Tuesday 1 October 2013

Day 2 - What kind of planner are you?


One of the most imporant parts of a menu plan is YOU. And your family. But at this point, mostly you. Since you are the one doing the work and making it happen, its got to fit your organizing style. So answer this quiz to start figuring out where you are and how your organizing style will affect your meal planning.

When you figure out what's for dinner - how do you do it? 
  • Do you just open the fridge and start cooking? 
  • Do you have a note in your daybook or calendar? 
  • Ideas listed on your phone or computer? 
  • A written meal plan for each day of the week?
What kind of cook are you?
  • I make it up as I go along. 
  • I have memorized a few recipes and make them over and over again. 
  • I like to use a recipe, but then adjust as I go along. 
  • I follow every bit of the recipe.
  • I just kind of hate cooking. 
Where do you find the recipes you use?
  • Oh, do people actually use recipes?
  • My index cards full of special family favourites. 
  • In a huge collection of cookbooks
  • I drool over the pictures on Pinterest and FoodGawker.
  • I just google whatever seems interesting. 
And when you go shopping, how do you know what to get?
  • Whatever looks good?
  • I have a few notes and then add as I go?
  • A list scribbled on the back of an envelope or on my phone?
  • I get the same things every week. 

So let's break down these answers into a few examples: Maybe you are someone who likes to be really flexible and make whatever is inspiring today, cooking dinner is your meditation for the day. Or you like need to have a structured plan, so that some kind of food gets on the table. Perhaps you enjoy making gourmet meals some nights, and are ok with eating those leftovers for the next two days. 

Well, here are two things that can help you right now, today:

1. You have to write your plan down. Keeping it in your head actually just adds stress, because now you are responsible for remembering everything. At this point a simple list is fine, we will add structure through the week. But you gotta commit to writing it down somehow. If you are afraid of commitment and only want to plan 2 days worth, or even just ideas such as "Asian Chicken" then do it. Make it work.

2. Choose whether you want to keep your list on paper or on a computer/phone. But please pick a certain spot for it. A dedicated notebook, or meal planning pad for the paper lovers. For the compu-geeks a spreadsheet on your computer, or a website like Evernote or Plan to Eat, will work well. 

In the next few days we will get into the specifics of how to set-up our meal planner. 

I'd love to hear your answers to the questions today. For the record I have a written meal plan for each day of the week, like to use a recipe, but adjust as I go along, LOVE pinterest but also use cookbooks, index cards and make stuff up, and definitely have a shopping list on my phone. 

What kind of planner/cook/shopper are you? 



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