tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7919555472584103267.post113624210758891366..comments2010-04-18T18:05:16.052-07:00Comments on Three Peas In a Kitchen: Menu Planning: An Open ForumThree Peas In A Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184371687405585637noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7919555472584103267.post-85804842018166503412010-04-18T18:05:16.052-07:002010-04-18T18:05:16.052-07:00Hey! I just happened across your blog via Tasty Ki...Hey! I just happened across your blog via Tasty Kitchen, and as a newly dedicated Meal Planner, I just had to comment. Meal Planning has literally revolutionalized my household! I am not stressed at dinner time, we save a buttload of money, we eat healthier, and I am finding I am way more creative in the kitchen! Check out my blog for my weekly meal plans and every day musings: http://delishliving.wordpress.com/. I will be surely checking in here,as I love your girls' concept! Very fun!<br />Kristin J from CanadaKristin Janzenhttp://www.delishliving.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7919555472584103267.post-48760994483263280162010-03-18T22:45:28.388-07:002010-03-18T22:45:28.388-07:00Thank you so much for stopping by and giving such ...Thank you so much for stopping by and giving such great advice, everyone! All three of us peas, as well as our readers, will benefit from all of your wisdom and suggestions. <br /><br />Kate, I bet having a set grocery shopping day AND looking through your pantry goes a long way with both planning a menu AND saving money. <br /><br />Elise, as my bestie, I can call you a dork and get away with it! But seriously, taking a calculator along is a great idea. That's just nipping over-spending in the bud--I can't make excuses when I get up to the register!<br /><br />Ms. Surly, I like that you group your recipes together by ingredient. That's gotta majorly cut down on waste--something I'm just terrible at doing, especially with fresh ingredients.<br /><br />Mrs. Justice, thanks for the tip about spices! I don't know if I've ever seen an HEB outside of Texas, so I don't think I could take advantage of that particular luxury. In fact, I didn't even know that ANY place distributed spices that way! I will be looking out for something like that here in Nashville. Thanks for the tip!<br /><br />Thea, I'm glad to know you aren't starving over there in North Carolina! I've always wanted to make it over to Aldi, but I never think about it when I get ready to grocery shop--my car goes autopilot to the Kroger. And I LOVE Peanut Butter & Company's cinnamon raisin swirl! Oh man...I eat that stuff out of the jar--it's SO good!<br /><br />Sweetlife, thanks for stopping by! It sounds like you're structured yet flexible. There's so much value to that as well.<br /><br />Thanks for the input, everybody! Happy planning ;)Three Peas In A Kitchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00184371687405585637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7919555472584103267.post-80002880569540251622010-03-18T22:04:28.014-07:002010-03-18T22:04:28.014-07:00I meal plan for every two weeks I make a menu and ...I meal plan for every two weeks I make a menu and make my list...if something is on sale that we enjoy I do stock up..and if something on my menu is not reasonable I do changes..i try to keep my pantry stocked..helps me save a little<br /><br />swetlifesweetlifehttp://sweetlifebake.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7919555472584103267.post-72880736985975162052010-03-18T13:50:46.204-07:002010-03-18T13:50:46.204-07:00Since I live alone and have a schedule such that I...Since I live alone and have a schedule such that I never know exactly how many nights I'll have time to cook/actually make it home for dinner, I don't usually plan my weekly meals unless I know that I am having company for dinner. <br /><br />However, I have discovered that if I just buy things when they are on sale, especially things like meat, cheese, granola, nuts, and other more expensive grocery items, I eat a lot better and save a lot of money.<br /><br />I also try to frequent local farmers markets and a low-cost grocery store called Aldi's (there's one in Nashville on Nolensville Rd.). <br /><br />The one thing that I do splurge on is peanut butter. There's a wonderful brand called Peanut Butter and Company that is a little expensive, but totally worth it. It's delicious, better for you than most other brands of peanut butter, and actually makes you feel good when you eat it.Theahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12782790405854750309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7919555472584103267.post-69439671364150994272010-03-18T10:13:45.925-07:002010-03-18T10:13:45.925-07:00I menu plan on Sunday Morning - after a week pouri...I menu plan on Sunday Morning - after a week pouring over magazines. Then I go throught the pantry and make a list a of things I don't have (that's actually where we spend the most money...on those ingredients that you only need a pinch of...) and go shopping.<br /><br />Tip: We have a market where you can buy things in bulk (Central Market/HEB). I can actually buy a table spoon or two of spices. Which costs me like .18 cents instead of a whole jar for like $4-5. It also means that the spice won't loose flavor sitting in my spice rack for months.Mrs. Justicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11445338232942348428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7919555472584103267.post-55233508594812383972010-03-18T08:38:56.614-07:002010-03-18T08:38:56.614-07:00ugh, i hate menu planning. i seem to waste so muc...ugh, i hate menu planning. i seem to waste so much because i only cook for two. i have cookbooks/magazines that i use those sticky tabs on to mark recipes i want. i color code them based on main course, side, dessert, etc. and on the tab i write ingredients that i don't always have on hand like and will go bad if i don't use them soon, chipotle chile in adobo, fresh herbs, scallions, leeks, cilantro, kale etc then when i buy that ingredient, say leeks, i look at all my tabs that say leeks, so i have multiple recipes that use leeks so i don't waste them. i also print off recipes to try from the internet and put them in those clear sleeve pages and keep them in a three ring binder. i keep recipes with similar ingredients together, so that if i open a can of chipotle chiles, then i have multiple recipes to use them in before they go bad. i usually plan a rough menu on sunday and pull out all the pages from my binder of meal options and set them on the counter to use that week. i also keep a white board in the kitchen to write out the menu and shopping list. i also take note of items i buy regularly and price them at the grocery store, super target, and whole foods. often times target has name brand food cheaper than the grocery store. and whole foods tends to have cheaper prices on organic brands i buy than the grocery store. world market has spices really cheap; you can get two vanilla beans for $2. i could go on and on, but i don't want to bore you. hope this helps.skhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16903437062864586649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7919555472584103267.post-47746906578771413562010-03-17T07:18:30.479-07:002010-03-17T07:18:30.479-07:00hahahahahahahaha I used to watch that show everyd...hahahahahahahaha I used to watch that show everyday! I mean every day! but I find that if i make a menu and then the list from it, AND TAKE A CALCULATOR with me I tend to spend a whole lot less. I round up to the next dollar or .50 that way you can include approximate taxes! When I do this I spend about $50 less because I see how much money is going down the toilet and it hurts me!Elise Warrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01470727260214785378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7919555472584103267.post-67288035224669979272010-03-16T20:44:16.142-07:002010-03-16T20:44:16.142-07:00Best show ever! I always swore I would win that sh...Best show ever! I always swore I would win that show...I would head straight for the turkeys and the diapers/formula (that's where the big money items were) Thanks for stopping by my blog. <br /><br />I don't have lots of wisdom here except I do find I do better shopping and cooking with a menu. I write it on college-lined paper after inventory-ing my cupboards (usually on Sunday night which is also grocery shopping night). I use cupons if it's for an item on my list or something I really want to try otherwise I find I spend more money that way...although there are so many cupon-goddesses out there who I'm sure will disagree.<br /><br />http://klmphotos.wordpress.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com