Meal Planning 101
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 7:23AM by Laura Martin, Charter CSA Member, smartcookienc@gmail.com 919-696-3067
We've all been there. Staring at the pantry waiting for some kind of sign on what to make for dinner. You just got home from work and everyone is hungry. So you call for pizza or end up going out to eat and spending way more than you would if you could have just gotten started immediately on dinner as soon as you walk in the door. It doesn't have to be this way. With a little planning on the weekends over your cup of coffee, you can plan your week and save money. We think we don't have enough money to eat healthy and that local, organic food is too expensive. Those last minute trips through the drive-thru or restaurant meals with tips are not only costly on your food budget, but are taking a toll on your health.
The benefits of menu planning are many, but most importantly, you are able to buy better food for your family. You will be less stressed. Your family will love the meals you serve them. You can also stretch your budget by incorporating leftovers and food that you have on hand. There are many, many websites and blogs devoted to menu planning. My favorite is Cozi. (www.cozi.com) It has a recipe box feature that you can type in your favorite recipes and then you will always be able to find them instead of rifling through a dozen cookbooks or doing a google search and finding an acceptable alternative. My favorite feature of Cozi is that you can create a shopping list from your recipes and then either print, email or send it as a text message to your phone. I love this simply because I can send my husband or son to the store and I won't overspend on things we don't really need but I had to have.
I like to start my weekly plan perusing the fridge, freezer and pantry and writing down what items need to be used up. I have a meat CSA that I get deliveries once a month of wonderful grass fed beef, pastured pork and poultry and amazing farm fresh eggs from Lucky 3 Farm in Louisburg. (www.lucky3farm.com) I also have a vegetable CSA where I pick up fresh organic vegetables from a farmer in Johnston County, Double T Farms. (www.double-t-farm.com) His crop is varied and includes things I've never made before so we have gotten to try lots of new recipes that include kale, kohlrabi, tatsoi and bok choi. I need to either use the veggies or chop them up and freeze them, so I try to incorporate them along with my meats and then only have to shop for ingredient items. We try to use our leftovers for lunches or repurpose them into new meals. If I'm making tex mex chicken in the crock pot one night, I'll plan to use the leftovers in tacos or quesadillas and tortilla soup. By stretching out your organic chicken in this way you can really reap the benefits longer. Try to think of your meat as having a supporting role rather than the star. Instead of a boring dinner of grilled chicken breast, vegetable and starch, you can use much less meat and more vegetables to make pastas, risottos, stir-frys, etc.
To make things even more simple I will have one crock pot meal, one pasta/rice meal, one seafood, one meat and one soup and sandwich night. I typically like to use up leftovers in the soup or sandwich (i.e. meatloaf sandwiches). Its a tradition that we grill out on Saturdays, rain or shine. Make sure your plan is flexible enough to allow for change. Just because you are supposed to have tacos one night doesn't mean you can't have fish that night instead. That is the beauty of planning the week in advance. You already have everything you need for the whole week. Once you have your plan for the week, write it on your calendar. Make sure you look at it in the morning so that you can defrost anything you might need for dinner that night and you'll know exactly what you are having the minute you walk in the door.
To get you started I've included a crock pot recipe that is just perfect for beef short ribs from Lucky 3 Farm:
Short Ribs with Red Wine and Prunes
From The French Slow Cooker cookbook
Ingredients
4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
salt and pepper
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
2 bay leaves
1 cup dry red wine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped pitted prunes
4 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Preparation
Sprinkle the ribs with salt and pepper to taste. Roll the ribs in the flour and tap off the excess.
In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the ribs in batches, turning them occaisionaly, until browned on all sides, about 20 minutes total. Transfer the browned ribs to a large slow cooker.
Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in the garlic and herbs and cook for 1 minute more. Add the wine and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the wine comes to a boil. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste, prunes, and broth. Pour the contents of the skillet over the ribs. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until the ribs are tender and the meat is coming away from the bones. Skim off the fat from the surface of the liquid. Stir in the mustard and discard the bay leaves. Taste for seasoning. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve with mashed potatoes and broccoli.
If this still sounds overwhelming, I offer personal consultations for menu planning and shopping. Feel free to contact me!
Laura Martin