantshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18336671002327112885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-5141074872592826712008-11-20T09:07:00.000-08:002008-11-20T09:07:00.000-08:00Meal planning? Well, since there are only about 6...Meal planning? Well, since there are only about 6 things that the entire family will eat so that I don't have to make multiple meals, my planning is easy. And I grocery shop for about four days worth because inevitably I'll have to go back for something midweek. <BR/><BR/>For savings: I use my Vons club card and try to buy whatever brand is at a discount. I've gotten really good at that. Plus the club card also applies to produce and meats.<BR/><BR/>If I really need to save money one week I'll make a giant pot of spaghetti sauce and have that a couple of nights and then make a lasagna with whatever is left over. You can get about 4 nights of dinners out of one pot of sauce.<BR/><BR/>Must have in the pantry: cereal.Tootsie Farklepantshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18336671002327112885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-21814200764386009182008-11-19T19:55:00.000-08:002008-11-19T19:55:00.000-08:00i do not plan any thing at any time. I am a fly by...i do not plan any thing at any time. I am a fly by the seat of my pants mom who has no schedule or routine. I know: my kids are screwed.<BR/><BR/>But maybe this will help: for lunch, I sometimes pack whole wheat tortilla wraps with diced veggies.<BR/><BR/>That's all I got.San Diego Mommahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12624915698900874371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-83525258724476487302008-11-19T19:38:00.000-08:002008-11-19T19:38:00.000-08:00I haven't read your other comments so if I'm doubl...I haven't read your other comments so if I'm doubling up, I am sorry.<BR/>I'm lazy like that.<BR/>I do a weekly menu (used to be monthly but hubby works weird hours now).<BR/>I find it works for me because I do all the prep I can in the morning when my kids are fresher and not quite as wild.<BR/>ie chop veggies, make the casserole, prep the salad, marinate the meat etc etc.<BR/>Then when cooking comes there is less to do and less chance of me flinging my knife at one of my kids.<BR/>One other way isave money is when I make a casserole I always make two and freeze one. That way, there is something in the freezer for days from hell and we are less likely to eat out.<BR/>Canada has very few coupons so I don't coupon much at all. I am a HUGE believer in Costco. We know what is cheaper there, and what's cheaper at the grocery store and shop accordingly, but their produce is consistently good quality and we try to buy non-perishable staples when they are on sale and stock up.<BR/>For lunches - i pack my hubby lots of finger food type stuff. PEa pods, cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, beef jerky, (eww) home made muffins, banana bread, pepperoni sticks, I make him lots of tortilla roll-ups, clubhouse sandwiches, etc.<BR/>He also loves yogurt and lots of fruit. He's practically a vegetarian (except for the beef jerky which I cannot figure out) so his lunches are pretty fruit and veggie orientated.happygeekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14554736584093276751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-18166327772411495742008-11-19T19:00:00.000-08:002008-11-19T19:00:00.000-08:00In defense of coupons: One must only choose the c...In defense of coupons: One must only choose the coupons for things that one would ordinarily feed one's family--that is key. True, there are many coupons for a lot of junk food, but if you look out for them you will find coupons for milk, cheese, meat, cereal, bread, and produce. Plus there are great coupons for shampoo, deodorant, etc., and if you match sales to coupons you can get them for much cheaper than you would elsewhere, like Target.<BR/><BR/>Also--watch the ads for special deals, like buy a certain quantity of something, and get a dollar amount of your order. For example, Ralph's had the big cans of coffee that I buy on sale--50% off, and if I bought four I got $5.00 off my grocery order. Big savings! When something non-perishable or freezable is on sale, buy lots of it.<BR/><BR/>All that being said--I quit the Grocery Game because the SoCal grocery stores quit doubling coupons over $1.00--that's where the huge savings came in.<BR/><BR/>Good luck!<BR/><BR/>PS-And buy generic brands, too!Jason, as himselfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16630210317307544165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-67826765287121785062008-11-19T18:56:00.000-08:002008-11-19T18:56:00.000-08:00We plan the menu on Sunday.We go through the fridg...We plan the menu on Sunday.<BR/>We go through the fridge and pantry, make a list of what meals we can make out of the food we have on hand and assign those meals to a day of the week.<BR/>Then, we determine what else we need from the store to create the remaining meals required.<BR/>We pack our lunches every day, so most of the grocery items are for lunch, snacks and staples like milk and eggs.<BR/><BR/>Our menu is boring and usually unvaried as we usually have the same items and we buy things in bulk and on sale to save money.<BR/><BR/>Monday we usually roast a chicken and have it for dinner with some sort of potato and vegetable combo.<BR/><BR/>Tuesday is always something made from ground beef or turkey and is usually Italian.<BR/><BR/>Wednesday is the remaining chicken from the Monday dinner, thrown into enchilladas or a soup, or mixed up with steamed rice and veggies.<BR/><BR/>Thursday is leftovers.<BR/><BR/>Friday is homemade pizza, always.<BR/><BR/>Saturday is never planned.<BR/><BR/>Sunday it begins again, and often we have cheese slices, summer sausage and sliced bread or popcorn for dinner, because it's easy.The Familyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14199421109765929440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-7054999421849749962008-11-19T18:03:00.000-08:002008-11-19T18:03:00.000-08:00I'm a meal planner though most of the time its...I'm a meal planner though most of the time its just in my head. We start with the basic framework of 7 meals. I pull things from the pantry and freezer then flesh out the missing things at the store.<BR/><BR/>My staples are all raw: flour, potatoes, buttermilk, carrots etc. That way I know worse case scenario I'll pull a beef roast from the freezer and make it into something with carrots, potatoes and biscuits LOL<BR/><BR/>I tend to make food that reheats well. We also like quick meals of Indian inspired curry - they are my go to for meals under 40 minutes.<BR/><BR/>I don't have the lunch issue as my kids are here with me at home. Here are a couple of my non-chicken favorites:<BR/><BR/>A big beef roast will roll into beef & vegetable stew for a second meal. Cooking one night with a bit of prep after dinner gains me a "free" night.<BR/><BR/>I love my crockpot and a simple dinner is to throw in a pork roast cover it with BBQ *we have a no HFC one we LOVE* several hours we shred it into bbq sandwiches.<BR/><BR/>Good Luck!Bobbihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01424956282928247574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-46684103164511411102008-11-19T17:30:00.000-08:002008-11-19T17:30:00.000-08:00I wish I was a meal planner. I think? But I am n...I wish I was a meal planner. I think? But I am not. I fly by the seat of my pants most nights and we eat out far too often.<BR/><BR/>Good luck. And if you figure it out - let me know!~Swankymamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15297775214113910370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-48638916214901369212008-11-19T15:08:00.000-08:002008-11-19T15:08:00.000-08:00Ha! Love this. Okay --first secret. Once a week...Ha! Love this. Okay --first secret. Once a week, I make a HUGE amount of salad mix -- lettuces with carrots, onions, cauliflowers and red peppers. Then I cut tomatoes and cucumbers and put them in their own containers. Any point, John and I have instant salad with or for dinner, all week long. There is NEVER NO salad in the house, period. Our children adore (sorry) chicken satays with a peanut sauce. We eat Connie's frozen pizza. Sometimes, we have popcorn with parm for dinner while watching a movie. Kids sometimes eat nachos (just plain chips and cheese) for dinner. Cheesoritos - tortilla with cheese, baked or microwaved, are a hit. Omlettes for dinner. Chicken noodle soup. Spaghetti. Lunch ideas: little yogurts, sliced apple with lemon sprinkled on to keep from browning, sliced lemons, cheese/crackers, chips & salsa, turkey rolled and pinned with a toothpick (they love that one), cheesoritos, fruit snacks, grapes, mac & cheese in a thermos, pretzels & cheese as a main course. . . . we shuffle through those! and yogurt :-)<BR/><BR/>Now to read some others. . .Minnesota Matronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16565431067927240183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-3564692099851559152008-11-19T14:12:00.000-08:002008-11-19T14:12:00.000-08:00I have nothing to offer. I'm simply going to read...I have nothing to offer. I'm simply going to read all your other comments and steal their ideas.<BR/><BR/>:0)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-21924100475028018272008-11-19T11:19:00.001-08:002008-11-19T11:19:00.001-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.barbrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09918903739834969992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-31485623246328438672008-11-19T11:19:00.000-08:002008-11-19T11:19:00.000-08:00Dear, dear JCK, I am sorry to say I AM like you. ...Dear, dear JCK, I am sorry to say I AM like you. Except worse. Because I wait until The Hubby gets home (5:45 or 6:00 or so), and THEN we both scrounge around and try to figure out what to make for dinner.<BR/><BR/>I like to serve fish at least once a week, and we do chicken one or twice. The Hubby likes to grill some beef from time to time. We make sure we have 1-2 vegetables or a veggie and a starch, and some kind of fruit. We are simple eaters. The Hubby wishes it was more exciting, but he knew what he was getting into when he married me!barbrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09918903739834969992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-33516062720661824232008-11-19T09:05:00.000-08:002008-11-19T09:05:00.000-08:00www.savingdinner.com...I had osme friends talking ...www.savingdinner.com...I had osme friends talking about this site. The same friends also have singed up for some sort of farmshare thing....where you get fresh seasonal fruits and veggies from a local farm once a week or so, and it helps save the environment....can't think of the link for the farmshare, but maybe just do an internet search...I know there is a pickup in Altadena???? Just a couple of thoughts. I persoanlly buy a lot of stuff from Trader Joes...some frozen and some fresh, and just shoot from the hip. Ther evil empire of Martha Stewart also has that daily food...little magazine thing, and it is mostly healthy stuff and quick and easy, and that Mag comes with a grocery list in the back of the mag. lunches????? man...if you get soe ideas there, let me know. My children are daily prisoners of the pb&j, or cream cheese bagel, a t.j.'s yogurt and some sort of fruit. They don't seem to complain, so I don't attmept to diversify.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-3179359363407661692008-11-19T08:37:00.000-08:002008-11-19T08:37:00.000-08:00I'm just here to read the comments. ~snort~I'm just here to read the comments. ~snort~Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14258405168792203613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-11667014902270755752008-11-19T08:15:00.000-08:002008-11-19T08:15:00.000-08:00PLAN? We're supposed to PLAN!?!?!?!!?!That explain...PLAN? We're supposed to PLAN!?!?!?!!?!<BR/><BR/>That explains much.<BR/><BR/>I rarely do the cooking. I did make a lovely potato soup the other night (my mother's recipe). I did a lot of the cooking in my first marriage, but he was not a vegetarian. I know how to make all kinds of lovely MEAT dishes. The Mountain Man is a vegetarian, so almost all my recipes are useless. Plus I hate cooking (possibly part of the problem with the first marriage, but a small part).<BR/>When we were first married and I got pregnant I was so sick I couldn't enter a grocery store or be near anything cooking. So he got in the habit of doing all the cooking. Then when the Queen came along and was attached to my breast 24/7, he just continued it. He actually likes it.<BR/><BR/>We use the Moosewood cookbooks a lot. I don't use coupons either, because like you, they're either for stuff I don't buy, or for brand names that are more expensive even with the coupon than the store brand is.<BR/><BR/>We do a lot of burritos, spinach lasagna, spaghetti with a variety of sauces, simple stuff really, because DeBoy eats almost nothing except chicken nuggets and cereal. The Queen is slightly better but not by much. <BR/><BR/>Lunches? We're in danger of starvation. The Queen will eat turkey and swiss cheese sandwiches and the occasional tuna salad (not on bread). DeBoy eats a LOT of bread and butter. <BR/><BR/>So this is an extraordinarily long comment just to tell you that I'm so sorry I'm of no use at all.<BR/><BR/>However, do you know about Tater Tot casserole? It may have too many preservatives. I don't look at the label on tater tots and it calls for cream of mushroom soup, ground beef, and cheddar. VERY Southern!Janethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02190489990653412687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-88772782757677287202008-11-19T06:23:00.000-08:002008-11-19T06:23:00.000-08:00Two things you should put into a google search: "L...Two things you should put into a google search: "Leanne Ely", and her book "saving dinner". That has been really, really helpful.<BR/><BR/>But then, I can't really say anything about it because I just buy the same things every week, and then my husband makes delicious interesting meals out of them. It's like magic. All I got to do is grocery shop and wash the dishes. (And no, you can't have him, sorry.)Susannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14220769941216066968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-18188720979879905042008-11-19T05:56:00.000-08:002008-11-19T05:56:00.000-08:00I know I'm most likely far too structured, but my ...I know I'm most likely far too structured, but my daughter is four and it's just the two of us. I have the same menu every week. Ok, maybe we'll switch it up a little on the weekend, but Sun-Thurs it's the same menu. I always choose the "protien" part and my daughter gets to pick the "veggie" part. Works for us!calicobebophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00276066197431903215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-45991896471809486222008-11-19T05:03:00.000-08:002008-11-19T05:03:00.000-08:00I don't plan meals. I have tried periodically and...I don't plan meals. I have tried periodically and it goes much more smoothly. Also, my husband and 1 son are VERY picky eaters, so variety is not my friend. Every week goes something like this:<BR/><BR/>Sunday Dinner - something big and time consuming.<BR/><BR/>Monday - Chicken and Rice<BR/><BR/>Tuesday - Sunday Left-overs<BR/><BR/>Wednesday - Easy Pasta<BR/><BR/>Thursday - More Chicken or maybe a meatloaf or tacos (try ground turkey!)<BR/><BR/>Friday - Pizza Night!<BR/><BR/>Saturday - Skip lunch. Convince Andy to take the kids to a 'family dining restaurant.'Manic Mommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02397835927560496425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-20771916590417267152008-11-19T02:23:00.000-08:002008-11-19T02:23:00.000-08:00I just found this gourmet cook on the go (??) on o...I just found this gourmet cook on the go (??) on our SITsa site..I put her banner on my page too. But she had interesting recipes. Some looked very easy and doable...<BR/><BR/>I am the last person you want to ask for recipes and organizational culinary skills...sooooo bad.<BR/><BR/>BUT! I do enjoy shopping at our grocery store and it seems you should be a "member" to enjoy the added discounts that the "member" of the grocery store gives you.The Ramblerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10409123245867533569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-62934891100886262872008-11-18T23:40:00.000-08:002008-11-18T23:40:00.000-08:00oh girl, I wished I could give a comment or two......oh girl, I wished I could give a comment or two... but we hardly cook (ashamed - head buried underground)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271931822987740572.post-36867084759999218292008-11-18T22:07:00.000-08:002008-11-18T22:07:00.000-08:00Sometimes I plan weekly and sometimes I don't. You...Sometimes I plan weekly and sometimes I don't. You can figure out which works better. <BR/><BR/>I have a friend who keeps a list of last-minute dinners for which she always has the ingredients in her pantry taped to the inside door of the pantry. It's genius--I don't know why I don't do it.<BR/><BR/>What really worked for me when my kids were little was that I completely prepped dinner in the morning, including making a salad and sometimes even getting the dishes out so it was quick to set the table. I had so much more time at 10 a.m. than I did at 5 p.m.<BR/><BR/>Good luck with your idea gathering.Jenn @ Juggling Lifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14455967210924573398noreply@blogger.com