Help with weekly menu planning please

[FatBirdThin]

Hi

I think it would be better/easier to stick to sw meals if I planned in advance..............rather than getting up and not knowing what to have for lunch and ending up spending loads on salads & fruit salads at M&S or getting home from work and not having anything ready for dinner and being absolutely starving and eating something I really shouldn't!

Anyone got any advice on how/where to start ~ tips etc. Lunches that I can take to work (do have use of a microwave) and quick and easy dinners. Do you use left over dinner for lunch or do you freeze it for another day?

I'm the only one dieting at home as I live in a house of skinnies so I'd be planning just for me

Thanks in advance for your help
Fatbirdthin

 

[i_am_plankton]

I do my food shopping online and before I add things, I go through recipes and make a list of what I will need for that week to make those recipes, and I tend to make food that will last for at least 2 days. Investing in a slow cooker is well worthwhile too, pop it on before work and come home to a hot healthy meal :-D I do allsorts in mine - chilli's, curry, soups, bolognaise etc.
I tend to have a sandwich for work with a tub of salad and some yogurt, plus fruit for snacking but have been known to make hot meals and take leftovers for work but I tend to leave leftovers for evening meals as I find that time is tightest in the evenings.

 

[lizs84]

Download the pepperplate app. I have all my recipes (about 300 now) in there and choose from them each week for each meal in the planner. I always add at least one new one every week too. It's all backed up online so if your phone dies its not the end of the world!
Liz
X

 

[FatBirdThin]

Thanks for the tips, I'll have a look at the pepperplate app ~ can't wait to get started lol

 

[helenmcloughlin92]

Download the pepperplate app. I have all my recipes (about 300 now) in there and choose from them each week for each meal in the planner. I always add at least one new one every week too. It's all backed up online so if your phone dies its not the end of the world!
Liz
X

What a fantastic app thank you for sharing that! This is definitely going to be my new best friend

Helen xx

 

[lizs84]

It's great isn't it?? It takes a bit of effort to get it up and running but once you're there it's invaluable. I put the syn info in the notes section of each recipe (as well as the calorie content as I sometimes share recipes with other dieters who don't do slimming world). It took me a while to get round to putting them into categories but is recommend doing that too (eg. Main meal/starter/dessert, soup, salad, batch cook or freezer friendly, slow cooker, quick meal, under 5 syns, free, vegetarian, picnic, BBQ, Christmas, baking and so on!). I find these so helpful when I'm planning my week! I've also reorganised the shopping list so that the categories match the aisles in my local Tesco - makes shopping a lot faster!
Liz
X

 

[FatBirdThin]

I downloaded pepperplate to my ipad last night, thought I'd go through my magazines and recipes that I've printed out (a big drawful lol) and start entering them on the app, can empty the draw out and they'll be so much easier to find

Think I'll copy you and add a new one each week, stops you getting bored then doesn't it

I can't wait to start SW tomorrow now
Leigh x

 

[lizs84]

I used to have a folder or written recipes but it was driving me nuts having to scan them in to email to people and being out and thinking that I really fancy making something but not knowing the ingredients. I now have it on my phone, laptop, iPad, my husband's android phone and the tablet we have on the wall in the kitchen! And they're all on the same login so I really can access it anywhere!
Good luck!
Liz
X

 

[FatBirdThin]

Such a great idea think I'll put it on my phone too x

 

[leshrew]

I've just downloaded this to so guess what I will be doing this week, really good idea to stay organised and hopefully keep me on track x