Post your meal plan!

[Ahleckz]

I've mentioned in a few threads how planning a weeks meal in advance has saved me money, time, and ensures that I have something tasty to eat for dinner.
My girlfriend and I don't like to repeat meals too often, so usually just find recipes online of things we like (easy to do once you follow a few sites on Instagram or whatever). We tend to do 6-10 meals at a time and alternate who does it.
It's all vegan, but can be adapted to include meat/fish.

It'd be great to share yours, so we all have more food to eat!

This is what we're eating for the next 8 nights.

Ben Ben Noodles
White Ramen
Courgette Lasange (Minimalist Baker) https://minimalistbaker.com/8-ingredient-zucchini-lasagna-gf/
Butternut squash rice (Jamie Oliver) https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/rice-recipes/pumpkin-rice/
Tempeh with Pak Choi
Thai Green Curry
Stuffed Cabbage Leaves (Great British Chefs)(https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/vegan-gluten-free-stuffed-cabbage-rolls-recipe
Tomato & Olive 'Paella' (Olive Magazine) https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/vegan/sunblush-tomato-and-olive-vegan-paella/
Banana blossom & Mushroom Tacos

 

[D.P.]

My plan:
1) open fridge and see what needs cooking, check pantry for additional options
2) Repeat above 6-7times
3) Go to local farmers market and see what looks good, go to supermarket and see what is on offer and what looks good.

I don't mean to be snarky. Basically, i wsnt to cook what is in season or what looks good when i go shopping and make a meal plan based around that. Inevitably, this means after a day or 2 i am looking to see what fresh ingredients i should use up next, or if there is simply something that takes my fancy. I slso have to factor in time. if i have 30mins to xook before s meeting with someone in San Jose then it might be a quick pasta n sauce, vs a Saturday evening when i can spend s few hours invthe kitchen

 

[dlockers]

Why do people in this sub-forum find these threads so impossible to respond to without sticking in their six-peneth about how they have the time to faff around in supermarkets and "get inventive" every day...

OP, I use Gousto. This week I had:
Halloumi Stew
Thai Beef Rice
Thai Jumbo Prawn Curry
Vietnamese Style Spicy Beef Noodle Bowl

Next week I have:
Honeyy & Garlic Pork Noodles
Chilli Paneer Masala
Chicken & Appl eCasserole
Turkish Lamb Bulgar Pilaf

Would definitely recommend based on your post although it is more expensive than the supermarket (but has made me avoid countless takeaways ).

 

[firstborn]

Why do people in this sub-forum find these threads so impossible to respond to without sticking in their six-peneth about how they have the time to faff around in supermarkets and "get inventive" every day...

because it's the Internet! Only 10% of responses to this type of question are in anyway believable - but they they are good for a "yehh, right" and a giggle.

2nd vote for Gusto.

 

[m@rty]

Why do people in this sub-forum find these threads so impossible to respond to without sticking in their six-peneth about how they have the time to faff around in supermarkets and "get inventive" every day...

OP, I use Gousto. This week I had:
Halloumi Stew
Thai Beef Rice
Thai Jumbo Prawn Curry
Vietnamese Style Spicy Beef Noodle Bowl

Next week I have:
Honeyy & Garlic Pork Noodles
Chilli Paneer Masala
Chicken & Appl eCasserole
Turkish Lamb Bulgar Pilaf

Would definitely recommend based on your post although it is more expensive than the supermarket (but has made me avoid countless takeaways ).

I assume the portion sizes are enough for two from each meal if you only get 4?

 

[dlockers]

I assume the portion sizes are enough for two from each meal if you only get 4?

Yep - the annoying thing about Gousto/HelloFresh versus Mindful Chef is that you can't sort by calories. I'd typically look for highest calorie meal on the basis that some of them are more like lunch for me. But at least 2 portions per meal.

 

[m@rty]

Yep - the annoying thing about Gousto/HelloFresh versus Mindful Chef is that you can't sort by calories. I'd typically look for highest calorie meal on the basis that some of them are more like lunch for me. But at least 2 portions per meal.

Cheers Might give them a try, I use a local meal prep company at the minute but fancy a change!

 

[Repta]

This week has been:

Halloumi tacos
French onion soup
Baked potatoes
Omelette with med veg
Hot dogs

Bit of a lazy week really as couldn't be bothered cooking properly. Soup was batch made a frozen a while ago.

Girlfriend is vegetarian so have to cater for that. Tend to do a meat dish for lunch. This week it is pork carnitas as picked up a pork shoulder cheap on sunday.

Next week will be:

Paneer curry (yet to decide exactly what)
Huevos Rancheros
New York style pizza
Puff pastry veg tart
Cauliflower wings

Prob hungarian goulash for lunches though depends what meat looks good really.

The idea of hello fresh etc appeals but just can't justify the cost. Try to do one new meal a week, if it's good it enters the rotation when we are planning.

 

[haaammit]

Sausage, mash and veg
Pork and potato hotpot
Lasagne (home made) with veg and garlic bread
Pizza (Sat night)
Turkey slices in gravy, mash and veg
Lasagne (I make a large one so it does two meals)
Enchiladas

We sit down Tues evening and plan the meals for the week ahead. This means I know exactly what to buy when I do the weekly shop on Weds and ensures there is zero food waste. Having a shopping list is great as it ensures there are no impulse purchases and I can be in and out with zero faffing about!

 

[Ahleckz]

Another week, another set of meals.

Cauliflower Shawarma & Salad (Olive) https://www.olivemagazine.com/recip...er-shawarma-pomegranate-tahini-and-pine-nuts/
Kochumber, onion bhajis & naan
Firecracker tofu (Veganricha) https://www.veganricha.com/firecracker-tofu-wings/
Scrambled tofu tacos
Walnut chili with broccoli orzo
Courgetti Pasta
Mushroom & Cauliflower Shepherd's Pie
Nut Roast with swede roasties

Ben Ben Noodles - These were great!
White Ramen - Not for me, sauce too thick.
Courgette Lasange (Minimalist Baker) https://minimalistbaker.com/8-ingredient-zucchini-lasagna-gf/ - Didn't work at all. Wet, sloppy and just a bit off putting.
Butternut squash rice (Jamie Oliver) https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/rice-recipes/pumpkin-rice/ - My squash went off so canned this.
Tempeh with Pak Choi - Amazing.
Thai Green Curry - Average.
Stuffed Cabbage Leaves (Great British Chefs)(https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/vegan-gluten-free-stuffed-cabbage-rolls-recipe - Not bad, I made them with sultanas rather than cranberries but they were quite tasty and a good alternative to a traditional roast.
Tomato & Olive 'Paella' (Olive Magazine) https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/vegan/sunblush-tomato-and-olive-vegan-paella/ - This was the dish of the week. So good. Lots of great flavours and even had a bit of a fishy tang.
Banana blossom & Mushroom Tacos - Deep fried tacos? What's not to love!

 

[dlockers]

Setup my Gousto for next week:
Blackened Fish Tacos and Pineapple Salsa
Ginger and Orange Chicken with Brown Rice Salad
Crispy Chilli Beef and Coriander Noodles
Chinese Banquet with Honey-Glazed Pork Belly

 

[the-evaluator]

The plan for next week:

Monday - Chicken kiev
Tuesday - Slow brasied beef cheek suet pastry pie, mashed potatoes, peas, carrots & broccoli
Wednesday - Chicken & pea risotto
Thursday - Pastisada
Friday - Takeaway of some sorts. Fish and chips perhaps.
Saturday - Chicken dhansaak, brussels sprouts subzi, carrot curry, pilau rice & nan bread
Sunday - Slow roast pork shoulder with many trimmings

 

[Kylevdm]

In the next week I will be eating and potentially reheating.

Lasagna (lentil and mushroom ragu)
Pizza - mixed mushroom and ricotta (My Ooni Koda was my favourite lockdown purchase)
Chicken wings
Mushroom Shawarma
Fish Tacos
Tofu chow mein

 

[Ahleckz]

This week, again all vegan. Cutting down on the number we plan because the veg seems to be going off a bit quicker than normal at the minute:

Singapore noodles
Tofu tikka masala (Nora Cooks) with naan bread https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-tikka-masala/
Bangers & Mash
Alfredo pasta with garlic bread
Coronation tofu salad (Olive) https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/vegan/coronation-tofu-salad/
Roasted cauliflower & giant couscous salad with zhoug (Olive) https://www.olivemagazine.com/recip...ouscous-salad-with-zhoug-and-crispy-shallots/
Barley, grilled peach & pecan salad (Olive) https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/vegan/farro-grilled-peach-and-pecan-salad/

Another week, another set of meals.

Cauliflower Shawarma & Salad (Olive) https://www.olivemagazine.com/recip...er-shawarma-pomegranate-tahini-and-pine-nuts/ - This was the highlight of the week, very tasty and looked great!
Kochumber, onion bhajis & naan - This was amazing.
Firecracker tofu (Veganricha) https://www.veganricha.com/firecracker-tofu-wings/ - This is always great.
Scrambled tofu tacos - Not bad.
Walnut chili with broccoli orzo - Not bad
Courgetti Pasta - Turned this into a courgette, pea, herby walnut mix served ontop of polenta instead which I think was a much better idea.
Mushroom & Cauliflower Shepherd's Pie - This was tasty and warming.
Nut Roast with swede roasties - Eugh, really not good but she enjoyed it.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

I'm confused I thought meal planning was you make 5 portions of any/all of breakfast, lunch and dinner and eat the same thing for those meals every day. Some take it even further and make a full month's worth in one go for example 30 burritos which they then roll up in tinfoil and shove in the freezer. Take out on the day and take into work and re-heat in a microwave at lunchtime or whenever they need one like after a gym session come home throw burrito into microwave and eat.

My meal plans are usually

Breakfast - overnight oats where I add all the ingredients bar the nut milk into a jar or container. Add milk the night before and I can change the ingredients so I have something slightly different each day so I'll put oats, peanut butter and chia seeds in. Then I'll throw some berries into one, raisins and nuts into another, etc.

Lunch - salad. Shredded cabbage, carrots, gherkins, beetroot, onion, baby spinach, whole cherry tomatoes. Then top with a dressing usually homemade with mustard, yogurt and lemon juice or balsamic vinegar.

Dinner will be chicken and rice. Marinated 5 breasts and cook. Cook a biryani style rice. Portion into 5 containers and micro in the evening and top with peri peri sauce and mayo.

I've tried the above a few times and it gets boring on the 3rd day and by the 5th its a real struggle.

Alternatively this thread seems to be what are you planning on cooking for dinner for the following week. Which is usually decided on the day we make our shopping list up. Like what meals do you want to have this week then just buy what's needed to make those meals from scratch. Then I order everything by date in the fridge/worktop so we eat whatever is going to go out of date quickest first.

I've tried hellofresh but it's far better to steal their recipes and adapt them and buy the stuff yourself as they regularly miss vital ingredients which then means you have to travel to the supermarket anyway just for 1 ingredient. Like how do you miss pastry when the meal is a pie?

Or we see what we have in the fridge / freezer then just look up a recipe on the nest hub or YouTube.

 

[One More Solo]

Planning what meals you are going to eat is the definition of a meal plan. You mean batch cooking.

 

[dlockers]

This week was a miss, I let Gousto auto-plan it for me because I forgot.

I had:
Honeyed Harrisa Chicken and Courgette Tray Bake
Aubergine Parmigiana & Pesto Bruschetta
Cajun Chicken and Sweetcorn Casserole
Chicken and Butter Bean Hotpot

This week I have:
Haddock Coconut Curry
BBQ Chicken and Spicy Sweetcorn Fritters
One Pot Pulled Chicken Cacciatore
Satay & Kale Sweet Potato Curry

Still a big fan of Gousto. Much better than HelloFresh and a fraction of the price of Mindful Chef.

 

[jpaul]

Planning what meals you are going to eat is the definition of a meal plan. You mean batch cooking.

many do a combination of both ...
ie I will probably have curry, lasagna, pizza this week , do I have some base in the freezer, or do I need to batch cook and freeze some and also put portions in fridge for subsequent days, like making up (quiche)flan/pie cases, lemon meringue filling, lentil dishes too, several days in advance(they get together), so invariably, a meal is prepared over several days, as time permits.

very much this too.

I don't mean to be snarky. Basically, i wsnt to cook what is in season or what looks good when i go shopping and make a meal plan based around that. Inevitably, this means after a day or 2 i am looking to see what fresh ingredients i should use up next, or if there is simply something that takes my fancy.

When the grace period for brexit ends, Newsnight article on tuesday (?) was sceptical about veg/fruit imports. (oranges/celery/cabbage?)

last week
quiche, mac'ncheese, chicken curry, spanish omelette, corned beef hash, pizza
PUDDINGS (I'm british) apple crumble, suet choc pudding, bakewell tart, rice pudding

next week - sausage toad, curry, pizza ... others depend on ingrediants/local chickens/whims/spontainaity.

 

[HazardO]

Sunday: Roast Pork
Monday: Meatballs and spaghetti
Tuesday: Thai green chicken curry
Wednesday: Burritos with smoked pulled beef
Thursday: Cod with stir fry veg and chips
Friday: Butter chicken curry
Saturday: BBQ ribs, chicken, corn on the cob and chipolatas with many salads

 

[dlockers]

Gousto for next week:
Guatemalan Style Green Chicken Stew
Crispy Chilli Beef Udon Broth
Coconut Fish Curry with Green Beans
Beef Stifado Orzo Stew

Let me know if anyone wants me to photo any specific recipes. Haven't had a bad one, yet!