Orthodox Meal Planning

So finally Blogger and I are getting along well enough to be able to finally write this post (we have been having some photo loading issues...grrr...)! 

 

After talking with a few of my mom friends, I have learned that not all people find menu planning easy.  I have heard from so many moms that they usually just throw something together at the last minute either from the freezer or just end up going out.  I admit, trying to figure out what you are going to cook for your family, yet again, night after night can be a bit daunting!  Spaghetti is great, but every night...not so much.

 

Although this post is titled specifically for the Orthodox family, I think this can be a great idea for any family.  Orthodoxy just likes to put a nice little twist on the ease of menu planning with all of the feasting and fasting. 

 

I will admit, we are only at the very beginning of our Orthodox journey, so we are not up to full fasting yet, but I do like to make myself aware of the patterns of the calendar, so that I will be ready for each step we take towards fasting as we grow in our faith. 

 

So, here is a little look at what I do each month (or at least would like to do) to plan our menu. 

 

*please note: I do not go grocery shopping for the whole month at a time.  Trader Joe's carts are just not big enough for our family of 7, plus our budget doesn't work that way...yet.  So although I plan for the month, I only shop for one week at a time.  I just like to get it all done at once!  

 

 

 

First of all, I have created a handy dandy master menu calendar on excel.  I write the numbers in myself so that I can easily print off a new copy each month.  Notice I have created a row at the bottom for notes, always helpful.  I am limited in computer knowledge, but if you like my calender, just let me know I can e-mail you the file, right now I don't know how to make that a link.

 

 My next step is to go on the great website that our Deacon has set up.  He has a beautiful color coded calendar that lists the recommended feasting/fasting for our parish.  You would want to check with your local parish for your feasting/fasting, since there are always differences.

I get out a red pen (you can use whatever color you want, I promise, I won't tell anyone if it's not red :) Then I mark down in code which days are fasting and what type of fasting they are, wo=wine and oil, s=strict fast, etc.  I just make up whatever will be easiest for me to understand.

 

 Then I get on our wonderful Cozi website that has our main family calender. I have everyone's appointments, Josh's work schedule, birthdays, whatever on this site.  Best of all, we can access it on our phones so we have our calendar anywhere!  Even better than that, Josh actually uses it, so for most  part, we are on the same page.

Next I mark down Josh's work schedule.  As a nurse, it changes every week.  I need to know if he's working day or night shift.  I plan my meals so that on the day before he works I am sure there will be extras for his lunch box. Also in a different color pen.  I promise, I am not OCD...completely...

Next I write down the Liturgy and other special church services we have for the month.  With a Liturgy service I know that I need something quick and easy just for the kiddos since we won't be eating before hand.  Josh and I either eat the leftovers when we get home, or treat ourselves to eating out after church.

Then comes to planning notebook.  Cooking is my big responsibility, along with homeschooling and raising kids, but cooking is the only job that gets a notebook....so far...

Don't you just love a great notebook with cool dividers?  It gets me excited just looking at it!  I have a thing with school supplies...and color coding...
I have our favorite recipes in this notebook.  Each divider represents a type of meal, ex: breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, etc.  Anytime I find a yummy recipe, I print it off and stick it in the appropriate section.  Then when I'm ready to plan, all of our favorites are in one spot!

 

 Then I pick a nice and cozy spot, say..the couch.  I have my notebook, recipes, my menu planning calendar (with all of it's pretty color codedness) and a cup of something yummy (tea is in this cup, just in case you are wondering.)  I try to pick a time when I won't be bothered, say nap time/quiet time (which happens daily for EVERYONE in our house) or after bedtime.  This is where the majority of the work takes place.  I go through my notebook and I pick out meals that meet all the requirements of our calendar, whether fasting or Josh working or just a busy day.  Also notice that I do this all with a PENCIL.  Inevitably, despite all of my meticulously perfect planning, I am going to forget something, or not notice something and need to swap or completely change meals.  Also notice that I only plan dinners.  I have not gotten to the point of our healthy eating journey to plan out eat and every meal.  PB&J works for us, along with leftovers or some buttered noodles for lunch.  We still eat cereal from Trader Joe's, oatmeal, eggs or smoothies for breakfast.  Breakfast and Lunch require no extra planning for me, I can wing those.  I do make sure to add items we are low on to my grocery list.  If you are they type that needs these planned out, you might want to make a bigger planning calendar :)  I use the notes part of my calendar to remind myself about any extra cooking or shopping that I need to do.

Finally I take all of  my planning back to my uncluttered desk.. I have pulled out all of the recipes that I will need for the week for easy access.  Ideally I will put them back during my next planning session.  Either that, or I will just stuff them into the front cover, but I would never be that lazy...

 

And I look through my recipes to type our grocery list on to our Cozi account.  Since we can access it from our phones, I can type it in on my computer (or phone) and whoever is going to the store can access the list from their phone.  It makes a cool sound when you enter an item, so I feel like I'm doing a superb job (whatever motivates you, right?)  I keep my monthly planner and my weekly recipes together and stick them on the fridge so I can easily see them everyday and have my recipes within reach when dinner time comes. 

So that's how it's done! Easy, right?!  It might sound like a lot of work, but I only have to do it once a month.  Sometimes I like to pick theme nights, like Mexican, Italian, Homestyle.  That helps me get started on recipe ideas.  Sunday nights at our house are always Pancake nights, and we have started to institute homemade Pizza night as well.  I will have to include some recipes for those later! 

How do you Menu plan?