Even though I post a menu plan almost every week, it’s rare that I stick to it. Menu planning can be frustrating. How am I supposed to know on Sunday what I’ll be craving in 5 days? Recently I’ve been listing different dinner options instead of placing them on exact days, but I’m still finding it difficult to follow.
Another thing that makes a plan hard to follow is that Bobby and I are rarely in the mood for the same thing. Tonight we lucked out – both of us were craving pho, so we went for it. But take this morning for instance -
That’s a bowl of green oat bran for me (oat bran, raisins, vanilla, salt, spinach) and a ham sandwich for Bobby (kaiser roll, mustard and a little bit of mayo, spinach, tomato, honey ham) + his calcium chew in orange flavor (I had mine when I woke up). We wanted totally different things, but we happily ate them together. I think improvisation and eating what you crave is important, so I don’t always stick to what I have written down. As long as I use up what I have in the fridge and I don’t waste much, I’m happy. How about you? Do you stick to the plan (if you plan) or do you play it by ear?
Menu for the Week of April 26 – May 2
Sunday – dinner at Pho Little Saigon (pho)
Other Dinners -
- squid sauteed with leeks (monday i think) & rices
- leftovers (tuesday)
- stuffed portobellos, steamed kabocha & a protein (chicken/tofu/fish)
- hugh jass salad & a carb
- make your own spring rolls (with shrimp) & peanut dipping sauce
- salad with burdock kinpira & a protein (tofu, chicken, or seafood)
- eating out one night
Lunches - Big salads (romaine, spinach base; kabocha & random veggies for topping; parmesan & bacon bits; various dressings), tortillas, brown rice & butter, omelettes, burdock kinpira
Breakfasts - green oat bran, brown rice mixes, yogurt cake (for Bobby; I need to use up the yogurt that I bought before it goes bad)
Desserts – fruit, milk ice pops, possibly some tofu pudding (silken tofu blended with sweet things), maybe a white fungus dessert (I’ll do a post soon on white fungus since so many of you are curious!)
If you ever have questions about anything that I post about, PLEASE ask! I love answering questions and I try to respond to every one. I’m going to update my FAQ page, so this is an open call for anything you want me to talk about – advice (health, yoga, life, whatever), things that I eat (like white fungus or kabocha), exercise (walking, yoga, etc…), my past, my future plans, my jobs (tutoring, teaching, blogging, and some other randoms), my cat (Couscous the tabby), my boyfriend (Bobby; we’re about to hit 3.5 years in a month), my family, ANYTHING! Just ask 
I’ll keep reminding you because I want to get lots of questions.
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menu planning for me? I thought I could but I can’t. You just pointed out the problem? HOw can we know what we really want next week? I think it’s almost against the intuitive eating thing planning what I’m going to have. So now I don’t plan more and improvise the moment first consulting with my belly/crave! and I think it’s more fun this way too! I’m just not a plan person, i barely plan for anything in my life.. I don’t have 5 years plan. And I don’t think people need to have a plan for everything in order to success, as long as you’re doing all your best what you’re doing at the moment… no need to plan for the unexpected and you’ll success anyway!
My wife goes along with whatever I prepare, and I like to make sure that the fridge and cupboards are empty each week and that nothing spoils. You can throw anything into a tortilla…
I have not had pho since my college days and miss it. Such comfort food especially for a rainy day like today. Too bad I don’t have any pho eateries here in my new town
I have a hard time planning meals too, because you never know what’s going to change- your appetite, schedule, the weather, etc.
Pho! =D
And 3.5 years? Awwwwhhhhh
awww bobbi in 3.5 years? how did you two meet?
oops – bobby
Hows the night time eating going? Any binges?
~Justine
That fluffy kaiser roll looks amazing! I definitely play it by ear – I don’t really plan my meals just because I always end up eating what I crave.
I love the ham sandwich for breakfast! haha
I used to diligently menu plan each day out in advance and plan the grocery list around necessary items. But, something would come up and change our plans, or I’d end up having more leftovers than I anticipated and needed to eat those up before I cooked new things.
Now I try to think of a few things that I notice either of us might be craving. Also what is looking good/on sale at the store that week.
It’s usually easy to get myself into the mood for something, I’ll just think mmm I’m gonna have ___ tomorrow night, and then look fwd to it.
somtimes i menu plan like you mentioned, with several possible ideas…and i try to get ingreds that will all work together so if i have leftovers from one day i can reuse them another day with a little twist or small variety. i also try to cook or prep a lot on days i dont work to make things easier for myself on days i do (i am a nurse so my work days are 12 ridic, exhausting long hours). anyways, i know what you mean about having a bf who doesnt really crave the same things you do. my bf (now fiance) and i pretty much do our own thing for meals, and even though i cook for him often, hes a pretty good cook, too.
I definitely plan my menu every day, but it usually only ends up as a general guideline for what I actually end up eating. I feel safer having it planned though (but I suspect this is my food anxiety talking too, so I’ve been trying to be looser about planning things).
As for questions! What job(s) are you working right now, and what are your career plans for the future? And how long have you been practicing yoga?
Tofu pudding sounds really interesting!
I mostly stick with my menu plan because its easier for me to figure out what I have to do. I mostly plan easier dishes when I know there’s a lot to do in the evening, one of my kids concerts, lots of homework, etc..
I sometimes will prep things for dinner in the morning, although my favorite is to just dump things in my crock pot and forget about it!
I need to start meal planning yours looks delicious!
Have to meal plan, that’s the only way I can stick to my $125 weekly food budget for my family. And this week I only spent $82, so that allowed for lunch out both Saturday and Sunday! Gotta love when that happens!
yum i love kaiser rolls, i should get some! Hm, i would love to hear your educational/career history?? Since I kind of know your plans now!
I don’t plan too far in advance (the night before), unless I’m having company, though I do see the merit in it. I shop for veggies frequently.
[...] and vegan aside from the shrimp. Can’t stop eating my shrimpies! The last time I did a Menu Plan Monday was almost a year ago on April 26th, [...]
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