Meal Planning Monday - The Big Cooking Session

So, last week worked really well - here's the gist if you missed it...

Back..ok

So, as usual I'm acting like my children actually run the house and have the upper hand, and I'm letting them do the meal planning again.  I've suggested they follow up on this and do the shopping too but they both disappeared leaving me with a 1 year old that can push a trolley but just throws money out of purses therefore can't yet be trusted.

Although they have chosen what they want to eat, I have jigged it around a bit, just to stamp my authority as an adult really, and to make it so I can cook once on Monday after I've shopped and then have more free time to clean up after the little darlings and chauffeur them around if necessary.

Here it is..

Monday - Spaghetti Bolognaise and Garlic Bread

Tuesday - Green Thai Curry and Rice with piles of mange tout and baby corn

Wednesday - Spaghetti Tacos and potato wedges

Thursday - Slow Cooker Curry

Friday - Cheesy Mash Shepherd's Pie and piles of veg

Saturday - Take Awaaaaaayy!!

Sunday - Paprika Chicken and Quinoa

and the plan for cooking...

Monday 
- Make huge batch of spag bol and freeze several portions.
- Put enough in fridge for Spaghetti Tacos on Wednesday
- Make Thai Curry and refrigerate
- Mix up the curry sauce in a freezer bag and put in fridge
- Make garlic bread - from scratch!!  (anyone know if I can freeze dough?)
- Make two shepherds pies and freeze

Tuesday
- Make pan of rice and veg for with curry

Wednesday
- Dice chicken and add to bag of ingredients

Thursday
- Fling chicken curry bag contents into the slow cooker in a flamboyant, I've beat this stove standing lark fashion
- Remember to switch slow cooker on at the plug!!!
- Make some rice and chips at tea time
- Defrost a shepherds pie

Friday 
- Bung shepherds pie in oven and boil loads of veg

And you're thinking but what about the Paprika Chicken?

Well it's already lingering at the back of the freezer.  I found it during a lunchtime freezer dive last week.

This reduced cooking plan is really working for me!

This post is linked up with the Meal Plan Monday Linky on At Home With Mrs M.  There are loads  of meal plans on there and I urge you to read them as some are gourmet!!

Freezer Food Plan

Its tough thinking of different Meal Planning Monday post titles!. Google really should have more respect for the institution of #mealplanningmonday and realise its not spam - Its a wide variety of foods!!
The batch cooking and freezing is working so well.  Its saving hours of time and loads of money.  Waste is reduced and the variety of food we eat is increased.
Today is a cooking day as freezer stocks are running low.  This is what this weeks menu is looking like...
Monday - Chilli Con Carne and Rice with Tacos. (from freezer, cook on low from frozen)
Tuesday - mushroom stuffed chicken breasts. A Gino D'Acampo idiet recipe. (from freezer, defrost and cook)
Wednesday - slow cooked Italian and wild mushroom stew. Another Gino idiet recipe. (cooked a double batch on Monday and stored half in fridge and other half frozen)
Thursday - Fish and Chips.  Fish from freezer.
Friday - Vegetarian Chilli and rice (from freezer)
Saturday - ooh quite possibly a take away!
Sunday - The Big Three Courser
Melon
Garlic Mushrooms
Spaghetti Bolognaise
Garlic Bread with Tomato
Chocolate Tirimisu
I'll be posting more about my big three courser on Wednesday
What are you planning for this week?