Simply Cent$ible Nutrition Online Cookbook

Simply Cent$ible Nutrition Online Cookbook

University of Wyoming Cent$ible Nutrition Program

Save Time & Money 2 – meal management

Meal Management Plan

A meal management plan helps with busy schedules. It involves planning meals, thinking through tasks and the time needed, and having ingredients on hand. Put a plan on paper at the beginning of the week to guide you through the week’s meals. 

The following section provides an example of a meal management plan using a weekly menu plan for a family of four. If making meals during lunch in not possible for your family, think about using leftovers more often or plan for simple lunch options, such as sandwiches, fruits, and vegetables. Find what works best for your family and make a daily, weekly, or monthly plan of your own. 

Example Grocery List for Menu Plan

Before shopping, check to see if you have the following items on hand.

Grocery List

Pantry Foods

• CNP Italian seasoning
• CNP Mexican Seasoning
• Chili powder
• Cinnamon
• Garlic powder
• Cornstarch
• Parsley
• Nutmeg
• Salt
• Pepper
• Vanilla
• Canola oil
• Yeast, rapid-rise
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Sugar
• Brown sugar
• Barley
• Brown Rice
• Cornmeal
• Whole-wheat flour
• All-purpose flour
• Nonfat dry milk
• Nuts
• Vinegar
• Lemon juice
• Soy sauce
• Dill pickle relish
• Mustard
• Mayonnaise (light)
• Salad dressing
• Italian Dressing
• Jelly
• Peanut butter

Canned and Packaged Foods

• Tuna, packed in water (12 ounces)
• Corn (15-ounce can)
• Salsa (1 cup)
• Tomatoes (2 15-ounce cans)
• Tomato paste (6 ounces)
• Tomato sauce (2 15-ounce cans)
• Black beans (15-ounce can)
• Applesauce (1 jar)
• Peaches (2 15-ounce cans)
• Pineapple chunks (15-ounce can)
• Crushed Pineapple (8-ounce can)
• Pinto beans (2 pounds)
• Black olives (1 small can)
• Dried apricots (6 ounces)
• Vegetable or chicken broth (5 cups)
• Red beans (15-ounce can)
• Refried beans (15-ounce can)
• Raisins


Meats & Poultry

• Chicken (2 whole)
• Ground Beef (4 pounds)
• White fish – Tilapia, Cod, Halibut (1 lb)
• Pork (1 pound)


Breads & Cereals

• Cornflakes (1 box)
• Oatmeal (large container)
• Whole-grain bread (1 loaf )
• Whole-wheat English muffins (8 to 10)
• Whole-wheat crackers (1 pound)
• Whole-grain spaghetti (1 pound)
• Popcorn
• Ramen noodles (2 packages)

Frozen Foods

• Chopped broccoli (1 package)
• Orange juice (12 ounces)
• Mixed vegetables

Example Time Management Plan

For menu planning, it may be easiest to shop for groceries on Saturday morning before the rush or on Friday evening.

Saturday

  1. Make CNP Master Mix. Store in refrigerator. 
  2. Make coffee cake and slice oranges for breakfast. 
  3. Make Chicken Barley Soup. Simmer during the morning. 
  4. If you have freezer space, make CNP Meat Sauce and freeze in quantities for burritos (2 cups), spaghetti (2 cups), and stuffed peppers (2 cups). Leave 1 cup out for mini pizzas later today. 
  5. Make CNP Magic Mix. Store in refrigerator. 
  6. Make Western Vegetable Salad and refrigerate. 
  7. Bake Apricot Oatmeal Cookies. Save half for later in the week by storing them in the refrigerator or freezer. 
  8. If chicken for dinner tomorrow is frozen, place in a pan on lower shelf in refrigerator to thaw. 
  9. Serve lunch. 
  10. About 15 minutes before dinner time, make pizzas. Let everyone make their own! Blend up Smoothies. Serve dinner. 
  11. After dinner, make Popcorn Sprinkles to eat while playing games or watching a movie. 

Sunday

  1. Make orange juice from concentrate. Make Pancakes. Serve breakfast.
  2. Make Tuna Melts and carrot sticks for lunch. Enjoy cookies for a sweet treat.
  3. Cut up chicken 1 1/2 hours before dinner. Freeze backs, wings, and necks for soup. Prepare Picnic Chicken. Clean and sanitize preparation area.
  4. Bake chicken and cook rice 1 hour before dinner. Make extra rice for dinner tomorrow night. Make Muffins and Waldorf Yogurt Salad. Before serving dinner, refrigerate extra Picnic Chicken for lunch tomorrow and some of the Waldorf Yogurt Salad before you sit down to eat. Serve dinner.
  5. Make Vanilla Pudding and add sliced banana for an evening snack.

Monday

  1. Heat leftover muffins for breakfast. Slice oranges. (Make lunches if needed.)
  2. Use ½ of the head of cabbage to make Crunchy Salad and serve with lunch. Shred the other half and save for planned over Crunchy Salad on Tuesday.
  3. Make Cornbread and Red Beans & Rice about 30 minutes prior to dinner. Prepare salad and slice apples. Serve dinner.
  4. Enjoy leftover Waldorf Yogurt Salad for an evening snack.
  5. Put a 2-cup package of CNP Meat Sauce into refrigerator to thaw for dinner tomorrow night.

Tuesday

  1. Make oatmeal and serve breakfast.
  2. Make Fish Tacos using CNP Tortillas, doubling the tortilla recipe. Save 10 tortillas for tomorrow. Mix up planned over Crunchy Salad from the cabbage you cut on Monday. Serve lunch.
  3. About 1 ½ hours before dinner, make Bread-in-a-Bag Breadsticks. Save half to have with lunch on Thursday.
  4. Make spaghetti sauce using CNP Meat Sauce, and cook spaghetti. Make tossed salad while spaghetti is boiling. Serve dinner.
  5. Make Baked Apples.

15 Meals from the Pantry

Using ingredients you have on hand is one way to save time and money. Below you will find a general list of pantry ingredients. The recipes in the list can all be made with the pantry items and few to no additional ingredients. As you become more familiar with this cookbook and learn what recipes you like, you can keep those ingredients stocked in your pantry as well and start your own list of meals from the pantry. 

Menu Planning
Food Budgeting
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