Menu planning or NOT...
A word on menu planning, or NOT:
To tell you the truth, I didn't have any luck trying to plan out menus, so what I have done for most of the time, is just cook enough stuff to be sure I had plenty of choices when it was time to eat. Here's a sample of what a typical cooking day might be: (I'm a type A, and I can't remember what you are, but this could be adjusted timewise if you are something else. Basically most of the body types eat the same foods, but just have different times and sometimes amounts that they eat.):
pumpkin bread (8 servings- for 8 grab and go breakfasts)
apple bread (4 servings, twice a week - for pre-walking meal)
4-5 crowns of steamed broccoli
1-2 lbs. of steamed baby carrots
1 lb. of green beans cooked in very low sodium chicken bouillon
Either a cabbage, squash or zucchini dish
2 lbs. 98% lean ground beef made into 1 oz. meatballs
2-1/2 lbs. 1% or 2% lean ground turkey breast made into 1 oz. sausage balls
3-4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts which I marinate and then cook on top of the stove in a poaching method
1 pt. of balsamic vinaigrette
1-2 bunches of red leaf lettuce, washed and dried
1 package of grape tomatoes
1 red onion for omelets and salads
1 lb. fresh strawberries
3-4 apples
3-4 cartons of Liquid eggwhites
spices, herbs, etc. (I have a store that allows you to buy in bulk, so I can get what costs $3-$5 at the store for about 28 cents)
1/2 liter bottles of water (I drink 6 a day so I don't have to count or measure water!)
1 carton Old-Fashioned oats (not the minute, 3-min. or instant kind)
Clear vanilla (It is the only one without sugar in it.)
Fresh tomatoes, lots of fresh garlic, peppers, mushrooms, etc. or whatever it takes for some of the more gourmet dishes I make like marinara sauce, lasagna (you'd have to have rice lasagna noodles..can't have the wheat ones),etc.
Brown rice (I cook about 7 cups a week)
Balsamic or raspberry vinegar
Those are the main things I try to have on hand. Then, I just cook beef, turkey, chicken, pump. bread, apple bread, about 4 different kinds of veggies, and then make sure I have everything available for omelets, crepes, salads, etc. Each week I try to vary at least 2 of the items I cook, so that I don't burn out on anything. Hope that helps. It was a lot easier than trying to plan specific meals for me. With all those choices, I just run to the fridge, grab what I need for the day, and either take it with me in my little cooler or grab and nuke it at home. That was a lot less stressful for me than trying to plan out meals. Liz
To tell you the truth, I didn't have any luck trying to plan out menus, so what I have done for most of the time, is just cook enough stuff to be sure I had plenty of choices when it was time to eat. Here's a sample of what a typical cooking day might be: (I'm a type A, and I can't remember what you are, but this could be adjusted timewise if you are something else. Basically most of the body types eat the same foods, but just have different times and sometimes amounts that they eat.):
pumpkin bread (8 servings- for 8 grab and go breakfasts)
apple bread (4 servings, twice a week - for pre-walking meal)
4-5 crowns of steamed broccoli
1-2 lbs. of steamed baby carrots
1 lb. of green beans cooked in very low sodium chicken bouillon
Either a cabbage, squash or zucchini dish
2 lbs. 98% lean ground beef made into 1 oz. meatballs
2-1/2 lbs. 1% or 2% lean ground turkey breast made into 1 oz. sausage balls
3-4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts which I marinate and then cook on top of the stove in a poaching method
1 pt. of balsamic vinaigrette
1-2 bunches of red leaf lettuce, washed and dried
1 package of grape tomatoes
1 red onion for omelets and salads
1 lb. fresh strawberries
3-4 apples
3-4 cartons of Liquid eggwhites
spices, herbs, etc. (I have a store that allows you to buy in bulk, so I can get what costs $3-$5 at the store for about 28 cents)
1/2 liter bottles of water (I drink 6 a day so I don't have to count or measure water!)
1 carton Old-Fashioned oats (not the minute, 3-min. or instant kind)
Clear vanilla (It is the only one without sugar in it.)
Fresh tomatoes, lots of fresh garlic, peppers, mushrooms, etc. or whatever it takes for some of the more gourmet dishes I make like marinara sauce, lasagna (you'd have to have rice lasagna noodles..can't have the wheat ones),etc.
Brown rice (I cook about 7 cups a week)
Balsamic or raspberry vinegar
Those are the main things I try to have on hand. Then, I just cook beef, turkey, chicken, pump. bread, apple bread, about 4 different kinds of veggies, and then make sure I have everything available for omelets, crepes, salads, etc. Each week I try to vary at least 2 of the items I cook, so that I don't burn out on anything. Hope that helps. It was a lot easier than trying to plan specific meals for me. With all those choices, I just run to the fridge, grab what I need for the day, and either take it with me in my little cooler or grab and nuke it at home. That was a lot less stressful for me than trying to plan out meals. Liz
posted by Liz Maxson @ 6:28 PM
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