Comments on: Family Meal Planning – An Interview With Christine Steendahl http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/family-meal-planning-an-interview-with-christine-steendahl.htm Low Cost Home Cooking From Scratch Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:29:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Sara http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/family-meal-planning-an-interview-with-christine-steendahl.htm/comment-page-1#comment-22493 Sara Mon, 27 Dec 2010 18:11:57 +0000 http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/?p=4055#comment-22493 I've been menu planning for about 10 years. My students used to like to see what was for dinner if I worked on it during study hall! I make ours for 2 weeks because it's the same as my husband's pay cycle, and I just seem to spend more if I shop by the week. It can get time consuming like Christine mentioned, but I usually start on Wednesday of the shopping week usually at a time that I'm hungry so I'm full of ideas!(plan while hungry, shop while full!) I'm also a fan of the family packages of meat when they are on sale. Then I divide and freeze or batch cook (like poach a few dinners worth of chicken and use the broth) for the two weeks. I also tend to plan a little more than I need so if something comes up and I can't shop in exactly two weeks or the next time's budget is tight - we are ok. I’ve been menu planning for about 10 years. My students used to like to see what was for dinner if I worked on it during study hall! I make ours for 2 weeks because it’s the same as my husband’s pay cycle, and I just seem to spend more if I shop by the week. It can get time consuming like Christine mentioned, but I usually start on Wednesday of the shopping week usually at a time that I’m hungry so I’m full of ideas!(plan while hungry, shop while full!) I’m also a fan of the family packages of meat when they are on sale. Then I divide and freeze or batch cook (like poach a few dinners worth of chicken and use the broth) for the two weeks. I also tend to plan a little more than I need so if something comes up and I can’t shop in exactly two weeks or the next time’s budget is tight – we are ok.

]]> By: B. in Lee, NY http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/family-meal-planning-an-interview-with-christine-steendahl.htm/comment-page-1#comment-16027 B. in Lee, NY Sat, 02 Oct 2010 00:44:32 +0000 http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/?p=4055#comment-16027 The reference to holiday meals and being away from family resonated with me. We are a retired military couple, with an active duty son. We live far from all of our relatives, but we have lots of favorite "must have" holiday dishes. So much food for so few people - what to do? Our answer is to use the whole holiday season. Starting around Thanksgiving, I start making the family favorite recipes one or two at a time. I can get a lot of mileage out of a turkey when that glorious roasted bird has a new favorite side each time I dish it up. We certainly don't need the traditional groaning board of desserts, but over a period of two months, we enjoy the best of both our families' favorites. And on through Christmas and the New Year we feast on memories and family recipes - just a little at a time. If our Favorite Soldier can join us, I of course pile his favorites into the time he has to spend on leave. I like to call this plan "Savoring The Season". The reference to holiday meals and being away from family resonated with me. We are a retired military couple, with an active duty son. We live far from all of our relatives, but we have lots of favorite “must have” holiday dishes. So much food for so few people – what to do? Our answer is to use the whole holiday season. Starting around Thanksgiving, I start making the family favorite recipes one or two at a time. I can get a lot of mileage out of a turkey when that glorious roasted bird has a new favorite side each time I dish it up. We certainly don’t need the traditional groaning board of desserts, but over a period of two months, we enjoy the best of both our families’ favorites. And on through Christmas and the New Year we feast on memories and family recipes – just a little at a time. If our Favorite Soldier can join us, I of course pile his favorites into the time he has to spend on leave. I like to call this plan “Savoring The Season”.

]]> By: Cynthia http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/family-meal-planning-an-interview-with-christine-steendahl.htm/comment-page-1#comment-15619 Cynthia Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:11:43 +0000 http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/?p=4055#comment-15619 The glazed meatballs look like something out of a supermarket deli, not food we would eat -- too much prepackaged stuff in them, and too sweet looking. Might be good for a family with lots of children, though. I meal plan every Sunday for my family of two. It takes about 20 minutes, as I keep a history of the past few months meals. Meal planning for me is an exercise in nutrition planning: each meal has to have at least three colors of food, we need fish at least once a week, and tomatoes at least twice, and 5 or more veggies and fruits a day. I cannot imagine spending hours doing it, and wonder what it is that consumes the time? The glazed meatballs look like something out of a supermarket deli, not food we would eat — too much prepackaged stuff in them, and too sweet looking. Might be good for a family with lots of children, though.

I meal plan every Sunday for my family of two. It takes about 20 minutes, as I keep a history of the past few months meals. Meal planning for me is an exercise in nutrition planning: each meal has to have at least three colors of food, we need fish at least once a week, and tomatoes at least twice, and 5 or more veggies and fruits a day. I cannot imagine spending hours doing it, and wonder what it is that consumes the time?

]]> By: Mary http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/family-meal-planning-an-interview-with-christine-steendahl.htm/comment-page-1#comment-3922 Mary Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:02:18 +0000 http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/?p=4055#comment-3922 Whooah the glaze on the meatballs was so sweet we had to skip dessert! I couldn't taste the flavor of the meatballs themselves because the sugar was so overpowering. Next time I'm going to try it with less sugar or use molasses. Whooah the glaze on the meatballs was so sweet we had to skip dessert! I couldn’t taste the flavor of the meatballs themselves because the sugar was so overpowering. Next time I’m going to try it with less sugar or use molasses.

]]> By: Amy http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/family-meal-planning-an-interview-with-christine-steendahl.htm/comment-page-1#comment-3340 Amy Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:43:20 +0000 http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/?p=4055#comment-3340 I just got married in August--I have been planning menus a month at a time so that I can go to the very low-cost grocery store that is a little farther away once a month. I just go to the neighborhood store whenever we need things like milk of fruit/veggies--it's working great so far! I keep an excel spreadsheet with ALL of my different entree options, including which cookbook/page they come from and what ingredients they use--a huge timesaver! I tell the virtues of menu-planning to everyone :-) I just got married in August–I have been planning menus a month at a time so that I can go to the very low-cost grocery store that is a little farther away once a month. I just go to the neighborhood store whenever we need things like milk of fruit/veggies–it’s working great so far!
I keep an excel spreadsheet with ALL of my different entree options, including which cookbook/page they come from and what ingredients they use–a huge timesaver! I tell the virtues of menu-planning to everyone :-)

]]> By: mainemomma http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/family-meal-planning-an-interview-with-christine-steendahl.htm/comment-page-1#comment-3325 mainemomma Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:20:20 +0000 http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/?p=4055#comment-3325 We just got done enjoying the glazed meatballs - they were wonderful! My husband claims they are the best he has ever had, keeping this one for use again soon. Thanks! We just got done enjoying the glazed meatballs – they were wonderful! My husband claims they are the best he has ever had, keeping this one for use again soon. Thanks!

]]> By: Ernest Contreras http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/family-meal-planning-an-interview-with-christine-steendahl.htm/comment-page-1#comment-3171 Ernest Contreras Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:58:00 +0000 http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/?p=4055#comment-3171 Great idea this interview,and I plan to forward it to my sisters,whom are always contacting me for recipes and planning ideas,so you see I am a chef and have been for 35 years now.they need this meal planning concept.The glazed meatballs I know they will enjoy not to mention their husbands.Good interview I am a affiliate for menu planner hope to hear more about these great interviews. Ernie Great idea this interview,and I plan to forward it to my sisters,whom are always contacting me for recipes and planning ideas,so you see I am a chef and have been for 35 years now.they need this meal planning concept.The glazed meatballs I know they will enjoy not to mention their husbands.Good interview
I am a affiliate for menu planner hope to hear more about these great interviews.
Ernie

]]> By: Julie @ Life Domestic http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/family-meal-planning-an-interview-with-christine-steendahl.htm/comment-page-1#comment-3168 Julie @ Life Domestic Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:28:24 +0000 http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/?p=4055#comment-3168 The glazed meat ball recipe looks awesome. Definitely going to give that a try. I menu plan also and use either google calender or outlook (they can link so that makes it great.) I have made some posts on my blog about how going digital with my menu planning has been helpful. The main perk I noticed was the money savings! The glazed meat ball recipe looks awesome. Definitely going to give that a try. I menu plan also and use either google calender or outlook (they can link so that makes it great.) I have made some posts on my blog about how going digital with my menu planning has been helpful. The main perk I noticed was the money savings!

]]> By: Donna M http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/family-meal-planning-an-interview-with-christine-steendahl.htm/comment-page-1#comment-3124 Donna M Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:06:23 +0000 http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/?p=4055#comment-3124 I have been meal planning for too many years to remember. One thing that I have added to my system is to keep a history of what I've served for dinner for the previous seven weeks. My husband likes variety but will eat leftovers happily if I don't serve the same thing for two or three nights running. I also keep a list of meals that I've cooked and we liked so if I get stuck for an idea, I can look and see what has been enjoyed in the past. I keep everything in an Excel file which makes it easy to track the history. I have been meal planning for too many years to remember. One thing that I have added to my system is to keep a history of what I’ve served for dinner for the previous seven weeks. My husband likes variety but will eat leftovers happily if I don’t serve the same thing for two or three nights running. I also keep a list of meals that I’ve cooked and we liked so if I get stuck for an idea, I can look and see what has been enjoyed in the past. I keep everything in an Excel file which makes it easy to track the history.

]]> By: Frugal Christmas Entertainment and Meal Planning Questions Answered- HBHW Newsletter | Hillbilly Housewife http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/family-meal-planning-an-interview-with-christine-steendahl.htm/comment-page-1#comment-3121 Frugal Christmas Entertainment and Meal Planning Questions Answered- HBHW Newsletter | Hillbilly Housewife Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:02:33 +0000 http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/?p=4055#comment-3121 [...] Family Meal Planning - An Interview With Christine Steendahl [...] [...] Family Meal Planning – An Interview With Christine Steendahl [...]

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