How do you decide what you're going to make for dinner?!

I make monthly menus! Everyone in my house can see exactly what we are going to be eating a month from today!

Write each entree (meat dish) on a slip of paper and put it in a bowl. Same thing for green veggies, red/orange veggies, white veggies, and fruits. Each in a separate bowl.

You should choose one from each bowl, write it on the calendar, when you run out of something in a bowl, put them back and use them again.

Go through your pantry, fridge and freezer. List everything you have. Shop this week for ONLY what is needed fresh. Shop every 2 weeks for everything that is frozen, canned or prepackaged. Shop once a month for staples: flour, salt, sugar, etc.

Stick tightly to the menu planning guide.

When I do my big weekly trip to the grocery store I plan about 2-3 meals that I will need to prepare. The rest of the week I have something fast like a sandwich or leftovers or go to a restaurant.

Occasionally I will be sitting at work thinking about a certain thing I want to cook and then spontaneously decide to stop at the store and get the stuff to make it that night but that is rare.

I do all 3......usually on Sundays I will plan for Monday & Tuesday and Wednesday is whatever I feel like having and by Thursday it's what I have on hand....usually shop on Friday or Saturday.....I usually have leftovers on Wednesday or soup & sandwich....usually very casual.

I am not picky and Thursdays are usually taco's or fajitas so I can have that for work the next day, I enjoy taco salad for work on Fridays a lot.....usually have meat in freezer and lots of things on hand!

I go to the grocery store once a week mostly on Saturday and i plan my meals for the five days i cook (Monday, Tuesday, Wed., Thursday, and Friday.) Then on Saturdays and Sundays we make sandwiches and things like that. The only time we go out to eat is if we are having a family gathering or something is going on after church.

I go to the store about twice a month. When I go I buy the sale meat and freeze it. So I just take something out of the freezer the day before, usually whatever I have helps me make up my mind.
If there is something special we want I will plan it the ext day.I always make leftovers for my husband to heat up quickly on his lunch hour. And sometime I encorporate those leftovers into new dishes. So it does take a little planning ahead at my house.

I write a list of dishes I'm going to make for the week which includes 7 dinners and 2 (weekend) lunches/brunches.

Then I go to the store and if they have everything I need, I don't wane. If there is something I need that they don't have or doesn't look fresh, then I think of something else to replace that meal and shop for the necessary items.

I make a list of what sounds good to me ...I plan on making enough to freeze at least half...I make about 2 or 3 things...sometimes 4...that way I don't get tired of the same old leftovers..It works for me...

I don't eat fast food..so I make sure I have easy things to fix in case I can't cook a meal...


Have a great day............

A majority of the time I plan it out and do my grocery shopping for ingredients that I need for that weeks meals. But other times (if I hadn't gon to the store yet) I decide on a whim with what ingredients I have.

Most of the time it's whatever I'm in the mood for. Sometimes my husband will make a special request and I'll try to make that for supper.

I never eat out...I have kids. lol

I usually prepare whatever I have ingredients for or have most ingredients for...or, if it's a busy night, whatever is fastest and easiest.

My mood and my family's request.

but I usually have new recipes in mind to try out. (Cooking is my hobby.)

I either ask my husband what he feels like having for dinner or I look to see what is available to make into a meal.

i dont eat.

what i feel hungry for

look in cupboard and see what I fancy