Wednesday, December 10, 2008

A little something to make life easier...


What's for dinner?!!!!

Sound familiar?

When it comes to making dinner, do you ever forget what you have on hand to make? I mean you do all the planning, grocery shopping, putting the groceries away...and then 3 days later you wonder, "what meals did I buy groceries for?"

Tell me I'm not alone on this one.

I've tried various methods of helping me remember. When Matt and I didn't have children I would come up with a weekly menu and would grocery shop accordingly. It was nice, but pretty structured.

After we had children I would figure out what we needed, and then make a list of what meals I planned on making and tape it inside a cabinet door. I would even go as far as crossing them off after I made them (I love crossing things off lists...any kind of list. I will even make a list and put things on it I've already done just so I can cross them off...silly, I know). It worked OK, but I got lazy and quit making the list.

So here is my new method. As I am planning our menu for the week I just keep the recipes or cookbooks out that I am planning on using as I am looking at them. I have a basket on my kitchen counter that I keep Eva's workbooks in, my devotional book in, etc. Basically everything I don't want just scattered all over the counter. I put all of the cookbooks/recipes in that basket. I love it because they are all together and I have super easy access to the recipes during the week when I need them!!!
Gotta love a little something that makes life run just a bit more smoothly.

6 comments:

The Miller's said...

Great idea, Jamie. One question though - do you ever not feel like eating what you had planned to make? Many times the meals I have planned to make and shopped for do not sound good when I am supposed to make them and then I'm searching for something else. Maybe it's because I'm pregnant...I don't know.

The Blissfully Happy Housewife said...

Ya, that happens...more with Matt than with me. I tend to stick to what I planned. We definitely make the occasional quick run to the grocery store, but it is pretty infrequent. I also try to stock my pantry with a few items that do not spoil (for example, I nearly always have the ingredients to make taco soup or pasta). That also helps when we don't feel like eating what was planned.

Aimee said...

I love this idea, Jamie. I think I'll have to try it. I too used to make a list of the meals that I bought for and would keep it on the fridge. (It got me many a comment on just how OCD I really am) Since kids though, the list and planning has become less structured. I think I'll have to find myself a cute little basket to place all my recipes in. Thanks for the idea!

Jami said...

This is similar to what I do. I keep the recipes out and put them away after I have fixed them. If I find a recipe from a book I like, I make a card to be kept in my recipe box for future reference.

Oh, the list thing...yeah, I do that too!

The Johnsons said...

I TOTALLY add things I've already done to just cross them off too!!! I don't feel "good" until my entire list is complete...I used to make WAAAYYY too long of lists though and it would drive me crazy so I try and limit the amount of things I add to my lists so I don't get frustrated with myself when things don't get done! haha! I'm sooo glad you do that too!!!

Mom of Double A said...

Hi Jamie!
I'm getting caught up on my blogs this morning.

I am totally a list person. When I'm on my game...I have a list on the side of the fridge for dinner ideas and then cross them off as we eat them. Otherwise, I'd forget what I bought.

I have lists for everything...definitely a little OCD running through the genes in my family!

Miss ya,
Jill