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Sunday, January 11, 2015

Menu Planning - How do I do it?

Each fortnight we like to menu plan. When I don't do it, we overspend and forget vital ingredients needed for certain meals. We don't live in a town that has a variety of items so we often have a 15-20 minute drive if we need anything we have forgotten. I try to avoid this if possible as I drive a lot for work and often don't want to do any more than needed.
All we use is 2 separate pieces of paper. One piece we write down the days of the week x 14 [ie wednesday to the following tuesday in a fortnights time].

                                                            Home made lasagne -Yum !

Each fortnight we go through our pantry cupboards and our freezer and see what we have left [ie if there's mince and pasta and pasta sauce we will make spaghetti bolognaise or lasagne and immediately write that meal on our menu plan.
We then write down any ingredients needed [ie we have the mince and the pasta but no tinned tomatoes so onto the shopping list page we write 'tinned tomatoes']. And we continue with whatever we have left over in the freezer / cupboard.
This way works for us as we only have a small freezer and we don't want foods to be in there for too long either.
Once our fortnightly menu plan is done we go through and write on our list anything that is needed for those meals. Mostly my husband does the grocery shop now which is great as I tend to browse more and he is a 'get in and get out' kinda guy ;)

Some fortnights we have to buy very little and other fortnights we need to buy a little more. It always varies. I also keep each menu plan. I can't ever really use a menu plan again as what we have in the freezer / pantry always varies but I like to keep them so that I have a record and it gives me ideas of what I can cook and reminds me of meals that were / weren't nice.

We usually try and include one or two vegetarian meals and one or two pizza nights which is usually on a friday night as our weekly treat.

Our menu this week [I'm halfway through our fortnight so I'll start with from now until next tuesday is as follows ].

Monday - Chow Mein Mince
Tuesday - Chow Mein Mince on toast [leftovers]
Wednesday - Zucchini Slice and Salad
Thursday - Chicken Schnitzels and pesto wholemeal pasta and salad
Friday - Pizza and Garlic Bread
Saturday - Teriyaki beef cheek and rice
Sunday - Honey Soy Chicken and rice stirfry
Monday - Pan fried chicken and salad.

[Each fortnight our days planned for certain meals may also change depending on our routine / plans etc] . If we have a late night due to my girls dancing or something we may switch to pizza that night instead of friday night if we don't have alot of prep time.

This year I have also started a notebook collection where I am keeping the menu plan, shopping list and shopping reciepts together and I'm challenging myself to notice where I am overspending and really keeping an eye on the budget to ensure I'm not going over it and actually trying to come out with more money.
This fortnight I did the groceries and overspent as I purchased some hair ties, ice bricks etc at the Aldi school sale for my daughters as they needed new ones.
I think once hubby goes back to doing the shopping these little purchases won't happen as I won't be there to be tempted.

So how do you menu plan? Do you menu plan? Stick to your shopping list or not? Would love to hear what everyone else does :)

January Goals

                                          Goals for January

So this year I have decided to do monthly goals rather than yearly. Would you like to join me? Write down in the comments section what your goals for January are and we can look back and see how much we achieved :)

* To get MY DD#12 cupboard installed in her bedroom [she currently has a vintage cupboard we were given by friends in 2006 and it was suitable for her when she was a baby but the hanging space now she is tall is not so good for her clothes to hang down].

* To use vintage cupboard in our front room as a storage cupboard to tidy up our entry.

* To start meditating again even if it's only for 5 to 10 minutes a day.

* To go to bed earlier every night. [I've had way too many late nights during our summer holidays and a lot of stress on me has made this even worse].

* To get our front deck stained whilst I'm on holidays from the 24th January to 2nd February [weather permitting].

Lets see how we go. I'm hoping all if this can be achieved.

I will post back once January is over. Would love to hear what your January goals are if you are called to share.




Saturday, January 10, 2015

2014 Recap




What a year 2014 was. A year of many ups and a year of downs too. Life is often always too busy yet always so precious. It's never perfect but I like to acknowledge the perfect bits. 2014 started with a trip to the waterslides with my besty, her son and hubby and my girls followed with trips to the beach, my very special nephews 1st Birthday, both my girls getting medallions for PBL at school, my little brother getting married to the most beautiful wife he could ever wish for..., a trip to Coonabarabran to see my most beautiful Nan and other family out there, meeting Will Zillman , celebrating 13 years married to my beautiful husband and my awesome parents celebrating 35 years of marriage, NSW winning State of Origin, the girls both getting awesome report cards, and being able to work with some cute alpacas at some wonderful community events, the birth of my absolutley gorgeous little niece Lucy in October, Ella performing beautifully at her dance concerts , my Grandfather coming to her concerts to watch her and getting Most Outstanding for Pre Senior hip hop, and Ella graduating from year 6 and gaining a place at a school we never thought we'd be able to send her too. A Lovely Christmas spent with both sides of our families and all my neices and nephews. I have no idea what 2015 will hold but with my friends and family by my side it's full of promise already.

Disclaimer : Photo above is not my photo. It was taken off the internet and credit is in the picture.