kcnjason 08:13 AM 07-18-2011
I know that I posted a while back about menus. I'm curious how others do their menus. How do you choose what you are having? one day is chicken, noodles, veggie, fruit.....next day is beef, noodles.....etc......how do you plan your weeks?
dEHmom 08:20 AM 07-18-2011
me personally i do not plan anything....
i go by the feel of the day. if it's a busy day, everyones not that hungry, sandwiches it is. sometimes i plan stuff, and we don't end up doing it because it just doesn't seem like that sort of day ex...roast mashed tatos and corn cobs but it's way too hot, so we just eat pancakes instead.
KEG123 08:26 AM 07-18-2011
I make menus on Sundays, before I go grocery shopping. I save A TON of money by only buying what's on my list, instead of just grabbing this and that. I try to alternate so we have pork chops, chicken, and some form of beef at least once a week. Also I try to do beans at least once a week (but that doesn't always happen) and then I see what's on sale, and that's my fruit/veggie, etc.
heyhun77 10:26 AM 07-18-2011
I make a rotation with the kids suggesting meals, finding new ideas, and using previous menu rotations. Summer menus are a little different and planned more on a week to week basis since we have so much going on that requires changing the rotating menu. I don't do each day of the week theme kind of meals, I just come up with 20 lunches, breakfasts and snacks and spread out the different proteins throughout the span of 4 weeks, putting easiest stuff on the days I know we are typically busy and then the things that take the most prep on Mondays since I prep the food on Sunday afternoons. I do the same for our family meals and then on weekends we do leftovers on saturday and then special family dinner on sundays.
I find I don't have time to cook major meals (the little guys wouldn't touch meat dishes!) because I walk four times a day back and forth to preschools and elementary schools. I need ideas that are quick, simple and kid friendly. I do pancakes, waffles, english muffins or tortillas with pizza sauce, ham and grated cheddar, the old standbys of Kraft dinner and alphagetti with cheese and crackers and fresh fruit on the side, hot dogs of course, sandwiches which are usually pb&j and sometimes with bananas, hash browns with scrambled eggs and cheese .... it's all stuff that they will all eat so I try not to worry when I feel I'm not offering up extensive variety, they don't seem to care! My main concern is keeping them out of really sugary foods as I find it alters their moods quite drastically and they seem to get enough of that at home. Any suggestions are always appreciated, this is a great forum for ideas!