https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 05 May 2026 17:24:04 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-planning-buddies#post-945254 Fri, 19 Jul 2013 08:58:39 +0000 cmomma17 945254@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well it's Friday and I "planned" on doing spaghetti for dinner, with stuff we already had on hand. I told DH so. But now e has decided to do a daddy daughter date with my stepdaughter and they will have dinner at one of the most expensive restaurants in our town (where we went for our wedding anniversary). Stepson and I will stay home and eat Sonic. :( I'm so sick of spending money on eating out and feel gross and fat from all the gross good.<br /> DH spent $36 on sandwiches from jimmy johns for our dinner last night, while we had all the same ingredients for sandwiches at home already.<br /> So. Frustrated.<br /> My car will need repairs soon and we won't be able to afford it because we ate all of our money. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-planning-buddies#post-932724 Mon, 15 Jul 2013 14:21:00 +0000 cmomma17 932724@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: thanks for the recipe link, now I'm hungry :) I don't eat fish.</p> <p>@mediagirl: when I was in the swing of things I did something similar on a dry erase board in our kitchen. I also would write down what we had on hand for breakfasts, lunches, and snacks. Worked great for me, but don't think DH looked at it much!</p> <p>@regberadaisy: yes, with DH is the key. That's the toughest part for me! hopefully we are both motivated come August 1. I will check out mrs wagons post, thanks! And yes to the ads! Not ready for that yet though, I'm just planning one day at a time for now! So sleep deprived ... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-planning-buddies#post-932219 Mon, 15 Jul 2013 12:29:11 +0000 regberadaisy 932219@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cmomma17: My first tip is to sit down and meal plan <i>with</i> DH! I second the slow cooker meals. Did you check out mrs wagons freezer meal post? You can use a weekend day to prep that week's meals and pop into the freezer!</p> <p>ETA: Also, I like to meal plan with the grocery ads in front of me. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-planning-buddies#post-932199 Mon, 15 Jul 2013 12:24:59 +0000 mediagirl 932199@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What works best for me is to write a list of 6 or 7 meals on the fridge. Have the protein (for dh) and vegetable ready to go and defrosted. Then, you can choose what you feel like eating that day. I did this last week and it worked great! We ate out one day and that was planned - pizza Friday. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-planning-buddies#post-932192 Mon, 15 Jul 2013 12:23:01 +0000 looch 932192@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/three_cheese_potato_and_30007.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/three_cheese_potato_and_30007.pdf</a></p> <p>My husband is classic meat and potatoes, but he likes this dinner pie.</p> <p>Do you eat any fish? We also make a seafood pie, my husband loves it, especially when I make it in individual portions and top it with pastry! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-planning-buddies#post-932177 Mon, 15 Jul 2013 12:21:01 +0000 cmomma17 932177@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: yum, I love minestrone and have always wanted to try it at home! good idea! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-planning-buddies#post-932168 Mon, 15 Jul 2013 12:19:40 +0000 looch 932168@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Check out the slow cooker recipes on Real Simple's site. A lot of the recipes out there call for stuff we don't use, like cream of mushroom soup and these are actually things I would serve to company.</p> <p>What about minestorone? It's very hearty, and if you add ditalini pasta, it's a crowd pleaser. Another idea is a potato pie. I have to go and search for it.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-planning-buddies#post-932128 Mon, 15 Jul 2013 12:10:24 +0000 cmomma17 932128@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: we do have a slow cooker. The only big hit recipe I have for it is a bean chili. I need to find more things to do with it. Again, it's a vegetarian married to a carnivore issue. :) Although the carnivore never wants to be bothered with meal planning ....<br /> I agree about spending up front too, it's good to stock up on basics during good sales. My grocery store will do 10 for $10 deals pretty often (pasta, pasta sauces, canned goods, etc.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-planning-buddies#post-932110 Mon, 15 Jul 2013 12:01:35 +0000 looch 932110@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think your goal to start small is also good, and I think in some cases, you have to spend money upfront to bring in the big savings. </p> <p>Do you have a slow cooker? You can do lots of meal prep ahead and freeze and then morning of, just toss in and turn your cooker on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-planning-buddies#post-931920 Mon, 15 Jul 2013 10:55:59 +0000 cmomma17 931920@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@runsyellowlites: we have done the same thing in the past, really good for 2 or 3 weeks and then we burn out and go crazy with the eating out. Such a waste of money and usually unhealthy too! I really want to save money AND eat better. I'm sick of pizza and other gross food. Things have been really bad since LO was born/my maternity leave. </p> <p>I am going to seriously take baby steps. My first goal is to just plan ONE meal a week and build from there. I am going to start with Fridays, because I'm almost always in a good mood on Fridays and feeling a little more energized with the weekend in sight. I'm also going to pick the easiest, most crowd pleasing meal ever - spaghetti! DH is off work this Friday, so that's even better. Like I said, BABY STEPS! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-planning-buddies#post-931906 Mon, 15 Jul 2013 10:52:54 +0000 runsyellowlites 931906@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've been really trying to get back on meal planning! I will usually do good for 2-3 weeks &amp; then I get sick of cooking &amp; we eat out all week..... that week of eating out kind of defeats the whole purpose of trying to save the other weeks. :(</p> <p>I really need to stop doing that! lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-planning-buddies#post-931861 Mon, 15 Jul 2013 10:39:33 +0000 cmomma17 931861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I need to get back on the meal planning/grocery budget wagon. Anyone else? I'd love some support, or to offer support to others.<br /> My attempts in the past have not been 100% successful due to DH not always being on board (like wanting to go off plan or refusing to eat leftovers), me being a vegetarian while DH eats meat, etc. However, once July is over (my stepkids are visiting this month) we need to buckle down financially and get serious about our budget/debt/savings - meal planning will help with this as our food spending easily gets out of control.<br /> My other challenge? Having a 12 week old EBF baby, being sleep deprived, WOH full time, having no energy!</p> <p>Who's with me on the meal planning adventure? I'm going to be taking teeny tiny baby steps .... </p>