I hope that title caught your eye, because I believe it is where it all starts.  Having a weekly menu allows you to shop efficiently and use fresh ingredients timely.  Here is a quick example of what I mean…

Say I feel like making beef fajitas.  I would need some beef, onions, peppers, carrots, tortillas, seasonings, maybe an avocado and/or tomato. When cooking for one, I will only be using half the onion and half the pepper. I bet the smallest package of beef is about a pound and I don’t need to eat a pound a beef at one sitting.  This dilemma is about portion control – something every single person that cooks for themselves wrestles with at some point. If I make it all so as to not waste the ingredients and then eat it all, I will gain weight – which is not good. If I make it all and have leftovers, I will probably be tired of eating the same thing 2 times in a week and just stop cooking. And if I prepare the correct portions, what do I do with the rest?

The beef is easy – I simply use a vacuum sealer (like Food Saver or Seal-A-Meal) to seal it and freeze it for later.  The onion, peppers, etc are not so easy. I can store them for a few days in the refrigerator, but if I don’t use them… they go into the garbage. Here is where planning a weekly menu saves the day!

If I want fajitas on Monday night for dinner, why don’t I plan to make sweet and sour chicken on Thursday so I use up the remaining pepper and onion?  On Tuesday I could make smoked pork shoulder for pulled pork and use the leftover pulled pork in a pork and kimchi fried rice on Friday and then use the leftover buns and kimchi with cheeseburgers on Sunday. On Wednesday have a simple pasta dish and Saturday is open for going out (or making something so the cycle begins again!)

As you can see… it seems complicated, but really it isn’t. It just takes a little effort and practice and soon you’ll have it down pat. Also, this way if you want to skip cooking one night, you know exactly what is getting shifted.  All in all, I think planning a weekly menu is a win-win situation.  Give it a try, it can’t hurt!