I am not normal. At least, that's what folks tell me when I say I have an eight week rotating menu, LOL. It's not perfect and there are still some gaps, but so far, so good. This is the first 8 week slice we've actually followed the whizz-bang plan, but once the meals were decided, it made grocery shopping all the more easy, even though (at the moment) I'm still shopping weekly.
The meals are all tried-and-true, works-for-our-family fare. Nothing elaborate or fancy. There is room for both New Recipes and Takeaway. And we frequently change the order of our meals during the week or even sub in something else entirely depending on our mood or DH's shifts, so its not rigid - more of a guideline. We grocery shop on Thursdays so our 'week' usually begins on that day :) Sides are given in brackets.
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Week One
Thursday - Fish & Chips (salad)
Friday - Hamburgers
Saturday - Chicken Stirfry (rice)
Sunday - Roast Chicken (roast potatoes, vegies, gravy)
Monday - Spaghetti Bolognaise (garlic bread)
Tuesday - Chicken Schnitzel (potato salad, vegies, gravy)
Wednesday - Soup & Sandwiches (Tomato & Vegetable)
Week Two
Thursday - New Recipe
Friday - Beef Fajitas
Saturday - Chicken Parmigiana (potato bake, vegies)
Sunday - Homemade Pizza (homemade 'dippas', salad)
Monday - Ravioli (rolls)
Tuesday -
Wednesday - Carol's Egg & Bacon Pie (salad)
Week Three
Thursday - Fish & Chips (salad)
Friday - Beef Stirfry (rice)
Saturday - Mustard, Lemon & Rosemary Chicken (???)
Sunday - Roast Beef/Lamb (roast potatoes, vegies, gravy)
Monday - Spaghetti Bolognaise (garlic bread)
Tuesday - Chicken Burgers
Wednesday - Fried Rice (rolls)
Week Four
Thursday - New Recipe
Friday - Tacos / Soft Tacos
Saturday - Satay Chicken Kebabs (???)
Sunday - Takeaway (we have this once a month)
Monday - Lasagna (wedges, salad)
Tuesday - Chicken Kiev / Nuggets (chips, salad)
Wednesday - Baked Potatoes (various toppings)
Week Five
Thursday - Fish & Chips (salad)
Friday - Steak Sandwiches
Saturday - Chicken Stirfry (hokkein noodles)
Sunday - Roast Chicken (roast potatoes, vegies, gravy)
Monday - Spaghetti Bolognaise (garlic bread)
Tuesday - Chicken Schnitzel (potato salad, vegies, gravy)
Wednesday - Soup & Sandwiches (New Soup Recipe)
Week Six
Thursday - New Recipe
Friday - Beef Fajitas
Saturday - Chicken Parmigiana (potato bake, vegies)
Sunday - Homemade Pizza (garlic bread OR homemade dippas, salad)
Monday - Latina (rolls)
Tuesday -
Wednesday - Eggs / Omelette (toast, salad)
Week Seven
Thursday - Fish & Chips (salad)
Friday - Beef Stirfry (hokkein noodles)
Saturday - Chicken & Vegetable Pies (???)
Sunday - Roast Beef / Lamb (roast potatoes, vegies, gravy)
Monday - Spaghetti Bolognaise (garlic bread)
Tuesday - Chicken Burgers
Wednesday - Fried Rice (rolls)
Week Eight
Thursday - New Recipe
Friday - French Onion Steak (mashed potatoes, vegies)
Saturday -
Sunday - Takeaway
Monday - Lasagna (wedges, salad)
Tuesday - Chicken Kiev / Nuggets (chips, salad)
Wednesday - Hotdogs
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You can see that lots of the meals in the second four weeks are duplicates of the first four weeks, but there are a few changes. Some things, like Spaghetti, everyone likes, so we have that frequently at twice a month. Other things, like Hotdogs, are 'treat dinners' and only make an appearance once every couple of months. Every second Thursday is 'try a new recipe' night so if I happen across an interesting recipe, I clip or print it, and put it aside in a manilla envelope. When I know 'new recipe' night is coming along, I choose from these clippings rather than trolling the internet. This amount of variety is about right for us - we're not terribly adventurous eaters, LOL.
Wednesdays I glance at the master menu and the week we're in at the moment (this week is Week Seven, though we've swapped and rearranged lots) and then make my grocery list. I prefer to shop this way, rather than to use the 'what's on sale' approach because I'm familiar with the types of meals that will crop up during the eight weeks and I buy meat and other groceries on sale to accomodate meals I know will be coming up two or three weeks away (as well as the ones I'm shopping for that week). So I might have a couple of expensive weeks and then a couple of lean ones as I fall back on the sale meat I bought previously, but it all evens out eventually.
Cheers,
Lizzie
9 comments:
Wow and I thought I was organized!! LOL but you know, that cannot be in any shape or form a bad thing!!
Thanks for stopping by my blog!! It's always good to meet new people, especially ones that share a common interest. I will be sure to read your post about your son. Nice to meet you!
Fantastic....eight weeks of menus! Looks great too :)
Have a wonderful week!!
Laura
Lizzie, you put us all to shame :) What an organised person you are, I thought I was good just getting this weeks menu up... hehehehe!!!
Ha! This is a culmination of many, many episodes of trial and error! This monstrosity of mine has been floating around in previous incarnations for YEARS. This is just the first time I actually followed it...more or less!
Good thing is though, with regular 'new recipe' spots I don't feel tied down to a particular plan - gives me just the right amount of no-brainer-ness (LOL) and creativity :P
Cheers,
Lizzie
Wow, very impressive. I did a four week menu but had to make changes along the way.
Your menu looks great!
Blessings~~
♥ Annie
My Life as Annie!
We used to have a 6 week rotating plan, but need to take ALL advantage of special offers at the moment, so plan week by week these days.
And here I was grousing about the fact that on the 15th of the month I had to completely rearrange my ONE-MONTH menu.
This is amazing!
Wow! I am impressed. I am sending soem ladies your way!
MJ
It works so that's all that matters.
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