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EmmaReed84
29-07-2013, 12:12 PM
Do you plan your whole weekly menu? (including what you will give for lunch)

As a family we have decided on a Saturday morning we will all sit down together (all 4 of us) and have an input as to what we will have for dinner the next week so our shopping can be budgeted a bit easier. Then go out and get the things from our list.

Anyway, doing this has made it a lot easier in the week as I don't get to 2pm and think "crap what am I going to do for dinner?!"

I was thinking about doing this as a proper weekly plan, but usually lunches are a "what would you like for lunch" type of thing rather than a set lunch for everyone (although lunches end up all being the same anyway!)

Also is it a good a idea to log your weekly food so prospective parents can see what a weeks menu typically looks like rather than just a random list of some dinner.

EmmaReed84
29-07-2013, 12:20 PM
7562

This is what I sort of had in mind, but did not know if it was a bit OTT and too time consuming.

loocyloo
29-07-2013, 12:46 PM
that's pretty much what I do!

I don't put breakfast on it, but put morning snack, lunch, tea and afterschool snack for those who don't have tea!

I don't find it takes anymore time, and i'm sure its easier as I don't have to think each snack/meal time about what to do! I also find it easier to make sure I have a variety of potato/pasta/rice/couscous etc, then meat/fish/vegetarian meals plus veggies! I do get stuck in a rut of the same meals, especially as I have a couple of nights a week where tea needs to be ready to eat as soon as we get home! but mindees make suggestions too and we put it on the menu for the following week.

my menu is on the board in the hall where parents come in, although I have no idea if anyone ever looks at it!

sometimes I change it, especially lunch depending on what we are doing, or if lots of left overs etc, but I find shopping easier with a menu to hand!

AliceK
29-07-2013, 01:14 PM
I always write up a menu detailing days of the week, who's attending, tea.
I don't write anything up for breakfast or lunch although I do plan in my head for lunch trying to vary things a bit. All my menus are pinned up on my kitchen board and my own children are always looking or asking what's on the menu. I sit and write it up on a Friday for the following week taking into account who I've got that day and how much time I'm going to have to prepare / cook it. I then use the menu to write out my shopping list. It's so much easier doing it this way then all I've got to think about in the supermarket is what myself and OH are having (we eat much later in the evening).
I was getting increasingly worried about the size of my weekly shopping bill until I stopped to work out exactly how many meals I'm providing each week: On a normal week I do 48 hot dinners. 30 lunches and 23 breakfasts. When I look at it like that I can justify the amount of my shopping bill (horrendous :panic: )

xxx

vikiwizz
29-07-2013, 01:20 PM
I have a four week rolling menu for evening meals

Chatterbox Childcare
29-07-2013, 02:58 PM
I have a revolving 5 week rota and we use the 5th week in 5 week months. Only give evening meal as it changes all the time.

We have fruit and then pudding every evening

EmmaReed84
29-07-2013, 03:23 PM
Thank you for the replies.

I have done a 4 week menu. What do you do with regards to expenses? Do you actually tally up receipts or say 1 dinner is £2.50 on lunch is £1.50 etc.

One a typical day (today for example)

Breakfast. All had toast with Marmite. Then a banana for snack. At lunch mindee had a slice of bread with ham and cucumber and a massive side of grapes (they don't like "sandwiches and only ever manage one slice) then they had some chilli tortilla chip and tonight they are having homemade spag bol with fresh peppers.

I would have said perhaps put that down as £5 for one day, so two mindees £10 a day... £50 a week. Does that sound like to much? Putting £50 a week down... In fact it would be £60 as I feed another mindee dinner two nights a week term time (obviously £50 during the hols)

Also, do you think the menu is OK, food wise I mean... Any ideas for other dinners I could do? I am not really good at this sort of thing.

7563

Bumble Beez
29-07-2013, 03:48 PM
That looks really good Emma...
Good variation and healthy options too...do you cater for vegetarians?
Being a vege myself, I always list a vege option but that's just me ;)
I think the financials are probably about right too!

Maza
29-07-2013, 04:16 PM
Sounds fabulous! Don't forget couscous, gnocchi and noodles - they cook really quickly and I rely on them a lot! Do you eat fish? Also, sometimes I cook spag bol but use turkey mince instead of beef mince - exactly same recipe. Lentil Bolognese is also a yummy one, and very cheap! x

EmmaReed84
29-07-2013, 04:22 PM
Thank you for the replies.

I have not thought about a vegetarian option, luckily I have not had to think about that, but I will definitely look in to that for the future.

I also completely forgot about fish. I make the tastiest fish pie!! LOL.

We like the Bird's Eye fish in sauces, but I want to learn to make it for myself to cut out as many processed foods as possible. I don't mind using some jars, but really prefer my own cooking LOL!!

Also thank you for reassuring me about the expenses... I dread to think how much I lost out on last year with not putting food... or petrol down in my expenses!

Bumble Beez
29-07-2013, 04:36 PM
Don't be making the same mistake again this year hun...make sure it all goes through your books ;)
Vegetarian kids | BBC Good Food (http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/vegetarian-kids)
This has loads of ideas if you're stuck and me and my DS who is 4 have tried and tested loads!!

Louise_Oaktree
29-07-2013, 05:03 PM
When do you guys get time to cook? I stopped providing an evening meal as most of mine go between 4-5 and lunch times are mostly sandwiches, yogurt and fruit as I only have 1 mindee who will eat a hot meal and got fed up of throwing food away :(

EmmaReed84
29-07-2013, 06:20 PM
When do you guys get time to cook? I stopped providing an evening meal as most of mine go between 4-5 and lunch times are mostly sandwiches, yogurt and fruit as I only have 1 mindee who will eat a hot meal and got fed up of throwing food away :(

My mindees go at 5pm. I get in from the school run at about 3.30pm-3.45pm all the kids get in and I get cooking straight away. Depending on what it is though I tend to prepare things in advance.

So for spag bol I will have the onions and peppers already chopped, cottage pie I will prepare either in the morning, then pop in the oven when I go on the school suns and it is ready for when we are back. Anything that can be done in the slow cooker gets prepared the evening before and slow cooker goes on in the morning.