How to Plan a Menu

I'm always surprised when I mention dinner plans, or someone overhears the daily "what's for dinner" phone call from my husband, that so many people have no plan for shopping or cooking. Many of my friends tell me they don't know how are don't have time. Planning is something I take for granted. I love to plan. I write lists for everything and think planning a vacation is as much fun as actually going on vacation. The time it takes me to plan and shop for a week or two week menu plan is easily saved later in the week when I am not stopping at the store or staring aimlessly into the refrigerator, hoping for inspiration.

My planning has changed a bit recently because I pick up my produce basket Saturday morning. In the past I had my plan done Friday evening, or early Saturday and tried to hit the stores early before things get too busy. Now I have a bare bones plan in place Saturday. Mostly things that need to get used up immediately and family meal requests.

After I receive my basket I come home and inventory the contents. This week, I received broccoli, cabbage, apples, bananas, kiwis, watermelon, pears, blackberries, fennel, tomatoes, red bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, garlic, onions, parsley, basil, rosemary, and sage.

I still have green beans, carrots, cucumbers and peppers in the produce drawers that need to get used up. I've noticed that tossed salads are not as popular as they were when the weather was warmer.

The berries and bananas will get used up in breakfast smoothies. Some of the apples will get eaten in bag lunches and as snacks.

Once I know what I have for perishables I look to the freezer. I have about a half of a pig left and a whole beef. I also have a few packages of chicken breasts. When I don't have two freezers full of meat, I browse the grocery adds to look for "big buy" sales to keep the freezer well stocked.

The next step is finding ways to use the things I have on hand.

Monday: Oven Baked Ribs (freezer and pantry items plus onions) Coleslaw (cabbage, carrots and pantry items for dressing) Fried Apples, Watermelon slices and biscuits leftover from Sunday dinner.

Tuesday: Eggplant Parmigiana (eggplant, zucchinis, herbs and home-canned marinara sauce) Tossed Salad (cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes and pantry items for dressing) rosemary foccacia

Wednesday: Beef Stroganoff (onions, mushrooms and noodles form the pantry) Steamed Broccoli and Pear and Apple Crisp

Thursday: Minestrone (cabbage, zucchini, green beans, tomatoes, rosemary) and Paninis (leftover foccacia)

Friday: Beef and Vegetable Potpies (zucchini, carrots, onions, and mushrooms)

Saturday: Pork chops

Sunday: Chicken Normandy

Saturday I will pick up another basket and will determine sides for Pork Chops and Chicken at that time. I'm not sure what to do with the fennel. My daughter asked for the ingredients for fruit pizza to use the kiwis, but she did not make it over the weekend, so I'm not sure what to do with them yet. Hopefully, I will find uses for them during the week. I don't like to throw away food, so if I have not used them by Wednesday, I'll call my mom to see if she wants them or take them to work and share them.

I don't think planning a menu is difficult to do or stick to. I freeze leftover soups that I can use in the event I forget to pull meat out of the freezer or an unexpected kids' activity keeps us from getting home in time to cook dinner.

Having this plan in place is very comforting. I do not have the stress of figuring out each night's meal at the last minute and I'm saving money by not making a daily trip to the store.