Column summary: Do you plan all your meals down the snacks you serve? Or do you wing it like I do? Read on for a look at whether meal-planning is the way to go.
Mom! Theres no food in this house!
In my mind Im thinking, Didnt I just feed these people yesterday? I take a moment to go look at the pantry and fridge and wonder why I even bother going to the store – everything is eaten by the time I look at it the next day. Unless youre a fabulous planner of menus down to the T, sometimes its eat a crust of bread or starve. It also depends on how tired mom is from her work day, because sometimes, chicken nuggets and fries in the oven are the only way to go.
I am not a menu planner. I should be, and I come to this conclusion upon my kids almost gone from the home. I wont be sad or stressed that I wasnt because after all, they did grow up fine and strong and didnt starve. That is the goal, right? Not going hungry? If cereal and toast for supper filled them up then I did a good job. I digress because most of you know that I like to post my culinary feats on Facebook. I am a good cook. I make amazing Mexican food and also a pretty smooth batch of mashed potatoes. Flavor is something youll always find in my dishes and not many casseroles and meals have been flops. My kids, with a sly grin on their face, tell me, Why cant you make something good, Mom! I know theyre kidding because if theyre not they will get liver and onions for a week. Really, just kidding on the liver and onions – my Rachael Ray pans have never seen a bloody liver touch their surface . and never will.
I think what I lack in the kitchen is again, planning. In the twenty-three years Ive been married Ive never planned a weeks worth of meals. When I head to the store I know what I need and I get it. I like to get a variety of meats for the freezer, stock up on pastas, and include a bevy of veggies as well. Im never without potatoes and onions, milk and eggs and deli meats reign supreme in the fridge, and if I dont have tomatoes and avocados for sandwiches I will have a revolt on my hands. What then, is the reason that when Im at work thinking about supper nothing comes to my head? I have 383 pins pinned to my food board on Pinterest. I also have 349 pinned to my dessert board. (Dont have Pinterest? Check mine out: http://pinterest.com/missy_herrera/boards/) One would think that I could easily get an idea from all those recipes and yes, lots of times I do. What happens then is that I dont have an ingredient or two and I run to the store and yep – I spend money. If I had planned the meal out I wouldve already had it and saved my time, money, and gas running in for one quick thing.
When it comes to groceries its a hit or miss type thing. Its also a cost thing. Groceries are expensive – we all know that milk is rising steadily. Because of that we all know that certain stores will price-match the lowest price of milk at a competitors store. I dont care what store it is, I take advantage of it. When I have a great coupon I take the time to cut it out, find the product, and grab some savings. Coupons, price-matching, and shopping frugally still dont make you super-efficient in the kitchen as far as planning goes.
Ive decided, though, that it doesnt matter. If I come home from work and have a package of ground beef unthawing then I will find a ground beef recipe. If I have a package of pork roast that needs to be used I will get it out the night before and use whatever ingredients I have on hand to cook it in the crockpot until fall apart tender. You dont have to be super mom and have your meals written in blood week by week to nourish your family. Some of my best meals were cooked by winging it and seasoning well with a little bit of love. Having schedules is great, but I like forging my own path – its gotten me this far and I probably cant/wont change it. Besides, my kids are well-adjusted and well-fed – and popcorn on a Sunday night for supper wont change that.
