Comments on: Back To School Free Menu Planner http://momadvice.com/blog/2008/08/back-to-school-free-menu-planner Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:36:26 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Kara http://momadvice.com/blog/2008/08/back-to-school-free-menu-planner/comment-page-1#comment-8068 Kara Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:56:00 +0000 http://momadvice.com/blog2/?p=678#comment-8068 Just wanted to say THANK YOU for making this menu. I've been using it all month. I changed the order a bit to fit with our schedule. So far we have enjoyed each recipe. There are a lot of new things that I've enjoyed making, like the pita bread! We never have pita bread because it's not available at Aldi, and I never considered making it myself. It was delicious. I have never made fish before, because my husband doesn't like it. I made the tilapia recipe last night because he was not home. To my surprise, my picky daughter loved it, and my son had a second serving! I am an Aldi shopper so it's nice to know that almost everything can be purchased there. So thanks for making my life easier and all of our lives yummier with this menu! Just wanted to say THANK YOU for making this menu. I’ve been using it all month. I changed the order a bit to fit with our schedule. So far we have enjoyed each recipe. There are a lot of new things that I’ve enjoyed making, like the pita bread! We never have pita bread because it’s not available at Aldi, and I never considered making it myself. It was delicious. I have never made fish before, because my husband doesn’t like it. I made the tilapia recipe last night because he was not home. To my surprise, my picky daughter loved it, and my son had a second serving! I am an Aldi shopper so it’s nice to know that almost everything can be purchased there. So thanks for making my life easier and all of our lives yummier with this menu!

]]> By: Heidi http://momadvice.com/blog/2008/08/back-to-school-free-menu-planner/comment-page-1#comment-8069 Heidi Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:34:00 +0000 http://momadvice.com/blog2/?p=678#comment-8069 Thanks so much for sharing your menu plans! I love your recipes and it has inspired me to get back to making dinner. Thanks so much for sharing your menu plans! I love your recipes and it has inspired me to get back to making dinner.

]]> By: Maria http://momadvice.com/blog/2008/08/back-to-school-free-menu-planner/comment-page-1#comment-8070 Maria Tue, 12 Aug 2008 22:15:00 +0000 http://momadvice.com/blog2/?p=678#comment-8070 Thanks for the great recipes and ideas. I can't wait to make a few of them! Thanks for the great recipes and ideas. I can’t wait to make a few of them!

]]> By: LaMaman http://momadvice.com/blog/2008/08/back-to-school-free-menu-planner/comment-page-1#comment-8071 LaMaman Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:11:00 +0000 http://momadvice.com/blog2/?p=678#comment-8071 I have been trying to whittle away at my grocery bill. It averages $125 per week & I have cut way back on the Starbucks. Our local grocery store Meijer's has been good about buy one get ones on things like meat so that has helped too. Our treats out now are Little Caesar's $5 hot n ready pizza or $5 footlongs at Subway. The thing that kills us when we get back to school is lunches - so many things to put in them! I have been trying to whittle away at my grocery bill. It averages $125 per week & I have cut way back on the Starbucks. Our local grocery store Meijer's has been good about buy one get ones on things like meat so that has helped too. Our treats out now are Little Caesar's $5 hot n ready pizza or $5 footlongs at Subway. The thing that kills us when we get back to school is lunches – so many things to put in them!

]]> By: ResourcefulMommy http://momadvice.com/blog/2008/08/back-to-school-free-menu-planner/comment-page-1#comment-8072 ResourcefulMommy Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:43:00 +0000 http://momadvice.com/blog2/?p=678#comment-8072 Amy Clark, you rock! Thanks so much for these meal plans! Amy Clark, you rock! Thanks so much for these meal plans!

]]> By: Steph at Problem Solvin' Mom http://momadvice.com/blog/2008/08/back-to-school-free-menu-planner/comment-page-1#comment-8073 Steph at Problem Solvin' Mom Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:13:00 +0000 http://momadvice.com/blog2/?p=678#comment-8073 Thanks for all the great links! I'm always looking for new recipes to try, and after a few "duds" my new strategy is to only try recipes suggested by others for awhile! <br /><br />I posted for MPM a little about how I currently menu plan, stop by if you're interested. :) Basically, I am working week to week now, but my goal by the end of August is to start working toward a monthly plan. I like simplemom's method of taking 2 weeks of menus and shuffling them so each meal gets fixed 2X for a month long menu plan.<br /><br />I am definitely going to hit Aldi's very soon, we just had one open up in our area! Thanks for all the great links! I’m always looking for new recipes to try, and after a few “duds” my new strategy is to only try recipes suggested by others for awhile!

I posted for MPM a little about how I currently menu plan, stop by if you’re interested. :) Basically, I am working week to week now, but my goal by the end of August is to start working toward a monthly plan. I like simplemom’s method of taking 2 weeks of menus and shuffling them so each meal gets fixed 2X for a month long menu plan.

I am definitely going to hit Aldi’s very soon, we just had one open up in our area!

]]> By: Amy http://momadvice.com/blog/2008/08/back-to-school-free-menu-planner/comment-page-1#comment-8074 Amy Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:42:00 +0000 http://momadvice.com/blog2/?p=678#comment-8074 Janel- Sides are definitely a difficult aspect of menu planning and seem to be overlooked a lot. We do one or two vegetables usually per meal and I just buy the frozen packages of veggies to make things easier. We do fresh broccoli, fresh carrots, and salads. In the freezer I stock lots of bags of frozen vegetables for the end of the month, when we start to run out of the fresh stuff. I am also relying on my garden this year for tomatoes and fresh herbs to add some flavor to our dishes.<br /><br />Thank you guys so much for sharing! Janel- Sides are definitely a difficult aspect of menu planning and seem to be overlooked a lot. We do one or two vegetables usually per meal and I just buy the frozen packages of veggies to make things easier. We do fresh broccoli, fresh carrots, and salads. In the freezer I stock lots of bags of frozen vegetables for the end of the month, when we start to run out of the fresh stuff. I am also relying on my garden this year for tomatoes and fresh herbs to add some flavor to our dishes.

Thank you guys so much for sharing!

]]> By: Andrea @ Mommy Snacks.net http://momadvice.com/blog/2008/08/back-to-school-free-menu-planner/comment-page-1#comment-8075 Andrea @ Mommy Snacks.net Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:36:00 +0000 http://momadvice.com/blog2/?p=678#comment-8075 Amy - I love your planners and recipes. You cook like a "real" person and break it down so easily! And, these recipes look yummy too - you're just the best!!<br /><br />Our grocery budget is $75/week but that includes formula and hygiene items. That may have to rise a little since I'm convincing my son to pack his lunch everyday - we'll see.<br /><br />I prefer to plan weekly just because I'm not sure that I would actually stick to a monthly plan. And, since I grocery shop weekly I can use supplies from my stockpiling and fresh produce each week too. But, with my kids back at school, it would definitely be more efficient to do a monthly plan since I'd have more time to plan it out. I'm up to try anything and see how it goes - I just want to save time and headaches in the end, and your advice always helps with that! Amy – I love your planners and recipes. You cook like a “real” person and break it down so easily! And, these recipes look yummy too – you’re just the best!!

Our grocery budget is $75/week but that includes formula and hygiene items. That may have to rise a little since I’m convincing my son to pack his lunch everyday – we’ll see.

I prefer to plan weekly just because I’m not sure that I would actually stick to a monthly plan. And, since I grocery shop weekly I can use supplies from my stockpiling and fresh produce each week too. But, with my kids back at school, it would definitely be more efficient to do a monthly plan since I’d have more time to plan it out. I’m up to try anything and see how it goes – I just want to save time and headaches in the end, and your advice always helps with that!

]]> By: Janel http://momadvice.com/blog/2008/08/back-to-school-free-menu-planner/comment-page-1#comment-8076 Janel Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:01:00 +0000 http://momadvice.com/blog2/?p=678#comment-8076 Nice menu Amy.<br /><br />You're post got me thinking about being "menu challenged." After looking at your menu and visiting a few others, I finally realize why I'm menu challenged and possibly what I can do about it. Thanks. :)<br /><br />Being married to a guy with a Ph.D. in nutrition has its ups and downs. He's got some pretty firm "convictions" about food and one of them is vegetables - at least 3 with supper plus others during the day (btw, potatoes don't count). I also have to factor in some food sensitivies.<br /><br />Menu plan tutorials (or frugal budgeting 101) usually don't help me because they skip the veggies or only list one. For me, getting the veggies planned is my biggest challenge.<br /><br />Right now I basically buy staples and meat in bulk for a cheaper prices and see then what's colorful and in season for produce. I generally decide what we'll eat as we go, but I'm someone who really does like a plan.<br /><br />After thinking about it more this morning, I'm thinking about trying to plan a month of main dishes, go shopping for veggies and come home to plan the veg menu one week at a time. That might just work for me.<br /><br />Does anyone else struggle with vegetable and/or side dish planning? Or doesn't anybody eat vegetables??? Nice menu Amy.

You’re post got me thinking about being “menu challenged.” After looking at your menu and visiting a few others, I finally realize why I’m menu challenged and possibly what I can do about it. Thanks. :)

Being married to a guy with a Ph.D. in nutrition has its ups and downs. He’s got some pretty firm “convictions” about food and one of them is vegetables – at least 3 with supper plus others during the day (btw, potatoes don’t count). I also have to factor in some food sensitivies.

Menu plan tutorials (or frugal budgeting 101) usually don’t help me because they skip the veggies or only list one. For me, getting the veggies planned is my biggest challenge.

Right now I basically buy staples and meat in bulk for a cheaper prices and see then what’s colorful and in season for produce. I generally decide what we’ll eat as we go, but I’m someone who really does like a plan.

After thinking about it more this morning, I’m thinking about trying to plan a month of main dishes, go shopping for veggies and come home to plan the veg menu one week at a time. That might just work for me.

Does anyone else struggle with vegetable and/or side dish planning? Or doesn’t anybody eat vegetables???

]]> By: Nancy http://momadvice.com/blog/2008/08/back-to-school-free-menu-planner/comment-page-1#comment-8077 Nancy Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:44:00 +0000 http://momadvice.com/blog2/?p=678#comment-8077 This could not have come at a better time. I am a believer of menu planning but unfortunately I've been slacking in that dept. this summer. It's just been too hot to cook or eat. With our girls returning to school and sports within the next few days, I spent some time on Thursday evening preparing a menu for 2 weeks and making my grocery list. I went shopping on Saturday and my total was $183. That will get us through 2 weeks. Typically we spend about $400/mo. for a family of 4 (2 teen girls and my husband who is also a triathlete - he literally could eat us out of house and home depending upon his training schedule). My goal is to cook from scratch but on occasion I do allow myself a 'night off' by using some convenience foods.<br />Thanks for the inspiration! This could not have come at a better time. I am a believer of menu planning but unfortunately I’ve been slacking in that dept. this summer. It’s just been too hot to cook or eat. With our girls returning to school and sports within the next few days, I spent some time on Thursday evening preparing a menu for 2 weeks and making my grocery list. I went shopping on Saturday and my total was $183. That will get us through 2 weeks. Typically we spend about $400/mo. for a family of 4 (2 teen girls and my husband who is also a triathlete – he literally could eat us out of house and home depending upon his training schedule). My goal is to cook from scratch but on occasion I do allow myself a ‘night off’ by using some convenience foods.
Thanks for the inspiration!

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