Help, I need some idea for planning meals and menus for my family of 5.?

Question

We are trying to not spend as much and we have been eating out too much, so now I am trying to do some meal planning and need some ideas to keep it interesting for all of us. My kids are 16, 12, & 8, not picky eaters, but I do need some easy inexpensive ideas.
Thanks

Answer 1

Go to Kraftfoods.com....They have menu planning, short cuts and everything you need.... If you get the magazine that's really nice too- lots of good recipies in there..Quick and easy too... I also freeze batches of things... If I make lasagna I make 2 and freeze one. It really helps ! Also, if you clip coupons that can really save you big time... On avg. I save $100 or more a month with coupons.. While I don't have 5 kids- I'm not working so every penny counts.... I hope that helps...Good luck

Answer 2

Chicken & ground beef recipes will be cheapest.
Spaghetti with meat sauce is a really cheap meal, you can make a giant batch for about $5.00, enough for lunch the next day. Every so often use mostaccioli noodles or rotini to make it seem different, or bake the leftovers all together with some mozzarella cheese for a different meal. My kids love "porcupine meatballs"--mix 3/4 cup minute rice into each # of burger, roll into 2# balls, and bake in a couple cans of undiluted tomato soup.
If your family will eat chicken leg quarters (thigh & drumstick), buy them in ten pound bags for about $5---you can out BBQ sauce on them, or bake in a half water/half soy sauce mixture for a tasty meal.
You can also cook them first, remove the meat and make casserole meals with pasta or rice, and a cream or cheesy soup, plus a veggie.
Stock up when things are on sale (if you have a freezer). If you buy a couple beef or pork roasts, cook them together and reserve one for a meal later in the week--say barbecued pork sandwiches or beef stew.
Just be creative---and good luck!

Answer 3

If they like chicken, it's hard to beat those Betty Crocker dinners (they are normally by the Hamburger Helper). They taste great and you just add chicken, although I sometimes dress them up a little bit more.

Another big hit at my house - club sandwiches and soup. They love that.

My kids are older - 15 & 17, but 2 nights a week we have a "free" night. No formal meal is made and everyone is on their own. Of course, we have a huge amount of food on hand that is already prepared in the fridge, so that one is easy. Don't feel bad about not cooking if you don't feel like it one night!

My brood also likes it when I make fried potatoes and sausage.

Also cabbage and sausage and friend potatoes to go with it.

Do they like beans? A big pot of beans, cornbread, and friend potatoes.

Chicken and dumplins - Just get the Sue Bee brand. Boil 3 or 4 pieces of chicken to add to it. Drain the juice from the can and use the broth that came from the chicken you boiled. It changes from mediocre to great!

Answer 4

Spaghetti - Garlic Bread - Corn - Salad
Tuna Casserole - Veggie - Cheesy Bread Sticks
Broiled Chicken Breast simmered in Mushroom Gravy served
over rice with Broccoli
Ham Steak - Au gratin Potatoes - Green Beans
Taco Meat cooked up in Bulk some for dinner & some for freezer: Tacos, Enchiladas, Burritos, Taco Salads

Answer 5

I would suggest that
#1: Create a budget.
#2: Belong to a Membership Warehouse (i.e., Costco.)
#3: Stock yourself with FRESH FOODS once a month with meat you can freeze (burger, pork chops, chicken breasts and whole fryers, pork loin, steaks, etc.)
#4: Stock your perishables once a week such as fresh fruit, dairy and bread products.
#6: Slowly build your pantry with stock items such as broths, and spices, plant your own herb garden, and vegetables.
#5: Start searching recipes online. The one site that never fails me is allrecipes.com, another is foodtv.com. There are soooooo many out there, you can never be bored!

You may think at the beginning it's expensive to go this route, but you will save thousands of dollars in the long run if you stick to your budget.

Also...processed foods are the devil, there is sooo much preservatives, and sodium and crap your children will be MUCH beter off taking the time to create your own meals. Boxes & cans are just crap crap crap!

Answer 6

Check out this cook on Food TV

Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller

Busy people everywhere face the same dilemma – how to get healthy weeknight dinners on the table when you've only got minutes to spare. Cookbook author, nutritionist, and food journalist Robin Miller guides us through the landmines of getting food on the table nightly with her stress-free meal planning strategies. Her easy, day by day plans help even the novice cook master these quick and tasty recipes. Plus, each week’s menu comes with its own shopping list so you only have to hit the store once. Problem solved!


http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_rm/0,,FOOD_23676,00.html

Answer 7

is your boyfriend friend helping out with rent of the grocery bill? because with a bill that high he should be helping in some way or another. What kind of things did you buy? for a family of 3, our bill is half that every 2 weeks and we stay at home and eat most of the time as well. I'm very into fruits, veggies, and turkey meat, and tend to go to farmers market type store, or a trader joes for all of our produce since we go through so much of it and it tends to be cheaper.

Answer 8

Here's a couple my mom made:

Spaghetti Cassarole
1 pound spaghetti
1-2 cans of spaghetti sauce (depending on how saucy you like it)
browned hamburger
cheese slices

Boil the spaghetti until done. Mix with browned hamburger and spaghetti sauce. Put into a cassarole dish. Place cheese slices on top. Its delicious!

Kraft Mac & Cheese, Chicken, and Broccoli
2 Packages Kraft (or other brand) mac & cheese
aprox. 1 chicken breast per person
large package of frozen broccoli

Cube the chicken. Boil until done. Drain and set aside. Boil the macaroni and broccoli. Mix chicken, broccoli, and macaroni with direction on mac & cheese box. Add some additional shredded cheese if desired.

Here's my spaghetti recipe:

1 lb spaghetti (boiled)
1 lb bulk sausage
1 small - medium onion
1 small green pepper
italian spices
onion powder
garlic powder
steak seasoning
2 jars of spaghetti sauce (I use 1 meat and 1 traditional, but you can use whatever you like).

Brown up the sausage. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage, leaving the grease in the pan. Sautee the onions and green peppers until soft (You can put chopped fresh garlic in too). Drain the same way. Put the sausage, onion, and green pepper into a pot with the spaghetti sauce. Mix well. Add a little italian seasoning, 1/2 a palm full of steak seasoning, lightly cover the pot with onion & garlic powder. Heat. Serve with spaghetti. You can also add red pepper chips if you like it spicy.

Answer 9

I can relate to your problem. I have a family of seven and I am a single mother, so I plan meals in advance. My advise to you are to plan your meals. Always include what each of them would like to eat the most. But remember to always cook in large quantities so you can have left overs.

Answer 10

I was in a bigger family and we used to have spagetti or chili, or stew or ham. those you can make big portions and then still have leftovers. tacos. also fried chicken yum! on the weekends we just made what we wanted. but my mom would do a batch of fried rice. fry leftover rice with your pick of veggies and meats. loved that as well.

also good is pork tenderloin, though some people may not like it.