Creating a weekly menu for a family has many advantages - mom (that is, me) does not stand in front of an open refrigerator every day and wonder what to cook? The family's meals become varied and healthy, saving time, money, and nerves. The family eats healthy, homemade food every day, rather than store-bought convenience foods.
Why do you need to create a weekly menu for your family?
First of all, let's figure out why plan a menu for a week, month, day? Isn't it easier to cook spontaneously without planning anything? Why waste time on creating menus, lists, etc.?
I admit that before, before the birth of children, I didn’t bother with creating a menu or planning purchases; the decision about what we would eat for breakfast/lunch/dinner came spontaneously and was decided together with my husband. They could also eat sausage horns, store-bought dumplings, and pizza. And what? I want to eat. Have a snack, and then start preparing the “proper” food.
But after the birth of children, life changed and my views on nutrition changed, because I wanted my family, children, and husband to eat tasty, healthy and varied food. In addition, it was a pity to spend time every day going shopping, standing in long lines, extra money (without a list, without any idea of what we would eat in the next week, many thoughtless purchases were made), nerves (well... with a small with a child or two, a trip to the store turns into a little adventure - after all, you not only need to stand in line and choose/buy groceries, but also drag them home + child + stroller, and so on every day).
- Save time. Many people give up on menu planning because they believe that creating a menu will take a lot of time, which can be spent on something else. But I assure you that this is far from the case. It doesn’t take much time to create a menu, especially when you get the hang of it and have a layout scheme worked out (you can even keep the old menus and just alternate them week by week). In addition, this time soon pays off, since I don’t have to stand in front of the refrigerator every day wondering what to cook for lunch or dinner, I don’t run headlong to the store because at the most inopportune moment I discovered that I don’t have refrigerator beets for borscht. I just start cooking right away.
- We save money. I will say from my own experience that after we started planning the menu for the week, our unplanned expenses decreased significantly. Because we now go to the store with a pre-compiled list of products that are necessary for preparing meals for the coming week (thanks to it, we are saved from unplanned purchases in the supermarket, from filling the basket to the brim with unnecessary goods). Thanks to menu planning and a weekly inspection of the refrigerator, I can include in the menu products that lie unused until they become unfit for food. We always know that there is something to eat at home, so there is no need to buy dumplings for the third day in a row, since it’s a mess at home and we still want to eat.
- We eat right. On the day of drawing up the menu, you can make sure that the menu for the coming week is as healthy and varied as possible, including vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, dairy products and other health benefits. The family will eat properly, varied and balanced.
Meals for Saturday
Breakfast: Salmon sausages, rye bread
Calorie content per 100 g: 131 kilocalories Protein / Fat / Carbohydrates: 18/6/ 1 g.
Lunch: Meatball and spinach soup
Calorie content per 100 g: 74 kilocalories Proteins/Fats/Carbohydrates: 5/3/6 g.
Afternoon snack: Rice babka with apples
Dinner: Meat “The Way to the Heart”
Calorie content per 100 grams: 252 kilocalories Proteins/Fats/Carbohydrates: 17/20/ 1 gram.
buckwheat
Calorie content per 100 grams: 115 kilocalories Proteins/Fats/Carbohydrates: 4/6/ 12 grams.
fresh cabbage salad with apple
Calorie content per 100 grams: 47 kilocalories Proteins/Fats/Carbohydrates: 1/1/ 8 grams.
On a day off, you can indulge in something light. The menu for this day will look like this:
- For morning breakfast, feed your family cottage cheese with dried fruits and honey.
- For second breakfast, offer oatmeal.
- For lunch, you can boil buckwheat or rice with beef and serve with vegetable salad.
- Make sandwiches for an afternoon snack.
- Finish the day with fish and coleslaw.
A simple and tasty cabbage salad.
The total cost of the products will be 840 rubles. This includes:
- cottage cheese (pack) – 70 rub.;
- oatmeal – 60 rub;
- rice (kg) – 70 rub.;
- beef (kg) – 300 rub.;
- cheese (100 g) – 40 rubles;
- ham (300 g) – 150 rubles;
- fish (kg) – 150 rub.
Breakfast.Cottage cheese casserole with pumpkin in a slow cookerLunch.Ukrainian borschtAfternoon snack.Zucchini pie with sour cream glazeDinner.Pasta with vegetables and salami Lettuce salad
Tips for creating a daily menu for the whole family
First, I will give a few recommendations that you should follow when creating a daily menu for the whole family.
1. Select a day of the week on which you will plan your menu for the week each week. This day for me is Thursday, because it is on this day that I take care of the refrigerator according to FlyLady’s weekly plan (I wrote more about this plan in this article), carry out an audit of it, throw out the excess, write down what needs to be purchased on the shopping list. So I can immediately add to this list the products that need to be purchased for preparing meals for the coming week.
2. When inspecting the refrigerator, I write down everything that is in it on a piece of paper. For example, chicken fillet, frozen sliced eggplant, half a pack of frozen raspberries, a couple of pears, half a pack of kefir, etc. Next, opposite each product found in the refrigerator/freezer, I write a dish that I can prepare from this product and include it in the menu.
For example: chicken fillet – potatoes with chicken and vegetables, frozen eggplants – vegetable stew, raspberries – raspberry pie, etc.
3. When planning the menu, ask your family for their opinion on what they would like to eat in the next 7 days and include their wishes in the menu for the next week.
Meals for Thursday
Breakfast. Herring and carrot pate Lunch. Mushroom soup from frozen mushrooms in Czech style Afternoon snack. Pie with yogurt and pears Dinner. Fish cutlets with cheese Rice Eggplant caviar
On Thursday, the following dishes are best suited for your diet:
- For breakfast, prepare buckwheat porridge with chicken.
- For second breakfast, sandwiches with ham and cheese are perfect, or toast with melted cheese on them and topped with ham.
- For lunch, prepare bean soup and make a chicken and mushroom casserole.
- The same sandwiches that were intended for second breakfast are perfect for an afternoon snack.
- For dinner, prepare boiled chicken and a salad that includes beans.
Ham and cheese sandwiches
Includes:
- buckwheat (kg) – 80 rub.;
- carrots (kg) – 30 rubles;
- onion (kg) – 30 rubles;
- chicken meat (kg) – 150 rubles;
- cheese (100 g) – 50 rubles;
- ham (100 g) – 150 rubles;
- beans (can) – 50 rubles;
- mushrooms (400 g) – 150 rubles;
- garlic – 50 rub.
- Breakfast – Oatmeal with chocolate chips, toast with liver pate, sweet tea or coffee.
- Lunch – Soup with potatoes and green peas, compote, baked apple with honey and nuts.
- Afternoon snack – A portion of fruit jelly.
- Dinner – Herring or pickled mackerel, vinaigrette.
- At night – A glass of milk.
DETAILS: Diet for pregnant women for weight loss
Tips for creating a daily menu for the whole family
First, I will give a few recommendations that you should follow when creating a daily menu for the whole family.
1. Select a day of the week that you will do weekly menu planning for the week. This day for me is Thursday, because it is on this day that I take care of (according to FlyLady’s weekly affairs) the refrigerator, inspect it, throw out the excess, write down what needs to be purchased on the shopping list. So I can immediately add to this list the products that need to be purchased for preparing meals for the coming week.
2. When inspecting the refrigerator, I write down everything that is in it on a piece of paper. For example, chicken fillet, frozen sliced eggplant, half a pack of frozen raspberries, a couple of pears, half a pack of kefir, etc. Next, opposite each product found in the refrigerator/freezer, I write a dish that I can prepare from this product and include it in the menu.
For example:
chicken fillet – potatoes with chicken and vegetables frozen eggplants – vegetable stew raspberries – raspberry pie, etc.
3. When planning the menu, ask your family for their opinion on what they would like to eat in the next 7 days and include their wishes in the menu for the next week.
Selecting a convenient menu form
The weekly family menu form can be printed, electronic, or hand-written. Through trial and error, you will independently understand what is more convenient for you. It’s easy to create a menu for your family using special programs that save effort and time. You can create a universal template on your computer, filling it out every week at your discretion. The most convenient form is the one that combines the menu with the ingredients for each recipe.
You can write out the menu on regular A4 sheets, or you can print them and put them in a folder with transparent files. Moreover, on one side of the sheet there will be, for example, a menu, and on the other a list of the main products for preparing dishes this week. By compiling a couple of dozen such sheets, you can vary your diet throughout the year.
An electronic menu option is no less convenient; in addition to dishes and purchases, you can also store recipes for their preparation. Well, after compiling the list, give it to the family for approval, and try to compose it in this way - within a week it is necessary that there are 2-3 favorite dishes of each family member. This way, a smooth compromise can be reached.
So, let's start creating a menu, and consider a new dish every evening with a list of ingredients and preparation. As mentioned above, the article will give examples of first courses, but, as a rule, many of us do not have lunch at home. Let's look at an approximate menu for a week for a family with dinner recipes.
A good option would be to prepare first courses by boiling meat, fish or vegetable broth in a large saucepan 2-3 times a week. Then in the evening all that remains is to prepare the vegetable base and cook fresh soup, literally one serving for each family member. The broth can also be used throughout the week to prepare main courses for dinner.
Choose a menu form that will be practical for you. It can be in electronic form, printed on a printer, or even written by hand.
Over time, you will understand in what form the list will suit you in all respects. There are special programs designed to save effort and time.
You can simply create a template and supplement it with the necessary products.
The menu allows you to make your diet varied. Nutrition becomes consistent and there is no need to chaotically come up with something to fill your stomach with. Say no to monotonous eating.
Making a list of dishes
First of all, make a list of dishes that you know how and love to cook, dividing them into categories (breakfasts, first and second courses, side dishes, desserts, salads). In brackets, it is advisable to write the ingredients that are necessary for preparing each dish (this will help you in the future, when you create a menu for the week, to navigate the ingredients included in a particular dish and when compiling lists of missing products).
Yes, this will take time. You may not immediately remember all the dishes you know how to cook. No problem. Gradually, as you remember new dishes, add to the lists. Take this point seriously, because in the future this list will make it easier for you to create a weekly menu for your family, saving a lot of time. The end result should be something like this:
Breakfasts Cottage cheese casserole Omelette Rice milk porridge Buckwheat milk porridge Milk soup with noodles Oat milk porridge Semolina porridge Millet milk porridge Wheat milk porridge Barley milk porridge Corn milk porridge Fried eggs, etc.
First courses: Chicken soup Borscht Beetroot soup Rassolnik Shchi with sauerkraut Pea soup Mushroom soup Fish soup Buckwheat soup Meatball soup Vegetable soup Kharcho soup, etc.
Main courses Lazy cabbage rolls Meatballs Fish in batter Pilaf Fish cutlets Meat cutlets Nuggets French chicken Stuffed peppers Goulash Bolognese Solyanka Chicken pancakes Baked chicken Chicken on a can, etc.
Side dishes Rice Buckwheat Mashed potatoes Pasta Boiled potatoes Barley Vegetable stew, etc.
Desserts Pancakes Pancakes Cookies Baked apples Charlotte Sponge cake Pizza Buns Fruit pie Pies with various fillings, etc.
Salads Vinaigrette Beet salad Carrot salad Fish salad with rice and eggs Olivier Sunflower salad Mushroom salad, etc.
Meals for Wednesday
Breakfast: Millet porridge
Calorie content per 100 grams: 125 kilocalories Proteins/Fats/Carbohydrates: 4/2/ 23 grams.
Lunch: Chicken noodle soup
Calorie content per 100 grams: 63 kilocalories Proteins/Fats/Carbohydrates: 3/ 2/ 8 grams.
Afternoon snack:Curd casserole
Calorie content per 100 grams: 243 kilocalories Proteins/Fats/Carbohydrates: 11/13/ 21 grams.
Dinner: Fish cutlets without frying in oil Calorie content per 100 g: 59 kilocalories Proteins/Fats/Carbohydrates: 4/2/5 g.
- Breakfast – Scrambled eggs with tomatoes, toast with cheese, tea and coffee.
- Lunch – Vegetable soup in meat broth, radish salad.
- Afternoon snack – cottage cheese dessert – casserole or ready-made cottage cheese with jam.
- Dinner – Roast chicken with potatoes, salad of cherry tomatoes and red onions with herbs.
- For the night - Ryazhenka.
Breakfast.Barley porridge with vegetables and sausagesLunch.Soup with turkey and cornAfternoon snack.Pie with yoghurt and pearsDinner.Fish cutlets with cheese Rice Salad with arugula and radishes
Offer your family the following meals for an average day of the week:
- Have a family breakfast of rice porridge and a snack of dry fruit and honey.
- For second breakfast, prepare cottage cheese and fresh fruit slices, pour honey over it.
- For lunch, you should offer the family corn soup with pieces of boiled chicken and vegetable salad.
- For an afternoon snack, do not overload your stomach - it is best to offer kefir or yogurt.
- For dinner, prepare oven-baked fish, seasoned with cheese, and serve it with vegetable salad.
Fish baked in the oven
The total cost will be 1000 rubles. It includes:
- rice (kg) – 70 rub.;
- dried fruits (kg) – 80 rubles;
- apples (kg) – 50 rub.;
- grapes (kg) – 70 rub.;
- honey (jar 100 g) – 100 rubles;
- greens (bunch) – 30 rubles;
- corn (can) – 60 rubles;
- pepper (kg) – 70 rub.;
- cabbage (kg) – 80 rub.;
- chicken (kg) – 150 rub.;
- fish (piece 100 g) – 100 rubles;
- cheese (pack of 100 g) – 40 rubles;
- beans (pack) – 100 rub.
How to create a weekly menu for a family
So we got to the most important point - creating a menu for the week for the family. You can create a table consisting of 3 columns (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and 7 rows (list the days of the week, respectively) and in each cell write down the dishes that you will prepare on a given day.
When creating a menu, I adhere to free planning. So in the menu I do not prescribe specific days of the week tied to one dish or another: on Monday my family will eat buckwheat with meat, and on Tuesday French potatoes and nothing else.
I simply list the meals my family will eat next week by category (breakfast, lunch, dinner), but I don’t assign them a specific day of the week.
Next, every day I choose for each of the categories (breakfast-lunch-dinner) what I want to cook from the compiled menu and start cooking (the dish I prepared is crossed off the menu and I don’t cook it again this week). This approach has become more convenient for me than strict planning tied to a specific day of the week.
I cook breakfast and dinner every day (dinner sometimes remains for the next day, but this is very rare). We usually have enough soup for 2 days. From these features I create a menu. There should be 7 breakfasts and dinners, and 4 first courses. I also include salads and desserts in the menu, which I plan to prepare. In parentheses, next to each dish, I write down the ingredients that are necessary to prepare the dish, but are not available).
Breakfast: rice porridge, buckwheat porridge, oatmeal, cottage cheese casserole (cottage cheese, semolina, milk) omelet (eggs), milk soup with noodles, corn porridge
Lunch: Borsch (beets, cabbage) Rassolnik (pickles) chicken soup (chicken) pea soup
Dinner: pilaf with chicken, battered fish and mashed potatoes (fish), cutlets with buckwheat, pasta with Bolognese sauce, vegetable stew, French-style meat (cheese), rice and lazy cabbage rolls (cabbage)
Next, I rewrite the products that are in brackets on a separate sheet and on my husband’s next day off (I can’t plan the exact day, since he has a flexible schedule), we go shopping.
Meals for Tuesday
Breakfast.Oatmeal porridge with caramel applesLunch.Turkey and corn soupAfternoon snack.Puff pastry cheese sticksDinner.Beef stroganoff Mashed potatoes Salad with arugula and radishes
- Breakfast – Kefir pancakes with jam, green tea or coffee.
- Lunch - we still have chicken broth and rice cooked from dinner, so we can prepare rice soup with herbs and croutons from yesterday's bread.
- Afternoon snack – Bun with jelly.
- Dinner – Mashed potatoes with pumpkin and carrots, baked fish or herring, cucumber salad.
- At night – A glass of fruit juice.
Breakfast: Oatmeal
Calorie content per 100 g: 127 kilocalories Proteins/Fats/Carbohydrates: 3/ 3/ 24 g.
Lunch: Chicken noodle soup
Calorie content per 100 grams: 63 kilocalories Proteins/Fats/Carbohydrates: 3/ 2/ 8 grams.
Afternoon snack: Broccoli and cauliflower casserole
Calorie content per 100 g: 107 kilocalories Proteins/Fats/Carbohydrates: 5/8/5 g.
Dinner: Fish cutlets without frying in oil
Calorie content per 100 grams: 59 kilocalories Proteins/Fats/Carbohydrates: 4/2/5 grams.
On Tuesday you can offer the following economical menu for a family of 4 people:
- For breakfast, the whole family will enjoy baked apples with cottage cheese.
- For a second breakfast, use oatmeal with berries.
- For lunch, prepare chicken soup with meat, and pancakes for a snack.
- For an afternoon snack, you can also treat your family to baked apples and cottage cheese.
- Dinner may consist of grilled chicken and vegetable salad.
Grilled chicken with salad
The cost of these dishes will be:
- apples (kg) – 70 rub.;
- cottage cheese (pack) – 70 rub.;
- berries (pack) – 130 rub.;
- chicken (kg) – 150 rub.;
- noodles (pack) – 40 rub.;
- corn (can) – 55 rubles;
- pickled cucumbers (jar) – 100 rubles;
- grilled chicken (pcs.) – 200 rub.;
- cucumbers (kg) – 55 rub.;
- tomatoes (kg) – 60 rubles;
- lettuce leaves (pack) – 50 rub.;
- greens (bunch) – 30 rubles;
- bell pepper (kg) – 90 rub.;
- cheese (pack of 100 g) – 60 rub.
DETAILS: 6 petals diet: sample menu for every day
