When I began creating this menu for September I wished and hoped for the best. My intention was to noticeably reduce the foods in the freezer, because soon (again, that wishing and hoping attitude) there will be some stock up sales, and to take advantage of them I need freezer space. I have to do better for the remaining few days of September, and then will start all over in October!
1. Spaghetti with meat sauce, tossed salad (frozen meat sauce)
2. Hamburgers with fixings, corn, cream cheese and jalapeño side dish (frozen patties, frozen veggies)
3. Bbq ribs, caulitato salad, baked beans (Labor Day meal will buy the ribs already cooked)
4. Veggie meal, cornbread TBD based on produce stand and garden availability
5. Veggie meal, cornbread TBD based on produce stand and garden availability
6. Hamburgers with fixings (frozen patties)
7. Taco salad (frozen taco seasoned ground chuck) Turned into a casserole
8. Taco salad (frozen taco seasoned ground chuck)
9. Chopped salad with chicken (frozen cooked and seasoned chicken)
10. Pizza, tossed salad (frozen mini pizza crusts, frozen pepperoni)
11. Grilled chicken, brussels sprouts, garlic bread (frozen boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
12. Stuffed bell peppers, hash browns, coleslaw, green beans (frozen uncooked ground chuck)
13. Fajita baked chicken (thanks Belinda) (frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
14. Grilled steak, baked potato, tossed salad, (frozen steak)
15. Garden salad, grilled cheese sandwich (lots of cheeses in the fridge)
16. Buffalo chicken, celery sticks, crudités with dip, fruit (frozen chicken tenders)
17. Butter chicken, rice, green vegetable (frozen boneless skinless thighs)
18. Peruvian chicken, mashed potatoes, green vegetable (Frozen boneless skinless thighs)
19. Cedar planked salmon, mashed potatoes, some green veggie (frozen salmon)
20. BLT, cucumber onion and tomato salad (frozen cooked bacon)
21. Grilled lamb chops, rice pilaf, green beans, side salad ( frozen rack of lamb)
22. Lamb leftovers
23. Corned beef, cabbage, potatoes (frozen corned beef)
24. Corned beef leftovers
25. Philly cheesesteak casserole, salad (frozen browned ground chuck)
26. Philly cheesesteak casserole leftovers I made a small one so no leftovers
27. Soup and cornbread (frozen chicken broth)
Monday: For the first Monday in years, I did not have to go to Mom's house to either check on her or the house. To be honest I was a little lost, but did have plenty of time to make one of my favorite entrees.
Peruvian chicken, California vegetable medley
Tuesday: I was somewhat of a sloth. I looked at the living room/dining room (AKA holding rooms for all the bits and pieces that were just removed from Mom's) and I got overwhelmed, then underwhelmed at the thoughts of sorting through things. Instead I enjoyed a couple of phone calls, because talking was so much better than working.
BLT sandwiches or BLT salad
Wednesday: Do you ever do something incredibly stupid and have no idea how you did it? I had a large corned beef that I put in the crock pot Wednesday morning, then went about with the things I wanted to do. I was outside for a bit and when I came in I noticed I did not smell the corned beef. I looked at the crock pot, and instead of being on low for 3 hours, it was on warm. I had to turn it up to high and keep my fingers crossed.
Corned beef, cabbage
Thursday: I We needed to get out of the house so I had dinner ready as soon as TheHub walked through the door. Whatever I had planned went out the window for something that just needed to be thawed and warmed. I was not about to spend time cooking something we would just gobble down.
Pulled smoked pork, baked beans (leftover), tomato slices, banana peppers, dill pickles
Friday. We had planned on going to a restaurant but it did not work that way.
Purple Onion takeout either gyro plate or gyro salad
Saturday: TheHub and Son went to the ball game; DIL2 came here. We had a girl cookout!
Steak, tossed salad, rolls or toast
Sunday: Oops, I forgot about Sunday!
Fajita Baked Chicken, tossed salad
Used from the freezer:
Package chicken thighs
Package California medley vegetables
2 frozen jalapeños
Frozen cooked bacon
Corned beef brisket
Package pulled smoked pork
Package chicken thighs
Put into the freezer:
2 boxes Keto ice cream bars
1 box artichoke strudel
1 box spinach feta strudel
Because I did a meal plan for the month, September ends Thursday, and I still have a few meals I did not make, I am not going to put my October meal suggestions on the blog until the 4th. Maybe I can finish the menu list by the 3rd, or maybe not. The only change to the remaining meals I know for sure will happen is for today. I have a veggie drawer with squash and okra, so I am cooking a vegetable meal tonight. We are also having houseguests this weekend, so all bets are off then too.
Have a great week staying on plan, going off plan, or with no plan at all.
I'm a bean counter, so of course I had to do the math. You managed to cross of 63% of the planned list, and with a few days left in September you'll be even higher. I'd count that as a win. Especially in a month that was incredibly busy with the house sale and closing.
ReplyDeleteI am actually ok with it, but I still have a ton of frozen things to use
DeleteI have done the very same thing with the crockpot! It is very discouraging. When I need more room in the freezer, I cook the meat and then eat a meal, maybe leave leftovers for the next night and then freeze the rest. That reduces the volume in the freezer, giving me more room.
ReplyDeleteMy freezer is jam packed with all kinds of wonderful things and I jut need to purge before refilling it.
DeleteI wish I could meal plan but it never works for me.
ReplyDeleteI get a little teed off about following a plan because what sounds good when I planned it never does on the follow through!
DeleteI mostly wing it - so your achievements look impressive from here. And you did take more out of the freezer than you put in.
ReplyDeleteI actually prefer to wing it, but I have too much frozen inventory that I need to use (so I can buy more)
DeleteIt all sounds delicious, Anne. Especially your veggie meal for tonight. You managed to make quite a few of the meals you planned, that’s great.
ReplyDeleteI did make several meals and will make a few more this week. Then, who knows?
DeleteI've just googled "Peruvian chicken" and it looks lovely. Will have to give it a shot. All I remember from my trip to Peru was my friend trying the guinea pig (a speciality), but I had to give that one a pass when I saw it still had its head on! The pisco went down a treat though!
ReplyDeleteI probably would have passed on the guinea pig too.
DeleteI think you did very well with using up what's in the freezer! I've taken a couple of packets out of the freezer, myself, but, I don't see any room opening up, yet!
ReplyDeleteThe inside of my freezer does not look a bit different!
DeleteYou crossed off a lot of things. That's a success! And having a lot in the freezer is a good problem.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Having too much frozen inventory is definitely a first world problem
DeleteI'm a planner not a doer. (I guess that makes me manager material, lol). Hubs said pork chops sounded good, so that's one decision I didn't have to make.
ReplyDeleteI actually appreciate a request. It is one less thing I have to think about.
DeleteGreat song choice! It's 1960-something all over again, and I'm singing along with Dusty on Hullabaloo.
ReplyDeleteI always go with the first song that enters my brain after I finish the post. Dusty won this time!
DeleteI agree with Mevely317. Another great song choice. And a good start on the freezer cook down.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like things are multiplying in there. I have used things but there is no real difference in the way the interior of the freezer looks.
DeleteThe song is a good one.
You've got a well stocked freezer!
ReplyDeleteI do. If I found out I had to have a meal for 200 people they would all have something different, but I could do it.
DeleteHaving a plan is good, even if you don’t follow it exactly. All the thinking is already done. 😁
ReplyDeleteI know I would never follow a plan exactly but I do like having some direction.
DeleteThankfully my son in law loves the food from the local senior center. We can get meals on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and we have a wonderful Mennonite girl who cooks for us.
ReplyDeleteWow you are lucky!
DeleteI have to admit I like your dedication to meal planning.
ReplyDeleteMy planning is great, but my follow through is questionable.
DeleteI do credit you for a monthly meal plan. It's typically done weekly here. The last of the potatoes and beets were made into a pot of borscht with two containers in the freezer. A stop at the new Italian Center garnered eggplant so it was eggplant parmesan last night. In the interest of making room in the freezer, a chicken was roasted last week - so with roasted vegetables, then panini sandwiches with my special chutney & cheese. Some of that chicken made it into the borscht as well. Today, roasted bratwurst on an open fire with some pasta salad. Thanksgiving in Canada is Oct 11 and I'm making a plan for a harvest meal.
ReplyDeleteThe monthly plan is not my usual but my freezer is overloaded and has to be used. Your meals sound delicious!
DeleteHaving a very small freezer compartment means I never have to plan anything. My only pressure is to eat up the leftovers.
ReplyDeletebest... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
I understand the leftovers. They generally become my lunches during the week, or ours on the weekends.
DeleteI'm slowly working my way through my freezer, too. Also through my pantry -- we stocked up big time during Covid, and only worked our way through part of it. More to cook. :-) And yes, I'd always rather talk than work!
ReplyDeleteThe freezer is both a blessing and curse! I overstocked during covid also and with just the two of us? I am not sure what I was thinking!
DeleteI'd have difficulty even thinking of 27 different meals, let alone cooking them!
ReplyDeleteThinking comes easily. It's the cooking part that foils me!
Delete