Snow storm changes meal schedules

Well here in the Northeast we are just recovering from a major blizzard. While I love snow and even blizzards, I know this is a hardship for many. I also decided that this was a good time to write about flexibility in my menu.

While I do keep a menu all the time, and use it every day, I know that there will be days when I just can't make the item on the list. There are many genuine reasons for changing your plans and some are just plain "cause I just don't feel like that today".

This week I changed a few of my days plans because of the storm. I normally bring home pizza on Monday nights after work. The local pizza place has a special on Mondays of a large plain pizza for $6.95 and I can't even start my oven for that, so it has become a standard. Well, my work place was closed and I never got out Monday so no pizza. In its place, we had giant ham sandwiches from the leftover ham on Sunday. I didn't want to make ham 3 days in a row, so we had franks and beans on Tuesday night. I always have franks and beans in the pantry.

Anyhow, all that to tell you that things got pushed around and today is our Short Rib Chili. It is in the slow cooker right now and smells so good!!

****

How I Stock a Pantry

Stocking a Pantry for Effective Use of Foods and Last Minute Changes to Your Plan:

The basic list is for people who don't have a stand alone freezer. I have also broken it down by dry goods and perishables. This is my pantry list. Obviously if your family doesn't eat fish you won't be buying the canned fish. Try canned chicken. Also, I am only cooking for 2 people on a regular basis. If you have a large family you will need more for sure! I personally don't like frozen peas and corn; I prefer the canned. However, if you prefer the frozen, replace with 2 bags of frozen each.

I buy most of the dry goods items when on sale and/or when I have a coupon.

This isn't a list for everyone, it is my list. However, it is a good starting point for anyone new to cooking or planning meals. If you don't like pasta, don't add it to your pantry. If you cook Thai food everyday, add the appropriate fish sauce and curry pastes.


DRY GOODS: (Goods that don't require refrigeration and can be stored in a pantry/basement shelves for longer periods of time.)


Olive Oil - a basic one, no need to spend a ton of money
Canola or Sunflower Oil - Or any vegetable oil

Vinegar - I always have cider vinegar and red wine vinegar. If you like making pickles you will also need white vinegar.

Boxed Dried Pastas - buy when on sale and I always have at least 10 pound boxes
Rice - I usually have 5 pounds of brown, 2 pounds of white, 1 pound exotic (Jasmine/Basmati etc)
Dried Beans - I usually have 3-5 pound bags of varied beans
Dried Lentils - I always have 3-5 pound bags, and at least one is the exotic orange/red
Dried Grains - I usually have 2 or 3 kinds - right now I have quinoa, barley, bulgar and wild rice


CANNED FOODS:

Tomatoes
Paste - 5 small
Crushed - 4 large
Stewed - 4 small
Sauce - 10 small

Potatoes
Peas
Corn

Beans - I always have kidney, cannellini, chick peas

Canned chicken broth (3-5) and beef broth (1-3) - (non-fat and low sodium is all I use.)
Canned Soups - some "cream of" soups for recipes and your favorites for last minute meals


Evaporated Milk - 2-4 cans (I only use SKIM or FAT FREE)

Canned fish - Tuna and/or Salmon and/or Tiny Shrimp

Jarred Pasta Sauces - 4-6 jars
Jarred Salsa - mild/medium or hot - whatever your personal preference. We like hot as a dip, but I use mild/medium in many recipes.

Peanut Butter

Spices and Seasonings: I have broken them down to what I consider very basic and the next level.

Granulated Garlic
Granulated Onion
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Oregano
Basil
Dried Red Pepper Flakes
Salt
Pepper
Vanilla Extract - the REAL stuff


Rosemary
Ground Ginger
Curry Powder
Chili Powder
Cumin


Flour - 5 pounds
Sugar - 2 pounds

Corn Meal
Oatmeal - not the instant packets
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Bisquick

Once opened these items should be stored in the refrigerator:
Ketchup
Mustard
Mayonnaise
Worcestershire Sauce

If you cook Asian inspired foods (I do!) you will want to add some/all of the following:

Soy sauce, tamari (Japanese soy sauce), oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, chili-garlic sauce, and black bean sauce, to name a few. These sauces are used in both marinades and stir-frying. For Southeast Asian cooking, stock red or green curry pastes, coconut milk (not the sugared kind for making cocktails) and fish sauce.



Refrigerated/Perishable Basics (including some produce)

Milk (if you make your own yogurt as I do, you will have to figure out how much you need)
Butter/Margarine
Eggs

Potatoes - white and sweet
Onions

Frozen Boxes of Spinach (I always buy when on sale and have 5-10 at any one time)


*******

Menu Planning Diane's Style

I have been menu planning for at least 30 years. My mother was a great menu planner. Anyone on a budget or who does grocery shopping is already menu planning to some degree, but we could all do it better.

For me, the first thing I do is have a good pantry of basics. Ideas for that will come in a future post, but without that pantry, your last minute changes (and all who menu plan have to be flexible) will cost you in calories, lack of nutrients and big bucks of fast or prepared foods.

I plan one to two weeks at a time and usually start on Wednesdays. That's when the coupons and grocery store circulars come out. I choose my proteins first. I find what's on special, look in my "recipes to try file" and pick a few new ones that I want to try using what is on special.

Then I check my calendar. ONLY KEEP ONE CALENDAR!!! For all your family and work commitments. I look to see what days I need to cook fast, what days I am busy all day and need a slow-cooker to greet me when I get home, what days I will be away for meals and what days I will be entertaining. I play mix and match with the recipes I chose in the previous step. Sometimes I will do something like write down slow-cooker here or big roast and leftovers here.

Then I make my shopping list. After the shopping list I shop first in my pantry and cross off what I already have. Or if that item is running low I will then know to replace it and leave it on the list. Then for me, since I have almost all of my groceries delivered. I log in and start choosing my items. I can then see what I will have to go get myself.

I write my menu plan on the same calendar with all the other commitments. I include in the menu plan what I will take out of freezer or what I will do with leftovers. I also do some planning like Robin Miller on the Food Network. (She is the person who cooks/chops/seasons/once for 2-3 meals at the same time.)

Anything better than what you are doing now, is an improvement. Try just planning 2 meals a week. Or if you already do well on the weekends, try 2 meals during the week.

How do you plan? What do you do now? Share your ideas, concerns or issues.