Menu Planning Monday

You can see more weekly menus here.



I'm tired.

My menu is tired.

So instead of me telling you what I am planning this week....why don't you tell me what you are planning for dinner this week?

And tell me how you do dinner.... do you plan a week's dinner each Sunday? Do you go to the grocery store each day or once a month? Do you go to the cheapest? Shop weekly sales? Use coupons? Pay a little more for a closer/less crowded store? Cook ahead and freeze dinners for later? How often do you try new recipes? Eat dinner early or late? Does your husband help cook? Do you just cook the same things over and over?

I'll go first.

I usually shop at Winn-Dixie, a little more expensive but a nicer/less crowded store with almost no check out lines. I figure the money I pay is for the time (and my own sanity) I am saving. I do fight the crowds at Wal-Mart for non-food items like dish soap and paper towels, things that can be stocked up.

I usually plan one week of menus at a time, usually in my head only, and I spend a little time looking at the sale ad and going through my coupons in preparation for my Friday evening after work trip to Winn-Dixie (The store is closer to work than home- easier to do on my way home each Friday).

I would like to try new recipes once a week, but its typically every other Saturday when I have more time to spend in the kitchen. If it goes well, the new dish is added to the line up.... but it still feels like I just cook the same things over and over.

It works best for me to cook a big dinner each Sunday, use the leftovers for a casserole during the week, get something in the crockpot and freeze left overs for later. I sometimes cook extra on Sunday just to freeze a meal for later.

My people like to eat dinner early (5:30p to 6:00p), and Husband mastered a few dishes of his own and will cook occasionally, especially the things I cant cook, like fish. He is really good at helping me cook. For instance, I can make something in the morning before work, put in fridge with directions, and he will get home first, finish the dish and/or put the casserole in oven. Of course, this helps greatly, but still requires me to be on top of things to get it prepared in the first place.

But why is it that when I get busy, the menu planning is the first thing to go, and I am left staring into the fridge, hungry and tired (and cranky and gumpy), at 7:00 p.m?

I need some new ideas.

Seriously, I want to know what goes on at your house for dinner.

Spill it.

I would put up Mr. Linky if I could figure out how...

Maybe you would like to do your own post and tell us to come visit in the comments?