Menu Planning
In the early years I bucked against meal planning. I quite enjoy trips to the market and to eat what sounds good on a whim. This was before I fell deeply for cooking and sourcing better ingredients. Both require time and a bit of planning.
As our family has grown and my affinity for the kitchen increased, I find it completely crucial to plan our meals a week in advance.
This doesn’t have to be tedious and boring work. I like to make a moment of it. Usually I sit down on Sunday to make my list, run errands Monday (markets are less busy on weekdays) and prepare our first recipe on Tuesday.
Here’s my breakdown for weekly menu planning:
Making a List
Get an area of the kitchen cleared and turn on music that inspires cooking and creativity. Depending on the time of day, I will pour a class of water, tea, or wine before inviting any children who want to have input on the upcoming nosh for the week. I take down the family’s requests or let them flip through some books with me.
In my library of cookery books I withdraw a pre-printed grocery list and weekly meal template along with multiple cookbooks I’m interested in using for the week ahead. As I pour over the pictures and recipes I compare them with what we have on hand in the pantry or fridge.
In total I like to compile about four to five dinners, two breakfasts, a dessert, and snack idea to carry us through the coming week. I chose five dinners instead of seven to leave wiggle room for spontaneity and leftovers. My husband may want to cook one night or kids may get a craving for Thai one evening and we order in.
To keep boredom at bay I often do not repeat recipes unless requested. I also do not marry a recipe to a day of the week. Once my list is made and grocery shopping complete, I pick the recipe I feel most like preparing the day of. This may prove annoying for some who seek to avoid the dreaded question from family members, “What’s for dinner?” but it works for me.
*Note: Currently I design my own meal planning templates. It takes meal planning to a new level of enjoyment and I get to utilize my creativity and design interests. However, there are tons of freebies online that can add to the beauty of this mundane moment. There have been many-a-day, Post-Its and blank sheets of paper are my go-to just as well. They are handy and practical.
Market Day
I tend to breakdown my grocery list in categories like: butcher, produce, dairy, pantry, etc. Then organize them by route: Farmer’s Market, Butcher, Whole Foods, etc. and go to each location until I’ve made my way back home. If you’re familiar with layout you may as well organize one step further and write out your list in the path it takes moving through each market too.
Again, this is going to require quite a bit of space in the day that will need to be planned for. If I can’t send my husband then I’m packing the kids before/after our homeschool lessons and setting out to collect ingredients. A great way to get one-on-one with a kiddo but if the whole gang comes, pray, get caffeinated, and make sure the children know what their responsibilities are as mommy’s helpers as they work their way through each market. Be sure to take your own produce and shopping bags!
*Note: Running all over town can be exhausting but it is worth it once you’ve sourced quality meat and produce. I like to give myself grace on Market Day after shlepping all day energy is low. This is usually the day in the week I cook a simple family favorite or we get carryout.
Ready, Set, Cook
The last bit of Menu Planning that is the kiss at the end of a glorious meal is unloading our bounty in our home. The children all take part in restocking the pantry and fridge while I clean produce for the fruit bowls, pre-chop veg, juice citrus to give me a head start in the week. It seems like a ton of work but when I open the fridge and grab lettuce I can dump into a serving bowl or diced onion needing only to be weighed— it’s a glorious feeling.