My dorky way of dinner planning...

[ScrimpAndSave]

I put this list on the fridge and SO and I mark off what we feel like eating that particular night...

This covers like a week and a half or so...things that we don't feel like eating get pushed off to the next week. I love it because each weekend, I come up with 3-4 new recipes and add them to the mix. When I go shopping, I only buy the ingredients that I need for those recipes plus breakfast (which is just a loaf of bread and a carton of eggs). Our lunches have been left overs and maybe one frozen meal a week.

I have a piece of paper on the fridge that reads:

What’s for Dinner?

 Stuffed Peppers with Salad
 Beef Stew (Crock Pot)
 Sloppy Joes, Hommade Fries and Salad
 Chicken Cacciatore Pie with Salad
 Braised Steak, Couscous and Vegetables
 Baked Breaded Tilapia with rice and Vegetables
 Haddock Divan with Buttered Noodles
 Vegetarian Enchilada (Crock Pot) with Corn Bread
 Spinach and Cheese Lasagna
 Meat Loaf, Mashed Potatoes and Vegetables
 Chicken and Dumplings
 Penne in White Wine Sauce with Pan Seared Scallops
 Whole Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Vegetables
 Chicken Stir Fry with Rice
 Salmon with Soy Sauce Reduction with Noodles and Salad


...I should add that I have been buying all of my ingredients from aldi and find the recipies on the aldi website and allrecipes.com.

[Jazzmint98]

That sounds like an excellent plan!

[kork13]

Wait, that's not normal? I do essentially the exact same thing. I keep a list of dinners that I do regularly, occasionally adding one or two that I find/think up. Right now I have a limited ability to cook a proper meal (no oven where I'm staying), but I still have about 15 dinners or so that I rotate between. Only difference is that I keep the food stuffs for everything on-hand rather than deciding ahead of time what I want and shopping for it -- I mostly just choose the day-of what I want for dinner that night.

[PrincessPerky]

Yeah that is the kind of meal planning I do! I could never be locked into a certain dinner for a certain night!

though your list is a bit fancier than mine (haddock, and Taliapa)

[wnlbutterfly]

That is a good idea. I have tried the planning before where you put the menu for each day of the week, it doesn't for us because sometimes you just don't feel like eating "whatever" on that particular day. I think I will give this a try instead!

[ScrimpAndSave]

Tilapia and Haddock! They are $5-$6 a bag at Aldi. Not so fancypants after all.

[cschin4]

If you want a good site, try Menus 4 Mom and go to the archives. They have a weekly list of menus with recipies and also a grocery list to print. It is a free website and the food is pretty simple and easy.

[wincrasher]

While what you are doing sounds delicious, it's not a way to save money.

You should stock your pantry by what's on sale, you have a coupon for, or both. From your inventory you then can do meal planning.

Key to saving money is having adequate freezer space. Adequately sealed, items can easily last a year.

[Mike75]

Are you living in a home or cafetaria? this kind of structure is not healthy as it will make your life quite monotonous. Experiement and change your ccooking styles regularly.

[ScrimpAndSave]

Are you living in a home or cafetaria? this kind of structure is not healthy as it will make your life quite monotonous. Experiement and change your ccooking styles regularly.

Huh? I have different recipies each week...dictated by what is on sale at the store.

[ScrimpAndSave]

Huh? I have different recipies each week...dictated by what is on sale at the store.

I base the menu on what is on sale...and what I buy with coupons (unless I shop at Aldi's that week) + a store's sale. It's definitely a great way to save money. I only spend about $40- $50 a week for two people and that includes nonfood items.