Reg and I have been trying to lose weight to better control our sugar intake. We ate out a lot when I was still pregnant so he gained "pregnancy pounds" as well. Haha!
I have been going to the supermarket to buy 3 weeks worth of dinners the past 2 months and I have been making weekly menu plans to help us achieve our goal. Honestly, I have always felt lazy to do this menu because the meats available at the grocery varies every week. I tend to buy what looks good so I can't stick to 1 set of menu come marketing time.
First, let's start with the supermarket. We are closer to Unimart Greenhills but I feel that prices there are higher and there are times when their stock delivery is delayed. I always end up not being able to buy everything that I need. In order for this menu planning to succeed, I now go to my trusty Landmark Supermarket in Trinoma. I used to shop there when I was still single but I stopped going when I moved after getting married because I hated the traffic. In my honest opinion, this has got to be the most complete place to get everything that I need. The set-up of items per aisle makes sense to me. I don't know about you but I want my tomato and spaghetti sauces beside the pasta aisle! There are also more brands per category so you always have choices.
Now for the menu -
When I reach Landmark, I buy my non-perishables first before I head to the meat/poultry section. There, I choose what looks fresh and more or less think of what to cook with them. Next, I go to the vegetable section and get veggies that can serve as our "rice". I usually get cabbage or different kinds of pechay and other leafy vegetables. I say "rice" because even though we still eat black rice, we try to eat as less carbs as we can so the greens take their place. Finally, I go to the spices/mix aisle to get some ready-made marinades/mixes.
I always take a long time to shop so it takes me around 3-4 hours to finish everything. I really take my time to check out the different brands and also the prices of the items. Overall, I spend an average of Php7-8,000 for a 3-week menu that also includes our staff's canned goods, noodles, bread, coffee, etc. They have their own marketing budget so I don't buy for them anymore. Our maid/cook goes to the wet market every 2 weeks to buy for her, our yaya and driver's food so they have a choice on what they want to eat.
When I get home, I bring out everything and put them on the dining table. I separate our staff's food and give them to our maid/cook to budget. I then make a list of what I bought, including things that I have forgotten inside our pantry. At night, I make a 3-week menu and cross each item off my list one by one until I have "used" them all.
The food that I put in the menu isn't too complicated because I can't commit to always being home on time to cook dinner. The menu has to be simple enough for our helper to make when I'm not available. Inspired by my cousin in law, we provided her with an old iPad which she can use for recipes. 😊 You'll notice that our menu is not made up of baked chicken breast or grilled whatever because I didn't want my husband to dread eating dinner at home. I just get meats that are less in fat and control our portions. I don't like our fridge full so I eat leftovers for lunch the next day. On Fridays, if there are no leftovers, we treat ourselves to thin-crust pizzas!
Some tips:
1. Air-fryer is a must for fried food! Even reheating leftover fried chicken with the air-fryer is so yummy. Hehe!
2. Be flexible. If the item on your menu isn't available, feel free to substitute it with another meat/fish.
3. Don't be too health conscious. Eating at home is a long-time thing that your family should enjoy. Food doesn't have to be bland and it doesn't always have to be a superfood. Buy what is fresh and available!
4. Buy pre-mixes. My favorite now is the kare-kare mix! It's really yummy and easy to use! Look for those with no MSG.
As a bonus, here's my personal recipe of Vegeroni. It's my husband's favorite. We never have leftovers when I make this!
Vegeroni ala Joan
Ingredients:
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium white onion, diced
1/4 kg ground pork
1/4 kg ground beef
1 kg Italian spaghetti sauce
1/2 kg tomato sauce
1 cup water
dried basil leaves
dried oregano leaves, whole
black pepper
1 pack vegeroni pasta
cheese
Procedure:
1. Heat some oil in a pot. Once hot, add the onions and garlic until the former turns translucent.
2. Add in the ground pork and beef. Flatten the meat and allow to cook. Mix a little to cook the top part also.
3. Once the meat starts to release their juices, add the spaghetti and tomato sauces. Add the water and the spices. Lower the fire.
4. Allow to boil for 10 mins, stirring once in a while to make sure the bottom doesn't burn.
5. While waiting, cook the pasta as directed on the package. I like to cook ours a little longer than al dente.
To serve:
Put pasta in a bowl and spoon over a generous amount of sauce. We really love the sauce so it's kinda soupy when we eat this. Haha! Add grated cheese and mix. I recommend using quickmelt cheese.
I can't seem to find a photo of this! Will upload one when I make this again next week.
Hope this helps! Will post my second set of menus in another entry! Enjoy shopping and cooking!
P.S. I wrote this in a hurry so there might be some grammatical errors. Please bear with me! Will proofread later in the day when my baby is sleeping. 😅 #busymomsunite
I have been going to the supermarket to buy 3 weeks worth of dinners the past 2 months and I have been making weekly menu plans to help us achieve our goal. Honestly, I have always felt lazy to do this menu because the meats available at the grocery varies every week. I tend to buy what looks good so I can't stick to 1 set of menu come marketing time.
First, let's start with the supermarket. We are closer to Unimart Greenhills but I feel that prices there are higher and there are times when their stock delivery is delayed. I always end up not being able to buy everything that I need. In order for this menu planning to succeed, I now go to my trusty Landmark Supermarket in Trinoma. I used to shop there when I was still single but I stopped going when I moved after getting married because I hated the traffic. In my honest opinion, this has got to be the most complete place to get everything that I need. The set-up of items per aisle makes sense to me. I don't know about you but I want my tomato and spaghetti sauces beside the pasta aisle! There are also more brands per category so you always have choices.
Now for the menu -
I always take a long time to shop so it takes me around 3-4 hours to finish everything. I really take my time to check out the different brands and also the prices of the items. Overall, I spend an average of Php7-8,000 for a 3-week menu that also includes our staff's canned goods, noodles, bread, coffee, etc. They have their own marketing budget so I don't buy for them anymore. Our maid/cook goes to the wet market every 2 weeks to buy for her, our yaya and driver's food so they have a choice on what they want to eat.
When I get home, I bring out everything and put them on the dining table. I separate our staff's food and give them to our maid/cook to budget. I then make a list of what I bought, including things that I have forgotten inside our pantry. At night, I make a 3-week menu and cross each item off my list one by one until I have "used" them all.
The food that I put in the menu isn't too complicated because I can't commit to always being home on time to cook dinner. The menu has to be simple enough for our helper to make when I'm not available. Inspired by my cousin in law, we provided her with an old iPad which she can use for recipes. 😊 You'll notice that our menu is not made up of baked chicken breast or grilled whatever because I didn't want my husband to dread eating dinner at home. I just get meats that are less in fat and control our portions. I don't like our fridge full so I eat leftovers for lunch the next day. On Fridays, if there are no leftovers, we treat ourselves to thin-crust pizzas!
Some tips:
1. Air-fryer is a must for fried food! Even reheating leftover fried chicken with the air-fryer is so yummy. Hehe!
2. Be flexible. If the item on your menu isn't available, feel free to substitute it with another meat/fish.
3. Don't be too health conscious. Eating at home is a long-time thing that your family should enjoy. Food doesn't have to be bland and it doesn't always have to be a superfood. Buy what is fresh and available!
4. Buy pre-mixes. My favorite now is the kare-kare mix! It's really yummy and easy to use! Look for those with no MSG.
As a bonus, here's my personal recipe of Vegeroni. It's my husband's favorite. We never have leftovers when I make this!
Vegeroni ala Joan
Ingredients:
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium white onion, diced
1/4 kg ground pork
1/4 kg ground beef
1 kg Italian spaghetti sauce
1/2 kg tomato sauce
1 cup water
dried basil leaves
dried oregano leaves, whole
black pepper
1 pack vegeroni pasta
cheese
Procedure:
1. Heat some oil in a pot. Once hot, add the onions and garlic until the former turns translucent.
2. Add in the ground pork and beef. Flatten the meat and allow to cook. Mix a little to cook the top part also.
3. Once the meat starts to release their juices, add the spaghetti and tomato sauces. Add the water and the spices. Lower the fire.
4. Allow to boil for 10 mins, stirring once in a while to make sure the bottom doesn't burn.
5. While waiting, cook the pasta as directed on the package. I like to cook ours a little longer than al dente.
To serve:
Put pasta in a bowl and spoon over a generous amount of sauce. We really love the sauce so it's kinda soupy when we eat this. Haha! Add grated cheese and mix. I recommend using quickmelt cheese.
I can't seem to find a photo of this! Will upload one when I make this again next week.
Hope this helps! Will post my second set of menus in another entry! Enjoy shopping and cooking!
P.S. I wrote this in a hurry so there might be some grammatical errors. Please bear with me! Will proofread later in the day when my baby is sleeping. 😅 #busymomsunite
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