Every week (normally a Saturday) I post my Simple Meal Plan for the coming week.
To put this into context:
- Each Friday I take part in Food Waste Friday over at The Frugal Girl
- There’s a very specific Friday routine I follow
- All meals for the coming week are then planned in advance
- I then place my on-line grocery order with a major supermarket (I will have booked my slot in advance the previous week after my last shop and held it by just ordering milk) – some weeks I place my meat order with the local butcher
- I have a budget in mind to spend up to £100 on all foodstuffs, including household items and treats – to cover the forthcoming 7 days
As this is the week leading up to Christmas there have been some changes to my usual routine.
This week I received my delivery as usual on a Saturday morning (once again I greeted the driver in my Little Miss Naughty dressing gown!), but the bill came to £200. This was to be expected, I’d spent about a third less on last weeks groceries, and as I am hosting Christmas Dinner at my house for 10 adults and 4 children there were going to be additional costs. Amongst the groceries was also quite a bit of alcohol – well it is Christmas!
My meal plan this week is also for 10 days rather than 7 and includes Christmas Dinner. As part of my Simple Christmas Pledge, this year I was determined to have very little to-do on the to-do list as of today. I am hoping that apart from collecting the Turkey Crown (note not a full Turkey!), and the pigs in blankets from the butchers, the bread from the local bakers and a few veggies from the local shop on Christmas Eve, that is it as far as any form of shopping goes. My aim is to spend this week with my Children making lifelong memories.
Simple Meal Plan – Christmas Week and beyond
Saturday 18th
- Lunch – Slow Cooked Sausage and Vegetable Casserole
- Dinner – Party Food for Kids (off to a Birthday party) and snack for the Hubby and I as we are saving ourselves for dessert!
- Dessert – Bailey’s Bread and Butter Pudding with Bailey’s Extra Thick Cream
Sunday 19th
- Lunch – Beans on Toast with Marmite and Grated Cheese
- Dinner – Slow Cooked Steak and Ale Pie with Steamed Vegetables
- Dessert – Slow Cooked Rice Pudding
Monday 20th (Meat-Free)
- Lunch – Tomato and Lentil Soup and Fresh Rolls (New Recipe)
- Dinner – Home-Made Margherita Pizza (made by the kids)
- Dessert – Chocolate Mousse
Tuesday 21st
- Lunch – Crackers with Cheese and Salad
- Dinner – Slow Cooked Spaghetti Bolognaise and Garlic Bread
- Dessert – Fruit and Yoghurt
Wednesday 22nd
- Lunch – Ham Rolls and Cucumber
- Dinner – Slow Cooked Lamb Hotpot with Steamed Vegetables
- Dessert – Home-made Sponge and Custard
Thursday 23rd
- Lunch – Playday so a light bite out!
- Dinner – Slow Cooked Caribbean Chicken (Recipe from my favourite slow cook book)
- Dessert – Fruit and Yoghurt
Friday Christmas Eve
- Lunch – Pasta and Garlic Bread
- Dinner – Home-made cornflake crumb coated Free-range Chicken Nuggets and chips
- Dessert – Jelly and Ice-cream (a good fun dessert in prep for Santa)
Saturday Christmas Day
- Christmas Dinner then leftovers! (post to follow)
Sunday Boxing Day
- Mum’s day off! Lunch at the Local Village Pub then leftovers!
Monday 27th
- Lunch – Sandwiches of some description
- Dinner – Omelettes with Steamed Vegetables
- Dessert – Whatever’s in the cupboard/fridge/freezer
I have also batched cooked about 3 meals worth of Vegetable Casserole this week in Big Ben my extra-large slow cooker. This has been frozen in case of emergency. The great thing about my slow-cooked casserole is when thawed you can add powder and kidney beans to make a chilli, or paste to make a curry, or some sausages or just pasta to change the dish slightly and have very different meals.
How’s your week looking? Our’s is looking very white and chilled – hurrah!
Sounds delish as usual!
Sounds delish as usual!
Sounds delish as usual!
Thanks R – just been over to your blog… hope you are feeling better soon x ps watched Bridget Jones on TV last night whilst wrapping my very humble selection of gifts (boy was I surprised at how little I have this year – started to get the ‘giving guilt’! but am sticking with it – no impulse purchases for me this year)- I bet it wouldn’t surprise you to know I have a daily journal and fat pants 🙂
Thanks R – just been over to your blog… hope you are feeling better soon x ps watched Bridget Jones on TV last night whilst wrapping my very humble selection of gifts (boy was I surprised at how little I have this year – started to get the ‘giving guilt’! but am sticking with it – no impulse purchases for me this year)- I bet it wouldn’t surprise you to know I have a daily journal and fat pants 🙂
Thanks R – just been over to your blog… hope you are feeling better soon x ps watched Bridget Jones on TV last night whilst wrapping my very humble selection of gifts (boy was I surprised at how little I have this year – started to get the ‘giving guilt’! but am sticking with it – no impulse purchases for me this year)- I bet it wouldn’t surprise you to know I have a daily journal and fat pants 🙂
I’m curious what’s in this magical Vegetable casserole that can go several ways once you thaw it. Care to share a recipe? 😀
Also, what do you do for breakfast during the week (if you eat it at all)?
Just curious. Great post!
I’m curious what’s in this magical Vegetable casserole that can go several ways once you thaw it. Care to share a recipe? 😀
Also, what do you do for breakfast during the week (if you eat it at all)?
Just curious. Great post!
I’m curious what’s in this magical Vegetable casserole that can go several ways once you thaw it. Care to share a recipe? 😀
Also, what do you do for breakfast during the week (if you eat it at all)?
Just curious. Great post!
Hi Robert, sure will share – it’s very simple. I know (from reading your blog) you like a bit of slow cooking. I use my extra-large cooker ‘Big Ben’. Chop up lots of veggies, this week I used onion, celery, carrot, peppers, green beans and potato. I also dry roasted 4 peppers and 2 aubergines (peeled) and then blended. I stirred in the blend and added a tin of toms, a tin of baked beans and a large jar of tomato and basil pasta sauce (you could just use another tin of toms and some basil). Left it to cook on high for about 5 hours. This can be done in a smaller pot – basically just fill up to two-thirds of your cooker with what you have and wait until vegetables are cooked to your desired consistency. I then freeze or refrigerate and then reheat as required. This is great if you just add cooked sausages, vegetarian or otherwise or even just some cooked pasta. Variations also include adding chilli powder and beans or curry paste and cooking through. Put whatever veggies in you like or have to hand. Cooking really is just common sense – and if you have a few failures on the way no worries – that’s the best way to learn! Have a great day Jo
Oops sorry – breakfast – usually cereal, toast, pancakes or bran loaf (loaf for me not the kids a bit too much fibre for them). Very simple and quick. Sometimes my very hungry (and very slim!) daughter requests an omelette. I’ve never been a big breakfast eater – so If I can’t face food first thing I tend to have a coffee made from milk to kick the day off. We all then have a snack at about 9.30am such as toast/loaf or fruit depending on what we had earlier – I’m always happy to eat then! What do you guys have for breakfast?
When we have breakfast, it’s usually something like frozen waffles, oatmeal, things like that. I frequently skip breakfast, actually (although that’s something I need to get better about). First thing in the morning isn’t the time of day that I like to be thinking about cooking!
Hi Robert, sure will share – it’s very simple. I know (from reading your blog) you like a bit of slow cooking. I use my extra-large cooker ‘Big Ben’. Chop up lots of veggies, this week I used onion, celery, carrot, peppers, green beans and potato. I also dry roasted 4 peppers and 2 aubergines (peeled) and then blended. I stirred in the blend and added a tin of toms, a tin of baked beans and a large jar of tomato and basil pasta sauce (you could just use another tin of toms and some basil). Left it to cook on high for about 5 hours. This can be done in a smaller pot – basically just fill up to two-thirds of your cooker with what you have and wait until vegetables are cooked to your desired consistency. I then freeze or refrigerate and then reheat as required. This is great if you just add cooked sausages, vegetarian or otherwise or even just some cooked pasta. Variations also include adding chilli powder and beans or curry paste and cooking through. Put whatever veggies in you like or have to hand. Cooking really is just common sense – and if you have a few failures on the way no worries – that’s the best way to learn! Have a great day Jo
Oops sorry – breakfast – usually cereal, toast, pancakes or bran loaf (loaf for me not the kids a bit too much fibre for them). Very simple and quick. Sometimes my very hungry (and very slim!) daughter requests an omelette. I’ve never been a big breakfast eater – so If I can’t face food first thing I tend to have a coffee made from milk to kick the day off. We all then have a snack at about 9.30am such as toast/loaf or fruit depending on what we had earlier – I’m always happy to eat then! What do you guys have for breakfast?
When we have breakfast, it’s usually something like frozen waffles, oatmeal, things like that. I frequently skip breakfast, actually (although that’s something I need to get better about). First thing in the morning isn’t the time of day that I like to be thinking about cooking!
Hi Robert, sure will share – it’s very simple. I know (from reading your blog) you like a bit of slow cooking. I use my extra-large cooker ‘Big Ben’. Chop up lots of veggies, this week I used onion, celery, carrot, peppers, green beans and potato. I also dry roasted 4 peppers and 2 aubergines (peeled) and then blended. I stirred in the blend and added a tin of toms, a tin of baked beans and a large jar of tomato and basil pasta sauce (you could just use another tin of toms and some basil). Left it to cook on high for about 5 hours. This can be done in a smaller pot – basically just fill up to two-thirds of your cooker with what you have and wait until vegetables are cooked to your desired consistency. I then freeze or refrigerate and then reheat as required. This is great if you just add cooked sausages, vegetarian or otherwise or even just some cooked pasta. Variations also include adding chilli powder and beans or curry paste and cooking through. Put whatever veggies in you like or have to hand. Cooking really is just common sense – and if you have a few failures on the way no worries – that’s the best way to learn! Have a great day Jo
Oops sorry – breakfast – usually cereal, toast, pancakes or bran loaf (loaf for me not the kids a bit too much fibre for them). Very simple and quick. Sometimes my very hungry (and very slim!) daughter requests an omelette. I’ve never been a big breakfast eater – so If I can’t face food first thing I tend to have a coffee made from milk to kick the day off. We all then have a snack at about 9.30am such as toast/loaf or fruit depending on what we had earlier – I’m always happy to eat then! What do you guys have for breakfast?
When we have breakfast, it’s usually something like frozen waffles, oatmeal, things like that. I frequently skip breakfast, actually (although that’s something I need to get better about). First thing in the morning isn’t the time of day that I like to be thinking about cooking!