Are you having trouble planning/ thinking what to cook for your family?

In the past I was a very organized cook. I would take the weekends to put together/cook several dishes and I would freeze them. I would make pepperoni pizza's, lasagna, meatloaf, meatballs, pot pies or casseroles and things of that nature all from scratch. I would then freeze certain amounts in my seal a meal freezer bags and have those for back ups or for nights I needed something quick. I would plan out my shopping trips and buy what was on sale and cook my meals around them. Hamburger was a big item that was inexpensive and could be used several different ways so I always used alot of it. I also like using different spices. I use websites like recipe.com to look up new and different meals. I also love cook books, you can go to the library and check out a bunch to get ideas from. I am a firm believer and subscriber to Taste of Home & Quick Cooking magazine. They have some great recipes in their cook books and their monthly magazines. If you are interested in making your own mixes (such as the rice mixes you see in boxes, taco seasoning mixes, cake mixes, brownie mixes, check out a book called "Make a Mix Cookbook". I love using my book. I make muffin/brownie/taco/sauce mixes from the recipes in this book. Those alone were worth the cost to buy the book for me. Good luck with your planning and cooking for your family!

I've been a homemaker for 16 years now and took it as a career. haha! Don't worry much that you have to repeat some of your dishes within a week as long as it tastes good for your family. Within my family circle, each of them has their favorite dish and they don't mind eating it twice a week. I used to know only a few recipes but when I tried experimenting on the food I've tried in restaurants plus asked friends how they cooked something I've tried in their parties, I've learned more than I bargained for. Now, I am the assigned cook for every occassion in our family gatherings. Lately, I've made a list of all the recipes I've learned and categorized them accordingly. Meaning, I've placed a few things under soup, then several under chicken, seafood, pork and beef then some under vegetables. I then printed this and posted it on my ref door. Every now and then, when I can't think of a dish to serve, I read this, find something available in the ref and fortunately, end up with something to serve. There are also a few things I follow when I do my grocery. For instance, everytime I buy ground pork, I buy for two recipes. When I do a mix for lumpiang shanghai(pork rolls), I divide the mixture for the rolls and the other half for molo soup. Ground pork used this way is economical because of the extenders that we use use. We add finely chopped carrots, onions and singkamas(native turnips). In my experience, half a kilo of ground pork plus the extenders can serve more than 12 persons. You can also try sauteing ground pork in soy with potatoes. What's left of this dish, you can turn into omelettes after a few days and it's another dish on its own. You don't actually have to serve it the next day. When I buy beef, I buy more for one recipe too but I soften them all together. I store them in the freezer and thereafter, I create different dishes from them - from stew, nilaga(filipno dish) to pochero. This way, I also save on LPG.But don't over do it though. You are the only one to know how much your family can consume. Of course, we don't want leftover food to spoil. You can also check the meat sale on supermarkets. They sometimes cost less than the prices in the market. One time, I was at Rustan's supermarket and their pork belly (liempo) was buy one, take one. Liempo is one of the more versatile meat you can use for a lot of dishes. Although, you have to buy a kilo at least. Lastly, you can check the internet for economical recipes which your family an enjoy.

yes i am... sometimes i get so tired of cooking because i have to cook everyday for my hubby and i ran out of ideas... fortunately, my hubby is not a picky eater and he eats whatever i cook for him... also, we don't have a child yet... so it makes my job much easier... take care and have a nice day...

I have trouble figuring out what to make that the family will eat as well as being able to budget the meal. Sadly I can't say I have anything too tasty thats cheap & healthy. My best ideas usually involve pasta and some sort of veggie & whatever meat I have. If you do make something new make sure you ask your family if it's a keeper or? Always look for recipes w/ interchangeable ingredients, that you could use in other dishes as well. I hate finding a recipe and then find out that I need something specific that I have never heard of nor will ever use for anything else.

That is my problem upto now that I already have a baby. I have difficulty thinking of what to cook for my family. I just know how to cook basic menus but did not learn a lot because when I was young, my mom did not teach me to cook and I can't stand the heat of the stove, that's why I did not learn so much. Most of the time when my husband is at home, he will be the one to cook for us. Sometimes I feel ashamed already, because they say that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach. But I can't even cook a good food for him or my baby too. But I am still trying sometimes to cook for him, it just don't taste that good, but at least I tried and exerted some effort, and I still want to learn mroe. That's why I always check recipes online which are only easy first and affordable.

i have two boys. and they only love to eat fried chicken, so hard for me.well what can i suggest now that your child maybe still young. you have to consider more on vegetables, cheaper and healthy, you can make adobong kangkong, it's cheap but delicious,and it's good that you are making list of your menu for every week. I'm also doing same.

I go through this issue all the time. I am also a wife and stay at home mom to 5 children. I have been one off and on since I was pregnant with my first child, he is 9. I get so tired of cooking the same things.....steak, chicken, pork, pasta and repeat in different variations week after week.. lol If they complain then ask them for suggestions. Look up reciepes online, there are some sites that will send you daily or weekly emails with suggestions. Things you normally cook in the oven throw on a grill (indoors or out). Get a crock pot and throw different things in it. I dont cook on weekends, or at least I try not too, and we do either pizza or Chinese normally so that helps with the cooking issue a little but I am constantly saying how I wish I could find something different or new to make so you are definitely not alone!!

I think this is a problem for most of the women of there. My mother use to always worry when it is time to prepare food but I am not like her luckily, when it is Sunday I print all the menu list for the week and also menu for lunch and package for bread so my partner just have to look at it and thats it.I will always stick it to the wall in the kitchen. It is time consuming and better for me too. Find some menu which is fast doing and also less expensive like salads for dinners, and light breakfast.

Hehehe. I only cook for myself so I can have a packed lunch, and even with that I have trouble planning my menu for the week. Hehehe. I try not to eat the same thing twice in a week, but it's just so hard, specially when I wake up late and I can only cook those that cooks really fast so I tend to fry everything. LOL.

cooking every day is really a difficult task as you need to think of every food you had cooked. i sometimes use cookbook or check the net. i don't plan a week meals as i know it will not be followed as sometimes there will be left overs from previous meal so i'll just have to think of how to recycle them and make them delicious again, like for example if i cook chicken, then usually the next day, i'll have some chicken sandwich or some chicken salad, or chicken noodles. so basically, i just do it impromptu, i'll just look inside my fridge and check what kind of dish i can make with the ingredients i can find there.

hi bonz289! we are having the same problem!i need to prepare dinner for my young niece and nephews everyday.same goes to their lunch and breakfast.but dinner always be the problem.i do not want to cook the same meals for them so i will make sure i make some list for daily meals that we are having for dinner.i mean variety meals.sometimes i will make soup as our main dishes, the next day i will make something else.but i will make sure there are meals which contains all the nutrients they need.

No I don't have trouble about it but my mom does...hehehehe! MY trouble is how will I stop from eating I might got too fat...anyway mom always cook the best nutritious food ever, when we have plenty of money she cooks really expensive meals, but we still eat the same quality when we were on a budget, just be creative in what you cook, and you need to introduce your child to different dishes, they might not like it at first but when they taste it they will like it eventually just like my mother's does, we know nutritious food are very essentials for young and old but unfortunately they are the one that most children hate...hehehe...but you know my mom encourage me, at first I thought its not taste good but when I did taste it its the best. Hehehehe. God bless the works of your hands. God bless your whole family and enjoy eating.

Being at home and in-charge for cooking the whole days was a big task.Even here in our house,choosing a meal was an everyday problem. We come to the point that we sit on it like a typical discussion just to make a menu for the whole weeks,we also do some recording to be sure that the menu was not repeated on a short period of time. For kids they usually like fried chicken and meal with a sweet sauce. You better stock marinated chicken at your fridge, so that if your child don't want your prepared meal for that day, there is an alternative.

I really have the same problem with you ,fortunately, i just do not know what to cook for myself.I 'm not married,and rent a hourse far away from home,so i need cook meal myself. Every afternoon, i need to think what i want to have for dinner ,that's really a terrible thing!

I like cooking and lately I need to prepare for the dinner for my family after work. I can make some good dishes, however, I don't like repeating the same dishes very often. So sometimes I feel running out of inspiration of creating the new dishes. When I am in the market, I feel lost because I don't know what I shall cook:) So sometimes I will search the recipes via the net and then I may have some new ideas for my dinner. I love China

Hi bonz, To be very honest it (deciding what to cook) turned like a headache for me. Planning everyday that also differently, healthy and tasty. I should consider everyone’s like as my kids and hubby have different choices. If I consider my hubby’s choice as priority then my elder son does not like the same as his choice is different. So it is very difficult for me to take a good decision without hurting their choice/likes. I agree with you, it is difficult to adjust with the budget and trying new menus as everything is very costly now.

yes really it is very difficult to decide what to cook ....at my home all have different choices....my father in law is diabetic so i'd to cook food accordingly for him....kids need something delicious regularly and for me and my husband something else...there are very few recipes which everyone likes ....

i used to cook for the housemates, i think one of the problems is cooking the same thing and trying to made everyone happy. So i try rotating the cooking tasks around the housemates.I guess what they cook worst then me and there are days the assigned cook are missing so the complain are reduced and finally whole cooking plan stop.Haha. We usually cook what is available in freeze since we shop at the wet market once per week. Eat alot of eggs and also drink alot soups they like.Soup are the easily to made.I guess different culture has different foods prefences.

Sometimes i cook food for my family and love-ones i want them to love my dish but sometimes i overcook or sometimes i miss some of the ingredient but i love to cook maybe i need a lot of practice and prepare first the ingredient i need so that i can give it time to wait for it, i always get comment but i accept to know my mistakes and what i have to do next time and hope you can teach how to cook a lot of foods like your favorite food to cook or desert.

If you want healthy food but right for your budget. Try mixing vegetables with a little meat, go for cauliflower with a little of pork, tofu with fish fillet, kids love cheese, sauces and breadcrumbs. I have 4 children and my family loves to eat, cooking is my passion so even i serve them with simple stir fry dishes, as long as it is well presented and definitely hot. Always follow the pyramid when creating a dish, a glow, grow and go foods. If you want i can be able to give you some of my invention that my kids love. Good luck to you and happy cooking. wear a smile and do not feel that you are tired of it.