Monday, December 3, 2007

Dinner planning anyone?

No one stinks worse than me at dinner planning. Fortunately, they've built and opened a new supermarket which is right on my way home - literally 6 minutes from my house. Who can beat that? So often my planning is done on my 1/2 hour ride home and stopping in at the supermarket on my way. If it isn't done this way or planned out way in advance, we eat take-out.
Here's how to put together a quick menu for the next few weeks:
1) Give each family member 5 pieces of paper or 3 x 5 cards. Ask him or her to write down their favorite meal that you make. It can be anything that qualifies as dinner (except holiday meals).
2) Gather up those 3 x 5 cards and make your menu accordingly. If you can, add a couple of more meals you know your family would like and add them in. Once the menu is made, go through and make acorresponding grocery list. Hopefully, you will have a menu with at least 20 meals on it.
3) Stock your pantry with things you know you will use frequently for these recipes so they are always on hand. Likewise, do the same with the refrigerated stuff, but go easy…that stuff has a shorter lifeexpectancy!
4) Post your menu on the fridge so everyone knows what to expect. If you have teenagers or other capable children, enlist their help so the burden of all the meal prep and cooking isn't on you. Remember to ask sweetly, don't be a shrew!
Ok - I really want to do this - maybe it will help you get through the next few weeks too. I have a feeling if I do this, we'll be eating an awful lot of pizza, hot dogs, and chicken fingers. Good luck!

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