This should probably be a food photograph, but Molly is more delicious.
I have tried several different things to solve the problem of “What’s for dinner?” I’ve tried making elaborate menus and I’ve tried buying what’s in season and experimenting. I wish I had what it takes (the flexibility, the commitment, the close-by foodie friends, and the desire to interact that much with said hypothetical friends) to start up a dinner co-op like Rixa’s.
I’ve put scrumptious things in the crockpot right after breakfast and I have stared at the stove while Tom walks in the door from work (ok, not really — I usually try to look more on top of things right at that very moment, even if it only lasts a second). I love trying new things, especially Asian dishes right now, and I’d definitely like to move towards an even more plant- and whole grain-filled diet.
So this is my latest brainstorm. It is both totally set in stone and completely flexible. It gives me the control of knowing what’s for dinner every day of the week for the rest of my life (or until I get tired of it) and the freedom of making any variation on these dishes based on ingredient availability, fluctuating desire for gourmet versus easy, and whim. I can throw each of these dishes together from scratch and a memorized-from-long-use recipe, or I can google up a new variation, or I can tell Tom that since Saturday is Asian perhaps we better head down to Thai Drift. All in the name of following through, of course.
This is all the foods we eat all the time anyway. You can use it if you want — or tell me if I’m missing a kid-friendly type of dinner altogether. It is lacking outdoor grilling- type food, but I’ll fix that come summer.
Apologies to Steph for not observing Thursketti. Something about Thursday screams out for leftovers to me. In fact, most days do, but the beauty of this menu is that most of the dishes can absorb a lot of different leftover ingredients. And none of them are elaborate or preparation intensive, beyond the chopping, which is kind of inevitable if you want to eat healthily.
Monday: Pasta (spaghetti/alfredo/tortellini)
Tuesday: Salad (chef/cobb/spinach)
Wednesday: Mexican (taco/fajitas/burritos)
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Pizza (tomato&basil/ham&pineapple/bbq chicken)
Saturday: Asian (curry/stir fry)
Sunday: Soup (cream of veggie/stew/white chili)
Now that I’m writing this down, I think I was heavily influenced by Meagan Francis, though I didn’t realize just how appealing her Six-Meal Shuffle was when I read her post months ago.
I keep staring at this wondering on the one hand if Wednesday really is the best day of the week for refried beans, and on the other, why didn’t I do this years ago?
Subscribe by email
I had thought up a system similar to yours, with a general category of food for each day of the week, before we started the dinner co-op. I don’t think I actually implemented it, since the co-op evolved around the same time, but it seems like a great idea. It gives you both flexibility and structure for meal planning. Coming up with what we’re going to eat is the bane of my existence. The actual cooking, if I have the ingredients on hand and know what I’m making, isn’t really all that bad. It’s staring at the contents of my fridge and pantry at 4:30 pm when we’re all hungry and wondering how we’re going to make a meal out of what we have. I hate that!
Shannon Reply:
February 24th, 2011 at 3:17 pm
I hope you have built up a lot of meals coming to you from the co-op for after your sweet baby is born!
Don’t kill yourself over it. Check out this site, they plan your menu for your according to your diet and where you shop, and it’s only $5 a month. http://www.e-mealz.com/how.shtml
Shannon Reply:
February 24th, 2011 at 3:14 pm
Huh. I think I want more control over it than that, and while I will eat almost anything I do have lots of personal favorites. But if this plan doesn’t work for me, I’ll give that one a try — do you use it? (plus, even though it’s inexpensive, it seems wrong to pay for something I can do myself if only I could be disciplined, you know?)
I really and truly love this idea! I am either way on the ball with meals or totally off the wagon. Right now it’s an off-the-wagon sort of week/month/year. I am going to implement something similar, though mine will probably have a “breakfast” night because we LOVE breakfast for dinner!
Shannon Reply:
February 24th, 2011 at 3:12 pm
Funny — I am also way on the ball or totally off the wagon about keeping the house clean, too. Maybe a set chore-a-day schedule is in order — like, Monday: Laundry, Tuesday: Vacuuming, Wednesday: Chick-fil-A . . .
I like your system a lot. Don’t forget lasagna and mac & cheese on Monday night, if you guys like those. I probably wouldn’t do a soup night every week–maybe I’d devote a whole night to potatoes! Also, I’ve been pretty regular on my chore schedule. Monday & Thursday are laundry, Tuesday is bathrooms, Wednesday is scouts so I get a free day, and Friday is vacuum & mop. It’s funny how just a little planning makes you feel so much better about the household tasks.
That’s just brilliant.
Thank you for this valuable post. It changed my mindThank you for this valuable post. It changed my attitude
Recently I saw some research in which it was found that people who plan menus 1-2 wk ahead, and then shop accordingly, save 50% on their food budget.
A coupla weeks ago we went to a presentation on campus from “The Food Nanny” — Liz Edmunds. She is on KBYU -TV sometimes. And we bought her book, “The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner”. Basically, she went through the same thoughts and struggles you are going through, but 42 years ago when she was a young mother. Ever since then she follows a plan that she outlines in her book, like this:
Monday: Comfort food
Tuesday: Italian night
Wednesday: Fish and Meatless
Thursday: Mexican
Friday: Pizza
Saturday: Grill
Sunday: Family Traditions.
see byutv.org/foodnanny.
So, maybe her ideas can help you. Whatever. Keep up the good work.
I love reading your posts.
Dad
I used to do it like this. But then I found I got into a major rut doing it (spaghetti every pasta night, tacos every Mexican.) I still follow the guidelines (more or less). And I have never shopped without planning my week’s menu first. I don’t know how to do it any other way.
Are we really going to be eating Asian on Saturdays for the rest of our lives? I guess Asia has a lot of variety, but still. Look out Thai Drift.
After watching the Food, Inc. documentary, I don’t think I can eat much meat anymore. I have visions of cows jammed together and diseased in crowded stalls, or chickens falling over because they’re lopsided due to genetic engineering.
Charlotte Reply:
February 26th, 2011 at 2:05 am
You could always do what we tried- buy a cow from a local farm and have it butchered for you. Then you know none of it has been wasted and it was humanely treated (as humanely as killing a cow can be). 1/2 a cow lasted us about a year,or would have if the freezer hadn’t died…
Tom Johnson Reply:
February 26th, 2011 at 8:54 am
Choosing my own cow to be butchered would certainly be an interesting experience. Don’t you think of the cow walking happily in a field every time you eat a hamburger?
I love the colors in that picture. Dark yet with strong colors. Beautiful hat. Small head.
First time at your blog..what a cute hat! Having a great giveaway with Shabby apple and a little girls dress:)-
Sandy toe
You’re absolutely right. Molly is delish.
Which WordPress theme do you use on http://www.seagullfountain.com?