How Do You Menu Plan, Daily, Weekly, Monthly?

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Jackielou
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How Do You Menu Plan, Daily, Weekly, Monthly?

Post by Jackielou »

Since I read on a blog yesterday this has bothered me. It seems that according to Amy D (Tightwad Gazette author) those who plan monthly menus and only shop for what is on their list actually spend more than those who just shop the sales.

I plan a monthly menu, things sometimes get switched around but not that often as I put date nights, eating take away, or fill in the blank days on my menu calendar.

Now it took me a very long time to be able to manage a monthly menu, but that was from shopping sales, stocking up on sale meats, and using what I had in the house to best advantage.

I do know that we in Canada do not get the sales that many of you get (turkey will never be $0.39 a pound here, best sale price I can get is around the $0.89 a pound and that is with the purchase of at least $50.00 worth of food.

I check all fliers before shopping and stock up on sale items that we can use or will use. Those items are repackaged in the case of meat with my bag sealer and will probably be used over the course of a couple of months if not spread out even more.

When I was shopping weekly I actually spent way more on groceries than I do now that I have started shopping biweekly, and having a monthly menu might not save loads of cash (I believe it does though) but it does save me loads of time.

How do you menu plan or do you even bother? Do you feel Amy D is correct?
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
LogicsHere
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Re: How Do You Menu Plan, Daily, Weekly, Monthly?

Post by LogicsHere »

No, I don't think she is right, at least not in my case.

I, too, plan monthly because I do take advantage of the sales. My plan revolves around what I have in the freezer but I can have anywhere from 3 to 10 months of meat in it at any one time so that I can take advantage when a particular meat goes on sale. I haven't paid full price for meat in years. I keep my meal plan general and only specify chicken, pork chop, spaghetti, scrambled eggs etc. and make final decision of how I'm going to cook it on that day.

Other items such as coffee, spaghetti sauce (don't make my own), canned soups etc. I do the same thing. I've found that by doing it this way my grocery budget actually went down approximately $40 or more a month. I've also gotten in the habit of seeing if I could freeze something rather than letting the part I didn't use sit in the refrigerator till I ended up tossing it so I have less waste as well.

Even with the inflated prices we've experienced this year, I've kept my budget at $160 a month.
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MackerelCat
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Re: How Do You Menu Plan, Daily, Weekly, Monthly?

Post by MackerelCat »

It's been a long time since I read the books, but I don't recall Amy D. saying anything about meal planning. She must have done it, at least in some fashion, with such a large family.

I plan in a weekly manner, but don't do it by nights because supper is not the main meal at our house. DH and I don't eat that much any more so lunch is our big meal. So on Sundays, I cook something for his lunches and mine. His won't last the whole week, so when it runs out he goes to sandwiches. Mine are packaged up, frozen, and go to work with me.

Our weekly menu is planned around what's on sale/what's in the freezer/what's in the pantry. This week I scouted out the fridge, freezer and pantry when planning my week of lunches. We had a smoked sausage, a bag of frozen peas, and half bag of egg noodles that all needed to be used up. So I made a German-themed casserole with the ingredients that needed to be used. The expense for the week was a jar of sauerkraut as a side. Used only half of it, but it will be good with hot dogs on the weekend.
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Jackielou
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Re: How Do You Menu Plan, Daily, Weekly, Monthly?

Post by Jackielou »

MackerelCat wrote: Mon Nov 15, 2021 8:58 am It's been a long time since I read the books, but I don't recall Amy D. saying anything about meal planning. She must have done it, at least in some fashion, with such a large family.

I plan in a weekly manner, but don't do it by nights because supper is not the main meal at our house. DH and I don't eat that much any more so lunch is our big meal. So on Sundays, I cook something for his lunches and mine. His won't last the whole week, so when it runs out he goes to sandwiches. Mine are packaged up, frozen, and go to work with me.

Our weekly menu is planned around what's on sale/what's in the freezer/what's in the pantry. This week I scouted out the fridge, freezer and pantry when planning my week of lunches. We had a smoked sausage, a bag of frozen peas, and half bag of egg noodles that all needed to be used up. So I made a German-themed casserole with the ingredients that needed to be used. The expense for the week was a jar of sauerkraut as a side. Used only half of it, but it will be good with hot dogs on the weekend.
The lady whose blog I was reading said it was from The Tightwad Gazette II if that makes a difference.
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
floridacatlover
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Re: How Do You Menu Plan, Daily, Weekly, Monthly?

Post by floridacatlover »

I prefer to shop weekly and do not meal plan. I eat very simple meals. For dinner it is generally baked chicken or fish with a frozen veggie. I really do not like to spend time in the kitchen. Lunch is mostly a salad or sandwich. I try to watch the sales and buy several of an item that I use regularly but then buy certain items each week.

At the start of Covid, I did a big, early morning shop at Publix and then bought nothing for a month. I don’t know how I did it looking back. For me, shopping every two weeks or once a month would drive me crazy that I was missing the sales. Of course I did that during Covid because Walmart doesn’t have sales.

This year I budgeted $150/month but went over some months especially since summer. In my preliminary budget for 2022 I’m increasing it to $200/month. This does not include laundry detergent, paper towels, dish liquid and some other items which I put in Household. It also does not include pet items.

Perhaps because my grandfather ran a grocery store for 50 years and my mom enjoyed grocery shopping, I enjoy it. I know that many people hate it. (Strange to me.) Sounds odd but the first time I went into Publix after Covid, I sat in my car with tears after my shopping because I was so happy to be able to do such a normal, simple thing again.
clemencia2us
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Re: How Do You Menu Plan, Daily, Weekly, Monthly?

Post by clemencia2us »

By the seat of our pants!
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