Spring Menu
I’ve been rather focused on re-vamping our menu.
It’s long needed an overhaul, we are so sick of eating the same meals, bland and boring. I have been in survival mode for so long, but it was time to move on. I don’t know if I can convey my family’s excitement with having new meals!
Also PC asked that I cut the monthly food budget by $200, which I did!:)
First – organisation. I have many Super Food Ideas Magazines given by a friend, they are very inspiring but were not being used. Focusing on a Spring menu I gathered the spring months’ magazines. I started ripping out family orientated recipes. I sorted into two piles, meals and snacks. (I also put aside ‘cooking tips’ for Koala’s home management folder) After talking with my friend Rebecca, I decided to immediately hole-punch them and file in separate ring binders. Then with a high-lighter I selected enough meals for the next month.
I use Excel Spreadsheets for all planning. This includes menus, shopping list and a master shopping list. The Master list of quantities needed is taped to the inside of the pantry. I know this may sound really organised to some, but truly I found after baby number 5 I had to become more organised. I was not functioning well, and something had to be done.
We shop once a month, shopping is not on my list of favourite activities so this way I only have to do it twelve times a year! (This does not include the weekly trip to the green grocers for fruit/veg, milk & bread.)
As I’ve had a few requests from friends to see my menu planning I include it here.
*Time to be honest, we are on week 2 and we’re not really sticking to the lunch menu, but we’ll keep trying.
Meals for Breakfast:
This consists of cereal. On a good day homemade muesli.
Perhaps this wins me the ‘bad mommy award’ in some circles, but you do what you can.
When fruit is a reasonable price it can be found on the menu instead.
Meals for Lunch:
Weeks 1, 3
Sunday – Vegetable Spring Rolls
Monday – Breakfast Pie
Tuesday – Ham and Cheese Toasties
Wednesday – Bacon & Avocado Potatoes
Thursday – Tuna Toasted Sandwiches
Friday – Beans & Nachos
Saturday – Carrot & Zucchini Quiche
Week 2
Sunday – Ham and Cheese Toasties
Monday – Sweet Corn Fritters
Tuesday – Bean Con Queso Dip
Wednesday – Turkey Pizza Subs
Thursday – Bacon & Avocado Potatoes
Friday – Vegie Patties
Saturday – Vegie Slice
Week 4
Sunday – Ham and Cheese Toasties
Monday – Vegetable Spring Rolls
Tuesday – Bean Con Queso Dip
Wednesday – Turkey Pizza Subs
Thursday – Carrot & Zucchini Quiche
Friday – Tuna Toasted Sandwiches
Saturday – Breakfast Pie
Meals for Tea:
Week 1
Sunday – BBQ Steak/Sausages and Garden Salad
Monday- Homemade Pizza
Tuesday – Peanut Curry Chicken & Rice
Wednesday – Bombay Spiced Chicken Kebab & Garden Salad
Thursday – Lemon Chicken and Fried Rice
Friday – Salmon & Corn Chowder
Saturday – Meat Pies, Mashed Potato
Week 2
Sunday – BBQ Steak/Sausages and Garden Salad
Monday- Homemade Pizza
Tuesday – Chicken Mango Curry & Rice
Wednesday – Lamb Kebab & Garden Salad
Thursday – Sweet & Sour Pork & Fried Rice
Friday – Tin Baked Beans, Spaghetti or Scrambled Eggs
Saturday – Meat Pies, Mashed Potato
Week 3
Sunday – BBQ Steak/Sausages and Garden Salad
Monday- Homemade Pizza
Tuesday – Red Beef Curry & Rice
Wednesday – Quick Goulash
Thursday – Lemon & Honey Chicken, Fried Rice
Friday – Tuna Patties, Chips & Salad
Saturday – Meat Pies, Mashed Potato
Week 4
Sunday – BBQ Steak/Sausages and Garden Salad
Monday- Homemade Pizza
Tuesday – Penang Beef Balls & Rice
Wednesday – BBQ Pork & Capsicum Kebab & Garden Salad
Thursday – Chicken, Ham & Mushroom Pie
Friday – Tin Baked Beans, Spaghetti or Scrambled Eggs
Saturday – Meat Pies, Mashed Potato
3 Comments
Angel
I'm impressed that you cut your food budget by $200. Any tips on how to do it?
Sybille
It's so funny to me thinking that you got SPRING over there 🙂
I wish I could be there, I don't like our cold and grey november.
Gae
Dear Erin,
I still can't see how you can cut further.( Good for you though) The only explaination I can come up with is food must cost so much less than here.
i would be interested in doing a comparison price shop with you to see.
Also do you find cooking for lunch takes more organisation, cooking and clean up time. Who does the cooking for this and how long does it take?
God Bless